above all, to extol thy loving kindness and tender mercies. We praise thee, O God! for our being, for the noble faculties which thou hast bestowed on us, for the many things which thou hast given to make us happy, and for the tender care and affection which thou hast shown towards us ever since we came into being. Before our thoughts had learned to form themselves in prayer, thou didst mercifully lend an ear to our complaints and cries. Even at this present time, though our ignorance and inattention prevent us from perceiving thee, thou art our gracious guide and powful protector. Thy hand, unseen, perserves us from a thousand dangers, calamities, and temptations which would otherwise prove fatal to our happiness and our virtue. humbly thank thee, that when we were destitute and forsaken by our earthly parents and relations, thou didst kindly and bountifully open for us a place of refuge in this house. We are grateful for the food which we eat, for the raiment wherewith we are clothed, for the air which we breath, and for the health and happiness which we enjoy. We praise thee for the means of improvement which thou hast put in our power; for the

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benefits of knowledge and the blessings of religion which thou hast conferred on us. We do most affectionately, with all the powers of our body and soul, thank and praise thee for thy goodness to us and to all mankind, in sending thy son Jesus Christ, not only to deliver us from death and future punishment, but, by his holy life and meritorious death, to procure us a title to eternal happiness in heaven. sincerely praise thee that thou hast instructed us in those things, and allowest us time and opportunity to profit by them, while many younger and more deserving than we, have been taken out of the land of the living, and deprived of all the means of grace and duty: For we confess, O God! that we have behaved very ungratefully to thee in return for so much goodness, and that we are altogether unworthy of a continuance of thy favour. Conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity, we are naturally prone to evil, and though nowenlightened by reason and religion, we too often offend thee in thought, word and deed. Deaf to the instruction of our teachers and the voice of wisdom, we have heedlessly run on in the ways of folly, and proved disobedient children to thee. But we beseech thee, O merciful

God! in the midst of wrath remember mercy. For the sake of thy beloved son Jesus Christ forgive all our past follies, and receive us into thy favour and friendship. We are sinful, do thou sanctify us. We are weak, do thou support us. We are ignorant, do thou instruct us. Defend us from evil of every kind. Preserve us now, and throughout life, in the paths of righteousness, innocence, and peace. Enable us by diligence and application to make due progress in the several branches of education allotted us. Teach us to behave with reverence and obedience to our guardians and teachers, and with humility and respect to all men. Enable us to live in peace and harmony with one another as brethren. Preserve us from pride and vain glory; from cursing and swearing; from cruelty, dishonesty, falsehood and covetousness. O! our Father, while not yet enslaved by vice beyond the hope of recovery, or burthened with the cares and evils of life, we would in the morning of our days present ourselves to thee and dedicate our lives to thy service. Accept the unworthy but sincere offering, and fulfil thy promise, that they who seek thee early shall find thee. We return thee sincere and hearty thanks for our preservation during the

last night, preserve us by thy watchful providence throughout the whole of this day of which we have now seen the light. Let no evil come near our dwelling. Let us be guilty of no thought, nor word, nor action which may give offence to thee, or prove injurious to our fellow creatures. May we live in thy fear all the day long, remembering that thy eye is ever upon us, and that, though we may conceal our faults from others, yet they are all well known to thee, our Maker and Judge. May these, our sincere praise and humble requests, find acceptance in thy sight for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour and Mediator, who has taught us thus to address thee: Our Father, &c.

EVENING PRAYER.

OUR Father, who art in heaven exalted far beyond our comprehension, but who condescends to dwell with those who are of an humble and contrite spirit; we now appear before thee to present our evening sacrifice of adoration and praise. Thou art worthy to receive all blessing and glory, and honour, and praise;

for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure and praise they were created. It is thou, O God! who causeth light, and again spreadest darkness over the face of nature. To thee we owe the constant return of day and night, and the grateful change of the seasons. On thy kind and protecting providence, we, and all thy creatures, depend for nourishment, preservation, and support. In thee we live, move, and have our being. In thy hand is our breath, and thine are all our ways. It is owing to thy goodness and forbearance, that we have not long before now been counted with the dead. Thy mercies are renewed every morning, and thy faithfulness is manifested every night. We praise thee, O God! who hast preserved us throughout this day safe from harm and danger. If we have been happy enough to make any improvement, to perform a good action, or to resist a temptation, not unto us but unto thy name be all the glory. But alas! we fear that our time has been wasted in idleness, or employd in sin and folly. We deeply lament that we have done so many things to offend thee, our Father, our preserver and friend; that we have lost so many means of improvement and opportunities of