Daniel Nash, a pray-er

I just read an account of Daniel Nash, a man mostly unrecognized, but who had such an impact on the ministry of Charles Finney, a well-known evangelist. He would go ahead of Finney, two or three weeks, to prepare the way in prayer and keep praying intensely during the meeting. It really amazes me to hear of people who pray like this. I want to be more like this, but I lack so much discipline!

Here are some snips from the article I read:

During the Rochester meetings there are several accounts of these two men in deep agony of soul while praying day and night. Some accounts name Nash, some Clary, others both. It seems they were together in fasting and prayer much of the time, weeping and crying out to God. Sometimes they lay prostrate without strength to stand up. Their concern over sinners being lost brought great stress to their minds and souls. They groaned under the load, they risked health and gave up comforts that the battle of the heavenlies might be won. Sometimes they ”would writhe and groan in agony” over souls. God honored their burden-bearing and sent revival. Privately they prayed and publicly God answered. ”Practically everyone in the city was converted. The only theater in the city was converted into a livery stable, the only circus into a soap and candle factory, and the grog shops (bars and taverns) were closed.”

Oswald J. Smith explains the importance of such strivings in prayer during Finney’s ministry:
”He always preached with the expectation of seeing the Holy Spirit suddenly outpoured. Until this happened little or nothing was accomplished. But the moment the Spirit fell upon the people, Finney had nothing else to do but point them to the Lamb of God. Thus he lived and wrought for years in an atmosphere of revival.”

We refuse to so strive and should not be surprised at the lack of God’s mighty stirrings. Is it not amazing that we have no problem with people wearing themselves out in sports for pleasure, work for money, politics for power, and programs for charity, but think it fanatical to so pray for souls? We would die for national freedom, but never for progress in the Kingdom of God. Is it any wonder we see so little of God’s great working? Nash would pray until he had to “go to bed absolutely sick, for weakness and faintness, under the pressure.” The world would have no problem with such dedication except that it was due to prayer for souls. Why should it be such a strange thing to the Church?

”Someone asked Finney what kind of man this Father Nash was. ’We never see him,’ they said. ’He doesn’t enter into any of the meetings.’
”Finney replied, ’Like anybody who does a lot of praying, Father Nash is a very quiet person.’ Show me a person who is always talking and I’ll show you a Christian who never does much praying.”

“Since you were here I have been thinking of prayer—particularly of praying for the Holy Ghost and its descent. It seems to me I have always limited God in this request. . . I have never felt, till since you left us, that I might rationally ask for the whole influence of the Spirit to come down; not only on individuals, but on a whole people, region, country, and world.
On Saturday I set myself to do this, and the devil was very angry with me, yesterday for it. I am now convinced, it is my duty and privilege, and the duty of every other Christian, to pray for as much of the Holy Spirit as came down on the day of Pentecost, and a great deal more. I know not why we may not ask for the entire and utmost influence of the Spirit to come down, and, asking in faith, see the full answer. . . I think I never did so freely ask the Holy Ghost for all mankind. My body is in pain, but I am happy in my God. . . I have only just begun to understand what Jesus meant when He said, ’All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.’
”I have felt a little like praying that I might be overwhelmed with the Holy Ghost, die in the operation, and go to Heaven thus; but God knows.”

Charles Finney gives the account of the homegoing of his co-worker:
“Said a good man to me: ‘Oh, I am dying for the want of strength to pray! My body is crushed, the world is on me, and how can I forbear praying?’ I have known that man go to bed absolutely sick, for weakness and faintness, under the pressure. And I have known him pray as if he would do violence to Heaven, and then have seen the blessing come as plainly in answer to his prayer as if it were revealed, so that no person could doubt it any more than if God had spoken from heaven.
Shall I tell you how he died? He prayed more and more; he used to take the map of the world before him, and pray, and look over the different countries and pray for them, till he expired in his room, praying.
Blessed man! He was the reproach of the ungodly, and of carnal, unbelieving professors; but he was the favorite of Heaven, and a prevailing prince of prayer.”

Thus he entered glory on his knees December 20, 1831, at the age of 56. His body is buried near where he pastored in that former church’s graveyard with a small stone to mark the spot.