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PART FIRST.

PRAYERS FOR SUNDAY AND OTHER SCHOOLS.

THE prayers used in Cunday schools should be short, not only to give sufficient time for the other exercises, and because such are best adapted to the state and capacities of children and young people; but, chiefly, because the teachers and pupils attend the long services of the church, morning and afternoon, and unite in a great variety of prayers and thanksgivings.

And for this last reason, it seems inexpedient to take them from the Prayer Book: it is supposed that the school have just united, or are about to unite, with the whole congregation in the prayers contained in that book; and to repeat them is less suitable than to have some short forms appropriate to the occasion.

The prayers should also, in my judgment, be designed for all the school-teachers and scholars—to unite in. The minister or superintendent can pray for the scholars in his closet. If he does it in the school, it is his prayer rather than theirs: and though hearing prayer is no doubt profitable, it is more agreeable to the views of Episcopalians that the prayers should be social; that all present should unite in praying. Yet some of the prayers which follow are accommodated to the views of those who may think differently.

The Lord's Prayer.

In some of the forms of prayer published for the use of Sunday schools, it would seem, from the directions given, that the minister and the children are to perform the whole; but surely the teachers should always be supposed to bear a part, if not the principal part in the worship. They generally feel most interested; they can pray more understandingly than the children; and none can, more than they, need the grace of God, and the wisdom which is from above, to direct and sustain them in the very important labor of love in which they are charitably engaged. Among the prayers following are some suitable for the teachers, when they desire to unite in praying for those under their care.

When a clergyman visits and prays in a common school, it is not generally expected that the scholars will take a part in the worship; it is his prayer for

the school.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost. be with us all evermore. Amen.

A Prayer that we may be thankful for God's blessings.

A Prayer that we may be thankful for God's blessings, and have grace rightly to use them.

ALMIGHTY and immortal God, the aid of all who need, the Giver of all spiritual grace, and the Author of everlasting life, with humble hearts and sincere devotion, we implore thy favor and blessing upon us, thy sinful creatures. Unable of ourselves to help ourselves, unworthy to appear before thee, and trusting not in our own righteousness, but in thy mercy through Jesus Christ, we beseech thee, for his sake, to pardon our sins, to sanctify our hearts, and to hear our prayers. To thee alone belong mercy and forgiveness; to thee alone it appertains to forgive sins. Blot out, we beseech thee, our manifold transgressions, and renew a right spirit within us.

Great, O Lord, is thy goodness; unnumbered are the benefits which thou art daily bestowing on mankind. We adore thee for thine infinite perfections; we bless thy holy name, for thy unspeakable goodness vouchsafed to our sinful race, and especially for the religious privileges which we enjoy. We give thee thanks for the weekly return of thy holy day, for all the means of grace, and for the hope of life immortal. We desire, O God, with thankful hearts, to acknowledge thy goodness, in causing the Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, and for giving us various means of knowledge and helps to religious improvement; for the establishment and increase of schools and seminaries of learning throughout our country; and especially of those schools and associations, which have for their object the instruction of children and of others, in the knowledge of thy word, in the doctrines of Christ, and the duties of religion. We

Another, for the use of a Sunday School.

bless thee, O God, that many are willing, with patient diligence and pious zeal, to devote a part of the Lord's day to the instructing of the rising generation in the rudiments of gospel truth; beseeching thee, O God, to increase their numbers, to enlarge their hearts, to strengthen their hands, and reward their labor of love. Give us hearts, O Lord, we humbly beseech thee, to be duly thankful for these thy mercies, and give us grace to use them to thy glory, and to the promotion of our own and others' salvation. May we remember the Lord's day, to keep it holy; may it, by all thy people, be religiously devoted to thy holy worship, and to teaching, and learning, and practising the truth and precepts of the blessed gospel. And may thy truth be so grafted inwardly in our hearts, as to establish us in a right faith, and bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honor and praise of thy holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Another, for the use of a Sunday School.

O LORD, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, who hearest the prayers of those who believe and trust in thee, look down, we beseech thee, with thy favor and blessing, upon us thy servants, here assembled to teach thy truth and to learn thy will. Give us grace to love thy law, and thankfully, and with faithful diligence, to apply our hearts to the teaching, and to the attainment of whatever is most profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. Open our understandings, that we may understand the Scriptures; and give us grace, in an honest and good heart, to receive that instruction which will make us wise unto salvation. Preserve

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