Look in great pity and mercy upon benighted nations. Have respect unto the covenant, that in Christ all nations shall be blessed, and let thy saving light and health visit those dark places of the earth that have so long been, and are now full of the habitations of cruelty. Raise up, great Lord of the harvest, faithful servants to carry on the mighty work which has been begun. Accept our poor gifts and feeble prayers for the sake of the much incense offered up by our great High Priest. Bless every labourer, every missionary, every catechist, every teacher, every instructer, now among the heathen, with large success. May great and effectual doors be more and more opened, and every difficulty be overcome, and thy word have free course and be glorified. May the little one become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation, and may pure and prosperous churches of Christ be established in every land.

O hasten the blessed time when he who was once mocked, scourged, crucified and rejected of men, shall be crowned with honour and glory, and welcomed with glad acclamations by every people, kindred, tribe and tongue, and worshipped in the joyful service and adoration of a redeemed and renewed universe. Hasten the day when new light and glory shall dawn upon the nations of the earth, sorrow and sighing shall flee away, thy saints shall reign, and that glorious kingdom which shall never pass

away, shall be fully established. Give us to view the true source of all this glory, Jesus crucified, and humbling himself to the death of the cross for us; and through him may we even now be filled with all the riches of his grace, and the assured hope of his glory.

cause.

We pray that a special blessing may rest on the efforts made here at this time to advance this blessed Assist with thy grace all who labour in this work of love. Stand by and strengthen preachers and speakers; bring together thy people, and give them a lively and growing interest for the increase of thy kingdom. May they never be weary of welldoing, and may they be filled with joy in their own souls while communicating the joyful tidings of salvation to others. Grant to them the happy experience of the truth of thy promises, Give and it shall be given to you; blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Thus may missions to the heathen revive thy church at home, and in that revival missions multiply, till the whole earth be prepared for thy return, and be filled with thy glory. Hear us, O our God, for our Redeemer's sake.

CXCVI.

BEFORE CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, PRAYER-BOOK AND HOMILY, AND RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETIES. O Lord, we bless thee for all the efforts made in our land to diffuse true religion at home and abroad,

and that thou hast put it into the hearts of so many bountifully to aid in this work. Give heavenly wisdom, simple faith, holy love, godly jealousy for the purity of thy truth, and unwearied zeal, to all engaged in these works of mercy. Multiply their numbers very greatly. Awaken a general interest among all classes to promote Christian knowledge and piety, and the holy doctrines of the Reformation in our own and in all countries. May every effort prosper beyond all our hopes, and help to bring on rapidly the happy day when all shall know thee, and the whole earth be filled with thy glory.

CXCVII.

PRAYER BEFORE EFFORTS TO AID BIBLE SOCIETIES.

Father of lights and fountain of all wisdom, who hast given thy Holy Scriptures, by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, to be a light to our feet and a lamp to our paths, that we might be made wise unto salvation through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we bless and praise together thy holy name, that the sacred treasure of thy word has been so long intrusted to us and exalted amongst us. We confess our national sinfulness in not duly improving so great a talent ourselves, and in not communicating to others, as we might have done, this great benefit.

O Lord, all thanks be unto thee that thou hast put it into the hearts of thy people to unite together to send thy word to all who are needing it, both at

home and abroad; and that we have seen, as it were, since the blessed Reformation, the angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, that all may hear and read in their own tongue wherein they were born, the wonderful works of God, and be prepared for the coming hour of judgment. Abundantly bless this good work. Guide aright all who conduct it. Preserve them from all mistakes and errors. Prosper all their labours. Bless all their meetings, especially prosper the efforts making at this time amongst us. Let thy name be honoured and man be kept humble, and thy kingdom advanced, and the whole earth be prepared for the coming and universal dominion of our Divine Redeemer. Hear us, for his name's sake.

CXCVIII.

FOR A BLESSING ON SCHOOLS, AND EFFORTS TO PROMOTE EDUCATION.

O Lord our God, who hast called the young to remember their Creator in the days of their youth, and who hast bidden us to train up a child in the way in which he should go, and hast promised that when he is old he will not depart from it, we ask thy blessing on the efforts at this time making amongst us to promote Christian education and sound learning. We pray that thy blessed word may ever be

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the standard and the guide in all our plans for this end, and the sure foundation of all our instruction; that we may seek first the kingdom of God and thy righteousness, and then expect every other good. Dispose the hearts of all gladly to assist in this work of love. We praise thee that thou hast established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which thou didst command the fathers to make known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children, that they might set their hope in thee, and not forget thy works, but keep thy commandments. We entreat thee to grant that thy people obeying thy law, these great blessings may be continued to our children's children, from generation to generation, for our Redeemer's sake.

CXCIX.

FOR A BLESSING ON CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.

O Lord our God, who alone puttest into the hearts of thy people good desires, and dost enable us to bring them to good effect, all glory be to thee that thou hast raised up in our favoured country so many blessed institutions for doing good both to the bodies and the souls of men. May thy full blessing rest upon them. Give heavenly wisdom to all who conduct them. Comfort and support, sanctify and bless all who maintain them. Increase continually the