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A 1 ; A C ■'- ru- > O^Aa'A.A, £^%A '■^ '^AA^AnA 1 *' ■V;..'^ ' ■ \f ' - - . - ■ w ,«rv - -irv ■ - - - - * ■ ■ -v •, r . n % -" -.■.->,-,„■ > - . a^a^a/V . -■ r -;^- f^PA'5™ r> - - : ? r>^ J - " r r ',- : ? «^AA *"'-' V aa«^v' Wri Aa ' " ' / \ %A,,<>- «\| ft^lM^ .•^aA22a" , /Y ,SaA/V/V CV l^n/\^ 3 >; ^ .Afl.' ; rr^fr^f"\«} s i / vi2/ -a-aa-> ■ " aA^C/?\5a ^A-" ""-a,A • r-\ «, ^ 5 '"' :A^'A^ . \ \ 'a -o r\ a A r . A /-, A *° :'^^. ft : ^ AA^Vif %.A':\: rjn' '. "s"c ca '> o,*27*./{ / HOME WORSHIP: Selections from the Scriptures, MEDITATIONS, PRAYER, AND SONG, For Every Day in the Year. By REV. JOSEPH P.' THOMPSON, D.D. SUBSCRIPTION- EDITION, WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. r / M1H& - i BOSTON: JAMES R. OSGOOD AND COMPANY. H. A. BROWN & CO., Subscription Managers. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, By JAMES R. OSGOOD & CO., In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Boston ■• Stereotyped and Printed ly Rand, Avery, &° Frye. 1 PREFACE. NO scene on earth is more sacred, none more tender and beautiful, than a family in the act of devotion. Secluded from the outer world, with a domestic life of entire sympa- thy and unity in wants, desires, affections, aims, interests, and hopes, they together recognize their dependence upon their Father in heaven, confess to him their failings and their needs, seek his favor and guidance, and commit themselves in all things to his gracious providence. Together they read his Word for instruction in duty ; for consolation in trial ; for the knowl- edge of that higher life to which they aspire ; for the perfecting of their love and joy ; for the hope of that blessedness, complete and eternal, to which they look forward in their Father's house. Together they sing the praise of Him, who, as Creator, Preserver, Redeem- er, brings them under daily obligations to his love and grace. Here husband and wife, parent and child, master and servant, all are one in acknowledging the same favors, confess- ing the same helplessness, supplicating the same mercy. In the absence of every motive to ostentation, there is nothing in such a service to foster hypocrisy ; and, while its frequency and uniformity guard it from enthusiasm, its simplicity and naturalness should preserve it from formalism. The greatest poet of Germany, himself the author of the magnificent hymn of angel- worship in the prelude to " Faust," though not a man of family, nor much given to acts of devotion, has confessed the beauty and power of family worship, both as a poetic and as a religious sentiment. "When Mendelssohn was in the first dawn of his fame as a composer, he visited Goethe, then in the retired evening of life at Weimar. The master of written language was fas- cinated with this young interpreter of that more mysterious language which gives the spirit utterance through " songs without words ; " and his inner nature responded to that religious feeling which so pervaded the music of Mendelssohn. In June, 1830, Mendelssohn wrote to his sister, " At the very beginning of my visit to Weimar, I spoke of a print, taken from Adrian von Ostade, of a peasant family praying, which, nine years ago, made a deep impression on me." This print was in Goethe's own collection, where Mendelssohn had seen it on a previous visit. " When I went at an early hour to take leave of Goethe, I found him seated beside a large portfolio ; and he said, ' So you are actually going away ? I must try to keep all right till you return : but, at all events, we won't part now without some pious feelings ; so let us once more look at the praying family together.' " How touching this homage of a great intellect to simple piety ; of one accustomed in solitary grandeur to command invisible powers to the service of his art thus confessing that PREFACE. a peasant's family upon their knees could teach him the reality, the beauty, the power, of religion ! Yet a service which is capable of so rich a meaning, which should be so full of beauty to children, and of profit to all, is sometimes neglected altogether, sometimes spasmodically observed, and too often rendered spiritless and wearisome, or profitless and unedifying, by the manner in which it is performed. In very many cases, this is owing, not to indifference to religion, nor to the lack of devotional feeling, but to want of thought in providing for the service, or want of experience or of confidence in conducting it. It is to encourage family worship, by providing facilities for conducting it with regularity and propriety, that this book of " Home Worship " has been prepared, in the hope of rendering this delightful and useful service more general and uniform. Its plan is simple. Each page contains a complete service : and there is one for every morning of the year ; an additional one for every Sunday evening throughout the year ; with a provision for the extra day in leap-year, and for the occurrence of a fifty-third Sunday. By confining the service to a single page, that reasonable brevity is secured which is so important for the younger members of the family, and for those who have little time at their command. Indeed, brevity promotes edification ; for a few verses of Scripture, a short meditation, and a brief but comprehensive prayer, are much more likely to command attention at the time, and to be remembered through the day, than a lengthy passage, with a homily and a liturgy of corresponding proportions. Each service consists of four parts : — 1. A Selection from the Scriptures. — Due regard has been had to variety in selections from the Old and New Testaments ; and these are often brought together so as to shed light upon one another. Nearly the whole of the New Testament is contained in the book ; but portions of the historical and the prophetical books of the Old Testament, and some of the Psalms, have been necessarily omitted. Enough is given, however, fairly to represent the Old Testament, both in its spirit and in its order ; and such connected narratives as those of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, are continued, without break, from day to day. This book is not intended as a substitute for the systematic reading of the whole Bible by individual members of the family, or by the family collectively, but to insure the reading of a portion of God's word every day by the family together. No selection is repeated. In making and arranging the selections, great pains have been taken to give variety without sudden transitions, and to promote edification by bringing forth the teachings of the Bible in their diversified but harmonious application to all the conditions of human life. 2. Each Selection is followed by a Meditation. — This is not a dry critical exposition of the text ; though it embodies the results of the best criticism of biblical scholars. It is not doctrinal in the sense of presenting the theology of any particular school or sect ; yet it aims to express the teaching of the passage upon which it is founded. It is never controversial ; but it seeks to meet difficulties which lie in the passage itself, or which have been raised in the progress of criticism and science. It is not hortatory in form ; yet ij gives a practical application to the truth, or suggests topics for personal reflection. In one word, these medi- tations are designed to give a spiritual commentary upon the whole Bible. The results of years of study in the word of God, and of travel in Bible lands, are here compressed into brief sentences, easily read, and easily remembered. With the exception of a few expressions from such writers as Alford, Hackett, Robertson, Stier, and Tholuck, — which are always indicated by quotation-marks, — the meditations are entirely original, and have been written PRE FA CE. VH expressly for this Avork. It has been the aim of the author to fuse the scriptural selection into his own mind, and then to pour it forth as if thinking aloud or talking in his own family, in the hope of imparting to this daily Bible-reading a freshness, a simplicity, a tone of living reality, that shall make it attractive to the young, and instructive and profitable to all. 3. A Selection of Hymns and Tunes is arranged at the close of the book ; and, on each page, hymns' appropriate to the selection for the day are indicated by their numbers. In preparing this part of the work, the author has been much aided by Mr. H. A. Brown. 4. A Prayer for the Bay. — About one-third of the prayers in the book have been com- posed expressly for it. The remainder have been compiled and adapted, with various altera- tions, from the standard works of Alford, Goulburn, Harris, Macduff, Oxenden, Stobart, and from the Liturgy of the Church of England. These, of course, vary in style, in character, and in excellence. It would be impossible to embrace every topic of family devotion in a single prayer of forty or fifty lines ; but the range of a week will be found to cover a great variety of topics, while the common mercies and wants of every day are uniformly recognized. It is a wholesome education in large-hearted philanthropy, that children shall be accustomed to remember many objects outside of the family in the daily prayer at the family altar. Composed in this spirit, and for these ends, this book is sent forth as a humble visitor to the families of the land, with the prayer of the author, that, wherever it finds a welcome, it may prove a minister of good, and that it may serve in some measure to prepare all who shall use it for the blessed communion of our Father's house on high. New York, Sept. 1, 1871. DIRECTIONS. This book contains a selection for every day of the year, upon a distinct page. Hence, at whatever day of the week the reader may begin, the year will come out evenly. Prayers for special days are added at the close of the book ; and when one of these is used, if the regular selection for that day of the week is omitted, the course will go on as before, or the special prayer can be added to the lesson for the day. For some public days, a choice of two or three forms is given. There is also in the Appendix a collection of prayers for special family occasions ; and the Index will enable the reader to adapt various prayers to particular circumstances. In families where there are no children, the sentences in brackets may be omitted in reading the prayers. Thus the book, while it provides a service for each day, admits a large liberty of selection and adaptation, according to the varying incidents and wants of family life. ILLUSTRATIONS. The Nativity of Christ (Matt. ii. 9-11) (Cliristmas) . Jesus drives out the Monet-Changers (John ii. 15, 16) Christ and the Samaritan Woman (John iv. 25, 26) Peter and John raising the Lame Man (Acts iii. 5, 6) Meeting of Abraham's Servant with Rebekah (Gen. xxiv. Parable op the Good Samaritan (Luke x. 33, 34) . Meeting of Jacob and Rachel (Gen. xxix. 10-12) Christ walking on the Water (Matt. xiv. 30, 31) . Joseph sold by his Brethren (Gen. xxxvii. 28) Joseph interprets Pharaoh's Dream (Gen. xli. 29, 30) Job and the Three Friends (Job i. 20, 21) Ruth gleaning in the Field of Boaz (Ruth ii. 8, 9) The Prodigal Son's Return (Luke xv. 7) . David anointed King of Judah (2 Sam. v. 1-12) Elijah fed by Ravens (1 Kings xvii. 5, 6) . Daniel interprets the Writing on the Wall (Dan. v. 25- Daniel in the Den of Lions (Dan. vi. 16) . Esther made Queen (Esther ii. 17) The Wise Men presenting Gifts to Jesus (Matt. ii. 10, 11) The Flight into Egypt (Matt. ii. 14, 15) . Elijah raises the Widow's Son (1 Kings xvii. 21, 22) Parable of the Pharisee and Publican (Luke xviii. 11-13) 7, 1 PAGE. Frontispiece. 31 65 77 164 190 194 204 212 214 293 332 350 358 374 389 404 411 413 415 440 450 HOME-WORSHIP EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR. HOME-WORSHIP FOR EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR. SUNDAY MORNING. Hebrews i. — 1. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds ; 3. Who being the brightness of Ms glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high ; 4. Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excel- lent name than they. 5. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son ? 6. And again, when he bringeth in the first-be- gotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 7. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 8. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, God ! is for ever and ever : a sceptre of righteous- ness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated in- iquity : therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 10. And thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands. 11. Tbey shall perish ; but thou remainest: and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12. And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. 13. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool ? 14. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation ? The Bible, which for convenience we read by chapters or sections, and which in matter and method admits of many- forms of division, is yet, in theme and purpose, always one and the same. This unity appears most strikingly in the har- mon}' of its teachings concerning God and man and the way of salvation. That sixty-six separate books, written by forty distinct authors, at intervals during sixteen hundred years, composed in every variety of style, and under all possible conditions of life, should agree in their teachings upon the most momentous problems that have tasked the mind of man, is beyond the range of human probability. It was God who spoke alike in the Old Testament and in the New. But the whole revelation, extending over so wide a range of agencies and through so long a period of time, centered in Christ, by whom and for whom all things were made. Every token, title, work, attribute, office, honor of divinity, is here ascribed to Christ. He created the worlds ; he upholds the universe ; he sits as God upon the throne of eternity ; he is worshipped by the hosts of heaven ; he is the impress of the substance of the Godhead, and the brightness of his glory. This ineffable Person has spoken to us, has lived among us, has died for us that he might purge our sins. What a privilege to have the word of Christ ! What a responsibility to neglect it ! As we begin the daily reading of his word, let us implore him to guide, to teach, to sanctify us by the Spirit of truth, whom he has promised to all who shall ask in faith. Appropriate Hymns,] Prayer. [Nos. 11, 18, 36. Almighty God, whom truly to know is ever- lasting life ! grant us perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life; that, following the steps of thy holy apostles, we may steadfastly walk in the way that leadeth to eternal life. May thy word which we have now read abide in our hearts this day, to warn us from sin, to incite us to duty, to quicken our faith, to in- spire us with a true devotion unto thee, and a true love to our fellow-men, in the name of Him who gave himself for us ! When we shall go to thine house, may we hear thy word with reverence and faith, for the profit of our souls ! and, laying aside all worldly thoughts and cares, may we worship thee in spirit and in truth ! Do thou, Lord Jesus ! be in the assemblies of thy people, and with the gath- erings of children for the study of thy word; and shed thy peace upon them all. Most merciful Father, whose tender care has de- fended us from evil in the night, keep us, we pray thee, this day from harm, and prosper us in all good. May thy favor abide with this family ! Oh ! give thine angels charge over us to defend us from perils and enemies unseen, and to minister to us of thy goodness. [May the children grow up in thy love, and all the household in their several stations and callings be obedient to thy will !] Bless our kindred, friends, and neighbors, with the abundant gifts of thy providence and grace. Bless our country : may peace and righteousness prevail throughout the land! Bless thy Church, Lord! with sanctifying grace; and may the spirit of glory and of God be upon her ! Lord ! we beseech thee to give us, this day, patience in troubles, humility in comforts, con- stancy in temptations, and victory against all our spiritual enemies. Grant us sorrow for our sins, thankfulness for thy benefits, fear of thy judg- ments, mindfulness of thy presence. Let thy mercy cleanse us from all our sins, and let thy grace bring forth in us the fruits of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. HOME-WORSHIP FOR EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR. SUNDAY EVENING. Luke xxiv. — 13. And, behold, two of theui went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15. And it came to pass, that while they com- muned together, and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18. And the one of them, whose name was Cle- opas, answering, said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19. And he said unto them, What things ? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word be- fore God and all the people ; 20. And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel; and, besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. 22. Yea, and certain women also of our company The news of the resurrection had spread eagerly among the disciples ; but, as yet, Jesus had been seen only by the women and by Peter. Toward evening, as two of the disciples were on the way to a village a few miles from the city, Jesus over- took them, and, accosting them as a stranger, drew them into conversation concerning himself. His purpose was not only to manifest himself anew as the risen Lord, but to give them the key to his sufferings and death as the true redemption of Israel. It was important to the whole body of believers that the death and the resurrection of Jesus should be interpreted by the prophecies concerning Christ, so as finally to correct the made us astonished, which were early at the sep- ulchre. 23. And, when they found not his body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 21. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said ; but him they saw not. 25. Then he said unto them, fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken ! 26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27. And beginning at Moses, and all the pro- phets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28. Arid they drew nigh unto the village whither they went; and he made as though he would have gone farther. 29. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us ; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scrip- tures ? delusion of a temporal Messiah. These events, which, taken alone, seemed so strange and portentous, were shown to be the conclusion toward which the purpose of God in man's redemp- tion had been shaping itself in the prophetic ages. Thus did our Lord honor the Holy Scriptures; and, by kindling in the hearts of the disciples an enthusiasm for the word of God, he prepared them to accept in the most natural manner the crowning miracle of the resurrection. It is in the Word that we must still seek Christ; and, as with faith and love we read, a sudden fervor of devotion may attest his presence, and with our believing eyes we shall see the Lord. Appropriate Hymns,] Prayer. |Nos. 33, 35, 1 99. God our heavenly Father! we draw near to thee in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour, and present unto thee our evening sacrifice of prayer and praise. We bless thee for the rest of thine own day. We thank thee for the sound of the gospel which we have heard; for the comfort and instruction provided for us in the house of prayer. May we be built up and strengthened in our most holy faith ! Have pity, O Lord ! upon those who have spent this sabbath in sorrow or suffering or sin ; upon those who have had no opportunity of hear- ing the gospel of thy grace, and have been taught nothing of a Saviour. Teach us the more to prize our privileges and mercies ; and, in the spirit of our Master, may we seek and save the lost ! Water with the dew of thy grace the seed so widely scattered by thy servants this day. Cause it to take deep and abiding root. Confirm the wavering ; comfort the sorrowful ; bind up the broken-hearted; give unto them the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. And now, Lord ! may we lie down upon our beds at peace with thee ! May the blessing of the Saviour tarry with us, and his peace be upon us ! May thy statutes be our songs in the house of our pilgrimage ! May sabbaths on earth, improved and enjoyed, fit us for a happier rest above ! Grant this for the sake of Jesus Christ our risen Lord and Saviour. Amen. HOME-WORSHIP FOR EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR. MONDAY. Genesis i. — 26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness ; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him ; male and female created he them. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it ; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed : to you it shall be for meat. 30. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, / have given every green herb for meat ; and it was so. 31. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good ; and the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis ii. — 18. And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone : I will make him an help meet for him. 19. And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them, unto Adam to see what he would call them ; and whatsoever Adam called every liv- ing creature, that was the name thereof. 20. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field ; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept ; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof: 22. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh : she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man. 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh. The family was constituted in the beginning by the direct I act of God, and with his special blessing. The sacred union '• of a single pair is the source of all domestic happiness ; and the family so constituted is the basis of a true social state, I and the germ from which the nation itself must grow. Our j Lord quoted this original form of consecration to show the ; sacredness and permanence of the marriage-covenant, and added, " What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not ', man put asunder." How tender and beautiful this care | of the Creator for the welfare of the human race, through a provision that gives to natural affections the sacredness of a divine ordinance and the promise of divine benediction ! They who would degrade marriage, degrade man, and dis- honor God. In creating man in his own image, God endowed him with the spiritual powers of reason, will, and moral judgment, and set him in a place of authority. This dignity put upon man by the Creator is a trust as well as an honor. Man is not his own master in any such sense that he is at liberty to use the endowments of his nature without respect unto his Creator. By the very dignity of his origin, he is bound to lead a spiritual and holy life, to serve himself from the world without subjecting himself to the world. The fact that man is made in the image of God opens before him the highest possibilities of blessedness in this life, and of glory in the life to come. As the intelligent offspring of God, he can commune with him as with a father; and, by cherishing here the communion of faith and love through Christ, he may look forward to the visible presence of God as his complete and everlasting joy. Appropriate Hymns,] Prayer. [STos. 53, 63, 124. Our Father in heaven, the God of all the fami- lies of the earth, we give thee thanks for the mani- fold blessings which we as a family have received at thy hand; for our birth and education under Christian influences, for the comforts of our home, for the tender relationships of life. May the mer- cies of thy covenant abide with this household, and every member of it be joined to the family of thy people! Be thou our Father and our God; and may we know the love and joy of thy dear children ! TVe bless thee that through another night thou hast kept our habitation in peace, and that we enter upon a new day surrounded with the tokens of thy providence and grace. Create within us a clean heart, God ! and renew a right | spirit within us, that in our lives this day we may ■ show 7 forth thine image, and glorify thee in our .bodies and spirits which are thine. Forgive us the sins of our past lives ; and help us, Lord ! to lead the new life in Christ Jesus. Be gracious to all dear to us ; bless them in their hearts and their homes; remember the family of thy people; have mercy upon such as have no home, upon the widow and the fatherless, the for- saken and outcast; and hasten the time when all mankind shall dwell together as one family in Christ their head. Finally, we beseech thee to bring us unto our Father's house, to dwell with thee for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord. ' Amen. HOME-WORSHIP FOR EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR. TUESDAY. Mark X. — 17. And, when he was gone forth in- to the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life ? 18. And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good ? There is none good but one ; that is, God. 19. Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery ; Do not kill ; Do not steal ; Do not hear false witness ; Defraud not ; Honor thy father and mother. 20. And he answered and said unto him, Mas- ter, all these have I observed from my youth. 21. Then Jesus, beholding him, loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest : Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved ; for he had great possessions. 23. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God ! 24. And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God ! 25. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who, then, can be saved? 27. And Jesus, looking upon them, saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God ; for with God all things are possible. 28. Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. 29. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, 30. But he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecu- tions; and in the world to come, eternal life. 31. But many that are first shall be last, and the last first. 32. And they were in the way, going up to Jerusalem ; and Jesus went before them : and they were amazed ; and, as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him ; 33. Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem ; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes ; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles ; 34. And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him ; and the third day he shall rise again. " This young man, though self-righteous, was no hypocrite, no Pharisee : he spoke earnestly, and really strove to keep, as he really believed he had kept, all God's commandments. Jesus, looking upon him, loved him : in spite of his errors, there was a nobleness and openness about him, contrasted with the hypocritical bearing of the Pharisees and scribes. Our Lord takes him on his own showing. Supposing the statement true, the topstone has yet to be laid on the fabric. One thing thou lackest." The test which Christ applied probed his heart, and showed, that, with all his outward decorum, he was wanting in the spirit of consecration to God, and de- votion to man. Lord Nugent states that the side-gate for foot-passengers in the city-wall is sometimes called " the Appropriate Hymns.J O God, whose tender mercies are over all thy ' it is of thy mercy that another day is added needle's eye : " a camel stripped of its load might be forced through this, though with much difficulty. Or the proverb may be taken for any thing impossible. In rejecting the official compliment paid him by this amiable youth, Jesus pointed to the fact that his own goodness sprang from his vital union with God. From God must come that renovating grace which purifies the soul from all selfishness ; but we must re- spond to that grace with the spirit of entire consecration. He who makes this requirement of his disciples has set them the example of yielding himself a sacrifice for the good of men ; but such a sacrifice brings its own compensation in spiritual joys that exceed a hundred-fold the enriching power of all temporal good. |Nos. 40, 65, 89. work: to our lives ; and we would consecrate ourselves unto thee, body, soul, and spirit, beseeching thee to keep us this day and always, and to preserve us blame- less unto the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For him we bless thee. In his name we seek the forgiveness of our sins, and the promise of thy Spirit. Dwell thou in our hearts, and con- secrate this home with thy gracious presence. [May the children keep thy commandments in the love of Jesus, their Saviour !] We thank thee for our home, our friends, our comforts, and all the manifold blessings of this Prayer. life; and, above all, for the hope of the life ever- lasting. Grant us grace to show our thankfulness for these thy mercies by seeking the good of our fel- low-men. Grant us patience under afflictions, and minds always contented with our present condition. Send down thy blessings, temporal and spiritual, upon all our relations, friends, and neighbors. Be merciful to all who are in any trouble ; and incline our hearts, Lord ! to follow Him who went about doing good. Be gracious unto thy Church, and grant that every member of it may be kept from the evil that is in the world; and let the light of thy gospel shine upon all nations, for the sake of Him who came to seek and save the lost. Amen. WEDNESDAY. John j. — 29. The next day, John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world ! 30. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me ; for he was before me. 31. And I knew him not- but that he should be [ made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come bap- j tizing with water. 32. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it . abode upon him. 33. And I knew him not ; but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and re- maining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 3d. And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God. 35. Again, the nest day after, John stood, and two of his disciples; 36. And, looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37. And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Babbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Master), where dwellest thou? 39. He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day ; for it was about the tenth hour. 40. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41. He first fmdeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias ; which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42. And he brought him to Jesus. And, when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jona : thou shalt be called Cephas ; which is, by interpretation, a stone. The first open proclamation of Jesus was as a Redeemer, and a Redeemer through suffering and sacrifice. John did not announce him simply as a teacher, a prophet; nor even as the Christ, the King of the Jews. Isaiah had predicted that the Messiah should suffer as a lamb. The lamb was offered daily in the temple as the symbol of propitiation ; and, in calling Jesus " zhe Lamb of God," John designated him as God's appointed sacrifice for the sin of the world. In that character he was to be received ; in that character his first disciples followed him. John's testimony was called forth by the remarkable reve- lation made at the baptism of Jesus, when the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him ; and, lo ! a voice from heaven, saying, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Though John had known Jesus from infancy as his kinsman, up to this time he had received no token of his divinity; but, by this announcement of the Holy Ghost, the spiritual and redemptive work of Christ were unveiled before him. The dove was the symbol of peace ; and the coming of the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove to inaugurate the mission of Jesus announced that mission to be one of peace and reconciliation. The lamb also represented the meekness and gentleness of Christ in his personal character. Yet a life so gentle must be laden with sorrows ; a mission so peaceful must terminate in sacrifice, because of the sin of the world. How quiet and simple were the beginnings of the Church of Christ ! Upon the testimony of John, two or three followed Jesus to his lodging ; and, after a day spent in listening to his teachings, they attached themselves to his person, and urged others to join them. So should his teachings lead us to a per- sonal profession of diseipleship. To be a Christian is simply I to follow Christ as our Saviour, and to testify for his name. Appropriate Hymns,] Prayer. [Xos. 25, 62, 74. Almighty God, our heavenly Bather, from whom cometh every good and every perfect gift, we ac- knowledge thy goodness in our creation and preser- vation, and in the manifold provisions of thy love for the life that now is. Every day we live upon thy bounty; every night we rest under the shad- ow of thy wing. What shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits ? We would call upon our souls, and all that is within us, to bless and mag- nify thy great and holy name. Above all these thy mercies, we acknowledge thy grace in that thou didst send thy Son to be the Saviour of the world. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Lord ! for Christ's sake have mercy upon us. and take away our sins ; and grant that we may prove our gratitude by a loving obedience to thy will. For the rest and refreshment of the past night, for the : health and comfort with which we greet another day, for the endearments and delights of home, for I means of occupation and support, of improvement I and usefulness, for all the favors of thy hand, so multiplied unto us, we render thee most hearty ; thanks. Breely as we receive may we also give. j May thy mercy abound toward all classes and con- ditions of men, and thy salvation fill the whole earth ! Bless this household in each and every mem- ! ber. [Especially do we commend unto thee the children, praying that in the morning of life they \ may learn to trust in Jesus as their Saviour, and to follow him as ready and loving disciples.] Oh, may the dove of heavenly peace ever abide in our dwell- ing ! Bless all dear to us ; and bring us all at length unto our Father's house, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. HOME-WORSHIP FOR EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR. THURSDAY. Psalm cxxxix. — 1. OLord! thou hast searched me, and known me. 2. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up- rising ; thou understandest my thought afar off. 3. Thou compassest my path and my lying-down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, Lord ! thou knowest it altogether. 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me : it is high ; I cannot attain unto it. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit ? or whither shall I flee from thy presence ? 8. If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10. Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me. God's omniscience searching our inmost thoughts, knowing our hidden motives, scanning our most secret ways, should keep us in awe of sin. God's omnipresence, surrounding us continually, making it impossible for us, by darkness or by distance, to hide from his eye or escape from his hand, should at once dissuade us from evil, and encourage us to commit ourselves to his guidance, and trust in his love. That love surrounds us every moment with its precious thoughts, — thoughts originating life, shaping its wondrous organism, providing for our sustentation, our culture, our enjoyment, fill- ing the world with forms of beauty, and resources of happiness ; thoughts as inexhaustible as the desert of its sands, the sky of its stars, each separate grain a golden thought of love, each point of light a world, a constellation of glory. How many thoughts does the mother bestow upon her babe in a single day ! How many wants it cannot express must be 12. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee ; but the night shineth as the day : the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 14. I will praise thee ; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made : marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15. My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there ivas none of them. 17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, God ! how great is the sum of them ! 18. If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 23. Search me, God ! and know my heart ; try me, and know my thoughts ; 24. And see if there be any wicked way in me ; and lead me in the way everlasting. anticipated by her love ! How many dangers the babe is all unconscious of must be provided against by her watchfulness ! how many diversions made ready for its waking hours ! how much care and planning for its quiet and comfort in sleep ! In the consciousness of the mother's presence, and the assur- ance of the mother's care, the infant grows without thought or care for itself; falls asleep in its mother's arms ; and, when it wakes, is still with her : its eyes open upon the same smile of love ; it is again conscious of the same thoughtful superin- tendence. So should we, committing our helplessness to our heavenly Father, lie down within his encircling love; wake to recognize him in the first thoughts of the morning, and to walk with him all the day long. Then will the thought of his presence be our perpetual peace; and heaven shall grow familiar to our hope as the place where we shall see God. Appropriate Hymns,] Our waiting eyes are unto thee, Lord ! Prayer. [Nos. 21, 44, 68. Each morning brings us to thee with new obligations of gratitude for thy loving-kindness in the night-sea- son, and of dependence for the day upon which we enter. We are not worthy of the least of all thy mercies ; for we have sinned, Lord ! — we have sinned against thy law, against thy love, against thy very grace in Christ our Saviour. Yet do we hope in thy mercy still, and cast ourselves upon thee alone. O thou Spirit of truth and holiness ! we pray thee to keep us this day from sin. May we be mindful of thy presence, as a holy guardianship from wrong ! and may we so delight in God, that we shall live above the power of temptation and evil, and, while diligent in business, be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord ! Help us to be true and faithful, just and kind, gentle and loving, pure and holy. Teach us to behold thy glory in thy works, to discern thy goodness in thy providence, and to rejoice ever in thy word and thy grace. Great Shepherd of Israel, take, we beseech thee, each member of this family, and all that are dear to us, under thy care. Be thou the guide of the young, the staff of the aged, the strength of the bur- dened, the help of the weak and the faint, the joy and deliverer of every one that looketh unto thee. Bless thy Church in this community with thy reviving grace ; visit our land with thy salvation ; and fill the whole earth with thy praise. Hasten the time when all shall know thee, from the least unto the greatest. Finally, we pray thee, bring us to thyself in joy and glory everlasting ; bring us to the realization of thy presence, that we may be satisfied with thy likeness. And to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be glory forever. Amen. HOME-WORSHIP FOR EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR. FRIDAY. Luke xvii. — 1. Then said lie unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come ; but woe unto him through whom they come ! 2. It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3. Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother tres- pass against thee, rebuke him ; and, if he repent, forgive him. 4. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. 5. And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. 6. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye might say unto this sycamine- The sycamine, or sycamore, of Palestine — quite another tree from the tall, smooth sycamore of the American river- bottoms — is remarkable for the thickness and width of its roots, and the strength with which these are fastened in the soil. When full grown, its trunk is large and firm, and its arms spread out widely only a few feet from the ground. It is a fit emblem of stability. To uproot this most fixed and solid of trees, and plant it upon the most unstable of founda- tions, would be a miracle indeed. But it is almost as great a tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea ; and it should obey you. 7. But which of you having a servant plough- ing, or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat ? 8. And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken ; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink ? 9. Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him ? I trow not. 10. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants : we have done that which was our duty to do. miracle in human nature when the proud, envious, selfish, pas- sionate heart is brought to exercise the grace of forgiveness, though offences are repeated daily sevenfold. Yet even such a subjection of self-will, such a wondrous exercise of patience and forbearance, is nothing more than the duty of one who professes to be a follower of the meek and lowly Jesus. We can set up no claim of merit or reward, where, as servants, we are obligated to every duty by the just requirement of our Master. Well may we also pray, " Lord, increase our faith." Appropriate Hymns,] Prayer. [Nos. 30, 57, 153. Blessed Saviour, who hast said unto us, Ask, and ye shall receive ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you : we cast ourselves upon thy promises, and beseech thee give us faith to serve thee and honor thee in our lives. May we do all our duty in thy strength and through thy love ! God our Father ! look down upon us this morning in mercy. Our cup runs over with bless- ings. We pray thee to fill our hearts with thank- fulness, and our mouths with praise. We know not how to praise thee or to pray to thee as we ought. Oh ! teach us to come before thee aright. Prepare our hearts ; draw us to thy- self. Enable us in prayer to hold communion with thee as our Father, and with thy Son Jesus Christ. O thou holy Lamb of God ! take away our sins. thou holy, life-giving Spirit ! come thou into all our hearts. Warm and purify and comfort us ; and never leave or forsake us until we meet around the throne of God and the Lamb in heaven, and are forever beyond the reach of Satan, sin, and death. We pray thee, Lord ! to bless us during the day now begun. As a family may we be under thy care, and seek, own, and serve thee in all the du- ties of the day. Teach us to live as true disciples of Christ, desiring to do his will, and to follow his example in all things. May thy word be our guide and counsellor ! May we be in thy fear all the day long ! May we have grace to deny ourselves, and to take up our cross, and follow our blessed Mas- ter ! Suffer us not by any carelessness of conduct to bring a reproach upon our Christian profession. Give us grace to bridle our tongues, to fight against the risings of sinful passion, to keep careful watch over our thoughts and affections. May we be will- ing to serve others in thy name! May we have the spirit of forbearance and charity, and be ready to forgive any who offend against us ! Oh ! keep us unspotted from the world. May we go about doing good, and be useful to all around us ! May we be strong in faith, and in the power of the Re- deemer's might ! We beseech thee, God ! to look favorably upon our country. Guide those in authority, and give them true wisdom. Make us to be a happy people, fearing and loving thee. Give unto thy dear Son the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. Gather in thine ancient people Israel. Grant that the veil may at length be taken away, and the true light shine into every heart. Hear these supplica- tions, most merciful Father, and graciously answer us, for the sake of our only Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. SATURDAY. 2 Thessalonians ii. — 1. Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and bij our gathering together unto him, 2. That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3. Let no man deceive you by any means : for that day shall not come except there come a fall- ing-away first, and that Man of Sin be revealed, the son of perdition ; 4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped ; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things ? 6. And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work : only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way. 8. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coining : 9. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying won- ders, 10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteous- ness in them that perish ; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie : 12. That they all might be damned who be- lieved not the truth, but had pleasure in unright- eousness. 13. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salva- tion through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth : 14. Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle. 16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope, through grace, 17. Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. The notion of the speedy coming of Christ to judgment prevailed in the first century, with the same disorderly ex- citement which has marked its spasmodic recurrence in suc- ceeding ages. Such an agitation had disturbed the Church at Thessalonica; but the apostle quieted it by announcing that the second advent should be preceded by a great apostasy, through the influence of which there should appear a con- centrated, presumptuous, and destructive form of Antichrist. The leaven of that apostasy had even then begun to work ; but its development was hindered (or "let," in the old sense of the word ) by some person or event then in the way. The early fathers applied this to the paganism of the Roman Empire, which had begun to use the civil arm for persecution. Ever since the Papacy began its aggrandizement as a temporal power, many interpreters have identified that with " the Man of Sin." 'Later, some have looked upon the atheism of France as the apostasy, and Napoleon as "the son of perdition." It is clear that no person, system, nor event, has yet filled out the measure of this prophetic outline. Each age has its apostasy, its Antichrist, and each in turn is overwhelmed by some new manifestation of the power of God in his providenee or Iris glory in his Church : so will it be until the final battle of Gog and MagO£ shall usher in the day of judgment. Prophecy is self-repeating ; and thus the Church is kept always in a state of prayerful expectation. But whatever foes may arise, whatever conflicts come, they who stand fast in the word of Christ shall have everlasting consolation at the cpmin