ELEVENTH WEEK.—SATURDAY. — Morning

LORD, we bless Thee that in a world of change and death Thou art ever the same. Be merciful unto us, we pray Thee, and grant that we may be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Help us to live, as they did, as pilgrims and strangers upon earth. Whether our lives be long or short, may they be lives of faith upon the Son of God; and when we die, may we enter upon the rest that remaineth for thy people. We thank Thee that the Day Spring from on high hath visited us, and that things which righteous men of old saw only through a glass darkly stand open to our sight. Lord, accept the offering of grateful and contrite hearts. We plead the merits of Jesus for acceptance with Thee. We beseech Thee to sprinkle us afresh with the blood of atonement. May the guilt of sin be cancelled, and its power be destroyed within us. May we cease to do evil, and learn to do well, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. To this end grant us the aid of thy Holy Spirit, that He may take of the things of Christ, and show them unto our souls; and thus may Christ not only be the object of our trust, but the example we imitate.

We render hearty thanks unto Thee, O God, for thy watchful care during another night. Oh, help us to begin every day as if we entered upon life anew. May the precious hours of this day be well spent; yea, so spent as if it were the last. To Thee we now consecrate our renewed health and strength. May the secular duties of life be to us religious duties, because we seek thy glory in them. Help us to order all our affairs with discretion, and to regulate our entire life by the principles of thy Word. May those with whom we have intercourse take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus, and that we are on our way to dwell in his presence for ever. Preserve us this day from the temptations of the wicked one. Keep our feet that they do not stumble, our eyes that they behold not vanity, our tongues that they utter no guile, our hearts that they be not disquieted by untoward events, and that we lose not the light of thy countenance. Grant us as much prosperity as shall be for our good; and when Thou sendest adversity, may we receive it from the hand of our Father, and may it contribute both to the health of our souls and the glory of thy name.

[We pray Thee to bless the children of this family; bring them all in early life to Jesus, that we may be a holy family, journeying to our Father’s house above.] Let thy mercy be bestowed on all whom we love. We ask all, and we praise Thee for all, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.