MORNING PRAYER FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY. The Minister, standing before the Congregation, shall reverently recite these sentences: O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, in the Temple of Thy Glory; above all, to be praised and glorified for evermore. Behold now, praise the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Then shall the Minister pronounce this Meditation. Brethren, we remember in this quiet hour that the Earth is the Lord's and all that therein is; and that wherever we go is holy ground, and that every day we live may be a holy day. Our world is under the rule of an Almighty and All-Holy Love, not haunted by an Evil spirit for ever planning to compass the ruin of our race. The Earth is full of the goodness of the Lord; it lives, and moves, and has its being, in the life of God alone. Every where stands the shrine of the invisible but all quickening Spirit of Love. Everywhere are opportunities for divine worship. On every side ocasions rise for loving sacrifice and fellowservice. The whole of life becomes a holy ministration, and full of blessedness, if we but daily strive to live in the spirit of our Lord and Saviour. Then shall Minister and People together say this Father on Earth, our Father in Heaven, Lord of all power and grace, In all our ways we see Thee, Thy Wisdom, Thy Power, and Love. We give Thee thanks, We adore Thy Name forever. Then shall be said or sung Minister. Lord, help us from Thy holy place; People. And evermore mightily defend us. Minister. Send out Thy light and Thy People, truth; That they may lead us. Minister. Lord, hear our prayer; People. And let our cry come unto Thee. Minister. Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness; People. And Thy saints rejoice and sing. Here shall follow some specially chosen Hymn of Praise or Adoration. Then shall be read the Psalter for the day, the Minister saying Such and such a Psalm or Selection. And after each selection shall be said or sung this ascription : Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible the only wise God; : Be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Then shall the Minister read the Lesson from Scripture telling where it is found and at the close he shall say, Here endeth the Lesson. Whereupon Choir and Congregation shall sing this or some other appropriate Hymn or Anthem. Benedictus. : Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for He hath visited and redeemed His people; And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us in the house of His Servant David; As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets which have been since the world began; That we should be saved from our enemies : and from the hand of all that hate us : Through the tender mercy of our God: whereby the Day-Spring from on high hath visited us; To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace. : Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen. Then shall be said or sung these Versicles: Minister. The Lord be with you. People. The Lord also be with thee. Then, the people humbly kneeling, the Minister shall repeat the Commandments of Moses, together with their Christian amplification, the Congregation responding. Minister. God spake these words and said, I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have none other Gods but me. No man can serve two masters. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law. Minister. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor the likeness of anything that is in Heaven above, or in the Earth beneath or in the water under the Earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them. God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law. Minister. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His Name in vain. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in Heaven. People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law. Minister. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath Day. The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath Day. People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law. Minister. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. And ye fathers, provoke not your children, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. |