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The still hour: Or, Communion with God
Books on prayer can be cheap and sentimental: some are even irreligious in their view of the ease with which communion with God is to be obtained. Not this. The hindrances to prayer, as Dr Phelps shows, are many: nor are they readily recognised. Foremost among them, he argues, are our tendencies to 'romance', distrust and idolatry.
His analysis of the reasons why a sense of the presence of God is often lacking in prayer leads the way to a concluding emphasis on the aid of the Holy Spirit and the centrality of Christ.
Austin Phelps (1820-90), of Massachusetts, taught at Andover Theological Seminary. The Still Hour, first published in 1859, went through many editions on both sides of the Atlantic. It is re-issued, with minor revisions, as the most notable treatment of Christian prayer known to the publishers. In directness, frankness and deep spirituality it is outstanding.
His analysis of the reasons why a sense of the presence of God is often lacking in prayer leads the way to a concluding emphasis on the aid of the Holy Spirit and the centrality of Christ.
Austin Phelps (1820-90), of Massachusetts, taught at Andover Theological Seminary. The Still Hour, first published in 1859, went through many editions on both sides of the Atlantic. It is re-issued, with minor revisions, as the most notable treatment of Christian prayer known to the publishers. In directness, frankness and deep spirituality it is outstanding.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1859
115 people are currently reading
267 people want to read
About the author
Austin Phelps
109 books10 followersAustin Phelps (1820 - 1890), American Congregational minister and educationalist.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 9, 2025
This is wonderfully direct book on the subject of prayer. It offers a well considered rebuke against complacency in pursuit of devotion and intercourse with God; and effectively diagnoses a disaffected Christian’s shortfalls when it comes to intimacy with God. This isn’t a book that should be read with any great speed, but one that ought to be carefully and dutifully pondered so that in may be well understood.
May 9, 2019
Austin Phelps : “The Still Hour” is a great little book (90 pages) on prayer, by the 19th century Congregationalist pastor .
Quotes:
“Christians often have little faith in prayer as a “power in real life”. They do not embrace cordially, in feeling as well as in theory, the truth which underlies the entire spiritual conception and illustration of prayer, that it is literally, actually, positively, effectually, a means of power.”
P 27
“The feeling which will become spontaneous with a Christian, under the influence of such a trust, is this: “I come to my devotions this morning, on the errand of real life. This is no romance and no farce. I do not come here to go through a form of words. I have no hopeless desires to express. I have an object to gain. I have an end to accomplish. This is a business in which I am about to engage.“
Page 31
“We have not so trained our heart that a certain emotive current is always ebullient , welling up from the depths of the soul like the springs of a deep sea. We think more than we believe. We believe more than we have faith . Our faith is to calm, to cool, too sluggish. Our theory of the Christian life is that of a clear, direct, inflexible head, not of a great heart in which deep calleth unto deep.”
Page 42
Quotes:
“Christians often have little faith in prayer as a “power in real life”. They do not embrace cordially, in feeling as well as in theory, the truth which underlies the entire spiritual conception and illustration of prayer, that it is literally, actually, positively, effectually, a means of power.”
P 27
“The feeling which will become spontaneous with a Christian, under the influence of such a trust, is this: “I come to my devotions this morning, on the errand of real life. This is no romance and no farce. I do not come here to go through a form of words. I have no hopeless desires to express. I have an object to gain. I have an end to accomplish. This is a business in which I am about to engage.“
Page 31
“We have not so trained our heart that a certain emotive current is always ebullient , welling up from the depths of the soul like the springs of a deep sea. We think more than we believe. We believe more than we have faith . Our faith is to calm, to cool, too sluggish. Our theory of the Christian life is that of a clear, direct, inflexible head, not of a great heart in which deep calleth unto deep.”
Page 42
July 23, 2021
This short volume on prayer is quaint, pressing, warm, and cuts right to the heart of what prayer is, it's duties, delights, as well as what contributes to our deficiencies therein, with their remedy. It comes highly recommended by Dr. Joel Beeke and Charles Spurgeon. I add my commendation to theirs.
November 11, 2010
I looked this book up after reading a short excerpt of it in another book. It was well worth finding. Austin Phelps begins with a concise survey of great Christians' prayer lives. That first chapter quickly leads one to recognize something important: that all "great" Christians prayed and even loved prayer. The author then goes on to diagnose numerous problems Christians face in prayer and explains how to address them. One thing I loved about this book was the emphasis on love and delight. Many of the modern books I've read on prayer emphasize duty. And while Austin Phelps did not deny it, he also didn't focus on it. Delight and privilege are the ground of his call to join the ranks of praying Christians.
June 29, 2019
Reading it again. To study and meditate on these truths... to be led back to the author of all truth.
August 10, 2020
Anybody else find it hard to give ratings up in here ?! I think this one would be a 3.76 in all reality. This small book on prayer had me contemplating my own still hours or lack thereof. It was one of those that on every other page I had to stop to write down a quote.
Here is one I’ve thought a lot about: “I am inclined to imagine that there are no little things with God. His hand is as manifest in the feathers of a butterfly wing, in the eye of an insect, in the folding and packing of a blossom, in the curious aqueducts by which a leaf is nourished, as in the creation of a world, and in the laws in which planets move. I understand literally the injunction, ‘In everything make your requests known unto God;’ and I cannot but notice how amply these prayers have been met.”
What a relief and a reminder to know there are no little things.
I learned a lot about the romance, the temperament, the distrust, and the continuance in prayer.
“The truth is, that we never feel Christ to be a reality, until we feel Him to be a necessity.”
GOOD stuff
Here is one I’ve thought a lot about: “I am inclined to imagine that there are no little things with God. His hand is as manifest in the feathers of a butterfly wing, in the eye of an insect, in the folding and packing of a blossom, in the curious aqueducts by which a leaf is nourished, as in the creation of a world, and in the laws in which planets move. I understand literally the injunction, ‘In everything make your requests known unto God;’ and I cannot but notice how amply these prayers have been met.”
What a relief and a reminder to know there are no little things.
I learned a lot about the romance, the temperament, the distrust, and the continuance in prayer.
“The truth is, that we never feel Christ to be a reality, until we feel Him to be a necessity.”
GOOD stuff
January 3, 2026
“A plain man once said: ' Before my conversion, when I prayed in the presence of others, I prayed to them; when I prayed in secret, I prayed to myself; but now I pray to God.’”
“Our faith is too calm, too cool, too sluggish. Our theory of the Christian life is that of a clear, erect, inflexible head, not of a great heart in which deep calleth unto deep.”
“The truth is, that we never feel Christ to be a reality, until we feel Him to be a necessity."
“Prayer is the peace of our spirit, the stillness of our thoughts, the evenness of our recollection, the seat of our meditation, the rest of our cares, and the calm of our tempest. Prayer is the issue of a quiet mind, of untroubled thoughts; it is the daughter of charity and the sister of meekness. He that prays to God with a troubled and discomposed spirit, is like him that retires into a battle to meditate, and sets up his closet in the out-quarters of an army, and chooses a frontier garrison to be wise in.”
“Our faith is too calm, too cool, too sluggish. Our theory of the Christian life is that of a clear, erect, inflexible head, not of a great heart in which deep calleth unto deep.”
“The truth is, that we never feel Christ to be a reality, until we feel Him to be a necessity."
“Prayer is the peace of our spirit, the stillness of our thoughts, the evenness of our recollection, the seat of our meditation, the rest of our cares, and the calm of our tempest. Prayer is the issue of a quiet mind, of untroubled thoughts; it is the daughter of charity and the sister of meekness. He that prays to God with a troubled and discomposed spirit, is like him that retires into a battle to meditate, and sets up his closet in the out-quarters of an army, and chooses a frontier garrison to be wise in.”
October 21, 2020
Loved most of this book.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"Many times, all I can do is to complain that I want Him, and wish to recover Him."
"'Never any more wonder,' says an old writer, 'that men pray so seldom. For there are very few that feel the relish, and are enticed with the deliciousness, and refreshed with the comforts, and acquainted with the secrets, of a holy prayer.'"
The Still Hour is worth reading if you complain that you want God and wish to recover Him.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"Many times, all I can do is to complain that I want Him, and wish to recover Him."
"'Never any more wonder,' says an old writer, 'that men pray so seldom. For there are very few that feel the relish, and are enticed with the deliciousness, and refreshed with the comforts, and acquainted with the secrets, of a holy prayer.'"
The Still Hour is worth reading if you complain that you want God and wish to recover Him.
February 21, 2024
I found some of the chapters to be quite helpful and I found some to be insipid. Overall the lack of Scripture bothered me. In fairness, the author referred to a number of verses without quoting them or citing them. It also had a negative or critical tone. If we don't pray as we ought, and most of us agree that we don't, we need to be reminded and rebuked but I found that there was more rebuke than encouragement.
February 1, 2022
Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen.......
Wow. What a powerful book on communion with God. Thankful Mr spurgeon recommended this work. I pray right now the truth found in this work would be evident in my life and many others who seek it's value in Jesus name. Amen.
Wow. What a powerful book on communion with God. Thankful Mr spurgeon recommended this work. I pray right now the truth found in this work would be evident in my life and many others who seek it's value in Jesus name. Amen.
July 15, 2011
Some good ideas about prayer in this book, a little sluggish to get through, primarily from the 19th century language.
January 18, 2016
Dense for a little book with lots of truth to chew on. Addresses the epidemic of ignorance and apathy Christians have toward praying and revives the practice with gospel-centred truths.
April 8, 2017
Not the most enticing of covers (in the Banner of Truth edition of 1974). Nor does the title of the book really seem all that suitable for something that is about prayer-life generally. The title gives the impression that it could be a selection of devotional thoughts for the daily 'quiet time', rather than a discussion of the difficulties we have when trying to pray.
It's a short little book, quick to read, though sometimes the sentences are constructed a little awkwardly which slows things down a little as you try to puzzle out what is being said.
The book is good at putting into words things that we have experienced but don't know how to express. Or it helps to diagnose the underlying cause behind all the symptoms we are experiencing. A useful little book, and comforting in its way because it shows us that others have experienced exactly the same things as we have. It doesn't seem to offer remedies for the problems though. Maybe this is because recognising the root problem is the main battle, and once that is recognised and acknowledged, the solution should be fairly obvious.
Overall it is a very useful and thought-provoking little book. Worth reading.
It's a short little book, quick to read, though sometimes the sentences are constructed a little awkwardly which slows things down a little as you try to puzzle out what is being said.
The book is good at putting into words things that we have experienced but don't know how to express. Or it helps to diagnose the underlying cause behind all the symptoms we are experiencing. A useful little book, and comforting in its way because it shows us that others have experienced exactly the same things as we have. It doesn't seem to offer remedies for the problems though. Maybe this is because recognising the root problem is the main battle, and once that is recognised and acknowledged, the solution should be fairly obvious.
Overall it is a very useful and thought-provoking little book. Worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews