CHAPTER IX

A TREASURY OF DEVOTION

HE prayers of little children will,

of course, be without variation, the

same prayer day after day; except as the child, of his own mind or at the suggestion of his parents, may add special petitions or intercessions. As the children grow older, and the time comes for them to say their prayers by themselves, they may learn other forms by heart or may read them out of a book. Such prayers will not differ necessarily from those which are used by older persons. They will naturally be brief and simple, but these are good qualities in all our devotions. The same prayers which may be commended to children of high-school age may serve as well for use at household worship. In the composi

tion and selection of the prayers which follow, I have had both of these needs in mind.

In the first selection of the prayers for each of the days of the week, the first prayer in each instance is taken from the Book of Common Prayer, and the second, with some changes, from Short Prayers for Family Devotions by the Rev. H. Stobart, published in England by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. In the second series, the first prayers are from the Book of Common Worship, published under the direction of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, and the second prayers are freely adapted from various sources.

I

Sunday

Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things; graft in our hearts the love of Thy name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with

all goodness, and of Thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

O most holy and most merciful Father, who of Thy goodness hast provided for us in this place a house set apart for Thy worship and service; dispose our hearts to reverence Thy sanctuary; vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, to be there in the midst of us this day; pardon all our unworthiness, and enable us to present ourselves, our souls and bodies, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Thee; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Monday

O God, who hast prepared for those who love Thee such good things as pass man's understanding; pour into our hearts such love toward Thee that we, loving Thee above all things, may obtain Thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, who seest the ways of man, and countest all his steps; we meekly beseech Thee, of Thy great love, to order and protect our goings this week and for evermore, and to grant that in all our sojourn here we have the assurance of Thine assisting presence, and may always perceive what Thou wouldest have us to do, and may perform it according to Thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday

O God, the protector of all that trust in Thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; increase and multiply upon us Thy mercy, that, Thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, we beseech Thee to visit us this day with Thy loving-kindness. Give us grace faithfully to fulfill our duties to Thee

and to each other. Make us kind and courteous unto all men, honest in our dealings, truthful in our words, guileless in our thoughts. Strengthen us to bear with patience whatsoever trials may be in store for us, preserve us from the sins which do most easily beset us, and enable us this day and ever to walk worthy of our Christian calling; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Wednesday

Grant to us, Lord, we beseech Thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right; that we, who cannot do anything that is good without Thee, may by Thee be enabled to live according to Thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, Who hast given us sleep to refresh and strengthen us, vouchsafe us this day a holy, peaceful, sinless course. Grant to our souls the Holy Spirit, to our bodies