I recollect, said C. H. Spurgeon, when first I went to preach to a mere handful of people in London — such a handful; but oh! how they could pray! How we sometimes seemed to plead, as though we could see the angel present and must have a blessing till we were all so awe-struck with the solemnity of prayer that we said, “Let us be quiet!” and we sat for some minutes silent, while the Lord’s power seemed to overshadow us, and all the minister could do was to pronounce the blessing, and say, “Dear friends, we have had the Spirit here tonight; let us go home and not lose His blessed influences.” Then down came the blessing; the house was filled with hearers; and many souls were converted; and I always give all the honour to God first, and then to a praying people, for the more our people pray for us the more successful our ministry must and will be; but without a praying people we can do nothing.
I have heard of a minister, who, when his people complained to him about his preaching, said, “Well, he could not preach any better, for he had lost his prayer-book.” They said they did not know he used a prayer-book. “Oh yes,” he said, he did, and he told them that his prayer-book was his people’s hearts, and when he had lost them it was all over with him. I once heard, too, of a person who called on his minister to tell him he could not enjoy his preaching so much as he did. “Well, my dear brother,” said the minister, “before you tell me what you have to find fault with in me, let us pray together; will you kneel down and pray for me?” They knelt down and prayed, and when they got up the minister said — “Now, dear brother, sit down, and in a spirit of love, and meekness tell me what fault you have to find.” “Oh, sir,” said the man, “I am ashamed of myself; I have no fault to find at all.” “Why, how is that, my brother?” “Why, sir, since you have asked me to pray for you I cannot find fault with you; I believe now, sir, that the fault is in myself; I never prayed for you before, but now I will!” I have no doubt it was much to his own profit, as well as to the preacher’s when he began to pray for his minister. Prayer can do anything. You may hold your public meetings, and get up your schemes and societies, and they may all end in smoke; but prayer can do anything. Praying is sure building; you may build with committees, and societies, and all that; and yet the house may be on the sand, and the next tide may sweep it away; but build with prayer, cement every stone upon its neighbour with prayer, and you have built so that all the tempests of the world shall dash harmlessly against it, but shall never be able to remove a single stone from its place.
— from Cheering Words Annual, 1951