Page:The church manual (Church of the Brethren 1916).djvu/56

 The following form may be of service to such as have not yet observed this important religious service in their homes:

A Table Prayer.

Our Heavenly Father, thou who art the one from whom every good and perfect gift cometh; we desire to thank thee for the privilege which we now enjoy of coming to this table, so richly spread with these mercies from thy liberal hand. We pray thee to bless them to the use of these our physical bodies. And we pray thee also to feed our souls with the Bread of Life, that we may grow in grace and truth, and thus be enabled to devote our lives to thy service. Guide us, by thy Spirit, ever in the way of right; pardon our many sins, and at last save us all in heaven, we ask for Christ's sake. Amen.

CHAPTER XIX.

PARLIAMENTARY RULINGS.

Order is correctly said to be heaven's first law, as, without it, there could be nothing but confusion. In all deliberative bodies, to avoid confusion and economize time, there must be some rules of order. These may be simple in form, yet should be sufficiently comprehensive to meet the wants of all deliberative bodies. Let everything be done decently and in order, applies to religious meetings of all kinds, as well as to