Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 2.djvu/42

18 The reasons for the above appointed hours of prayer are thus given by the same author:

"The first service is that of the Lauds, which is offered up by laymen in behalf of their different worldly callings, and in order that they may be delivered from and strengthened against those hostile spirits, who roam about at noonday seeking to ensnare men into sin. And because labour precedes rest, the labourer should pray that he may obtain rest. The angels, likewise, at the beginning of time sang praises as soon as the light was created. For these reasons the Laud prayers rank first.

"The second service is that of Vespers, and its proper season is just before sun-set. Herein thanks are offered to God for our preservation during the day, as also for the coming night ordained for our repose. In it we likewise implore the mercy of God for those errors, short-comings, and follies, of which we have been guilty during the past day, and that we may be preserved from 'the pestilence that walketh in darkness.'

"The third service is called Soobaa, [literally Satiety] from the practice of those holy men who fasted all their days, [and who ate only at night;] but by laymen it is styled 'the prayer before sleep.' At this time it becomes us to recal to mind all the sins which we have committed, and to supplicate pardon from the merciful ; and moreover to think of death, and to resolve, before, that if spared we will, to the best of our frail nature, endeavour to sin no more. We should also, at this time, consider the coming judgment of , that whilst buried in sleep our dreams may not be of those vain acts which we have committed during the day.

"The fourth service is that of the Nocturns, and its time every believer will fix according as he is zealously affected in this holy exercise. Some pray at the first, others at the second, and others again at the third cock-crowing; but the common hour now observed is when all the congregation assemble in the church for Divine worship.

I shall now proceed to notice the books in which all the Church services of the Nestorians are contained.