from the imperfections of a first and feeble emotion to the consummation of an eternal and never-ceasing charity, through Jesus Christ, the Son of thy love, the anchor of our hope, and the author and finisher of our faith: through whom, to thee, O Lord God, Father of heaven and earth, be all glory, and love, and obedience, and dominion, now and for ever. Amen. PRAYER OF INTERCESSION. THOU, who art our Creator, Lord, and Comforter, we beseech thee to look with thy mercy on all orders and conditions of men. Bless, we pray thee, all our rulers; all who administer justice; and all who are in places of authority and trust. May our land be ever favored of the Most High God; the abode of freedom, virtue, truth, and piety. In thy mercy visit thy whole church; preserve it, by thy Spirit, against all temptations and assaults; that offering to thee the never-ceasing prayer of thanksgiving, it may further thy honor and be filled with thy grace, and partake of thy glory. Bless all its ministers, and clothe them with righteousness. Bless the means of education, and the teachers of youth. Graciously enlighten the ignorant; convert the unbelieving; comfort the afflicted; relieve the persecuted; speak peace to troubled consciences; strengthen the weak; deliver the oppressed; help the needy. Redeem man, O God, from bondage, error, vice, and crime; send light, liberty, and peace over the whole earth, and let the Sun of righteousness arise upon all nations, with healing in his beams. Hear our prayers, which we humbly address to thee in the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, who ever liveth to make intercession for us, and through whom we render unto thee all honor and glory for ever. Amen. GENERAL THANKSGIVING. LMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we may show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord; in whose name we ascribe unto thee all honor and glory, world without end. Amen. CLOSING PRAYERS. At the close of the sermon, whenever the previous prayers have been read, the following may be the Concluding Prayer: DIR most gracious favor, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works began, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name; and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Whenever the previous Evening Prayers have not been read, the Minister may say: The Lord be with you; Ans. And with thy spirit. Min. Let us pray. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us; Min. O Lord, bless our President, and our Rulers. Ans. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee. Min. Endue thy ministers with righteousness; Ans. And bless thine inheritance. Min. Give peace in our time, O Lord. Ans. For thou only canst make wars to cease to the end of the earth. Min. O Lord, make clean our hearts within us; Ans. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us. Min. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us: Ans. Unto him be glory in the Church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. BENEDICTION THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with us all. Amen. SECOND ORDER OF EVENING PRAYER OR VESPERS. I. Voluntary on the Organ. II. Sentences of Introduction: read by Minister and People standing, and which may be followed by the "Gloria Patri," said or chanted. III. Vesper Hymn. (Not announced.) IV. Prayer. V. Voluntary by the Choir. VI. Selected Psalms. Read by Minister and People (standing). Ending with Gloria, "Now unto the King Eternal," &c. VII. Reading from Old Testament. VIII. Chanted Psalm, in the order of the Month-1. First Sunday, "O sing unto the Lord;" 2. "It is a good thing;" 3. "God be merciful;" 4. "Praise the Lord;" 5. "The Lord is my Shepherd." (Not announced.) Or the corresponding Hymn. (People stand.) IX. Reading from New Testament. X. Chanted Hymn from New Testament,—either: 1. Magnificat; 2. Nunc Dimittis; 3. Gloria in Excelsis; 4. Venite ad me; 5. Beatitudes; or, one of the corresponding versified Hymns. (Not read. People stand.) XI. Exposition or Address. XII. Silent Prayer. XIII. Chant usually the Lord's Prayer. XIV. Hymn. (Congregation stand and sing.) XV. Benediction, the Amen chanted. VESPERS. The Minister shall read one or more of these Sentences; and then say, with the People responsively, the words of praise that follow: "O Lord, open thou our lips," &c. FROM ROM the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised. Let our prayers be set forth in his sight as incense, and the lifting up of our hands, as an evening sacrifice. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Behold! God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. Oh, send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light |