We read in the Scriptures that the disciples on one occasion came to Jesus and asked Him to teach them how to pray. They had been impressed by His prayers. Their simple strength and beauty had stirred their souls, and they wanted to know what to say when they prayed and how to say it.
Today men still have a longing to learn how to pray effectively, how to word their petitions clearly, how to express simply yet forcefully the desires of their heart. This is, of course, especially desirable in the case of public prayer when the intent is not only to communicate with God but also to carry the minds of the listeners into the presence of Divinity. To do this effectively one must avoid words, and even intonations, that might cause a hearer's attention to be detracted from the real purpose of the prayer. Such detractions might be mispronunciations, faulty grammar, monotonous repetitions, an affected tone of voice, or gross errors in diction, to take note of a few outstanding culprits.
Of late, however, one who listens carefully to prayers made in public is conscious of an ever-increasing tendency to avoid the word Thou, the familiar, respected form of address that has been preserved in the language mainly because it allows us to indicate our realization that God is holy, all-powerful, omniscient, ever-present, immortal, different from us. This is true especially of uneducated folks who seem to feel that the use of Thou is a form of putting on "spiritual airs." Usually such people are consistent; that is, they use the pronoun You throughout their entire prayer.
There are other persons who mix the two forms promiscuously. First it is Thou and then it is You; then it is "We feel grateful to Thee" and then in the next sentence "We look to You for guidance." The same person may begin his prayer with "Our Father which art in heaven" and follow that with "We thank You that You are with us." This is a way of speaking which is offensive to the ears of any educated person.
Perhaps it is due to thoughtlessness; perhaps it is due to a desire to be more "chummy" with God, for somehow the respect of the Deity which was originally conveyed by the familiar forms, Thou, Thy, Thee, Thine, and their compounds, has well-nigh disappeared; and many persons feel they can express their love and appreciation of God more clearly by using the forms You and Your.
There is no sin in using the common form, You. There is no sin in mixing the forms You and Thou. But there is, in the mixing of the two forms, a definite revelation of inadequate handling of the English language, and under circumstances that ought to command as perfect a performance as possible.
Another case in point is the lack of agreement between the pronoun Thou, when it is used, and the verb that follows. It well may be that herein lies the reason why many are making use of the common pronoun of address, You. How often one hears such expressions as: Thou would, Thou might, Thou should, Thou can, Thou will be, et cetera, and at times from those who are college graduates or, more shamefully still, from those who majored in theology. Correct usage demands that one say: Thou shouldst or wouldest, Thou shouldst or shouldest, Thou mightst or rnightest, Thou canst, Thou wilt be. Does it not behoove each man who occupies the pulpit regularly, each one who plans to occupy it frequently in his lifework, to make sure that his speech contributes to the glory of God? The application of I Corinthians 10:31 is very broad. Whatever we do must be done to His glory.
The examples cited above in no way cover the whole field of errors in this matter. The alert person who recognizes his weakness may consult any grammarian—Curme, House and Harmon, Wooley, Kittredge and Farley, to mention only a few outstanding ones—and learn for himself what is proper.
The words of Washington Gladden, penned many years ago, are still very, very true: "The preacher in the pulpit—above every other type of professional worker—must have a complete and perfect mastery of our mother tongue." Yet, while this problem may have special application to the ministry, would it not be fitting for every college student and teacher to be aware and on his guard lest he fall into this careless way of speaking to Him who, above all beings, demands that everything be done decently and in order? When we ourselves know how, we can successfully teach others to pray
