Let them praise Thy great and terrible Name.-Ps. 99: 3. UR dear Lord and Master, Thou hast set each family apart, and Thou dealest with them each according to duties well done, and faith well founded. We come, humbly imploring Thy forgiveness for the errors and mistakes of the past, and we beseech Thy guidance for the days to follow. Well and truly do we need Thee every hour, and therefore we entreat Thy guidance, without which we would be led astray, or fall into danger. Guard us from the terror by night, and the arrow that flieth at noon-day. We have our trials, our necessities, and our distresses. All these we put into Thy hands, asking that Thou wouldst deal with us as little children. We have no fear of Thee, Almighty Father, for we have the assurance of Thy love. Watch over all our business matters; help us to be honest and square in attending to them, and do Thou so guide us that we shall always do what is right in Thy sight. Lead us safely along the journey of life, and at last give to us all the Eternal Life, which we long for more than for the hidden treasures of earth. Save all whom we love from passion, pride, and discontent, and finally bring us into Thy presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. WILLIAM P. JACOBS, D.D., Clinton, South Carolina. Bless the Lord, O my soul.-Ps. 103: 2. OH GOD, our Heavenly Father, through Thy mercy we have been brought to the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and by Thy goodness we are permitted to enter upon the duties of another day. We thank Thee for Thy loving kindness, and humbly beseech Thee that we may this day show forth Thy praise with our lips and in our lives. Banish all doubt from our minds, and drive away all shadows from our souls, and enable us to realize Thy presence in our going out and our coming in, in our down-sitting and our uprising. May we have grace to think those things that are right, and courage to speak the words that may set forward Thy Kingdom! We pray that our dear ones may be kept both outwardly in their bodies, and inwardly in their souls, and be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul. Keep Thy Church in continual godliness; and grant that through the consecrated work of Christian people everywhere, the whole world may be brought to Jesus Christ, and be saved. And oh, blessed Lord, when the busy day of our little life on earth is over, may we with all our loved ones, enter the service of eternal praise in Thy Heavenly Home, through the sole merits of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. BISHOP JAMES R. WINCHESTER, D.D., Little Rock, Arkansas. Let us draw near with a pure heart in full assurance of faith.-Heb. 10:22. OUR GOD and Father, we come to Thee with grateful hearts for all Thy mercy and goodness toward us. We know we are unworthy of the least of Thy favors. We have nothing in ourselves to commend us to Thee, except our weakness and need; but we rejoice that, notwithstanding our unworthiness, Thou dost bid us come to Thee and tell Thee all that is in our hearts. We confess before Thee our sins, and beseech Thy forgiveness. We plead for Thy grace, and the strength Thou alone canst give, for every experience of life. We pray that Thou wilt draw us nearer to Thyself. May we ever be conscious of Thy presence, and be uplifted by the assurance of Thy guidance and fellowship. Make the better and nobler life of the Spirit more real to us day by day. Take Thou possession of all our thoughts, and fill us with Thy Holy Spirit. Enable us to overcome every temptation, and to know and to do Thy holy will. Lead us by Thy mighty and loving hand always, and make our lives a blessing to other souls. When Thou art done with us here, receive us, we pray, to Thyself, in the upper and better world. We ask all this in the name of and for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen. A. JUDSON ROWLAND, D.D., Philadelphia, Penna. They that know Thy Name will put their trust in Thee. -Ps. 9:10. GOD, Thou art our Father and our Mother too, and under no circumstances can we get beyond the tireless search of Thy love. Ever since we were born Thou hast cared for us as though Thou hadst no other children, and still Thou dost follow us with ten thousand loving persuasions and infinite solicitude. Grant, we beseech Thee, that Thy goodness may lead us to deeper consecration and to more heroic endeavor to extend Thy Kingdom. May we prove our love for God, Whom we have not seen, by selfdenying service in behalf of our brother who is ever before our eyes. Save us from selfishness, from pharisaism and bigotry, from pride and vain glory, and all narrow mindedness and uncharitableness. May we make our Master visible to some who have not yet beheld Him, and may we help our neighbors and associates to think of Him Who came not to be ministered unto but to minister; Who would not save Himself, but saved others, and gave His blessed life that we might live a life of Christ-like courage and sacrifice. Hear us, Father, for all sorts and conditions of men. Make wars throughout the world to cease, and bring this poor little sin-cursed planet back into Thy bosom! DILLON BRONSON, D.D., Boston, Mass. Amen. The living shall praise Thee.-Isaiah 38: 19. HEAVENLY Father, we thank Thee for the refreshing sleep of last night, for sparing us to see another day, for our loved ones, and for this family altar, for the gift of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, and for His love and self-sacrifice. We sincerely repent of all wrong-doing. Pardon all our sins, and give to us a forgiving spirit. Help us to trust in Thy Word, and may we find in it medicine for the mind, and food for the soul. We pray for our beloved country, and for all in authority, in our own and other nations. Bless the poor and needy, the sick and dying, the bereaved and all who are in distress. We plead with Thee for any who are wrongfully treated, until "justice roll on like water, and righteousness as a perennial stream." Abundantly reward the preaching of Thy Gospel everywhere, and bless our church and minister with an outpouring of Thy Holy Spirit, until one shall not have to say to another-"Know the Lord,—for all shall know Him from the least even unto the greatest." And to Thee will we give the glory forever and ever. Amen. CAPT. (REV.) H. S. MULLOWNEY, M.A., B.D., |