our Keeper and Protector by night and by day. Darkness and light to thee are both alike. Give us quiet and refreshing rest to fit us for the duties of another day. Bless each of us in our more private devotions, and may we never neglect to pray in secret to our Father, which seeth in secret.

Again we ask thee to bless all around us, and all with whom we daily meet and are occupied. Sanctify all our intercourse with them. Let us never be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, nor keep our light under a bushel, but confess Christ openly before Convert our unconverted relatives, neighbours and friends. Give us, as a nation, grace to honour God. Roll away and scatter the dark clouds of ignorance and sin, and let the Sun of Righteousness speedily arise on all that fear thy name with healing in his wings. We ask all for Jesus' sake.

men.

LV.

SATURDAY MORNING.

FOR DIVINE COMPASSION AND ASSISTANCE IN

DUTY.

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts, who dwellest on high in the light which no man can approach unto, who hast made the world and all things therein by Jesus Christ, and in thine infinite condescension humblest thyself to behold things in the heaven and in the earth, and to raise up the poor out of the dust;

behold us with thy favour, and visit us with thy salvation, and satisfy us with thy early mercy.

We unite together as one family to praise thee for the mercies of another morning. We laid us down and slept, and have awaked with renewed strength and health and restored blessings all around us, for thou, Lord, hast sustained us. Salvation belongeth unto thee, O Lord, and thy blessing is upon thy people, and we beseech thee to give unto us renewed spiritual life here, and the resurrection of the saints in the world to come. Innumerable have been thy past mercies, innumerable are thy present benefits! O Lord, still continue for ever to do us good, and to bless us.

May thy love be largely shed abroad in every heart by thine own Spirit, that we may be constrained by this love to yield ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto thee. O preserve us from walking in the course of this world, and enable us to withstand its temptations, and to be more than conquerors through him that loved us:

Look in pity upon our many sins, weaknesses and infirmities. May we fully believe and prove the power of thy word, that as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. O pity our deadness and dulness in thy service; pity our backwardness and aversion to divine and heavenly things; pity all our weakness and helplessness; pity our blindness and ignorance, and all our guiltiness

eases.

and corruption; and heal, O heal all our spiritual disOur souls wait for the Lord, he is our help and our shield. May we all find that in Jesus, the mighty One, there is help even for the sinful. O blessed Jesus our Lord, without thee we can do nothing, hut by thy strength we can do all things. May we labour then in thy name, striving according to thy working in us to do all the will of God.

Enable us all to be thoughtful of to-morrow's Sabbath, and to set all in order for its quiet and devout observance. Assist thou thy ministers, and give them light, grace, and love for their high and holy office. Send them help from thy sanctuary.

Prosper us in all our daily employments. Give that measure of success in our undertakings and occupations which thou seest to be for our good. Let us not shrink from toil and labour in the duties of our station, nor faint under them, but may we go through our appointed work with steady perseverance, and believing cheerfulness. Grant that all the trials and deliverances, all the sorrows and joys, all the 'afflictions and comforts of thy people every where, may, by thy mighty grace, prepare us all to be vessels meet for thy heavenly kingdom. O enlarge and multiply, both from Jew and Gentile in every land, that glorious company who shall through eternity admire the riches of redeeming love. Hear us for Jesus' sake.

LVI.

SATURDAY EVENING.

PREPAREDNESS FOR CHRIST'S COMING-HELP IN

SABBATH DUTIES.

Hitherto, O Lord, thou hast helped us, and we love thee because thou hast heard our voice and supplication. Because thou hast inclined thine ear unto us, therefore will we call upon thee as long as we live. Give us then grace to pray in the Holy Ghost, and by his inspiration may our prayers be fervent and effectual.

At the close of the labours of another week, and on the eve of thy holy Sabbath, we come to thee for pardon. Thou hast mercifully opened a fountain for sin and uncleanness, and we are sinful and unclean, and come to be washed and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Look, O Lord, upon the special state of each one here before thee. Thou knowest the talent given to each to occupy, and the temptation under which each one is bowed down to the dust. O strengthen and support each under temptation, and enable each to glorify thee, preparing each for the peculiar place which thou hast appointed them in thy kingdom below, and thy kingdom yet to come.

We entreat thee ever to give us a spirit waiting for our Lord's coming. O may our loins be girt

about and our lights burning, and we be like unto men that wait for their Lord. May all the remarkable signs of the times in which we live not pass unregarded by us. May we be wise to discern them. May our eyes turn to the hills whence cometh our help, and may our gazing sight be so fixed on the return of our Lord, that we may purify ourselves even as he is pure, and be prepared to see the King in his beauty.

We unite in earnest prayer for a blessing on each part, and duty, and ordinance of thy holy day. We unfeignedly acknowledge before thee our conviction of our entire insufficiency in ourselves to offer unto thee any acceptable service. In vain will our lips be joined in prayer, if thou give not the spirit of grace and supplication; in vain will the song of praise ascend with the voice, if thou open not our lips to show forth thy praise; in vain will thy ministers preach, if thou give not the seeing eye, the hearing ear and the understanding and believing heart. O Lord, supply all our need, then, out of thy riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Pour thy Spirit upon us. Kindle in our hearts the sacred flame of holy desire and ardent love. Give us all grace to call the Sabbath a delight, holy unto the Lord, and honourable, and preserve us all from defiling it by seeking our own pleasure, speaking our own words, or walking in our own ways.

Anoint thy ministers afresh with heavenly unc