OUR Father which art in heaven. We address thee as our Father because thou hast encouraged us to do so in thy holy word. Thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and though Israel acknowledge us not. We would come to thee with humble faith, and offer before thee our desires and our grateful acknowledgments. Help us to feel as children, and let thine ear be attent to the voice of our supplications. Let our cry come before thee!

Our prayer might be rejected. So often have we sinned against thee that thou mightest say of us, When ye spread forth your hands I will not hearken. With shame and confusion of face we make our confession. Oh turn not away thy face from us, but be merciful to our transgressions. Let them be blotted out as a cloud. Thou hast looked with pity upon us in our low estate, and in the exercise of thy wondrous love didst send forth thine only begotten Son to be a propitiation for our sins. We believe in him. We plead his sacrifice. We reject all other confidence and cleave to him alone. Oh apply to us the blood of sprinkling which he shed. Wash us, and we shall be clean; purge us, and we shall be whiter than snow. And give us, O Lord, thine Holy Spirit. May his quickening, sanctifying influences be shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord. Deepen our conviction of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and may we hate it more. Fill our hearts with enlarged appre

hensions of redeeming love, and enable us to cleave unto the Saviour with an entire and devoted mind. Unite our hearts to fear thy name. Suffer us not to cleave unto the dust, nor let us offer to thee a divided heart. We are not our own, but thine, for thou hast bought us at a costly price-the blood of thine incarnate Son. May we ever feel this, and live not unto ourselves, but to him who loved us and gave himself for us. Being made free from sin, we would serve thee alone. Oh may we have our fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

To thy care we commend ourselves during this day. Watch over us every where, and let no evil prevail against us. Keep us nigh unto thee by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hear us when we call upon thee on behalf of our friends and relations. Take them all into thy family. Be gracious to the afflicted, and succour them. Strengthen and comfort those who are tried and tempted, and bid them hope in thee. Look compassionately upon a world lying in the wicked one. Oh ransom it by thy power and mercy. Let the gospel of Christ go every where with great success, and remember thy covenant, for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

Father, we ask thy presence and blessing on us during this day. Lead us in thy truth and teach us. Order our goings in thy ways, that our footsteps may not slip, and suffer no iniquity to have dominion over us. Accept our thanks for thy constant mercy, and be about our path as thou hast been about our bed, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

MERCIFUL God, we have often approached thy throne to seek guidance, and to commend ourselves to thy care. We do so again to-night, and we would mingle with our supplication our devout and grateful praises that thou hast not left us to-day entirely to ourselves. Forbid that we should ever lean to our own understanding. Pardon us that we have thought too much of our wisdom in time past, and graciously interpose to prevent the consequences of this our folly. Thou knowest that we be set in the midst of many and great dangers, and that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright. Grant to us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations, through Jesus Christ our Lord. We want to be strengthened with might by thy Spirit in our inner man ; that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith. Forgive us, O our God, that this day we have been with thee less than we ought to have been. Forgive us, that in our ordinary business we ever lose sight of thee; and may all our future days be marked by a more humble, and constant, and devout walking with thee, and reliance upon thy strength, while we discharge the various duties which devolve upon us.

But for the atonement and intercession of Jesus Christ our Lord, we should not venture into thy presence, but we may come to thee in his name. Oh for his sake receive us graciously, love us freely. Thou

hast made in him a provision for the recovery of sinners to holiness and happiness. May we be recovered. Grant us an interest in the promises of thy grace, and make us heirs of the inheritance which fadeth not away. From this time through the whole of our lives, may we pursue the way of thy commandments without turning to the right hand or to the left. Thou art God all-sufficient. We would walk as in thy sight, and keep an onward, straightforward course. Strengthen us, O Lord, by thy Spirit, that we may successfully resist every temptation, and be stedfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

We are drawing nigher every day to the close of our pilgrimage. Grant to us, O Lord, lively and impressive views of the heaven in which that pilgrimage shall end. May we not tire or faint by the way. Let no afflictions hinder our progress, and no temptations draw us aside. Cheer us by thy precious promises. Give us the faith which will overcome the world, and the hope that will triumph even in death. O God, in that solemn moment let thy presence be with us. In our last conflict make us more than conquerors through Him that hath loved us.

Prosper thy church in the world. Be gracious to that part of it with which we associate. Sanctify our pastor through thy truth, and make him more abundantly useful. May we all receive the goodness of the kingdom, and have our fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Bless our family, and each of our friends and relations. Take us under thy care, O Lord, this night, and be our portion for ever, for Christ's sake. Amen.

ACTS IX.

MORNING HYMN.

"A leader to the people."

LEADER of faithful souls, and guide
Of all that travel to the sky,

Come, and with us, e'en us, abide,
Who would on thee alone rely;
On thee alone our spirits stay,
While held in life's uneven way.

Strangers and pilgrims here below,

This earth, we know, is not our place; We hasten through the vale of woe,

And, restless to behold thy face, Swift to our heavenly country move, Our everlasting home above.

Through thee who all our sins hast borne,

Freely and graciously forgiven, With songs to Zion we return, Contending for our native heaven; That palace of our glorious King, We feel it nearer when we sing.

Raised by the breath of love Divine,

We urge our way with strength renew'd ;

The church of the first-born to join,

We travel to the mount of God;

With joy upon our heads arise,
And meet our Captain in the skies.