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Samuel H. Miller: Forgive Me

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Forgive me, God, for prayers my lips too easily speak, for prayers made out of words which are nothing but words. Forgive me for the prayers I borrow from the agony of others without suffering myself, for prayers of light and glory unballasted by the darkness and depth from which such things bloom. Forgive me for prayers unwashed by the si lences of mystery. Forgive me, God, for prayers wherein I pampered myself and consecrated my false faith. Forgive me, and teach me how to pray.

Samuel H. Miller (1900-1968) was a Baptist minister and scholar who served as dean of Harvard Divinity School from 1959 until his death. His published works include Man the Believer in an Age of Unbelief (1968); his final work, Religion in a Technical Age, was published on the day of his death.