The Lesson:
INVITATION TO WORSHIP.
Superintendent:. The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and all they that dwell therein.
Pupils:. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
S. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place ?
P. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
S. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord; and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
P. This is the generation of them that seek him; that seek thy face, O God of Jacob.
S. O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.
P. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
S. For the Lord is a great God; and a great King above all gods!
P. In his hand are the deep places of the earth; the strength of the hills is his also.
S. The sea is his, and he made it;
P. And his hands formed the dry land.
S. O come, let us worship, and bow down; and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
P. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
S. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised.
P. Honor and majesty are before him ; strength and beauty are in bis sanctuary.
S. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindred of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
The Prayer (said together)
FOR THE TRUE SPIRIT OF WORSHIP.
Almighty God ! Father of all spirits!
Thou needest nothing of men's hands,
Seeing thou givest life and breath to all.
We rejoice that, as we need so much from thee,
From a lowly heart thou wilt not turn away.
While, at this holy hour, we bow before thee,
May thy presence be felt by our souls.
May our hearts say, God is in this place.
Open the eyes of our minds, that we may see thee.
Open our hearts, that thy love may enter.
Come and make thy dwelling within us;
Nourish us with rich and heavenly thoughts;
Fill us with gentle and sweet affections:
May our worship be in spirit and in truth.
O Thou, who art the Giver of all good,
In thanks beyond what words can utter
Would we pour out our souls before thee.
The homes sheltered by thy wings,
The ties that bind us to dear friends,
The fair world thy hand hath made,
A soul of more value than the whole world,
Jesus, the Helper and Saviour of souls, —
Father, these are thy gifts.
Take what thy children now bring to thee, —
The offering of gratitude, and love, and trust.
Nor let our worship cease with words:
May our whole life be a thank-offering;
May our cheerful duty be to thee as sacrifice;
May submission and trust rise to thee as praise •
And when the service of life is ended,
May we give thee diviner worship in heaven.
A Hymn
1 Feeble, helpless, how shall I
Learn to live and learn to die ?
Who, O God, my guide shall be ?
Who shall lead thy child to thee ?
2 Blessed Father, gracious One!
Thou hast sent thy holy Son ;
He will give the light I need,
He my trembling steps will lead.
3 Through this world, uncertain, dim,
Let me ever lean on him;
From his precepts wisdom draw,
Make his life my solemn law.
4 Thus in deed, and thought, and word,
Led by Jesus Christ the Lord,
In my weakness, — thus shall I
Learn to live and learn to die.
Concluding Hymn
1 What thanks, O God, to thee are due,
That thou didst plant our fathers here,
And watch and guard them as they grew,
A vineyard to the planter dear!
2 Thy kindness to our fathers shown,
In weal or woe, through all the past,
Their grateful sons, O God, shall own
While here their name and race shall last."
Blessings
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