Pray for something definite

Many people go away into a room alone to pray, simply because "they must say their prayers." The time has come for their daily habit of going off by themselves for prayer - whether in the morning or at noon or whatever time of day it may be. But instead of having anything particular to say, any definite object before their mind, they fall down on their knees and pray for whatever floats thought their imagination at the time, and when they are done they can hardly tell you a word of what they have said. This is not effectual prayer. What would we think of someone who would try to move a legislature, saying, "now it is winter, and the legislature is in session, and it is time to send up petitions," and would go up to the legislature and petition at random without any definite objective? Do you think such petitions would move the legislature?