A Prayer to be used by a Minister. us, O merciful Lord, from all sinful vanities! may we love the things which thou commandest, and desire, above all other things, them which thou hast promised to those who love and fear thee. Do thou, who alone canst rule the hearts of sinful men, graft in ours such love of thy truth, that what is our duty may be our chief delight. O, may those of us present who are still in childhood or youth, remember our Creator, and gladly devote our hearts and lives to God who made us, and to him who has redeemed us with his blood: and may we all so number our days, and so truly consider the shortness and the uncertain continuance of this present life, that we may gladly apply our hearts to thy holy, heavenly wisdom: as we advance in age, may we grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Him, who is the way, and the truth, and the life. Give thy blessing, we beseech thee, to this school, and to all and each of us who are present, whose hearts and whose wants thou knowest. O give us thy blessing, according as we need. Preserve us from sin, awaken us to righteousness, and help us daily to proceed in all virtue and godliness of living; so that we may serve thee faithfully in this world, and finally attain to everlasting life: which we ask and hope, only through the merits of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. A Prayer to be used by a Minister, or other suitable person, for a Sunday School. ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, the Father of our spirits, and the Giver of every good thing, mercifully behold and bless this school, here assembled in thy presence to teach and to learn the precepts and truths of thy holy word, and the principles of A Prayer to be used by a Minister. the doctrine of Christ. Without thee nothing is holy, nothing is good: except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it. May thy blessed Spirit direct and aid them in their humble efforts to know and do thy will: may they receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save their souls. Give thy heavenly benediction to the teachers of this school, who make a free will offering of their labor and care in this pious work. Remember them, O Lord, for good. Give them wisdom and patience and grace to persevere; that they may not be weary in well doing; and may be assured that in due time they shall reap if they faint not. May these hours charitably devoted to the benefit of others, be sanctified to their own temporal good and eternal gain. And wilt thou, O gracious God, open the tender minds of these children and youth, that they may understand thy word, and love thy law, and delight to do thy will. Preserve them from the sinful vanities which easily beset the youthful mind. Graft in their hearts the love of righteousness and truth: increase in their minds all holy affections, and nourish their souls with the bread of eternal life: and of thy great mercy keep them steadfast in the ways of thy laws and in the works of thy commandments. May they be trained up in the way that they should go, and never depart from it: may they be so sanctified and renewed, that they may be truly members of Christ, children of God, and heirs of his heavenly kingdom. Direct, O Lord, with thy heavenly wisdom, and bless the care and watchful oversight of all parents, masters, and guardians, in their endeavors to bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Grant, if it be consistent with thy unerring wisdom, that the lives of these children and youth may be prolonged upon the earth; that they may A Prayer suitable to be used by Sunday School Teachers. fill and discharge, with honor to themselves and usefulness to society, the several stations and duties of life to which thou shalt call them. And when they shall have served thee in their generation, may they be received into heavenly habitations, and enjoy an endless Sabbath of happiness and rest from sorrow, labor, and care. Hear us, O thou God of mercy, hear and bless us all, for the sake of thy Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. A Prayer suitable to be used by Sunday School Teachers in the School or in their other Meetings. ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts, by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, and accept our humble supplications and prayers. Trusting in the word and in the merits of our blessed Savior, who has taught us to ask in his name that we may receive; to seek of thee our heavenly Father for wisdom and grace, that we may know and do thy will, we beseech thee to behold, with thy favor and blessing, thy dependent, unworthy creatures, who humbly desire, with penitence and prayer, to bow before thee. Help us to know and to do thy will: direct us in all our doings with thy most gracious favor, and further us with thy continual help, that all our works and all our desires may be to thy glory, and to the good of our fellowmen. Help us especially to be useful in our generation, by imparting to children and youth the knowledge of thy word and will, and directing them in the way in which they should go. If such, O Lord, be thy gracious will, make us instruments of nourishing the tender mind with heavenly wis A Prayer suitable to be used by Sunday School Teachers. dom; of instructing the rising generation in the paths of righteousness and truth; of implanting in the minds of those who are or shall be intrusted to our guidance and care, the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and the duties of moral and religious life. Do thou, O God, who alone art sufficient for these things, and whose strength is made perfect in the weakness of thy servants, behold us with compassior forgive our sins, and uphold us with thy free spirit. Preserve us from every motive and desire which is not according to thy holy will. Defend us from all error; and help us rightly and truly to understand the language of thy word, the doctrines of Christ, and the duties of life. Inspire our hearts with Christian love, and with a holy desire to promote thy glory, and the salvation of ourselves and others. Make us apt to teach. May we not be weary in well doing; but follow the example of him, our blessed Lord, who expressed his love for children, and spent his life in doing good. And behold, O God, we beseech thee, with thy favor and blessing, the children and youth of our Sunday schools. Open their understandings and dispose their minds to receive instruction, to delight in the paths of wisdom, to love the things which thou commandest, and desire those which thou dost promise. Sanctify to them the instructions of their teachers, and all our humble efforts to enlighten their minds with true wisdom: incline their hearts to virtue and godliness, and raise their affections from the world to thee. Awaken in their minds, we beseech thee, a just and lively sense of the vast importance of early piety and religious knowledge. Give them ears to hear, and hearts to understand, and wills to obey the things of thy law; desiring the sincere milk of thy word, that they may live and grow thereby. Grant that they fall into n Another Prayer for the use of a Sunday School. sin, neither run into any danger of soul or body; but that all their doings, being ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight. Grant that they may be useful in their generation, a comfort to their friends, a blessing to their country; and finally, that they may be inheritors of thy everlasting kingdom. These things, and whatever else thou shalt see fitting for us and for all men, we humbly ask, through Jesus Christ. Amen. Another Prayer for the use of a Sunday School. O GOD, who art the strength of all who put their trust in thee, and the helper of all who flee to thee for succor, mercifully accept our prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed. Keep us under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy name. Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy. Direct us in what we do by the sure guidance of thy Holy Spirit: may all things in this school be done decently, in order, and to edifying. Grant to us, O Lord, the spirit to think and to do always such things as are right; to love the ways of thy laws, and the works of thy commandments, and to be ready to every good work. Grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure. Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy; forgiving us those things wherein we have displeased thee, and giving us those good things, which we are not worthy to ask, |