propriety in this service. Difficulties also may arise, where females are at the head of a family, and may have neither sufficient courage nor confidence to engage, even with those of their own sex, in extemporary devotion. There may be other instances, in which persons converted late in life, with but very little previous advantages of religious instruction, may be called to the performance of family devotion; and in alt families, the absence or the affliction of the head of the household, may render it necessary that another should take his place in conducting the devotions of the family. In all such cases, we do most cordially recommend the use of a form of prayer."

"If," says the pious and intelligent Mrs. H. More, "prayer to the Fountain of all good is occasionally offered up by the negligent Christian, it is not likely to be heard, because it is not his own prayer. We do not mean, because it is

the composition of another person: that, as it does not lessen its value, does not obstruct its acceptance. If the feelings go along with the petitions, they will be heard if the affections are bound up with the words, they will be accepted. It is not because they are forms, but because the little interest taken in them, renders them mere forms. It is not because they are pre-composed, but because they are used with constraintare repetitions, not effusions. It is using them without that disposition of soul, without that cordial voluntary approach to the Divine presence, to which is annexed the gracious promise of being in no-wise cast out; without that state of mind which David suggested when he said, "My heart (not my lips) hath talked of Thee:" when, in answer to the command, "Seek ye my face;"-warm and instant from the heart he fervently replied, "Thy face, Lord, will I seek."

The author of Howard's Memoirs,

after giving an account of the incessant labours which this benevolent man underwent at one period of his life, proceeds to say that "he did not do this however, without closing the day with family prayer; a duty which he never neglected, though there was but one, and that one, his domestic, to join him in it; always declaring, that where he had a tent, God should have an altar."

I shall conclude with expressing my earnest wish that this Compilation may be instrumental, under the Divine blessing, in exciting or cherishing in the minds of all who shall use it, those devout and exalted affections which warmed the breast of the sweet Psalmist of Israel, when he uttered the following words: "Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the "heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth " unto the clouds. Thy righteousness " is like the great mountains; thy judg"ments are a great deep: O Lord, thou

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preservest man and beast. How ex

"cellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! "therefore the children of men put their "trust under the shadow of thy wings.

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They shall be abundantly satisfied with "the fatness of thy house: and thou "shalt make them drink of the river of

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thy pleasures. For with thee is the "fountain of life: in thy light shall we

see light."-Ps. xxxvi. 5-9.

"see

T. S.

Loughborough, Leicestershire,

March 30th, 1825.

PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE.

"WHERE two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."-Matt. xviii. 20.

"Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you."-John xvi. 23.

"Through him (through Christ, and by his blood) we both" Jews and Gentiles, "have access by one Spirit unto the Father."-Ephes. ii. 18.

"Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."-Coloss. iii. 17.

"I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men : for kings, and all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable

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