So you go forth with real prayer. It is your wonderful privilege, thus going to carry nothing less than the blessed "Fulness of the Holy Ghost" for your inmost equipment. I say deliberately, nothing less than the heavenly Fulness--a far different thing from a mere stir and lift of the emotions. That most divine gift is a "calm excess" of tranquil power, received humbly by the prayer of faith. It is not meant to be a rare luxury; it is a daily and hourly offer, a provided _viaticum_ for every stage of walk and duty. Can we work aright for God while any corner of our being has no room for God, and is not possessed by Him?
Then, for true prayer and true practicality are the closest and most harmonious friends, you will of course aim with forethought and persistency at _method_ in the pastoral work. The visits will be arranged as far as possible with economy of _space_; no difficult task in most town parishes, while in the country, of course, the matter is often much less easy. And you will study also economy of _time_. Your round is a work of sacred _business_. The minutes, the quarters of an hour, are never to run loose and unobserved. Who that has ever visited in a parish does not know the need of remembering that point, so easily forgotten? Here we visit a pleasant, welcoming neighbour, and it is all too easy to stay on, perhaps to little real purpose, with the secret satisfaction of knowing that the next and much less attractive call must be shortened in proportion. Here, less willingly, we are detained by one of those ingenious tongues which make it so difficult to get in a word, or to stop the unprofitable continuity of topics. All these cases, and endless kindred ones, need a little foresight and firmness, and a little of the skill which is soon learnt by open heart and open eyes.