A Prayer of Cyrus Brown
“The proper way for a man to pray”
said Deacon Lemuel Keyes,
“and the only proper attitude
is down upon his knees.”
“Nay, I should say the way to pray,”
said Reverend Dr. Wise
“is standing straight with outstretched arms
and rapt and upturned eyes.”
“Oh, no, no, no.” said Elder Snow
“Such posture is too proud
A man should pray with eyes fast closed
and head contritely bowed.”
“It seems to me his hands should be
astutely clasped in front.
With both thumbs a pointing toward the ground.”
Said Reverend Hunt.
“Las’ year I fell in Hodgkins well
head first,” said Cyrus Brown,
“With both my heels a-stikin’ up,
my head a-p’inting down,
An’ I made a prayer right there an’ then;
Best prayer I ever said;
The prayingest prayer I ever prayed,
A-standin on my head.”
In this poem, written by Mr. Foss who lived and died more than a century ago, three learned men were talking about the best way to pray, standing, kneeling, eyes closed or open. Then Cyrus Brown, with his common sense, told them about the most sincere and maybe loudest prayer he had ever prayed. It might have gone something like this: “Oh, Lord, get me out of here.” I’ve prayed like that, Lord get me out of this situation, although, thankfully I’ve never fallen in a well. Whether I’m kneeling, standing, or driving down the highway, I know the Lord hears me when I pray, not because of me or what I say but because He promises that He always hears.
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