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FIRST MORNING SERVICE

FOR A FAMILY.

The following Anthem is to be said by the Head of the Family, or Reader, in alternate verses with the other Members of the Family.

BLESSED art thou, O Lord, our God, and the God of our fathers, who turnest the shadows of death into the morning, and renewest the face of the earth;

Who scatterest the darkness by this return of light, and hast commanded night to give place to day;

Who hast delivered us from the terror by night, and from the pestilence that walketh in darkness;

Who makest the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to praise thee;

For that we laid down and slept, and rose up

again, because thou, O Lord, didst make us to dwell in safety;

For that we awaked, and beheld, and our sleep was sweet unto us.

Blot out, we pray thee, as a cloud, our transgressions, and as the thickness of the morning cloud, our sins.

Grant us to walk as children of the light and of the day.

O let us hear thy loving kindness betimes in the morning, for in thee is our trust.

Show thou us the way that we should walk in, for we lift up our souls unto thee.

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O GOD, whose light again shines upon us, we desire to unite with thy whole family in heaven and earth, to offer up to thee, the eternal Fountain of light, our morning adoration, and pay our tribute of gratitude and praise to thee our Preserver. O shine into our hearts with the light of truth, and disperse the shades of error and prejudice and sin. Inspire us with the hopes and comforts of true religion, and

our

implant within us thy likeness, the image of our Creator, in righteousness and true holiness. Give us clear and consoling views of thy Providence, which so mercifully regards us, and our minutest concerns. Warm hearts with love to thee; with the love of goodness, of purity, and of all thy moral perfections; that by these our faith and trust in thee may be increased and strengthened, and that we may rejoice that all the different dispensations of our lives are in thy hand, the hand of our heavenly Father.

Encourage us in the faithful discharge of our duties. Guide us by thy counsel; support us in our journey by thy strength; hold us up by thy promises. Animate us with the patience and perseverance of our blessed Lord and master, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. In his name we offer our pray

ers, and in his words conclude them.

O

SECOND.

our God,

LORD who hast brought us out from the shades of night to see another day, assist and accept our morning devotions which we offer up to thee, who both by night and by day art our Guardian and Deliverer. We thank thee that thou hast preserved us from the dangers of the past night, and we pray thee to continue thy goodness to us through the present day, and preserve us from all perils both of body and soul. We thank thee for all the time thou hast given us, and acknowledge that we have greatly wasted and misused it. May we do so no more. Make us each day to remember that every day is thy gift, to be used in thy service, and in doing the work of our salvation. Let the Sun of Righteousness arise upon our souls with healing in his wings. Make us children

of the light and of the day, and show us the way wherein we should walk. Quicken our dulness in thy service. Relcase our hearts from the bondage of sin and the fetters of temptation, and so assist us in all our doings with thy most gracious favor, that when the few days of this our mortal life are ended, we may inherit that endless life which thou hast prepared for all who love and fear thee.

The blessings, which we ask for ourselves, we ask for others, for our enemies, if we have them, and for the whole world of mankind, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THIRD.

ALMIGHTY God, it is owing to thee that we have been preserved through the past night. It is through thy goodness that we have been refreshed with sleep, and that our eyes are now opened to the light of another day. Accept, we bescech thee, our grateful

praise; and grant that this day we may be upheld by thy power, and led by thy hand, and kept from danger, from pain, and from sin. With the return of each morning may our thoughts and affections rise to thee; and as one day succeeds another, so may our love to thee be perpetually renewed in our hearts, and our service to thee be constant.

Help us, O God and Father, to love one another. Let thy love be shed abroad upon this family, and may each member of the same walk in the light of thy favor. May children know thee to be their God, and their father's God, and may they seek thy blessing as their greatest happiness, and make it their first duty, and find it their highest pleasure to keep thy commandments.

O God, we commit our ways to thee. To thee we commend all whom we love. Be with them and with us, by day and by night, in sorrow and in joy, in time and in eternity. Forgive us all our sins, and accept us freely through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Then shall the whole Family together say the Lord's Prayer.

OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who 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.

SECOND MORNING SERVICE.

The following Sentences are to be said alternately, as in the First Service, by the Reader and the Family.

THE Lord hath brought us safe to the beginning of this day; let us give him thanks for this his goodness, and for all his mercies and loving kindnesses to us and to all

men.

Every day will we give thanks unto thee, O Lord, and praise thy name for ever and ever.

Let all those who put their trust in thee rejoice; they shall ever be giving of thanks, because thou defendest them; they who love thy name shall be joyful in thee.

For thou, Lord, wilt give thy blessing unto thy people; and with thy favorable kindness wilt thou defend them as with a shield.

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

Be honor and glory, through Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen.

Then shall the Person who conducts the Service, say;

LET us pray to God, that we may live in his fear, and in love and charity with our neighbors; that his holy Spirit may direct and rule our hearts, teaching us what to do and what to avoid; and that we may continue his faithful servants this day, and all the days of our life.

Answer. Let our prayers and meditations be

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