XXXI.

GRACE BEFORE MEAT.

BEFORE THE TITHE-OFFERING.

"I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which Thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them:

"I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead; but I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that Thou hast commanded me.

"Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which Thou hast given us, as Thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.” -Deut. xxvi.

For the example of Christ and Paul see Matt. xv. 36, and Acts xxvii. 35.

About A. n. 1799:

"Lord, grant me to feel my need of grace; give me grace to ask for grace, and, O Lord, when grace is given, give me grace to use it."-A Poor Man's Grace, from "Life of the Duchess Gordon."

Graces for St. John's College, Oxford, by William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury:

“O Lord, mercifully bless these gifts, and all temporal and spiritual gifts to our use and to thy holy service, and do Thou have mercy upon and strengthen thy whole universal church, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

After meals:

"We thank Thee, O Lord, for these and all thy gifts and blessings.

"Make us to sit down at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

"And give to the faithful, departed in the fear and love of thy holy name, a place of refreshment and light, through Jesus Christ."

At Winchester College:

"Benedic nobis, Domine Deus, atque his donis tuis quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi, per Jesus Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.”

Modern graces:

"For all these mercies make us truly grateful. Amen.”

"Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies, and feed our souls with the bread of life. Amen.”

XXXII.

PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD.

That it was a common Jewish custom to offer prayers for the dead is made plain in II. Maccabees, xii. In the narrative in this chapter the army of Judas Maccabeus is represented as praying and offering doles for their fallen brethren. The ancient Jewish liturgies and tombstones contain many beautiful prayers for the departed, which illustrate the Hebrew conception of paradise.

The Saviour and his apostles do not allude to this custom, though mention is made in the Scripture of baptisms for the dead. Many writers suppose Onesiphorus, II. Tim., i. 16-18, to have been dead when Paul prayed: "The Lord grant unto him that

he may find the mercy of the Lord in that day." The early church composed many sublime prayers for the pious dead, which are found in nearly all ancient liturgies.

FROM THE LITURGY OF ST. CLEMENT.

"At thy spiritual and holy altar, O Lord, give rest, good memory, and happiness to all the bodies, souls and spirits of our fathers, brothers and sisters, whether of the flesh or of the Spirit; who, in whatever countries, cities, or states, have departed this life; whether they have been drowned in seas or rivers, or have died in their journeyings, and of whom no memorial remaineth in the churches existing upon earth. Grant those, O Lord, who have departed this life in the true faith, a good memory, in company with the illustrious ones whose names are written in the Book of Life.

"And to all of those who, having run their race in this world, have appeared perfect and righteous before Thee, and having been freed from the waves of transgression, have reached thy presence, our fathers and brethren of the flesh and of the spirit, grant, O Lord, in thy spiritual and mighty bower, eternal rest.