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fluences of thy good Spirit. In the name of thy dear Son, who hath taught us how to pray, we would come to thee," believing that thou art, and art the rewarder of them that diligently seek thee." In no formal service would we address thee; may our worship be of the understanding and the heart. As the preserver of our lives, the giver of our many blessings, the guardian of our souls, who has pledged to us all other mercies in that thou hast spared not thine own Son for our sakes, may we seek to render thee, at all times, an acceptable offering; and wilt thou fulfil in us thy gracious promises to thy saints; help us to enkindle anew the spirit of devotion, and to cherish the heavenly disposition of our Divine Master.

Parent of Good, unite our hearts to fear thy name. May we adopt the resolution of thy pious servant of old, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." May faith, piety and love, pervade all our souls, that as we seek to please thee we may study to promote the happiness of each other. Suffer no one of our number to stray from the true fold, and bring disgrace and sorrow on this family. Let us all take heed to our ways, and at home and abroad be on our watch, “lest when we think we stand, we fall.”

O, Father, grant grace unto thy servants who are at the head of this family. Help us to "bring up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." May we so faithfully perform this our

duty, that those committed to our care may "rise up and call us blessed," and be "our crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord." Early may they love and obey thee, and form such characters as shall fit them for all their duties here, and prepare them for the society of heaven. For that heaven, O God, may we all, through thy grace in Jesus Christ, be found at last meet, and may nothing separate us from its everlasting hopes and peace.

Great Benefactor, we now thank thee that thou hast brought us in safety to the beginning of another day. While many have been cut off, some in the morning of life, and others in active manhood, we are still among the living. May we remember that to some of us the night of death may soon come. May every future day, as it will find us one step nearer the grave, so also find us a day's journey nearer heaven.

And in the name of the Mediator, who died for us, but who arose from the dead, and is now at thy right hand, and is our ever-living Saviour, we render to thee honor and glory everlasting. Amen.

XV.

Coming through Christ.

Wherefore, laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil-speakings,

As new-born babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby :

If indeed ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

To whom coming as to a living stone, disallowed indeed by men, but chosen by God, and precious,

Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

To you therefore who believe he is precious.

ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, we thy children would come close to thee. With the light of this morning, lift upon us the light of thy counte

nance.

O gracious Father, we thank thee for thy daily goodness; day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge,-speech of thy glorious providence, knowledge of thy tender care. By sleep and rest thou hast refreshed our faculties of body and soul; and now thou art opening upon us the wonderful gift a new day, with its precious hours, opportunities, hopes, and joys, and sorrows. We know not what the day may bring to us; but this we rejoice to know, that if we walk in a religious spirit the day's experience will give us salutary discipline, its joys or its sorrows will deepen our faith, heighten our aspiration, and mature our principles into permanent character.

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by thy Spirit lead us to the feet of the great teacher, thy

messenger and manifestation. Aid us to sound the depths of his truth and love; may his words become spirit and life to us; may the beauty of his holiness be as a heavenly light round about us; and when, as our Mediator, he stands far up on the heights of divine excellence, close to the Father, and takes the things of God and shows them unto men, O, may we see and understand, and come to him as the chosen of God and precious. Impress us, we beseech thee, with the feeling that "we can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us," and that he that believeth in him shall not be confounded. This day may we be consistent Christians, laying aside every sin, and desiring the word of thy truth that we may grow thereby. Obedient to the authority of Jesus, and in the spirit of confident faith resting in thee, may we be wise, patient, courageous and faithful, and offer to thee a spiritual sacrifice, acceptable through Jesus Christ.

Father Almighty, look in mercy upon the world. May Christ, its true light, scatter the darkness; may ignorance, error and sin, give place to knowledge, truth, and holiness.

We pray for all who are severely tried or strongly tempted; for the aged and the young; for the rich and the poor; for the oppressor that he may repent of his wrong-doing, and for the oppressed that he may be comforted in his sufferings; O, give gracious help to the weary and heavy-laden, and may sinners be converted to righteousness.

Hear us, O our Heavenly Father; this day may we

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That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He came to his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name :

Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

O GOD our Father, blessed be thou. From our inmost hearts we would bless thee now; with our whole hearts quickened to holy worship, may we bless thee forever. All things praise thee; the heavens above us, the earth beneath; the pure air and the gathered clouds; the sun in its brightness, the serene moon, the everlasting stars. Thine are their

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