ORDER OF SERVICES FOR MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER. 1. INTRODUCTORY SENTENCES. 2. HYMN. 3. A SELECTION FROM THE PSALMS, OR FROM THE PROPHETS, OR THE LITANIES, OR THE TE DEUM. 4. CONFESSION. 5. LORD'S PRAYER AND SENTENCES. 6. SELECTIONS FROM THE SCRIPTURES. 7. HYMN. 8. SERMON (OR ADDRESSES). 9. A PAUSE OF A FEW MOMENTS FOR SILENT MEDITATION AND PRAYER. 10. EXTEMPORE PRAYER. 11. HYMN. 12. BENEDICTION, OR CLOSING ASCRIPTIONS. NOTE. THIS order of services has been found convenient, and is therefore here inserted. But it is not in tended to be strictly adhered to, but may be varied, by the officiating minister, in the following ways. It may be shortened, by omitting the first HYMN, or the CONFESSION, or the SENTENCES following the LORD'S PRAYER. Instead of the PSALMS, or in addition to them, the TE DEUM, the SELECTIONS FROM THE PROPHETS, or one of the LITANIES, may be used. An EXTEMPORE PRAYER may be introduced before the SERMON, whenever the Minister desires it. Finally, as it is not the object of this Service-Book to establish an inflexible form, but rather to afford the means of variety in public worship, the Churches and Ministers can make any other alterations from this order which they may deem expedient. The Introductory Sentences are to be read by the Minister alone; the Confession and Lord's Prayer, by the Minister and Congregation together; the Psalms, Prophets, and Litanies, by the Minister and Congregation in alternate sentences. INTRODUCTORY SENTENCES FOR MORNING PRAYER. (To be read by the Minister alone.) WHEN the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. The Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit, and they who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Jesus said, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth, as touching any thing they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Likewise I say unto you, There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him; to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life. Minister. Lift up your hearts. Congregation. We lift them up unto the Lord. INTRODUCTORY SENTENCES FOR EVENING PRAYER. FROM 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. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall; but they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow |