THANKSGIVING FOR Civil and Religious Liberty. As in some places, the Fourth day of July, in commemoration of American Independence, is celebrated with religious services, it is deemed expedient to insert the following form. A Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the inestimable blessings of Civil and Religious Liberty, to be used yearly on the Fourth day of July, unless it happens to be on Sunday, and then on the day following. The Service should be that for Morning Prayer, except where it is hereby otherwise appointed. Among the Sentences at the beginning let there be the following: THE HE eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.— Deut. xxxiii. 27. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone; the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine, also His heavens shall drop down dew.—Deut. xxxiii. 28. Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency !—Deut. xxxiii. 29. The Lord hath been mindful of us, and He shall bless us; He shall bless them that fear Him, both small and great.-Psalm cxv. 12, 13. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for His goodness, and declare the wonders that He doeth for the children of men.-Psalm cvii. 21. Instead of "O come, let us sing," etc., let the following Hymn be said or sung: MY song shall be alway of the loving-kindness of the Lord: with my mouth will I ever be showing His truth from one generation to another. The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done His marvellous works, that they ought to be had in remembrance. Who can express the noble acts of the Lord, or show forth all His praise. The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. For He will not alway be chiding; neither keepeth He His anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our wickedness. For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth; so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children; even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear Him. Thou, O God, hast proved us; Thou also hast tried us, like as silver is tried. Thou didst remember us in our low estate, and redeem us from our enemies; for Thy mercy endureth for ever. O Instead of the usual prayers after the Creed, let the following be used. HOLY, righteous, and immortal God, King of kings and Lord of lords, who dost from Thy heavenly throne behold and govern all the people and kingdoms of this lower world, Thou art a strong tower and defence to those who fear and trust in Thee; Thou art the Giver of all good, and the only hope of all the ends of the earth. With humble adoration we would lift our heart and voice to Thee in praise and prayer. We adore Thee as the God in whom our fathers trusted; as the God whose holy, protecting arm has preserved the people of these United States through many and great perils; has distinguished them by unnumbered blessings, and given them a great name among the nations of the earth. We praise Thee for the dispensations of Thy bountiful hand, and for all Thy goodness vouchsafed to us Thy favored people. Through Thy blessing, and because Thy compassions fail not, we are brought again to behold this anniversary of our national independence. May its return call to our remembrance Thy mercies, which have ever been of old; and may we be sensible that not for our own righteousness, or the uprightness of our own heart, hast Thou brought us in to possess this good land; nor has the might of our own arm given us victory in battle. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name be the praise, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake. Grant unto us, we beseech Thee, such sense of Thy blessings to us and to the people of our country, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and our lives be devoted to Thee. And we pray, O God, that we and our country may still be under Thy holy care and protection. Be Thou our shield and our buckler, that we, surely trusting in Thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries. Bless all in authority over us, and so enlighten their minds, direct their counsels, and strengthen their hands, that righteousness and peace may dwell in our land. May they who are appointed to give laws and to execute them be endued with wisdom and equity, and a just regard to the public good, that through their impartial ministrations peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety may increase, and the safety and welfare of Thy people be promoted. Grant, O Lord, that a deep sense of Thy providential care may preserve us from pride and self-dependence. While we are thankful for the great blessings of civil liberty and political independence, may we be preserved from a trust in ourselves, and from all vain confidence and boasting. Let not Thy indignation be aroused by our sins, we beseech Thee. Mercifully look upon our infirmities, and turn from us the evils which we justly have deserved. Preserve us, O Lord, from desolating judgments; from selfishness, discord, and contention. O grant, we beseech Thee, that we may be united and happy; ever rejoicing in Thy holy protection. And wilt Thou, O Lord, be merciful to those who need the blessings which we enjoy. May light and liberty, and pure and undefiled religion, be more and more extended, till all the nations of the earth shall rejoice in Thee their God. And may all who shall assemble on occasion of this anniversary be duly sensible from whom our blessings flow. Help us to enjoy the bounty which Thy hand bestows, with temperance and sobriety, and in Thy faith and fear. May this day be so celebrated as not to increase the sins of the nation; but rather through Thy blessing be so observed as to diffuse the comforts of rational freedom, social affections, and pious gratitude throughout the community. Extend Thy blessing to our Churches, to our religious institutions, and to all our efforts to spread the knowledge of Christ and the comforts of His gospel. May Thy kingdom come, and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. May the days come quickly when the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains and be exalted above the hills, and all nations flow unto it, when all the ends of the world shall see and rejoice in the salvation of our God. We ask these things in the name and through the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. COLLECT To be used instead of that for the day. GOD, whose name is excellent in all the earth, and Thy glory above the heavens; who as on this day didst inspire and direct the hearts of our Delegates in Congress, to lay the perpetual foundations of peace, liberty, and safety; we bless and adore Thy glorious Majesty for this Thy loving-kindness and providence. And we humbly pray that the devout sense of this signal mercy may renew and increase in us a spirit of love and thankfulness to Thee its only author, a spirit of peaceable submission to the laws and government of our country, and a spirit of fervent zeal for our holy religion, which Thou hast preserved and secured to us and our posterity. May we improve these inestimable blessings for the advancement of religion, liberty, and learning throughout this land, till the wilderness and solitary place be glad through us, and the desert rejoice and blossom as the rose; this we beg through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. A FORM OF Prayer and Thanksgiving TO ALMIGHTY GOD, For the fruits of the earth, and all the other blessings of His Providence ; to be used yearly on the FIRST THURSDAY IN NOVEMBER, or on such other day as shall be appointed by the Civil Authority. The service should be that for Morning Prayer, except where it is hereby otherwise appointed. Among the Sentences at the beginning should be the following: HONO ONOR the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Prov. iii. 9, 10. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens; by His knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. Prov. iii. 19, 20. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deut. xxxiii. 27. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone; the fountain of Jacob shall be upon the land of corn and of wine, also His heaven shall drop down dew. Deut. xxxiii. 28. Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! Deut. xxxiii. 29. After the general Confession and Declaration of Promises, and immediately before the Lord's Prayer, let the following prayer be used. MOST OST gracious God, by whose knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew; we yield Thee unfeigned thanks and praise, as for all Thy mercies, so especially for the returns of seed-time and harvest, and for crowning the year with Thy goodness, in the increase of the ground, and the gathering in of the fruits thereof. And we beseech Thee, give us a just sense of this great mercy; such as may appear in our lives, by an humble, holy, and obedient walking before Thee all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all glory and honor, world without end. Amen. 66 Instead of "O come, let us sing,” etc., let the following be said or sung. PRAISE ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely. The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. He healeth those that are broken in heart: and bindeth up their wounds. He covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth; He maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. For He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; He hath blessed thy children within thee. He maketh peace in thy borders, and fillest thee with the finest of the wheat. The First Lesson should be Deut. viii., and the Second Lesson 1 Thess. v. 12 to 24. Instead of the usual prayers after the Creed, let the following be used. AD DORABLE and everliving God, who art the Author and Giver of all good things, who visitest the earth and blessest it, making it very plenteous; who sendest rain into the valleys, makest the grass to grow upon the mountains, and crownest the year with Thy goodness; Thou art the God of all the earth. All creatures wait upon Thee, that Thou mayest give them their meat in due season. We would praise Thee, O Lord, for Thy unbounded goodness, and declare the wonders which Thou doest for the children of men. Our fathers hoped in Thee; they trusted in Thee, and Thou didst deliver them. We thank Thee, O God, for the good land which Thou gavest to them and to us, their children, and for blessings unnumbered, both temporal and spiritual, which through Thy patient goodness we still enjoy. Thou, O God, hast proved us; Thou didst remember us in our low estate, and redeemedst us from our enemies. Thou givest peace in our borders, and blessest our labors with increase. We yield Thee thanksgiving and praise for Thy great and manifold blessings vouchsafed to the government and people of these United States; that we have the enjoyment of civil and religious liberty, and are protected by the administration of just and equal laws. Grant that a sense of Thy goodness to us and to our country may engage our hearts and lives in Thy service. Give wisdom, and strength, and union to our public councils. Bless the governor and other rulers of this State, and all who are in authority over us. Bless our churches, and all our religious institutions. May the gospel |