SCRIPTURE LESSON. EWARE of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.-Matt. vii: 15-19. Even so a good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.-Matt. xii: 35. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.-Matt. vii: 20. PRAYER. THOU, our Father, on whom all creatures depend, the source and centre of all truth and life; we come to Thee with grateful hearts for the privileges and blessings which we now enjoy. We would renew our vows to Thee, to love and serve Thee better, and to seek, in all we do and say, to glorify Thy name. Help us to resist temptation, to turn our eyes away from the false attractions of sin, to overcome evil with good. May we abhor all that is wrong, and cleave only to that which is just and right. Prepare us for all the duties and trials of the world; give us strength to labor, and patience to endure, and bring us at last to serve Thee in a higher and better life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE LESSON. HOSOEVER heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell; and great was the fall of it.—Matt, vii; 24-27. PRAYER. E adore Thee as the only living and true God, the Father of all mankind. Thou hast created us in the image of Thyself, and called us by the tender name of children. And we would render unto Thee a worthy offering of praise for Thy love and kindness toward us. Day by day Thou hast provided for our wants, and crowned us with Thy richest favors. Thou art the light of our pathway, and the joy of our souls. We would bring our hearts to Thee. Make us more worthy of Thy love, more worthy to be called Thy children. Teach us of Thy will and purposes concerning us; of our duties to Thee and to each other. Give unto each of us wisdom from on high, to guide us in all the ways of life, and grant us Thy salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE LESSON. OLESSED are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.-Ps. cxix: 1. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee.-Ps. lxxxiv: 4. Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.-Ps. cvi: 3. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.-Ps. i; 1–3. PRAYER. ATHER of all, our hearts turn to Thee. Thou only canst comfort and support us. We seek light and guidance from none other. Thou wilt not forsake any soul which Thou hast made. We may wander from Thee, forgetting our Father's home with its delights, but Thou seest us when we are a great way off, and dost wait for our return; yea, dost call, and go out to meet, and welcome us with Thy love, and dost renew the blessings of our lives. Thy spirit guides us, draws us together, and makes us one forever. Now, touch our hearts with Thy love, and inspire us with Thy truth, and may we worship together in heavenly places, through Thy spirit. Amen. SCRIPTURE LESSON. HIS, then, is the message which we have heard of him, and de clare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and t cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have no sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.-I. John 1: 5-10 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to recon cile all things unto himself; by him I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven.-Col. i: 19, 20. PRAYER. UR Father, who makest Thy sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendest rain on the just and on the unjust: strengthen our hearts by Thy spirit, minister truth to our needy minds, enliven cur conscience, and pour Thy holy love upon every earnest, asking soul. Father, we thank Thee that Thy justice presides over this world, and out of evil bringeth forth good continually, making the wrath of man praise Thee. Teach us to love all. May we ever seek to be nobler and holier, truer 2 more faithful. Amen. SCRIPTURE LESSON. E have heard that it was said by them of old time: Thou shalt not kill; and, whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment; but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.-Matt. v: 21-24. If thy brother trespass against thee, and repent, forgive him. 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.-Luke xvii: 3, 4. PRAYER, E bless Thee, our Father, for the gift of Thy son. I For all he did and suffered, we bring Thee the gift of joy and praise. We bless Thee for his words of truth, for his firm faith, for his great love, for his power over sin and death, and for his resurrection. May we never prove false to the great truths for which he gave his body to be broken, and his blood to be poured out on the cross. May the words that we say with our lips come warm from our hearts. May the works that we do with our hands be done with no eye to the praise of men. So shall we grow up in the likeness of the Lord Jesus, and be filled with Thy truth. And grant, Father, that our blessed Savior, who came into the world to do Thy will, may rule in every heart. May every eye see him, and every tongue confess him to be Lord, to the glory of Thee, the Father, whom we worship one God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, now and evermore. Amen. |