A PRAYER FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WORLD.

ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, we give Thee humble thanks for the light of thy gospel. Make us more grateful for this thy mercy, and more zealous for the salvation of all mankind. Look with pity on every Christian land. Take away all darkness, and superstition, and worldliness of spirit from the Christian churches, that they may arise and shine, and show that their light is come, and the glory of the Lord risen upon them. O Lord, bless thy servants who are labouring among the heathen! The harvest truly is great but the labourers are few-O Thou Lord of the harvest, send forth labourers into thy harvest! Raise up, we beseech Thee, in greater numbers, humble, self-denying, and holy men. Fill their hearts with love to Thee, and to the souls of the heathen. Let them have this grace given unto them, that they may preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ! Make them diligent and skilful in learning the languages of the heathen. Let them be active, devout, and dead to the world. Guard them from sickness and pain. Keep them from the snares of the world, the flesh and the devil. Deliver them from all evil. Comfort their hearts, strengthen their hands, and make them wise to win souls; and give unto all around them ears to hear and hearts to understand! Take away blindness from the Jews. Let them receive Thee, O Jesus, as their Messiah, and proclaim thy saving name among the Gentiles! Deliver all Mahomedans from the delusions of the false prophet. O Thou True Prophet of thy church, enlighten them by thy Holy Spirit, and bow them down at the foot of thy

cross! Pity blind idolators, who are kept in cruel bondage by the god of this world. Turn them from idols, that they may serve the living and true God! Bring all the heathen throughout the world, from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God! O let the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ! Bless all the children in the schools among the heathen; and make many of them, when they grow up, to become wise and faithful preachers of the gospel to their own countrymen! Bless all who labour in every nation to make known thy holy word in the languages of the people yea, so bless them, that every man may soon read, in his own tongue, wherein he was born, the wonderful works of God! Unite, as one man, all who are truly labouring for Thee. Let all Christian Societies live in harmony and love. Give them wisdom in all their plans, and grace to choose fit persons to serve Thee among the heathen: and cause all Missionaries to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace! Disappoint the designs of Satan. Make perfect thy strength, Almighty Saviour, in the weakness of thy servants! O Thou, who, by the right hand of God, art exalted, and hast received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, shed forth His light and grace on this dark world! Thou hast ascended on high-Thou hast led captivity captive-Thou hast received gifts for men--yea, even for the rebellious. O pour down those gifts on all thy servants, that the Lord God may dwell among them! Cause all Christians, we beseech Thee, to sow bountifully, that they may reap also bountifully. O Thou, that lovest a cheerful giver, let all grace abound toward them, that they may minister liberally of their substance to the making known of thy name! Pour out on all Christian ministers and people a spirit of grace and sup-. plication; and enable them to plead in faith the glorious

FOR RELIGIOUS AND CHARITABLE SOCIETIES. 281

promises of thy holy word! With these our humble prayers, we join our praises and thanksgivings for what Thou hast done, in making thy saving health known to the perishing heathen. Perfect thy work, O Lord, concerning them. Thou hast said, that from the rising to the setting of the sun, thy name shall be great among the Gentiles; and that in every place incense shall be offered to thy name, and a pure offering. Thou hast said, that all the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee. And Thou hast commanded us to give Thee no rest, till Thou establish, and till Thou make thy Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Hear us, then, O God of our salvation! and let us meet in heaven with multitudes from the East, and West, and North, and South, who shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of our Father! We ask these mercies for the glory of thy name, through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and would ascribe to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, all honour and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

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A PRAYER FOR RELIGIOUS AND CHARITABLE SOCIETIES.

O LORD Almighty, faithful and true, who by thy Holy Prophet hast told us, that from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, thy name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto thy name, and a pure offering; for thy name shall be great among the heathen; bless and

282 FOR RELIGIOUS AND CHARITABLE SOCIETIES.

prosper, we beseech Thee, the endeavours of the societies established among us, for the propagation of the gospel among the heathen and others; take Thou from them, to whom the glad tidings of salvation shall be preached, all ignorance, hardness of heart and contempt of thy word; so that thy word being sown in good and honest hearts, it may bring forth fruit abundantly to thy honour, and the salvation of their souls: grant, that all who have heard and received it may live according to its doctrine and precepts, and by holiness of life, and zeal for thy glory, may become eminent examples to all about them. Bless all religious and other societies among us, for Christian conference, and works of charity; for the promoting of Christian knowledge and practice among the poor and ignorant. O Lord increase the number of these societies, and enable them all to choose the best and most inoffensive means for accomplishing their several ends, and to prosecute them diligently, with a zeal directed by wisdom and prudence; so that, being free from all worldly interests, they may steadfastly pursue the advancement of thy glory, and the good of mankind. And grant, O God, that no good Thou shalt vouchsafe to bring about by their poor endeavours, may tempt them to think highly of themselves, but modestly and humbly. Remove all unreasonable prejudices against their designs; shed forth thy love abroad in their hearts, that they may cheerfully embrace all opportunities of doing good to the souls and bodies of men, and not to be discouraged at any difficulties or oppositions they may meet with. O God, hear their prayers for themselves and others: defend them from the rage of Satan, and from the malice of evil men; perfect holiness more and more in their hearts; unite them finally to one another in thy truth, and in the bond of love, and make them zealous in all good works, according to the com-~

mand and example of Jesus Christ, who went about doing good for whose sake we beseech Thee to hear us. Amen.

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A PRAYER TO BE USED BY PARENTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

O ALMIGHTY Father, suffer us to come to the throne of thy mercy, and bring the precious children which Thou hast given us. Thou hast condescended to enter into covenant with thy people, and hast engaged to accept their children at their hands if they offer them to Thee in faith. Help us to lay hold of that covenant, and truly to devote these our children to Thee. In kindness hast Thou lent them to us: we give them back to Thee, and pray, that we may evermore feel that they are not ours, but thine. Blessed Saviour, sanctify them early by thy Spirit; lay thine hands upon them-inscribe thine image on their hearts,, and as they grow up, may they serve and honor Thee, and promote the salvation of those around them. Give us the wisdom which is from above, that we may know how to train them up for Thee, and by our example, instructions and prayers, to promote the spirit of religion in their hearts. Enable us to exert a proper control over them; and to administer that discipline, which with thy blessing may be the means of their best good. We ask not for them the wealth, and distinctions of this world; but we intreat a better inheritance, even spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Jesus. Let them be the servants of God, to do his will here, even though it be in much suffering and many privations; and may they be, to the praise and glory of thy grace, in the world to come.