With gathered multitudes in all lands, Encompassing the world with anthems of joy, Would we bring our young voices and glad hearts.

Father, thou hast made this world beautiful;

But thou hast a world of fairer beauty

For all them that love thee.

There is no night there;

No sickness, sorrowing, nor death.
In thy time may we there be received.
May we here cherish pure affections,
There to fill our hearts for ever;

May we here delight in thy worship,

There to be our joy for ages without end.

We ask it in the name of our dear Saviour.

Amen.

VIII.

FOR A GOOD IMPROVEMENT OF BLESSINGS.

O GOD, the Giver of all good!

We have nothing that is not thine.

May we look upon the blessings in our hands

As talents committed to our trust.

We pray that upon all thy gifts
We may see written thy holy will.
May the light of day call to thy service;
May night's darkness tell us of thy care;
May our strength be strength to do good;

May glad spirits be rejoicing in God;

May books and teachers prove our willingness to learn ;

May time be valued as a sacred trust;

May the love we cherish for earthly friends

Lead us to thee, who art Love itself;

May the fair world in which we live

Be a prophecy of a fairer world to come.

Thus, O God, even in our early years, May we be thoughtful, wise, and dutiful.

Save us from the haste which never thinks,

And from that mirthfulness which knows no serious

care.

Teach us by thy holy child Jesus
To be about our Father's business;
And while we rejoice in our youth,

And our hearts cheer us in the days of our youth,
May we know that for all things

God will bring us into judgment.

Father Almighty, for that solemn hour May we, through thy grace, be prepared; And, found faithful over a few things, May we be rulers over many things,

To the glory of thy holy name.

Amen.

IX.

FOR A RIGHT TEMPER.

ALMIGHTY and ever blessed God,

We worship thee, who art supremely good.
Thy dealings with us all are kind,

And thy commandments all are wise.
May we be submissive to thy will.
If our days are spent in peace,
It is because thou lovest us;
And if in trouble and in want,
Still we believe thou lovest us.
We know that when we do well,
Thou rewardest us with joy ;
And when we have done evil,

Thou callest us back to goodness and to thee.

'We pray thee to strengthen our hearts: Never may we sin against thy goodness.

May we be kind to one another,
Obedient to our parents,

Respectful to the aged and the wise,
Compassionate to the suffering,

Showing honor even to the humblest:
May we be peaceful, meek, and gentle.
Fill thou our hearts with love;

May the God of peace and love dwell with us.
And when, at last, we pass the hour of death,
May we be received to Christ our Redeemer,
To the companionship of the good,

And to thine ever-blessed service. Amen.