Father of forgiving mercy, save us from our sins, and strengthen us to be pure and noble and holy, like thy Son. As his disciples, we wait for thy blessing, and render to thee praise and thanksgiving for ever and ever. Amen. EVENING.. NFINITE Being of justice and truth, who holdeternal law, amid the solemn stillness of night we humbly bow in confession of thy majesty and our dependence, of thy goodness and our unworthiness. As the shadows gather about us, we would commune with thee, and be still. Beneath thine all-seeing eye, who knowest us better than we know ourselves, we would examine our souls. Search thou our hearts and try our thoughts; see if there be any wicked way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting. We thank thee for that departing light which has made the world glorious to our sight this day, revealing the tokens of thy love on every hand. Still more we praise thee for that inner light which lightens every man that cometh into the world, which shines in immortal glory from saintly souls, illumining the path of the divine life, and revealing the riches of the spiritual world. Quicken thou our inward vision. Give us the purity of heart that shall see thee. By faith may we behold the eternal realities for which we should live and labor. By the teaching of thy word, by the spirit of Christ, and by daily experience may our conscience be trained clearly to discern through all perplexities the way of duty. Grant us quick moral sense to detect and repel all lurking sin, and to discover and obey the right. May no delusion of outward sense betray us to put error for truth or choose evil for good. Every day teaches us that we are not sufficient unto ourselves. Following our own desires too readily, we stray from the strait path that leadeth unto life. Trusting on our own strength, we falter and fail. Only in thy light can we see light. In thee only is our strength and safety. Accept and bless the humble efforts to serve thee which this day has witnessed. Pity our frailties and forgive our sins. May past success encourage us to renewed endeavor; may past failure admonish us to cleave more closely to the strictest rule of right. In future peril be thou, O God, our safeguard and shield. Keep our feet far from the paths that lead to destruction. Make us superior to temptation. Through all coming days may we maintain consciences void of offence toward thee and our fellowman. Let the setting sun find no anger or alienation in our hearts toward any brother. Forgiving, as we hope to be forgiven; forbearing one another's faults, since none is perfect, may we, as far as con sistent with purity and truth, live peaceably with all men. Offending none by thought, word, or deed, reconciled to all, proving by brotherly love our love toward thee, let the incense of our grateful and obedient hearts rise to thy throne and bring all needed blessing down. We commit ourselves and commend our brethren to thy fatherly providence. Refresh us for the duties which another day shall bring. Prepare us for the everlasting morning, where, in higher service, we may live to thy glory. Amen. LIII. GIVEN TO HOSPITALITY. By Thy pitying spirit guided, And the mourner's sorrows bore. Father, as thy love is endless, PIERPONT. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neigh bors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. thee; Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Exercise the duties of hospitality, kindly and continually; not receiving strangers with that cold and ceremonious politeness which exists only upon the lips, but affectionately. — St. Jerome. When thou seest misery in thy brother's face, let him see mercy in thine eye: the more the oil of mercy is poured on him by thy pity, the more the oil in thy cruse shall be increased. Quarles. Mercy is more acceptable to God, than all sacrifices. St. Chrysostom. If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. MORNING. G YIVER of all good, and Fountain of all joy, what rich feasts for our senses and our souls does thy fatherly love offer anew with each returning morning. How hast thou filled the earth with bounty and adorned it with beauty for our benefit. We see thy mercy freshly revealed in the light and privilege of this new day. Again we hear thy gracious invitations to come up higher and enjoy the felicity of heavenly things. Thanks we give thee for the returning light and our daily bread; for home and health and friends; for the instructions of thy truth and the opportunities of thy service; for repeated warnings against sin, and the ample rewards that crown our fidelity; for the sweet and kindly ties that bind us one to another, and the pure affections that spring up in our hearts, fountains of bliss unspeakable; for all that renders this world a pleasant home, and fits us for the life to come. Teach us, O Father, to imitate thine own boundless beneficence. Freely as we have received, so freely may we give. We would not selfishly appropriate thy favor, but would know the deeper bliss of ministering to others' needs. Quicken within us the fountains of generosity; warm our sympathies toward the sufferer of every class and clime; let no unbrotherly prejudice ever close our homes or hearts against any child of thine. May our faith in Christ be no empty profession, but lead us to honor him in the persons of the sick, the imprisoned, the unfortunate, his brethren and ours. Following in the footsteps of his self-denial and brotherly service, may we become the almoners of thy bounty and saviours of souls. |