"The early Christians of the reformation laid great stress in all their teachings on the duties of self-scrutiny and prayer. Although their sometimes failings showed there was often neglect of their own teachings, none the less, it cannot be doubted that in our forefather's scheme of life, the exercise of times for lonely thought, filled a much larger space than it does in ours today. It was considered shameful and godless to go to the bedroom for nothing but sleep, and wake only for meals and work: passing the seriousness of life entirely by, and evading all earnest contact with the deep and silent God." James Martineau.