Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah vi. 6, 8.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew vii. 21.

Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James i. 25.

Choose ye this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. The Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey. Joshua xxiv. 15, 24.

To be said by the minister

With reverence and gratitude we adore the Eternal Goodness which makes our lives so rich and fruitful. Let us lift up our hearts unto the Lord, and bless his holy name; and may our praises and our prayers help to make our whole life an offering pure and acceptable in his sight.

Let us pray.

To be said by minister and people together

O Thou, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things, both in heaven and on earth: we praise thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks unto thee for all thou art to us, and all thou doest for us, day by day. For reason and con-science, for nurture and guidance, and for all the gifts of nature and of grace; for thy forbearance and long-suffering, and thy tender mercies which never fail; for all good things received, and for thy promise, and our hope of good in time to come; for these and all other mercies, known or unknown, remembered or forgotten, we will give thanks unto thee now and evermore. Amen.

Let us pray. mercy upon us.

And grant us thy salvation.

O God, within us.

And take not thy holy spirit from us.

make clean our hearts

Father of lights and Giver of all good, we praise thee that thou callest us to share as thine own sons and daughters the life of freedom, truth and love. Grant, we pray thee, that in purity of heart we may receive and manifest the blessings of thy universal life here in thy kingdom upon earth and in thy presence evermore. Amen.

O God, grant unto us that we be not unwise, but filled with the knowledge of thy will; not slothful, but diligent in thy work; that we run not as uncertainly, nor fight thy battles as those that beat the air. Whatsoever our hand findeth to do, may we do it with our might: that when thou shalt call thy laborers to receive their reward, we shall have so run that we may obtain; have so fought the good fight as to receive the crown of eternal life. Amen.

We thank thee, O God, for the endless renewing of life. Thou that art never weary of setting us free from the bonds wherewith we have bound ourselves, make us to walk in this new day without fear or any kind of bondage. Open our eyes to receive new light; open our ears to hear the voices that are calling to us to make the world new by the power of love. Fit us for the task that is ours, and endue us with the spirit of that heavenly kingdom which is to come upon the earth where all shall be

Clear, O Lord, our inner vision, that we may see through the false shows of life, and be kept calm and true by thy great realities. Waken us from the dreams of the earthly mind in its forgetfulness of thee. Reveal to the young what it is to live this great life of opportunity; and fill them with the pure and undefiled religion which will keep them unspotted from the world. And in the hearts of elders let not the fires die nor their work linger, till they are overtaken by the lengthening shadows of their appointed time. Though we know nothing of the morrow, may we be faithful to-day; gladly accepting the humblest task that waits for us by thy will and shines with the holy light of thine approval. Amen.

O God, the protector of all who put their trust in thee: we pray for the good estate of this our beloved land, that it may please thee to preserve to us the blessings of an equal and impartial freedom. Unite in mutual understanding men of alien race and faith; revive in all hearts a spirit of devotion to the public good, that strife and tumult may be appeased and justice and truth be exalted. Enable us and all thy people faithfully to discharge the duties of our different spheres, that so the kingdom of brotherhood and peace may be hastened upon the earth and thy will be done even as now it is done in heaven. Amen.

Then may be sung an anthem or, a hymn, to be followed by the sermon, a congregational hymn, and the benediction

One or more of these sentences to be read by the minister

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Psalm ciii. 1.

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Psalm cxxxvi. 1.

Know ye that the Lord he is God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Psalm c. 3, 4.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matthew vii. 7, 8.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John i. 8, 9.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm cxxxix. 23, 24.

any

The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. Psalm cxlv. 18.

To be said by the minister

In the holy quiet of this hour, let us draw nigh to him who heareth prayer; and let us remember that he listeneth more to our hearts than to our words. Let each of us bring an offering of penitence, if not of purity; of love, if not of holiness; of teachableness, if not of wisdom; of devout obedience for the time to come, if not the fruits of well-doing in the time that is past. And may we obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Let us pray.

To be said by minister and people together

O God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: we are heartily sorry for the sins which we have at any time committed, in thought or affection, in word or deed. We pray thee to look graciously upon us and forgive us. Help us to lay aside every weight and the sins which so easily beset us. We offer thee our whole being, our bodies and souls, to be thy temple for ever. Take us, O Lord, into thy hands, and let nothing henceforward, either in life or death, separate us from thee any more. Amen.