any people. It is a good land which the Lord our Cod has given us—a land distinguished by knowledge; lignified as the abode of civil and religious freedom; endeared by the patriot's zeal, and the ashes of our forefathers; a land the Lord careth for; and upon which his eye has been from the beginning even to the end of the year.

Thou hast been a wall of fire round about us, by thy providential protection, and the glory in the midst of us, by the gospel of our salvation, the ordinances of religion, and the presence of thy Holy Spirit.

What shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards us? Because Thou hast been our help, therefore under the shadow of thy wing may we rejoice. Because Thou hast heard our voice and our supplication, therefore may we call upon Thee as long as we live; and in every future difficulty and distress, make Thee our refuge and our portion.

Enable us to bless Thee at all times; may thy praise continually be in our mouth; and may we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives.

Being delivered from the peril and calamity (of—) with which we have been exercised, may we serve Thee without fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our lives.

We dare not trust our own hearts. We have often resembled thy people of old, who, in the hour of deliverance and indulgence, sang thy praise, and said, All that the Lord commandeth us will we do; but soon forget his works and the wonders which He had showed them." Keep these things for ever in the imagination of our hearts, and not only draw us, but bind us to thyself with the cords. of love and the bands of a man.

Ard with all our calls to gratitude and joy, may we remember that we have also reason for sorrow and humilia. tion. O give us that repentance which is unto life. Re

form as well as indulge us; and pardon as well as spare. Let not our prosperity destroy us, nor our table become a snare. Let us not, by our perverse returns, provoke Thee to visit us with heavier afflictions, and turn the rod into a scorpion. May our ways please the Lord, that we may hope for a continuance of thy favor, and know that all things shall work together for our good.

Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion. Build Thou the walls of Jerusalem. And as the churches have rest, may they walk in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost, and be multiplied.

Preside over our national counsels; impart wisdom to those who conduct our public affairs; and may all the various classes in the community pursue that righteousness which exalteth a nation, and forsake that sin which is a reproach to any people.

Regard the services in which we have been engaged with the thousands of our Israel; accept the poor and imperfect thanksgivings we have offered; and let thy word which has been dispensed in aid of the devotion of the day, accomplish all the good pleasure of thy goodness-through Jesus the Lord, our righteousness and strength; and in whose words we address Thee as

Our Father who art in heaven; hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, for ever and ever.

Amen.

23*

PETITIONS

FOR

PARTICULAR OCCASIONS.

FOR RAIN.

-ARE there any of the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Art not Thou he, O Lord our God? Therefore will we wait upon Thee, for Thou hast made all these things.

Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: Thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God which is full of water. Thou makest it soft with showers; Thou blessest the springs thereof. Thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side.

We have been made to feel the worth of this blessing by the want of it; and it would be easy for Thee to continue the privation, till the heavens over us were brass, and the earth under us iron; and the husbandman be ashamed for the wheat, and for the barley, because the harvest of the . field is perished, and because joy is withered away from the sons of men.

But, O deal not with us after our desert. Turn not a fruitful land into barrenness. Command thy rain to de scend. Cause thy grass to grow for the cattle, and herbs for the service of man and bring forth food out of the earth.

FOR FAIR Ꮃ Ꭼ Ꭺ Ꭲ Ꮋ Ꭼ Ꭱ.

271

FOR FAIR WEATHER

-How numberless are our wants and dangers! Our hopes are destroyed, not only by the deficiency, but the excess of our supplies. Stop, we pray Thee, the bottles of heaven, which have so long been pouring down water upon us; and cause thy sun not only to rise but to shine. Givo us the clear shining after rain, that the earth may yield her increase in maturity, and opportunity be afforded for the wholesome in-gathering of grass for the cattle, and grain for the use of man; that there may be no complaining in our streets, but that we may eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the Lord.

And O, let us not forget our souls, in our mindfulness of the body; nor expend all our concern upon the meat that perisheth, but be above all things anxious to secure that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, and which the Son of man will give, for Him hath God the Father sealed.

IN VIEW OF JOURNEYING.

O GOD, Thou hast called thyself the Preserver of men, and the length of our days. We are therefore encouraged to commit ourselves to thy guardian care, in the journey before us

Many have parted with the hope of soon embracing each other again, but instead of returning to their own dwelling, they have been conveyed to the house appointed for all living. We pray, with submission to thy pleasure, that this may not be our experience. Give thine angels charge concerning us to keep us in all our ways. Let no evil befal our persons, and no plague come nigh our dwel

ling. May we know also that our tabernacle is in peace, and visit our habitation and not sin.

Yet uncertain what a day may bing forth, may we be prepared for every event of thy providence; and wherever, in dying, we go FROM, may it be our happiness to know where we are going to, and rejoice in the prospect, that when all our wanderings and partings are ended, we shall unite in our heavenly Father's house, and be for ever with the Lord.

FOR A NEW-MARRIED PARTY.

BLESS those who have just entered a state honorable in all. May they remember the vows they have left at the altar, and in the discharge of their personal and relative duty may they make thy word their rule, that mercy and peace may be upon them. May the husband love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband; and both walk together as heirs of the grace of life, that their prayers be not hindered.

Preserve them from the evils which destroy or diminish the welfare and comfort of the condition in which Thou hast placed them; and may they enjoy all the happiness derivable from prudence, temper, accommodation, real godliness, and the divine blessing.

May they expect to discern infirmities in one another, but may they be always most deeply conscious of their own. And let them not look for unattainable, by looking for unmingled, bliss on earth; but remember that this is not our rest, and be prepared for difficulties, trials, changes and final separation.