Two things should be borne in mind by the reader. The leader of the meetings, concerning which this manual is written, is presumed to be a layman, and the meetings themselves are of a very restricted type. The small devotional meeting is the best place for experiments in methods of worship, for there people who are intimately associated with each other respond readily to a leader's taking them along unfamiliar paths. This manual strives to point the way to greater freedom, sincerity, color, and warmth in such services, and those using it will find they can carry many of its principles into more formal public worship. August 15, 1917. PAUL MICOU CONTENTS PREFACE.. Silence Introductory Appeal or Invocation-Ex- hortation-Confession-United Petition-Praise and Thanksgiving The Reading of Scripture-Statement PAGE V III. PRACTICAL AIDS FOR DEVOTIONAL MEETINGS 59 A Selection of Sentences from Scripture-Confessions -The Comfortable Words-Prayers to Follow Con- fession-The Lord's Prayer-Ancient Hymns and Canticles - Doxologies-The Apostles' Creed-Re- sponsories-A General Thanksgiving-Opening Invo- cations of a Litany-Blessings-Ascriptions-The |