powers anew, refreshed by thy touch. Thy power and wisdom and love are displayed in the wonders of our frame, in the grateful succession of day and night, for our labor and our rest; in the provision of many comforts and blessings, which thy providence hath made for us. As we arise from rest, to enter upon the active enjoyment and use of thy gifts, may we remember that even as it is thy glory that thou art good, and doest good continually, so thou art glorified by thy children, when their life is moved by pure affections and devout trust. Help us to seek thine honor and glory, in bringing our souls into glad obedience to thy law and love. May we know that to honor thee is to love thee, and to glorify thee is to obey thee. We adore thy wonders as they are set forth in the universe which thou hast made. Wherever we turn, to the earth beneath, or to the heavens above, our eyes behold the tokens of the divine benignity and power. O God, let thy spirit revive, and thy love satisfy our souls, till thou shalt be exalted in our thought and glorified in our lives. May a deep sense of being united to thee by ties of spiritual affection give us abiding peace and joy, that we may know what is that glory of our God that is above the heavens. Keep us each one to-day in thy love; help us to be honest, faithful, kind. And when the day is finished, may we have the testimony of good hearts that we have served thee, our Father and our God. Amen. EVENING. GOD, our Heavenly Father! May the experience of the past day help to bring us nearer to thee. At all times, and in all places, we are encompassed by the tokens of thy paternal love and care. Even the disappointments and sorrows which are mingled in our earthly lot, help us to feel that they also are good, that they are necessary to chasten our desires, and purify our affections, and enlarge our capacities for the heavenly life. If we can make no other return for thy unfailing goodness, may we at least show that we can be thankful. May we set thee, the Lord, always before us, remembering that our faculties are thy gift; that we are acting in thy presence; that our days are rapidly passing away; that life is a sacred trust. Whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, may we do all to thy glory. Waking or sleeping, we put our whole trust in thy mercy declared unto us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. XXIII. HUMILITY. O, learn that it is only by the lowly The paths of peace are trod; If thou wouldst keep thy garments white and holy, CHRISTIAN REGISTER. I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly. For all the world, all that we are, and all that we have, our bodies and our souls, our actions and our sufferings, our conditions at home, our accidents abroad, our many sins and our seldom virtues, are so many arguments to make our souls dwell low in the deep valleys of humility. — Taylor. The humble enjoy continual peace, but in the heart of the proud is envy, and frequent indignation. — À Kempis. Better it is to have a small portion of good sense with humility, and a slender understanding, than great treasures of many sciences with vain self-complacency.—À Kempis. By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life. The truly humble Christian never inquires into the faults of his neighbor, — he takes no pleasure in judging them, — he occupies himself solely with his own. St. Athanasius. When thou canst bear grievous things, against thy will, yet willingly, know that thou hast made proficiency in humility.St. Ephraim. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination unto the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. God protecteth the humble and delivereth him; the humble he loveth and comforteth; unto the humble man he inclineth himself; unto the humble he giveth great grace; and after his humiliation he raiseth him to glory. — À Kempis. God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to the Lord. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly but the proud he knoweth afar off. : MORNING. UR Heavenly Father, we would draw nigh OUR unto thee with deep humility of heart. In the light of thine infinite purity we are unholy. The sacred flame of devotion burns feebly within us. Our affections are cold and languid. We harbor wicked desires, cherish secret sins, and have transgressed thy most holy law. Weak, frail, and needy, we would seek thine almighty strength and heavenly guidance. Borne on the winds of passion, exposed to temptation, and subject to trial, we have failed to obey thee. Bow down thine ear, for we are poor and needy. We do not merit thy favor, but trust in thine infinite and constant love. Sinful as we are, thou wilt not hide thy face from us. Thine ear is open to hear the cry of thy penitent children. We rejoice that in our humiliation thou wilt hear and answer our prayers. Turn not away from the pleading of our anguished souls. Thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would we give it. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart thou wilt not despise. We come, then, in this morning hour to lay open our souls before thee. Thou knowest our inmost thoughts. Thou readest the secrets of the heart; grant us, we beseech thee, of thy renewing grace. We would walk humbly this day. May we live so near to thee, that our thoughts shall dwell in close intimacy and constant companionship with thy truth. May we so learn from the instructions and example of our Saviour as to be filled, with confidence in thy forgiving mercy, with peace and heavenly joy. May we take upon us the Christian yoke, and learn of Him who was meek and lowly of heart, and thus find rest and peace for our souls, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. EVENING. A LMIGHTY Father, Maker of heaven and earth, we indeed are, in thy sight, but as of yesterday, so imperfect is our best knowledge, so frail our own strength, and so liable are we to be overtaken with faults. But we bring before thee our tribute of praise and our supplication of prayer, because thou hast taught us, by thy Son, in all our |