PREFACE. THE following Compilation from the Prayer Book is intended for use in the Family, and on other social occasions-in Schools-at Committee Meetings-Meetings of Religious Societies, &c. There is in the Liturgy of the Church of England a rich fund of the language of prayer, suitable for all these purposes, and felt by many to be far superior to any thing they can find elsewhere. But the diffi culty has been to make a proper selection, and to turn readily from one petition to another. By an arrangement of all the Prayers in the Liturgy of a general character under the heads of Confessions, Petitions, Supplications, Prayers, Intercessions, and Thanksgivings, it is hoped that these difficulties. will be removed; and thus those who wish to make more use of the admirable Formularies of the Church than they have hitherto done, may be able to do so with comfort and profit. an The advantages of such arrangement are-that by separating the Prayers from the rest of the contents of the Prayer Book, the whole body of matter to be used is brought together into one view, instead of being scattered over a wide surface; that by classification under distinct heads, order is both suggested and assisted; and that by putting together all the prayers to be found under each head, there is secured a very desirable combination of Freedom with Form. This last seems to the Editor to be the quality chiefly wanting in other attempts to accommodate the Prayer Book to general use, and the best apology he can offer for adding another to the countless publications of the day. He believes that such a Manual has long been desired by many, and that to the Clergy especially, it will be found |