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GENERAL

SELECTIONS.

THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS.

I.

O GIVE thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the people.

He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders and the judgments of his mouth.

We will glory in his holy name, and talk of his wondrous works.

He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

We will remember the mercy of the Lord, and will show to the generation to come, the wonderful works which he hath done.

He brought forth his people with joy, his chosen with gladness.

They went from one nation to another when they were but few in number, from one kingdom to another people.

That they might set their hope in God, and keep his commands.

He made his people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

He brought forth a vine and planted it; he caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land.

The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.

It sent forth its boughs unto the sea, and its branches unto

the river.

Look down from heaven, O God of hosts, and visit this vine of thy planting.

We will remember the days of old, the years of many generations; how God in his mercy led forth his people and guided them unto an holy habitation.

The Lord is our strength and our salvation, our fathers' God, and we will exalt him.

Who is like unto thee, O Lord, who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, doing wonders.

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

From everlasting to everlasting, blessed be the Lord God! And let all the people say, AMEN.

II.

WE have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us,

What works thou didst in their days, in times of old:
They cried unto thee, and were not confounded:
They trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them:

Thou didst save them from the hand of the enemy; they cried unto thee in their trouble; they cried unto thee, and were not confounded :

They trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them.

The Lord be with us, as he was with our fathers.

Let him not leave us nor forsake us;

That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments, which he commanded our fathers.

We will rejoice in thy salvation;

And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. Save thy people, O Lord, bless thine inheritance;

Feed them also, and lift them up forever;

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
Who only doeth wondrous things;

Blessed be his glorious name forever ;

And let the whole earth be filled with his glory.

GOD IN HIS WORKS.

THE earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; he hath made the earth by his power, and established it by his wisdom.

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all.

Thou hast laid the foundations of the earth, and covered it with the deep as with a garment.

O Lord our God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honor and majesty.

Thou hast caused the sun to give light, and the moon to serve in her season, and the stars to shine in the firmament of heaven.

Thou stretchest out the heavens like a curtain, and coverest thyself with light as with a garment.

By the word of the Lord, were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Thou tellest the number of the stars, and callest them all by their names.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy work.

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

Thou makest the clouds thy chariot: Thou walkest upon the wings of the wind: The flaming lightnings are thy

ministers.

When the voice of thy thunder is in the heavens, the earth trembles and shakes.

Thou waterest the hills from thy chambers, and sendest the springs into the valleys which run among the hills.

The earth is full of thy riches; thou crownest the year with thy goodness.

We look upon the rainbow, and praise him who made it ; very beautiful it is in the brightness thereof.

It compasseth the heavens with a glorious circle; the hands of the Most High have bended it.

Thou hast made summer and winter: Thou givest snow like wool, and scatterest the hoar-frost like ashes.

The eye marvelleth at the whiteness thereof; the water is covered with ice as with a breastplate.

Thou hast made the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.

The day is thine, and the night also.

Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

'The Lord is good to all; his tender mercies are over all his works.

O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, for his wonderful works to the children of men.

All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord, and thy saints shall bless thee.

Thy name, O Lord, is excellent in all the earth; thou hast set thy glory above the heavens.

In thy hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

Who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?

The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice.

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power.

And unto thee, the King eternal, be gratitude and glory, forever and ever. AMEN.

EXCELLENCY OF WISDOM.

HAPPY is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

Wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. Blessed is the man that doth meditate upon good things, and that reasoneth of holy things by his understanding.

May we take fast hold of instruction, and let her not go; keep her, for she is our life.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

The law of the wise is a fountain of life.

Thou shalt understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

Then will wisdom enter our heart, and be pleasant unto our soul.

She is more precious than rubies, and all thou canst desire is not to be compared unto her.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

The Lord, by wisdom, hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

Wisdom is better than silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

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