Book Review: E. M. Bounds: Man of Prayer

Meeting Patti Callahan Henry at her author talk in Franklin, IN, propelled me into several reading kicks. First, I read 2 of Patti's books. Becoming Mrs. Lewis sparked a desire to pick up my dear friend (and former boss) Lyle W. Dorsett's book, And God Came In (re-titled A Love Observed). At the same time, in my morning devotional focus on prayer books, I worked through his exceptional brief biography and compilation book on Edward McKendree Bounds. This Dorsett book-reading kick sparked a C. S. Lewis kick. The Amazon image of Lyle's book was sideways, so I took a photo of my copy, and you can see how many tabs I marked to come back to later.

Of course, the focus of E. M. Bounds: Man of Prayer centers on prayer. I loved one particular illustration from the life of D. L. Moody. Moody had been called upon to preach at a church in London, but found the morning service dry, sterile, and unproductive. That evening, he arrived to find a different outcome. Later, he discovered a decisive factor. An invalid woman, on hearing Moody had been there to preach at her church that morning, shut herself into her room and petitioned the Lord to work through D. L. Moody. Yes, our prayers matter!

Bounds emphasizes the urgency of prayer. He writes, "The lesson of it all is this, that as workers together with God we must regard ourselves as in not a little measure responsible for the conditions which prevail around us today. Are we concerned about the coldness of the church?... Does our soul go out to God in midnight cries for the outpouring of His spirit?... If we do our part, God will do His. Around us is a world lost in sin, above us is a God willing and able to save; it is ours to build the bridge that links heaven and earth, and prayer is the mighty instrument that does the work."

Lyle Dorsett organizes snippets from Bounds' writings into topic categories. In the section on money, Bounds castigates the idolatry of preachers who seek prominence among people and profit in their pocket. Bounds writes, "Ambition... for honor is, in a preacher, nothing short of sin. Covetousness... is the refinement of idolatry.... Preachers must quit lauding the money-making talent; must quit following the money-making business."

Bounds' prayerfulness impressed me, but also his humility. He quoted Alexander Mclaren, "If a man considers himself to be an iron pillar, he is of no use to God. God works through broken reeds." In another place, he emphasizes, "Nothing keeps us from revolutionizing things for God but our self-bigness and our faith-littleness." Here is a man who has every reason to consider himself an example to others, a guide for the masses, yet he remains grounded and recognizes his own deep need for God's grace. If only my life looked like E. M. Bounds' life! I want to fall on my face in humility, recognizing my deep need for God and His grace. I want to pray as if it depends on me and trust as if it depends on God.

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Please say a prayer for Lyle Dorsett! His beloved wife, Mary, died in the early morning hours on 7/7/25 after enduring cancer for years.