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SS. PHILIP AND JAMES' DAY.

"O Almighty God, Whom truly to know is everlasting life; Grant us perfectly to know Thy SON JESUS CHRIST to be the way, the truth, and the life; that, following the steps of Thy holy Apostles, Saint Philip and S. James, we may stedfastly walk in the way that leadeth to eternal life; through the same Thy SON JESUS CHRIST Our LORD. Amen."

ALMIGHTY GOD, truly to choose our part,

To love Thee much, to serve with lowly heart,
To wage with sin an ever-conquering strife,
This is the Christian's joy, and everlasting life.

O LORD our GOD! grant unto us this day
To know Thy SoN, the Life, the Truth, the Way:
All sin, all sorrows in ourselves are rife,

In Him we seek, we find our everlasting life.

Thy Church this day her sacred feast proclaims,
In memory of S. Philip and S. James;

We seek their steps to follow, who have trod

The path of peace, that leads through CHRIST our LORD, to GOD.

In that blest path, teach us, great GOD, to tread,—

Be sin our sorrow, and our sorest dread,

Our enemy abhorred, our hated foe,

For vanquishment of which, our LORD endured such woe.

Temptations come,-the struggle is so long,

And we so weak, but Thou, O GOD, how strong!

Thy love, Thy grace, Thy strength to us afford,

And keep us steadfast in the Truth, through JESUS CHRIST Our LORD.

E. H.

THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

"Almighty FATHER, Who hast given Thine only Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification; Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may alway serve Thee in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of the same Thy SON JESUS CHRIST Our Lord. Amen."

ALMIGHTY FATHER! Thou didst give

Thy Son to die, that we might live;
To die for sin, to rise again,

With Thee eternally to reign;
Thy justifying grace to shed

On souls thus ransomed from the dead.

FATHER of all, below, above,

FATHER! Oh! mighty Name of Love!
Almighty was the love that gave
Thine only Son, in Him to save
The sons of grace, in them to raise
Fresh anthems of resounding praise.

FATHER! by Thy great love impart
To ev'ry mind, to ev'ry heart,
A holy fear of inward sin,
Of each corruption felt within;
And grant that we may put away
Unholy leaven, day by day.

When in our minds there may be wrought
Unkind reply, malicious thought,
Impulse to spread some evil tale,
Rashly in words of anger rail,
Let Thy pure SPIRIT leaven well
Our hearts' temptation to repel.

Oh! let the meekness of Thy Dove
Teach us to conquer hate by love;
By tender glance, by calm reply,
Endurance firm, by prayerful sigh,
Joying offences to forgive;

So may we serve-so in Thee live!

FATHER of spirits! just and pure,
Unto the end may we endure;

Alway abiding in Thy fear,

Though frail our service, yet sincere :

Ever in us Thy grace increase

Through JESUS CHRIST, the Prince of Peace.

E. H.

THE EVENING MEETINGS;

OR, THE PASTOR AMONG THE BOYS OF HIS FLOCK. CHAPTER III.

As they now reached the gate of the churchyard, the conversation dropped, and with quiet steps the youths entered the vestry, where they found Mr. Weston ready to receive them. He spoke kindly to each, and after a

few minutes the rest of the boys took their places, and all was reverent attention as Mr. Weston opened his Prayer Book. All joined in the Prayers-(the usual Evening Service was at an earlier hour), and then the Rector telling the boys to open their books at the beginning of the service, said to them, "What is the use you have been accustomed to make of the Prayer Book ?"

"To read the Service out of at Church," replied some. Mr. Weston. That is certainly one part of its use, but a person who only did this would, I think, lose much of the advantage of having a Prayer Book. Have any of you read over the different services at home?

Robert and one or two others answered that they had.

Mr. Weston. You will then understand me better, when I tell you that the Book of Common Prayer not only is a guide to our public worship, but helps us to understand the Bible, and shows us plainly what are the doctrines and precepts of the Church; making many things plain to us which might otherwise be doubtful or difficult. Do you remember what Mr. D said in his sermon last year on this subject?

Robert. Yes, he advised us to study our Prayer Books, and to use them to help us to understand the Scriptures.

Arthur. And he said we should find them a sure guide, for they showed us how the Church of CHRIST applied our LORD's words in her prayers and instructions.

Mr. Weston. You have remembered well, and if you follow this advice, it may save you from many errors and mistakes, and keep you by God's grace in the straight and sure path of right faith and practice. Whose gift is it that we have such a book handed down to us?

Alex. We ought to think of it as a gift of GOD, for all good things come from Him.

Mr. Weston. Yes, and we should be very thankful for thus having the treasure of the devotions of some of His holiest servants in our hands, as well as for the heavenly counsel contained in it. Believe me, that the more you endeavour to bring your hearts and minds into its spirit of devotion, the better and happier will you be.

Alex. I have heard some people call the prayers only

a form, and say, that to repeat them over and over again was no good, for many did so and were none the better.

Mr. Weston. I know such things are said; but always by those who have not tried the value of what they condemn, and judge partially. However, this teaches you all a duty you should be careful of. What is it?

Arthur. To let our conduct show that our going to Church, and using the Services of the Prayer Book is not of no use.

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Mr. Weston. Yes, let your lives declare what your worship is. Never yourselves go through any part of the service as if it were a mere form. Try to apply all the exhortations, prayers, and thanksgivings to yourselves, and enter into the spirit of earnest devotion that is in them. If you think of the services in this way, do you suppose they will be cold and tedious to you?

Alex. Oh no, it is before we take a real interest in them, or understand them, that we get tired of them.

Mr. Weston. But if you feel you are indeed speaking to God in those words, if you come to Him continually with them, seeking in faith the things you need, and thanking Him for past blessings, how will these same services become to you?

Robert. We shall love them more and more.

Mr. Weston. Yes, they will be the habitual expression of your hearts, and your lives will be in harmony with them. Has it not been so with good men in past times? Arthur. I remember that when good George Herbert was dying he asked for the Litany to be read to him, and said no prayers were like those of the Church.

Mr. Weston. True, during his life he had made them his companions, and at his death they were his comfort. Many more have been like him, and I trust you will follow such examples. Now, can you tell me why this book is called the Book of Common Prayer ?

William. Is it because everybody has it?

Mr. Weston. Not quite. Can you tell a reason,

Robert ?

Robert. It means the Book for general Prayer in which all join together, does it not?

Mr. Weston. Yes, because it contains the prayers

which Christians are to use when they meet together in GOD's house to offer their common petitions for things they all need, and to praise their Heavenly FATHER for mercies all share. You know that S. Paul reminds us that we all are of One Body in CHRIST, therefore we ought to join in one worship with one mouth and one heart.

Malcolm. I once went into a church where the people joined in the singing, but the minister said what prayers he liked, and they only listened. I was puzzled to know what he meant sometimes, and I felt as if I had been only listening, and not praying myself.

Mr. Weston. That may show you one advantage of having a service like ours, in which all bear a part, and can know what it is they pray for, and so prepare to ask faithfully and devoutly.

William. There are many prayers the priest says by himself, and the people only answer Amen.

Mr. Weston. As they are bidden to answer Amen, it shows clearly that they are expected to have joined in heart with him, and to have made the petition their own. But there is much in which both priest and people join alike.

Alex. Yes in the Psalms, the Versicles, the Litany, and some other parts.

Matthew. We always say the same prayers in church, but I was just thinking that people must want different things at different times, and some might need to pray for what others did not.

Mr. Weston. If people are to pray together you know, they must agree in expressing their common wants in language as suitable to all as possible. But alone each one may offer his own prayers in his own words, or words he chooses as fit for himself, provided they be reverent and right. So in family prayers, or any offered up among friends, when they agree to pray together in private. You have all I think books of such prayers.

Alex. I have mine which you gave me when I was going to sea, sir. It got rather spoilt one night in a gale, when the waves washed over my chest, but I like it all the better for having been rather battered.

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