XV.

TO BE IN THE FOLD OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

O THOU who sent thy Son into the world To gather a company unto himself,

We thank thee that, through thy help,

He established his Church among men;

We thank thee that it endures to this day,

For the multitudes of believers it has enrolled,
For its holy and beautiful rites,
For the pure faith it has nourished,
For the devout love it has sheltered,
For the noble works it has inspired;
We thank thee that its precious promise
Is to believers and their children,

And that even we in our youth

May be lambs of the Good Shepherd's flock.
O God, may we rejoice to be members
In that protected and blessed fold;

May we follow the voice of the Shepherd;

May his arms of love encircle us;
May the washing of thy pure spirit,
Set forth by the water of baptism,
Make our hearts clean in thy sight;
And while the dew of our youth is on us,
May we reverence the table of Jesus,
And eat and drink in his remembrance;
By life and conversation may we give proof
That we have been with Jesus,

And by sweet affections and holy deeds

Show that we have learned of him.

Father Almighty, thus joined to Christ on earth,

May we be of his Church in heaven,

With saints of all ages and thy holy angels,

Through Him who loved us and gave himself for us.

Amen.

XVI.

FOR A SENSE OF DEPENDENCE ON GOD.

O LORD, our Heavenly Father, We humbly bow before thy throne;

We acknowledge and we worship thee;

We thank thee that we are the children of thy love;

Thou hast made us, and not we ourselves;

Thou watchest over us by night;

Thou keepest all our steps by day;

We can never go from thy presence,

Nor flee from thy spirit;

Thou art holy and thou art wise;

Thy commandments are good;

Thy tender mercies are over all thy works.
O God, bless us, thy lowly children;

Teach us thy holy will;

May we rely on thy providence and bounty; Forgive the sins of which we have been guilty,

And, because we are weak in ourselves,

May we find our strength in God;

Give us, in this world, peace and joy;

And, since thou art Lord of heaven and earth,
And after death wilt raise us to another life,
We pray thee mercifully to receive us hereafter,
And give us a place among thy blessed angels,
Where we may for ever serve and love thee.
We offer our prayers to thee in the name of
Jesus,

Who has taught us of the Fatherly care

Which numbers the hairs of our head,

And without which not a sparrow falleth to the

ground:

On this in life and death we would depend.

Through him to thee be glory for ever.

Amen.

XVII.

FOR STRENGTH IN TEMPTATION.

O GOD, who hast revealed thyself to us
As merciful, tender, and full of compassion,
Have pity upon us in our weakness,
And give us victory over our temptations.
We see that we often do that which is wrong:
Thine eye sees failings to which we are blind.
O God, feeble, wandering, and falling,
We come to thee for help.

All-knowing Father, teach us to know ourselves;
Reveal to us the true source of our failings;
Make us feel that our sins cleave to us,

Because we have not thy spirit within;

Teach us to lean, not on ourselves, but on thee; Give us thy strength perfect in our weakness; Create in us a clean heart,

Renew a right spirit within us;

Show us how we can do all things,