6.9.2016 Finney on PRAYER MEETINGS

AND WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME, THAT I WILL DO, THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED IN THE SON. IF YOU ASK ANYTHING IN MY NAME, I WILL DO IT. john 14.13-4

(note: it seems that Finney, here, is talking about prayer meetings specifically related to revival, either the coming of it or the continuing of it.)

God. in His infinite grace, has created us to be sympathetic beings. because of our nature, we communicate our fellings to one another. a minister, for instance, will often transmit his own feelings to his congregation. the Spirit of God that inspires his soul makes use of his feelings to influence his hearers just as God makes use of the words he preaches.

nothing is more calculated to inspire a spirit of prayer than to unite in social prayer with one who has the Spirit Himself, unless this one is so far ahead that his prayer will repel the rest. if others are anywhere near the level of his experience, his spirit will kindle, bur, and spread all around. one individual who obtains the spirit of prayer will often arouse a whole church, so that a general revival follows.
prayer meetings ought to be given to the Spirit of God. those who desire to pray, let them pray. if the leader sees anything that needs to be set right, let him remark freely and kindly, put it right, then go on again. he should, however, be careful to time his remarks so as not to interrupt the flow of feeling, chill the meeting or turn the thoughts of the people from the proper subject.

239  very often, those who pray long prayers in a meeting do so because they do not have the spirit of prayer. some men will spin out a long prayer telling god who and what He is or they will pray out a whole system of theology. some preach, others exhort, until everybody wishes they would stop everyone should keep to the point and pray for what he came to pray for, not follow the flights of his imagination.
THINGS THAT MAY DEFEAT THE PRAYER MEETING

when there is an unhappy lack of confidence in the leader, there is no hope of any good. whatever the cause, whether he is to blame of not, the very fact that he leads the meeting will dampen it and prevent all good, i have witnessed this in churches where there was an offensive elder or deacon (perhaps rightly judged offensive, perhaps not) placed in a leadership position, and the meeting would die under his influence...
latecomers to the meeting..is a very great hindrance. after people have started praying, having their souls quiet, their eyes shut and their attention focused on the Lord, another person bolting into the meeting will disrupt the atmosphere. some will look up, yet all have their minds interrupted..

240  prayer meetings are often too long. people in attendance shoudl always be dismissed while there is still feeling...
every minister should know that if prayer meetings are neglected, all his work is in vain. unless he can convince christians to attend the prayer meetings, nothing else he can do will imporve the state of faith.
prayer meetings are the most difficult meetings to sustain - as, indeed, they ought to be. they are so spiritual that unless the leader is especially prepared, both in heart and mind, they will dwindle...

241  ..church officers often complain and scold because people do not come to the prayer meeting, when the truth is, they themselves are so cold that they spiritually and emotionally freeqe to death every one who does come.
the great objective of all the means of grace is to aim directly at the conversion of sinners. you should pray that they will be converted there. do not pray that they will merely be awakened and convicted, but pray that they may be converted on the spot. no one should pray or make any remarks as if he expected a single sinner would go away without giving his heart to God. you should all make the impression on his mind that now is the time to give his life to Jesus. if you do this while you are still speaking, God will hear.