beseech Thee, until our whole life becomes a continual aspiration toward Thee.

Father of all mercies! God of all comfort! we bring before Thee the record of our lives, stained with the memories of sin and failure. Be patient with us, for if Thou turn Thy face from us, we are undone. Cast us not from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from us. Call us back to the right and holy path, Thou Shepherd of our souls. Place upon us once more Thy blessed yoke; set us face to face with our unaccomplished tasks, and we will prove our penitence by the constancy of our wills in the strength of Thy forgiving grace. Give unto us what Thou commandest, and then command what Thou wilt.

We would remember before

Thee the wants and sorrows of our fellows. Have mercy, we entreat Thee, upon any who are entangled in earthly things, who it may be, have given up all hope of the higher life. Leave them not to themselves, but waken them to the vanity of all that is temporal, that they may find satisfaction only in the things that are eternal. Be present with Thy help to the tempted. By some sacred memory or dear affection reinforce the powers of the soul, that the mind may think only of what is fair and lovely and of good report, and the will resist to the uttermost the assaults of wrong. Unto those, O God, who feel the pain and darkness and mystery of life, let the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings. Remember in

pity, the sick, the distressed of body or of mind. Many and great are the disorders of our mortal nature, but Thy medicines are mightier. Open the souls of all who lie in beds of weariness to the inflow of Thy Divine Life. In the silence may they hear Thy voice saying, "I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears, behold, I will heal thee." For the burden-bearers, the tempesttossed, the afflicted and not comforted, we pray. Thy consolations are greater than all the sorrows of the world. Bind up the brokenhearted, and with Thy touch heal those wounds of the soul that bleed and will not cease. Give a spirit of endurance and of trust to those whose thorn in the flesh must remain. Save them from despair, from the indifference of a

heart without faith, and perfect Thy strength in their weakness. Comfort all men everywhere with Thy light, and guide them by Thy Spirit, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

VIII

TERNAL God, lead us into the blessedness of the mystery of communion with Thee. Bow our spirits in deepest reverence before Thee, yet uplift us into a sense of kinship. Send the spirit of Thy Son into our hearts, crying "Abba, Father," that all unworthy fear may be banished by the gladness of Thy perfect love. Thy love is like the luminous heaven, receiving only to purify the foulest breath of earth. Thy gentleness is like the sun, seeking to cheer and warm the chilled hearts of men. Touch us, O our Father, with a feeling of Thy great realities, for though our thought about Thee is better than our words, our experience of Thee is better than our thought.