52-4. Ministers are not to be confined to fixed forms of prayer for public worship, yet it is the duty of the minister, previous to entering upon his office, to prepare and qualify himself for this part of his work, as well as for preaching. He should, by a thorough acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures, by the study of the best writers on prayer, by meditation, and by a life of communion with God, endeavor to acquire both the spirit and the gift of prayer. Moreover, when he is to offer prayer in public worship, he should compose his spirit, and so order his thoughts, that he may perform this duty with dignity and propriety, and with profit to the worshippers, lest he disgrace this important service by coarse, undignified, careless, irregular or extravagant expressions.

DIGEST: The current text dates to 1975 [M3GA, 3-69, p. 81] and remains unchanged from that time. PCA 1973 had in the last sentence, "mean, irregular, slovenly, or extravagant effusions" which was then replaced in 1975 by "coarse, undignified, careless, irregular or extravagant expressions."

BACKGROUND AND COMPARISONS :
PCA 1975, 53-4, M3GA, 3- 69, p. 82.
Ministers are not to be confined to fixed forms of prayer for public worship, yet it is the duty of the minister, previous to entering upon his office, to prepare and qualify himself for this part of his work, as well as for preaching. He should, by a thorough acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures, by the study of the best writers on prayer, by meditation, and by a life of communion with God, endeavor to acquire both the spirit and the gift of prayer. Moreover, when he is to offer prayer in public worship, he should compose his spirit, and so order his thoughts, that he may perform this duty with dignity and propriety, and with profit to the worshippers, lest he disgrace this important service by coarse, undignified, careless, irregular or extravagant expressions.

1. PCA 1973, Adopted text, DfW, 5-4, M1GA, Appendix, p. 156.
2. Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, Proposed text, DfW 5-4, p. 65
3. PCUS 1933, DfW, V, §320.
4. PCUS 1929, DfW, V, §320.
Ministers are not to be confined to fixed forms of prayer for public worship, yet it is the duty of the minister, previous to entering upon his office, to prepare and qualify himself for this part of his work, as well as for preaching. He should, by a thorough acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures, by the study of the best writers on prayer, by meditation, and by a life of communion with God, endeavor to acquire both the spirit and the gift of prayer. Moreover, when he is to offer prayer in public worship, he should compose his spirit, and so order his thoughts, that he may perform this duty with dignity and propriety, and with profit to the worshippers, lest he disgrace this important service by mean, irregular, slovenly, or extravagant effusions.

1. PCUS 1927, DfW, IV, §320.
2. PCUS 1894, DfW, V-4, §299.
It is easy to perceive, that in all the preceding directions there is a very great compass and variety : and it is commited to the judgment and fidelity of the officiating pastor to insist chiefly on such parts, or to take in more or less of the several parts, as he shall be led to by the aspect of Providence ; the particular state of the congregation in which he officiates ; or the disposition and exercise of his own heart at the time. But we think it necessary to observe, that althought we do not approve, as is well known, of confining ministers to set or fixed forms of prayer for public worship, yet it is the indispensable duty of every minister, previously to his entering on his office, to prepare and qualify himself for this part of his duty, as well as for preaching. He ought, by a thorough acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures, by reading the best writers on the subject, by meditation, and by a life of communion with God, to endeavor to acquire both the spirit and the gift of prayer. Not only so, but when he is to enter on particular acts of worship, he should endeavor to compose his spirit, and to digest his thoughts for prayer that it may be performed with dignity and propriety, as well as to the profit of those who join in it ; and that he may not disgrace that important service by mean, irregular, or extravagant effusions.

COMMENTARY:
Morton H. Smith, Commentary on the Book of Church Order, 6th edition, 2007, p. 421.
Here we have some specific instructions to the minister concerning his prayer life. Notice that this is not just advice, but a duty of the minister. First, prior to his entering into the office of the ministry, he is to prepare and qualify himself for this part of the ministry, as well as for preaching. By in large, this is one of the most neglected parts of the preparation of men for the ministry. It is generally left to the individual to do on his own. Seminaries would do well to assist candidates for the ministry as suggested by this paragraph.
In addition to this preparation of candidates for the ministry in prayer, the guidance of how one ought to pray in public worship. One should always be ready to pray. To do so one must be in constant communion with God, praying without ceasing. For the younger minister preparation for public prayer should be as carefully done as for preaching. This includes the writing out of prayers so that he does not"disgrace this important service."