SCRIPTURE LESSON. RAISE ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his hosts. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded and they were created. He hath also established them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. Praise the Lord from the earth. Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.-Ps. cxlviii. 1-13. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people: and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.-Heb. viii: 10, 11. PRAYER. UR Father, source of life, light and happiness! standing on the confines of the departing year, we praise Thee, that Thou hast been our shield and support, and our unfailing source of comfort. Thy mercies have gladdened our dwellings, and Thy care defended them from the hand of the spoiler; and, though we have tasted the cup of bitterness, we feel that our blessings have been far more numerous than our trials. Teach us, O Lord, that all the sources of human happiness may fail, and that our joy may be turned into sorrow. Give us, O Father, the guidance of Thy Spirit to open to us those fountains of life which perpetually flow in all their fullness. Amen. SCRIPTURE LESSON. ND they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.-Luke xviii: 15-17. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; saying, Blessed be the King: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.-Luke xix: 37-40. PRAYER. ATHER of all, we give thee hearty thanks for the goodness which has attended us during the past year, for Thy numberless blessings, for the bounties which Thou hast so freely bestowed. O, keep us ever mindful of Thine infinite love. May we ever acknowledge thy favors; and give us, we pray Thee, that faith which passeth all understanding. May we be faithful in our worship, faithful to our friends, generous in our charities and sympathies, and seek to serve Thee in spirit and in truth. Through our Redeemer we ask all. Amen.. SCRIPTURE LESSON. ET all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice: recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: For it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.-Sundry Scriptures. PRAYER. LORD, our heavenly Father, whose goodness is over all Thy creatures, we thank Thee for all the comfort and joy of the year now closing. We rejoice that Thy years have no end; but that Thou reignest forevermore, the same almighty, all-wise, and all-loving God. And as our days and months and years pass on, we rejoice in the hope of a never-fading Heaven. Make us feel Thy great love to us, and our need of Thy blessing. Help us to trust in Thee, and love Thee, and obey Thee. May we serve Thee, by serving our fellow-men. Make the coming year happy, by giving us a right spirit. Help us to be upright, and honest and truthful. Help us to be forgiving and kind. Destroy all evil pride and vanity. Feed us with the word of Christ. Forgive our sins, and receive us all to heavenly glory. Amen. B SCRIPTURE LESSON. LESSED be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the us in our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are com forted of God. II. Cor. i: 3, 4. Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen: but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. II. Cor. iv: 16-18. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. II. Cor. v: 1. Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.-I. Cor. 51-54. PRAYER. VER merciful Father, Thou hast taken away from our sight one dear to our hearts. The light that burned so pleasantly in our midst has gone out in the darkness and coldness of the grave. The voice that made music in our hearts has fallen into silence; and the eyes that beamed love upon us, are closed forever. Desolation and grief have come into the place of gladness and rejoicing. O God of consolation, comfort us in our distresses. Open the treasures of Thy love, and sanctify to us this painful bereavement. Enlarge and confirm our faith in the wisdom and goodness of all Thy ways. Give us the sweet assurance that death has no power over the strength and tenderness of human love, and that all that was good and true and beautiful in the beloved one still lives, and will forever live; and Father most merciful, prepare us for the upward journey, and bring us at last into that higher life, in which darkness and death shall be unknown, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Amen. |