XXV.

LOVE TO JESUS.

O Thou, at whose almighty word
Fair light at first from darkness shone,
Teach us to know our glorious Lord,
And trace the Father in the Son!

While we thine image, there displayed,
With love and admiration view,

Form us in likeness to our Head,

That we may bear thine image too.

MASON.

He that findeth Jesus, findeth a good treasure; yea, a good above all good. — À Kempis.

Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.

All men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which hath sent him.

Jesus said, If a man love me, he will keep my words.

He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's, which sent me.

He that hateth me, hateth my Father also.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him.

Let the word of Christ dwell in vou richly in all wisdom.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by

him.

Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for

ever.

MORNING.

LMIGHTY Father, we thank thee for the

manifold blessings we enjoy at thy hand. For the gift of life, -renewed this morning,with all its opportunities and privileges; for health and the supply of our daily wants; for the ties of friendship and the sacred relation of the family circle, we thank thee.

But especially we thank thee for the gift of thy Son, our Saviour, who, by his perfect manifestation of thine infinite goodness, has revealed thee to us, as a Father we may love and trust, while we reverence and adore.

May the gratitude which should fill our hearts overflow in affection for him who has rendered us this inestimable service; and may that affection bring forth fruits worthy of its divine prompting. May it make us patient and forbearing, cheerful, unselfish, trustful. Bring us nearer to thee. Help us to feel that this blessed Saviour was sent to draw us closer to thine embrace, even us, of this family group and while we acknowledge our unfitness,

our shortcomings and imperfections, may the remembrance of his pure life-though he was tempted in all points as we are stimulate us to walk in the narrow path which leadeth upwards to thy throne.

Teach us to know Christ, which knowledge is sufficient, with thy blessing, to make us wise unto salvation, salvation from sin, and the suffering of a guilty conscience.

Our petitions we offer in the name of thy Son, our Saviour. Amen.

EVENING.

GOD, in whom we live, so great and so infinitely above us, and yet so near, — filling immensity with thy presence, and yet dwelling closely with the lowliest of thy creatures; adorable in thy majesty and power, and yet so tender and worthy to be loved, we would draw near to thee in humble and grateful praise.

It is Thou that givest to all things their being. Thou givest to the stars their light, and to the earth its fruits, and to each one of us the blessings of our lives.

And yet, O our Father, how forgetful we have been of thee! Forgive us, Almighty God. And now, as we resign ourselves again to thy watchful care, help us to realize thy goodness, and return to thee love for love.

Above all, we remember Him whom thou didst send into the world, as pledge and manifestation of the infinite richness of thy grace. Gratefully and tremblingly we thank thee for this precious gift, and for the assurance, that, in the mildness and compassion of Jesus, and in his tender, unwearied love, we see only the reflection of thyself.

O, let it not be that he has come to us in vain ! May the remembrance of his holy life, and of his love for man, of his prayers for our redemption, his acts of goodness and his death for our sake, melt and conquer our forgetful and rebellious hearts. And may our narrow and sensual natures expand with a purer affection, as we behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Teach us, through loving him, to imitate his spirit. May we become pure, as he was pure, and, like him, may we make it our meat and drink to do thy holy will.

And unto thee, through him, we would render glory and praise, now and evermore.

Amen.

5*

XXVI.

AGAINST ANGER.

Quench Thou the fires of hate and strife,
The wasting fever of the heart;

From perils guard our feeble life,

And to our souls thy peace impart.

BREVIARY.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

First keep thyself in peace, and then shalt thou be able to pacify others. À Kempis.

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.

A passionate man turneth even good to evil, and easily believeth the worst. — À Kempis.

Anger, of all passions, endeavors most to make reason useless. It is neither manly nor ingenuous. It is a confluence of all the irregular passions: there is in it envy and sorrow, fear and scorn, pride and prejudice, rashness and inconsideration, rejoicing in evil and a desire to inflict it, self love, impatience, and curiosity. - Taylor.

Give me a mild and meek and peaceable spirit, that, remembering my own infirmities, I may bear with those of others. Wilson.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.