The Minister, standing before the Congregation, shall reverently recite these sentences.

Great and marvellous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of Saints.

:

Be glad, O ye children of Sion, and rejoice in the Lord your God!

Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord, and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.

Then shall the Minister pronounce this

Meditation.

We praise Thee, O God.
We rejoice in Thy Power,
Thy Justice,

Thy Holiness,

Thy Wisdom and Thy Love.
O Lord, our hidden comforter,
Who reignest in the furthest Heaven,
Thou dwellest in our inmost soul.
And where Thou art is no misery,
Even to the distressed;

Sorrow is hallowed, pain is sweetened,
Care is lightened,

And all our anxious fears are laid to rest.
What tongue can worthily proclaim
Thy greatness?

What heart conceive the fullness of
Thy perfect love?

Thy nature is all blessedness, Thou alone canst satisfy our needy souls; Blessed are all who love,

And put their trust in Thee.

Then shall be said or sung these versicles

Minister. Blessed art Thou, O Lord.
People. O teach us Thy statutes.
Minister. O God, make speed to save us.
People. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Minister. O Lord, open Thou our eyes;
People. That we may see the wonders of
Thy law.

Minister. O Lord, open Thou our lips.

People.

And our mouth shall show forth
Thy praise.

Minister. Glory be to the Father, and to the
Son and to the Holy Ghost;

People. As it was in the beginning, is now,

:

and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

Minister. Praise ye the Lord.

People.

The Lord's Name be praised.

Then shall be read a Psalm or Selection of Psalms from the Psalter, at the end of which shall be sung this Ascription.

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible the only wise God;

Be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lesson.

Then shall be read the Lesson from the Scripture, or at times from some other appropriate and reverend writing, the Minister saying, The Lesson is taken from such and such a Book. And at the close, Here endeth the Lesson. Whereupon shall be sung this, or some other appropriate Canticle or Hymn.

Cantate Domino.

O sing unto the Lord a new song for He hath done marvellous things.

With His own right hand, and with His holy arm : hath He gotten Himself the victory.

The Lord declared His salvation: His righteousness hath He openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

He hath remembered His mercy and truth toward the house of Israel and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands sing, rejoice, and give thanks.

Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.

With trumpets also and shawms: O show yourselves joyful before the Lord, the King.

Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein

is the round world, and they that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord for He cometh to judge the earth.

With righteousness shall He judge the world and the people with equity.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever world without end.

shall be

Amen.

Then shall be said or sung

Sursum Corda.

Minister.

Lift up your hearts,

People.

We lift them up unto the Lord.

Minister.

Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.

People.

It is meet and right so to do.

Minister.

The Lord be with you.

People.

The Lord also be with thee.

Minister.

Let us pray.

Minister.

O God, Creator and Preserver of mankind, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of all our life, our First and Last and Everlasting Friend; At close of day we look to Thee. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who gavest us life and light this day, and power both to labour and to rest. And yet as night draws on Thou givest more, and in the holy stillness of this hour dost Thyself come forth to comfort and strengthen, and cheer us. Thou wilt never leave us or forsake us. There is no day nor night, which brings us not some gift, some new token of Thy favour. O God, Thou art love. In Thee we put our stedfast trust. In Thee is all our hope. Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thy glory. Blessed in the heights above, and in the depths beneath us. But still more blessed is it, Father, to find Thee in the familiar scenes around us, and in the daily duties and tasks which Thou hast given us to do. Giver of every good, shine forth in all the glory of Thine excellence. Awaken in each one of us a sincerer love of truth, and save us from our errors and our sins. Arouse us to a wiser use of our time and the opportunities it affords, and to a more faithful development of whatever gifts or talents Thou hast bestowed upon us; so that day by day we may grow in grace and fit ourselves more perfectly for the full enjoyment of our inheritance with Thy saints in the light and life of Heaven.