LADY MAXWELL was one of John Wesleys (founder) members of the Methodist Church in its earlier stage. She was a woman of elegance, of culture and of deep holiness. Separating herself entirely from the world, she sought and found the deepest spiritual experience, and was a woman fully set apart to God. Her life was one of prayer, of complete dedication to God, living to praise others. She was noted for her systematic habits of life, which entered into and controlled her faith. Her time was saved and planned for God. She arose at four oclock in the morning, and attended preaching at five oclock. After breakfast she held a family devotion. Then, from eleven to twelve oclock she observed a season of intercessory prayer. The rest of the day was given to reading, visiting and acts of kindness.Her evenings were spent in reading. At night, before retiring, devotional services were held for the family and sometimes in praising God for His mercies.

Rarely has God been served with more intellect, or out of a richer experience, a nobler passion, a richer graciousness of the soul. Strongly, spiritually and passionately fond of Wesleys doctrine of complete loyalty to God, she wanted it with persistency, and a never fading enthusiasm. She obtained it by faith and prayer, and showed it in a life as holy and as perfect as is possible for a human to achieve. If this great facet of Wesleys teaching were available today, preachers and teachers would posses the profound spiritual understanding and experience as did Fletcher of Madeley and Lady Maxwell of Edinburgh; it would not have been so misunderstood, but would have commended itself to the good and pure everywhere by the living of holy lives, if not by its verbal communication.

Lady Maxwells diary shows some rich guidance for secret prayer, holy experience, and holy living. One of the entries runs as follows:

Of late I feel painfully convinced that I do not pray enough. Lord, give me the spirit of prayer and of supplication. Oh, what a cause of thankfulness is it that we have a gracious God to whom to go on all occasions! Use and enjoy this privilege and you can never be miserable. Who gives thanks for this royal privilege? It puts God in everything, His wisdom, power, control and safety. Oh, what an unspeakable privilege is prayer! Let us give thanks for it, I do not prove all the power of prayer that I wish.

So we see that the remedy for non-praying is praying. The cure for little praying is to pray more. Praying can obtain all things necessary for our good.

With this excellent woman praying held all things and included everything. To one of her most intimate friends she writes:

I wish I could provide you with a proper maid, but it is a difficult matter. You have my prayers for it, and if I hear of one I will let you know.

This was so small a matter as the need for a housemaid for a friend. But with her this event was not too small to take to God in prayer.

In the same letter, she tells her friend that she wants more faith. Cry mightily for it, and stir up the gift of God that is in you.

Whether the need was a small material thing as a maid, or a great spiritual grace, prayer was the means to attain that end and supply that want. There is nothing, she writes to a dear correspondent, so hurtful to the nervous system as anxiety. It preys upon the vitals and weakens the whole frame, and what is more than all, it grieves the Holy Spirit. Her remedy, again, for a common evil, was prayer.

How prayer stops us form worrying by bringing God in to relieve and possess and hold?

Be careful for nothing, says the Apostle, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests he made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Christ Jesus is the only cure for undue worry and over anxiety of soul, and we secure God, His presence and His peace by prayer. Care is so natural and so strong, that none but God can eject it. It takes God, the presence and personality of God Himself, to get rid of the worry and to install quietness and peace. When Christ comes in with His peace, all tormenting fears are gone, fear and worrying anxieties give up to the reign of peace, and all disturbing elements leave. Anxious thought and worry assault the soul, and weakness, faintness and cowardice are inside the mind. Prayer reinforces with Gods peace, and the heart is kept by Him. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee. All now is safety, quietness and assurance. The work of righteousness is peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.