y_ easy, however simple and reliant it may be. It is meant to be
an infinitely important transaction between man and God. And therefore
very often, when subjects and circumstances call for it, it has to be
viewed as a work involving labour, persistency, conflict, if it would be
prayer indeed" (_Colossian Studies_, p. 124). The Bishop goes on to quote
a familiar incident which illustrates this great truth: "A visitor knocked
betimes one morning at the door of a good man, a saint of the noblest
Puritan type--and that was a fine type indeed. He called as a friend to
consult a friend, sure of his welcome. But he was kept waiting long. At
last a servant came to explain the delay: 'My master has been at prayer,
and this morning he has been long in getting access.'"

The practical question for us is whether this is our idea of prayer, or
whether we are merely playing at prayer, and not regarding it with true
seriousness. If we know what it is to have "great conflict" in prayer,
happy are we. If we do not, we may well ask God to search our hearts and
change our minds about prayer.

Prayer is characterised by _unselfishness_. The conflict of the Apostle
was not self-centred. It was on behalf of others: "Great conflict I have
for you, and for them at Laodicea." This is the essence of
prayer--intercession on behalf of others. If our seasons of prayer are
largely taken up with prayers for our own needs, however genuine, we are
failing at a crucial point; but if our time is mainly taken up with
prayers for others, we shall soon find that our own blessings begin to
abound. "There is that scattereth and yet increaseth."

Prayer also implies _sympathy_. The Apostle was praying for people whom he
had never seen, and probably never would see. This is not easy--indeed, is
very difficult--but it is a real test of spirituality. "Out of sight, out
of mind." We are tempted to limit our prayers to friends whom we know,
causes in which we are interested, subjects spiritually near and akin to
us. Not so the Apostle, whose heart went out to the whole Church of God in
every place where he knew through friends that little bodies of Christians
were to be found. His sympathy was at once quick, wide, and deep, and it
is one of the supreme tests of true spirituality to have a sympathy
possessed of all these three characteristics. Our sympathy may be quick
and yet narrow, or wide but not deep, or even deep and not wide; but to be
at once quick, wide, a