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Edward McKendree Bounds (1835-1913) was an author, attorney, and Methodist pastor. In The Weapon of Prayer, Bounds explains the necessity and the realities of prayer. In Power Through Prayer Bounds stresses the imperative of vital prayer in the life of a pastor. The Essentials of Prayer is a classic on prayer written for the layman in which Bounds discusses the parts of prayer.

In The Weapon of Prayer the author explains the necessity and the depths and realities of prayer. It includes sketches of the prayer lives of dedicated Christians like David Brainerd, George Muller, and Jonathan Edwards. Stating that “the life of the individual believer has its being, bloom, and fruitage in prayer", he reminds us that throughout Biblical history, many of God’s greatest acts were prompted by the prayers of God’s people. Bounds believed that prayer must be a priority, above other Christian duties such as sacred works, communion, and church activities.

In The Weapon of Prayer, E.M. Bounds explains why prayer is the most powerful way to connect with God and why it should take priority above all other things in a believer's life. Through prayer we can find strength, comfort, and wisdom from him. Bounds words are still as meaningful today as they were in the 19th and early 20th century, reminding listeners that prayer does make a difference in their relationship with God.

E.M. Bounds was truly a man of prayer. His wisdom on prayer was not just academic, but a life spent full of prayer. His daily 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. devotional life was well-known and strengthened his relationship with God. His writings have influenced generations, and few have written as powerful and Bible-centered books on prayer. E.M. Bounds is the author of many books on prayer including Prayer and Praying Men, The Necessity of Prayer, and The Purpose of Prayer.

Throughout his ministry, Bounds rose early every morning to pray for three hours. Out of this deep prayer experience, he could say, "Without prayer, the Christian life, robbed of its sweetness and beauty, becomes cold and formal, and dead; but in the secret place where God talks with His own, the Christian life grows into such a testimony of Divine power that all men will feel its influence and be touched by the warmth of its love...That, surely is the purpose of all real prayer and the end of all true service."