Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/276

 264 THIRTY-SEVENTH WEEK.

soul nearer to Thee. O fill our hearts with thy perfect love; as Thou didat, when glorifying Thy humanity, spend Thyself in love for our sinful race, grant that we may learn of Thee. As Thou didst go about visiting the afflicted, and ministering to the necessities of all, s0 may we learn of Thee, snd in every state and condition blend the love we owe to 'Thee with that charity we ought always to show our brethren. With Thy example may wo épend our time in doing good. May we experience the inward satisfaction expressed by Thy servantof old. When we asaist the poor that ery, the fatherless, and him that hath none to help him; when we become as eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, and cause the widow's heart to sing for joy, then may we feel the blessing of those that are ready to perish; and with this feeling may our gratitude rise up as incense unto Thee, by whose power alone we are enabled to do any good. May this day's duties be accon:panied with these happy feelings of the soul, and anto Thee will we ascribe all the glory. Amen. Our Father, ete.

LORD Jesus Christ, we are assured in Thy Word that the hand of the diligent maketh rich. May usefulness and benevolence, not ostentation and vanity, direct all who are endowed with wealth, being obedient to Thy divine caution, and never suffer the left hand to know what the right hand doeth.

May our alms, together with our prayers, come up in memorial before Thee our God, and may the prosperity with which Thou hast blessed our efforts be as the shining light of truth which shineth more and more unto the perfect days

O merciful Saviour, bless the instruction we have this day received to our eternal interests. Help us to profit by the solemn warnings which have flowed from the lips of Thy servant our minister. May we keep our tongue from evil and our lips from speaking guile. May we depart from that which is evil and do that which is good. May we strive against the corruptions of our nature, until peace be established within the borders of our hearts; then shall we flourish like trees planted by the rivers of water; our leaf also shall not fade, and whatsoever we do shall prosper.

Holy Father, we commit ourselves to Thy gracious keeping this night; guard us under the shadow of Thy wings, and permit us to lie down and sleep in peace and safety. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

LORD Jesus Christ, Thou knowest what is best for us. We are sometimes tempted to suppose that had we been made acquainted with the events which were to transpire in our existence, we might have ordered our affairs with greater prudence, and conducted them to a more prosperous issue; but when we have seen the issue of Thy dispensation, so far as they have been permitted to develop themselves in thie world, before our natural eyes, we have been led to acknowledge that Thou alone canst order wisely the affairs of men, and our duty is to follow