Prayer.

HEAVENLY Father, again at eventide we lift up our eyes to the everlasting hills, whence cometh our help. Give us the spirit of prayer and praise. We thank Thee that Thou hast taught us to seek Thy help and to trust Thy mercy. For the beauty of the world in which we live we thank Thee. For the brightness of the day and the calm restfulness of the night, we praise Thee. For fruitful seasons, healthful days, and loving friends, we glorify Thee. Gracious Father, sin and want we come confessing. Cleanse our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit, and satisfy us with Thy mercy. Give us wisdom to avoid the evil and to choose the good. Teach us to do the thing that pleaseth Thee. May we ever follow and serve our Master, Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. May Thy Holy Spirit ever guide us, and give us a right judgment in all things. May we walk daily as in Thy sight, thanking Thee for the past, and trusting Thee for for what is to come. Comfort and succour, O Lord, all who in this transitory life are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity. And now, Holy Father, we commend ourselves and all we love to Thy care and keeping. When we work be Thou about our path, and when we rest watch by our bed. Be Thou our light, and grant us perfect peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee, and worthily magnify Thy Holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lighten our darkness we beseech Thee, O Lord; and by Thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of Thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Father, &c. The grace of our Lord, c.

Praise.

A man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the Shadow of a Great Rock in a weary land.-Isa. 32. 2. That Rock was Christ.-1. COR. 10. 4.

THE Shadow of the Rock!
Stay, pilgrim, stay!

Night treads upon the heels of day;
There is no other resting-place this way.
The Rock is near,

The well is clear;

Rest in the Shadow of the Rock!

The Shadow of the Rock!
The desert wide

Lies round thee like a trackless tide,
In waves of sand forlornly multiplied.
The sun is gone,

Thou art alone;

Rest in the Shadow of the Rock!

The Shadow of the Rock!
Abide abide !

This Rock moves ever at thy side,
Pausing to welcome thee at eventide.
Ages are laid

Beneath its shade;

Rest in the Shadow of the Rock!

The Shadow of the Rock!
To weary feet

That have been diligent and fleet,

The sleep is deeper and the shade more sweet.
O weary, rest!

Thou art sore pressed;

Rest in the Shadow of the Rock!

The Shadow of the Rock!
Thy bed is made;

Crowds of tired souls like thine are laid
This night beneath the self-same placid shade.
They who rest here

Wake with heaven near;

Rest in the Shadow of the Rock!

F. W. Faber.

Prayer.

Thou

BLESSED and Holy Father once more we wait on Thee. Accept Thy children's praise and listen to their prayer. The day is Thine and the night is Thine. For the mercies of the day we thank Thee. For food, and health, and home, and friends, we praise Thee. Above all we adore Thee for the gift of Thy dear Son, our Saviour and Friend, and for Thy Holy Spirit, our Teacher and Comforter. Blessed Spirit intercede with us and in us, and reign in our hearts evermore. Merciful Father, forgive the sins we have this day committed, in thought, word, and deed. knowest them all, easily besetting sins, hasty tempers, unkind words, selfish deeds. For Christ our Redeemer's sake pardon all. Create in each of us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us, so that, doing Thy holy will, and loving Thee above all things, we may attain Thy heavenly promises. So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Keep us and our dear ones from sin. May peace and love abide in this our home. Help us to bear one another's burdens, and so to fulfil the law of Christ. We would now rest under the shadow of the Rock. Take us under Thy care and protection, and grant us refreshing sleep, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which Thou commandest, and desire that which Thou dost promise; that so among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Assist us, O Lord, in all our doings, with Thy most gracious favour, and further us with Thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in Thee, we may glorify Thy Holy Name, and finally by Thy mercy obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father, &c. The grace of our Lord, c.

Praise.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.-ISA. 26. 3. "They discoursed together till late at night; and after they had committed themselves to their Lord for protection, they betook themselves to rest. The Pilgrim they laid in a large upper chamber, whose window opened toward the sun-rising the name of the chamber was PEACE, where he slept till break of day."-BUNYAN.

PEACE, perfect Peace, in this dark world of sin :
The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.
Peace, perfect Peace, by thronging duties press'd :
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.

Peace, perfect Peace, with sorrows surging round:
On Jesus' bosom nought but calm is found.
Peace, perfect Peace, with loved ones far away :
In Jesus' keeping we are safe and they.
Peace, perfect Peace, our future all unknown:
Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.

Peace, perfect Peace, death shadowing us and ours:
Jesus has vanquish'd death and all its powers.
It is enough earth's struggles soon shall cease,
And Jesus call us to heaven's perfect peace.

Bp. E. H. Bickersteth.

The day, O Lord, is spent ;
Abide with us, and rest;

Our hearts' desires are fully bent
On making Thee our guest.

We have not reach'd that land,
That happy land, as yet,
Where holy angels round Thee stand,

Whose sun can never set.

Our sun is sinking now;

Our day is almost o'er :

O Sun of righteousness, do Thou

Shine on us evermore.

7. M. Neale.

Prayer.

GOD, the Protector of all who trust in Thee, we come to Thee as the Refuge of our souls. Through another day Thy love has spared us. Thou hast kept our bodies in safety, and fed and led us. We are the people of Thy pasture, and the sheep of Thine hand. O Thou great and good. Shepherd, accept this our evening sacrifice of praise. May we not be over anxious about the bread that perisheth, but labour rather for that spiritual food which endureth unto everlasting life. Heavenly Father, pardon for Christ's sake our sins and shortcomings. Remember not our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; spare us, Good Lord, spare Thy redeemed people, and be not angry with us. O Lord Jesus Christ, who wast lifted up from the earth that Thou mightest draw all men unto Thee, draw us unto Thyself. O God the Holy Ghost, sanctify us wholly, and give us the mind of Christ so that we may abide in Him, and be like Him. Father, take us and our dear ones into Thy keeping during the hours of darkness. May no anxious thoughts, no bodily pains disturb our rest. Grant us perfect peace in the sweet assurance that nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Grant, we beseech Thee, merciful Lord, to Thy faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve Thee with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord, we beseech Thee, grant Thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow Thee the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father, &c. The grace of our Lord, &c.