MORNING PRAYER FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY. The Minister, standing before the Congregation, shall reverently recite these sentences. Awake! awake! put on thy strength, O Sion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem. Arise! shine! for thy Light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee! Come ye, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord: and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths. Then shall the Minister pronounce this Meditation. Brethren, the shrine at which we most acceptably worship God must always be found in the ordinary circumstances of our daily life. The familiar world is the abode of every ennobling relation we sustain; the scene of every worthy toil; the altar of our holiest vows. This world is the School at which we are placed to learn the lessons of wisdom; the Arena in which we are appointed to serve our fellowmen; the Temple where we may offer divinest worship to that great Being Who is at once our Father and our God. Then shall Minister and People join in this O Eternal Majesty of Earth and Heaven, In the embrace of Thine everlasting Love. There is no place where Thou art not; There art Thou to be loved, and forever adored. We hymn Thy praise, O Lord our God, Our Dwelling-place and Rest. Then shall be said or sung these versicles : Minister. O Lord, open Thou our lips; People. And our mouth shall show forth Thy praise. Minister. O God, make speed to save us. People. O Lord, make haste to help us. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. : Amen. Minister. Praise ye the Lord. People. The Lord's Name be praised. Here may be sung some specially chosen And afterward shall be read the Psalter, the Minister |