ABSTRACT
Baron von Hugel, the-great German mystic, once said that Christianity for every man began on his knees. If this were literally applied, it would mean that only those who knelt at prayer would qualify even to begin to learn the Christian way of life. While many worshippers in this country are accustomed to kneel in prayer, there are many others who pray either sitting or standing with heads bowed and eyes shut, an attitude which makes it difficult to use a prayer book with liturgy and rubrics. When in addition to these variations in practice, the place of prayer is transferred from churches to a multitude of homes, a very different reaction may be expected when the familiar words 'Let us pray' are heard by radio. To assume the kneeling posture may take much courage among family or friends, unless the habit of the household is to pray together regularly - a practice to be found in very few homes in this generation. Even 'in secret' in the privacy of one's own room, the posture adopted will depend on whether the custom of the individual at prayer agrees with the directions from outside. And when the person is confined to bed, kneeling becomes impracticable. There must be some modification of von Hugel's assertion so far as listening is concerned. It follows that prayer as part of religion by radio has its peculiar problems.
