PRAYER BEFORE THE SERMON.*

WE thank thee, our heavenly Father, that thou hast caused the sun to know his journey and his duty; and that there are now coming forth children of light in all the earth-flowers of beauty. We thank thee that thou art again lifting thy banners upon the trees, and filling the air with warmth; and that summer is drawing near with all its blessedness, its fruits, its sights of beauty, and its sounds. We thank thee that not alone without, but within also, come the spring and the summer; and that we hear the voice of birds, and behold the flowers that are born-not such as shall perish again, but flowers immortal-to grow here, and to be transplanted for better growing hereafter.

Will the Lord bless the dear children that have been brought in their helplessness hither; and grant that it may be unto them even as their parents desire in their best hours and in their best thoughts respecting them. May they teach them the industries of life. May they train them in habits which shall make them good and prosperous men. Grant that they may evermore feel that the life of their children is not in the things which pertain to this world, and that they are rearing them for immortality and for glory. May they have strength and wisdom given them to be patient and to be hopeful in spite of all difficulties, and to persevere unto the end. And grant that the lives of these thy servants may be a perpetual gospel to their children. May the children know the truth of Christ by beholding it in those who are rearing them. We pray that their life and health may be precious; that they may be spared to grow up into manhood, and take part and lot in the great works of life. Or, if thou wilt call them by a speedier way, and with not so long an exile from heaven upon earth, prepare thy servants to yield up to God these most precious gifts which they now take from his hand.

And we pray that all those who are bearing in their bosoms and upon their hearts heavily the care and the anxiety of their children may know how to cast these burdens upon the Lord. May they know how to bring their little children to Jesus, and rejoice to behold them sitting on his knee, and him blessing them, with his arms about them, and his hands upon their heads.

We pray, O God, that thou wilt comfort any to whom the sight of these children brings pain, reminding them of their own dear ones that have gone to be with thee, and quickening their sadness and their sorrow. May they still have that comfort which is in the gospel of Jesus Christ for their mourning hearts. May they know that there is divine compassion for every one that hath been called to bear affliction and drink the bitter cup. May they know that there is in the bosom of Christ that sympathy and consideration evermore for all who suffer.

Grant that all those who come up hither to-day from troubles and

*Immediately following the baptism of children.

afflictions of various kinds may find in thy presence, in thy truth, in thy sympathy, and in the scenes, and prayers, and gladness of thine house, cheer and consolation; that they may rest from their labor, that they may be healed of their sorrow, and that they may, by faith, by hope, by forelooking and by upward looking, leave behind them the drudging burdens of this life, and stand in their own apprehension as sons of God and heirs of immortality.

We pray for thy blessing to rest upon every one in thy presence— upon those who are burdened with the cares of life; upon those who do not know what duty is; upon those who find duty difficult when it hath been interpreted to them; upon all that are endeavoring, in rough, rude places, still to maintain consistently the walk and conversation of true disciples of Christ.

Give thy Spirit to every one according to his need and infirmity. Deal with us, we beseech of thee, not according to our desert, but according to thy generosity. We pray for thy blessing to rest upon us, to-day, not only in the services of this great assembly, but in our school-rooms; and in the labors of thy servants, in the streets, in hospitals, in jails, among the sick-everywhere.. Wherever thy will is done. wherever the name of Christ is spoken, and wherever the truth of Christ is made known-there may thy presence be felt, and there may thy blessing be enjoyed.

We pray that thou wilt grant more and more as we go forward in life, that we may behold the blessed termination of it, bright, and growing brighter; and that we may never be weary in well-doing, knowing that in due season we shall reap if we faint not, and that he that endureth unto the end shall be saved. Grant that we may have unfaltering patience and fidelity in the lot to which thou hast appointed us.

Bless thy cause everywhere. Give strength to those who seek the purification of morals. Remember those who go forth to make known the truths of Christ in destitute or waste places. Be with those who sacrifice pleasure and comfort that they may teach the poor and humble and unfortunate among us.

Grant, we pray thee, that our whole land may become Immanuel's. May it be evangelized. May the public conscience be intoned to a higher nobility and a better manhood.

We pray for our rulers; for our magistrates and judges; for all who are in authority. Will the Lord guide them to equity, to purity of morals, to rectitude of administration!

We beseech of thee that thou wilt bless the army and navy, and the officers that are in them. Grant that they may, in their perilous duties, whether by land or by sea, know thy protecting care. May those who govern men themselves obey God, the Supreme Governor, implicitly.

We pray not for our own land alone, but for all lands. Grant that thy cause may be furthered in them. And bless all those with whom we are in more immediate sympathy, that we may stand together for the right, for the spread of liberty, and for those things which conspire to make nations strong, and intelligent, and free. Overthrow superstition, and drive away ignorance; and at last advance the

whole race to the light and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Let thy kingdom come, let thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.

And to thy name shall be the praise, Father, Son, and Spirit. Amen.

PRAYER AFTER THE SERMON.

OUR Father, wilt thou bless the word spoken. May it enlarge our charity, and yet make us love the truth. May it increase our toleration for one another, and yet deliver us from indifference. May we know what things to value; what things to emphasize; and yet may ail that we do be done in the large spirit of catholicity and forbearance. May we bear with each other. May we love one another more and more. More than every other instrument may we employ the spirit of true divine love. Let thy kingdom come. Let thy will be done upon earth as it is done in heaven. We ask it for Christ's sake.

Amen.

THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.

"What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."-1 COR. vi. 19, 20.

The Christian obligations which lie upon us in the direction of physical health and strength and beauty are almost unknown to ascetic theology. We have come down bearing yet in us the effect of the false theology which taught men to despise this world, and to call it all manner of names; to despise the man in the body, and to inculcate the duty of destroying a large part of man's nature. By a perversion of the figurative language of Scripture, men have been taught that it was their duty to sacrifice the affections and appetites and passions, in order that the spiritual life might have power which is as if one should teach shipmasters making voyages in steamers to put out the furnace, and to keep all grease from the engine-room, in order that the cabin might be kept sweeter and pleasanter. You might roll forever in an eternal storm or calm if you destroyed propulsion. Power in the hull is necessary to the well-being of the cabin; and power in the human body is essential to the wellbeing of the mind. It has not anything that needs to be extinguished. There is not an appetite too many. There are no passions which are not needful. We are compactly and symmetrically organized. Harmonization, regularity, subordination-these are needed; our rampant affections need to be tamed; they need to be brought under some intelligent

SUNDAY EVENING, April 12, 1874. LESSON: Psalm xix., HYMNS (Plymouth Collection): Nos. 1008, 1001, 1020,