Page images
PDF
EPUB

thou God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! behold in great compassion thine ancient covenant people the Jews, scattered as they are to the four winds of heaven, and justly suffering, for their rebellion and unbelief, the effects of divine wrath, which their fathers imprecated upon them, when they crucified the Lord of glory, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. O Lord! how long before the indignation against thy people shall be accomplished? How long shall they yet abide without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice? How long shall they dwell alone, and not be reckoned among the nations, and be an astonishment, a proverb, a by-word among all nations whither thou hast led them? O! let thy wrath, poured out upon them for their rejection of the Saviour, and for the great crime committed at Calvary, suffice. Convince the dispersed of Judah, that Shiloh, the desire of all nations and the true Messiah, has come. Let them no longer reject the gospel of thy grace, and the Saviour it reveals. May they cast their infidelity at the foot of the cross, and wash away their sins in that fountain which is opened for Judah and the house of David to wash in. We thank thee, O God! for the exertions that are making to effect the conversion of the seed of Abraham thy friend; that a number of the Jews have been converted to the faith of the gospel, so that already we see a wave sheaf waved before the Lord, as the first fruits of a spiritual harvest. May the sympathies of the gentile Church be greatly excited in their behalf. We would feel, that we are great debtors to the children of Israel, and we would fulfil our obligations of gratitude to them by our endeavors to remove the blindness from their eyes, and to rend the vail of unbelief from their hearts, and to deliver them from bondage, and bring them into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Put an end to all Popish superstition and hasten the downfall of the Man of sin. May this land never become the seat of the beast, a spiritual Babylon where the mother of harlots may again establish her inquisitions, forge her chains and practice her abominations. May we be preserved from the iron grasp of him who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember the descendants of Ham

in their ignorant and degraded state. We pray that they may be enlightened, and that their condition may be ameliorated and elevated. Pity those of them in the United States who are in abject servitude to man. Break the chains that bind them and let the oppressed go free.O Lord! we would not forget before thee the multitudes of our fellow creatures, who are groping in heathenish darkness. Remove, we pray thee, the awful blindness and misery, in which they are involved. May the happy period soon arrive when they shall have imparted to them the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, and when salvation shall be extended to all, that dwell on the earth. Thou hast promised that thy Son shall have the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. O! fulfil this promise. Say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back; bring thy sons from far, and thy daughters from the ends of the earth. To the accomplishment of this end, be pleased to succeed all the exertions, that are now making to publish the glad tidings of redemption to those, who sit in the region and shadow of death. Bless all Bible Societies, all Education Societies, all Missionary Societies, and all other Societies, whose object is the conversion of the world to God. By their prayers and charities may Christians manifest, that they feel for the benighted and perishing Pagans, and may they cheerfully make all proper sacrifices to send them the heralds of salvation. Go with the Missionaries of the cross, who have forsaken kindred and friends, country and home, and have exposed their health and lives for the cause of Christ. Preserve them amidst all dangers, and gloriously crown all their efforts for the building up of Christ's kingdom. Soon may the wilderness and the solitary place be glad for them; and the desert rejoice, and blossom as the rose; soon may Ethiopia stretch out her hands unto God; and the isles of the sea welcome the Gospel to their shores. Arise, O God! and plead thine own cause, and hasten the glorious Millennial day, when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; and when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea; and all shall know the Lord from the least unto the greatest. O Lord! hear; O Lord! forgive; O Lord hearken and do; defer not for thine own

sake, O our God! And all the praise and glory will we ascribe unto the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, both now, and for ever. Amen.

Prayer before Meat.

Father of mercies, from whom cometh down every good and every perfect gift! we look to thee for thy blessing. Grant us these provisions of thy table, now in readiness for our reception, to nourish and strengthen us. Feed us with food convenient for us, and lead us whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, to do all to thy glory, for Christ's sake. Amen.

Prayer after Meat.

All bounteous God! thou art good and doest good. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. We thank thee for the refreshment we have now received from the table of thine earthly bounty. Feed us with the Bread, which came down from heaven, and which was given for the life of the world, that we may eat thereof, and not die. Supply the wants of the poor and destitute, and bless the great family of man, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Prayer before Meat.

Gracious God! the eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou spreadest our table and fillest our cup, though we are unworthy of the crumbs, which fall from the table of thy providence. May we receive these fruits of thy bounty with gratitude, and may they strengthen us to do thy will. Give us our daily bread, and give us meat to eat, that the

world knows not of, and prepare us for the entertainments of thy heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Prayer after Meat.

Great Benefactor of man! thy mercies are renewed every moment; great is thy faithfulness. Be pleased to accept our thankful acknowledgments for the food we have received at this time. By thy grace may we be prepared to partake of the children's bread in thy kingdom. Compassionate the circumstances of all men, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, save the perishing, and fill the world with thy glory, through the great Redeemer. Amen.

ASSISTANT TO FAMILY RELIGION.

PART V.

SELECT HYMNS, ADAPTED TO FAMILY WORSHIP.

HYMN 1. L. M. Old Hundred.

Sabbath Morning.

1 Another six days' work is done!
Another sabbath is begun!

Return, my soul! enjoy thy rest;
Improve the day that God has bless'd.

2 Come, bless the Lord, whose love assigns
So sweet a rest to wearied minds;
Provides an antepast of heaven,

And gives, this day, the food of seven.

3 O, that our thoughts and thanks may rise,
As grateful incense, to the skies;

And draw from heaven that sweet repose,
Which none but he, who feels it, knows.

4 This heavenly calm within the breast,
Is the dear pledge of glorious rest,
Which for the Church of God remains,
The end of cares, the end of pains.

« PreviousContinue »