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separable from His dear Son! How strange it is! so strange, so mysterious, I cannot even think it out! O my God, my Creator, Author of all life, take me, I pray Thee, under Thy especial care. Mine eyes and my heart should indeed be continually lifted up to Thee, my Father, that I may perceive Thy holy will for me. And O, may my stubborn will yield itself readily to Thy guidance, as it never has before; may I be filled with penitence for my past faults, and with the earnest resolve to love and serve Thee for the future! For what an honour it is for such a one as I am-so weak and sinful-to be the instrument of any of Thy loving purposes! "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Thy will"! I will strive now to sanctify myself by earnest and regular prayer at home and in church, by a grave and sober behaviour, by careful reception of the Blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, to bring myself into closer communion with Thee, O my God. May this Thy special providence to me tend to my salvation, and be a blessing to myself and my husband, and a cause of joy to us all, in this world and in the world to come; for Jesus Christ's sake! Amen.

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Prayers.

MERCIFUL God, Who hast joined now another life to my own, be Thou, I pray Thee, within me to strengthen me, around me to guard me, over me to shelter me, beneath me to support me, before me to guide me, after me to forgive me, round about me to secure me from all dangers; for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

HEAVENLY Father, look with gracious pity upon me Thy servant; and, as the lowliness of the Blessed Mother of Thine only-begotten Son was well-pleasing unto Thee, make me lowly as she was, that so Thou mayest succour and support my frailness, and preserve me in safety to glorify Thee for Thy goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Another for a Safe Delivery.

LORD, I humbly commit both myself and the babe which is conceived in me to Thy mercy and goodness. Strengthen me in due season, I beseech Thee, to go through all the pains and uneasiness of child-bearing with patient submission to Thy will. Give me a humble trust in Thy Fatherly care, and make me, in Thy good time, the joyful mother of a living and healthy child. Grant that I may have the honour and the joy of bringing my infant to Thy Holy Baptism, and that, being born again by the power of Thy Spirit, and admitted into Thy Church, it may abide in Thy love and live to Thy glory, both here and hereafter; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Self-examination..

ET me examine myself, and try to see what my spiritual state is in the sight of God, before my hour of suffering and danger draws near:

Am I living in a state of grace and peace with God; ready, if He should call me away from this world?

If I cannot think that I am, what is the bar, the hindrance, that comes between my soul and the love

of my Father in heaven, and makes me fear to appear before Him?

1. Is it neglect of my prayers night and morning? 2. Is it that I have made light excuses for not going to church when I might have gone? 3. Is it that my conscience smites me for disobeying my Saviour, by not receiving the Holy Communion in remembrance of His dying for me? 4. Is it the dark shadow of some great sin into which I have fallen, and of which I have not repented as deeply as I ought? 5. Is it the remembrance of any light conduct, or worse, before marriage? 6. Is it the breaking, or forgetting, good resolutions I made at the time of my marriage, or during my last illness, or at any other time? 7. Is it any wrong habit which, in my secret heart, I know I ought to give up?

8. Am I aware that I am neglecting any of my home duties ? Have I done all I can to help or persuade my husband to live a true Christian life? Have I asked him to pray alone with me-to have family prayer-prayed for him?

Have I indeed tried to make my children holy and religious-taught them what their Baptism binds them to-been careful that they said their prayers regularly? Have I seen that they were taught the true religion-taken them to church? (and to Confirmation and Holy Communion if old enough?)

9. Am I myself living in real communion with God and my Saviour? Do I love Him? Trust Him? Look to Him? Or, do I think more of the opinion of the world, of my neighbours, etc., than I do of His praise or blame? For instance, do I stay away from church or the Holy Communion because my

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clothes are shabby-putting thus the world before my God? In my hour of danger, can I say to Him, with truth and confidence, "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit"?*

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A Confession of Sin.

CONFESS to God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, in the sight of the whole company of heaven, that I have sinned exceedingly, in thought, word, and deed, by my fault, by my own fault, by my most grievous fault; especially by [here mention any sins or faults which have come to your mind]. May God Almighty have pity on me for Jesus Christ's sake, forgive me [these and] all my sins, and bring me safe to life everlasting! Amen.

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An Act of Contrition, or Sorrow for Sin.

MY God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I hate my sins from my heart, because they are evil in themselves, and because they displease Thee, my God, Who art so good, so holy, so perfect, and so deserving of all my love. I firmly purpose, by Thy grace, never to sin any more, to bear all things as Thou willest, and to avoid every

*It is your duty to go to your parish Clergyman, or to some other Clergyman, and ask for his advice when you are in difficulty about anything that concerns your soul; especially before any great trial or danger, when you wish to have a thoroughly clear conscience towards God.

If you have any sin on your mind which makes you uneasy, you should go to your parish Priest, or to some other Priest, and, as the exhortation in the Prayer-book says, 66 open your grief, that by the ministry of God's Holy Word, you may receive the benefit of Absolution, together with ghostly counsel and advice, to the quieting of your conscience, and the avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness."

thing that would tempt me to sin. Help me, by Thy Holy Spirit, to persevere unto death in this resolve; for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

A Resolution against a Special Sin.*

anhou knowest, good

GOOD Jesu, my Saviour and my God, Thou knowest how weak I am. Thou knowest, good Lord, that I am tempted to this sin of [name it]. But, good Lord, for love of Thee I would keep from it altogether. I desire to forsake this sin. I desire to conquer this evil habit, to arise and serve Thee more devoutly, more earnestly than I have yet done. If Thou allow any of my old temptations to come upon me again, I desire to think, speak, and do only what Thou willest. Lord, without Thee, I can do nothing; but with Thee I can do all. Accept, good Lord, this my resolve, and help me by Thy grace, that I fail not in it; for Thy tender mercies' sake. Amen.

Thoughts about Holy Communion.

ND now that I have tried hard to find out my sins, and to confess them, I believe in God's mercy and promise that He will forgive me all for His dear Son's sake; and I wish to receive the Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, just as I should most earnestly desire to receive it, if I were very ill, and thought I was on my death-bed.

For I know that Jesus has said, "Whoso eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." I desire

* Do not say this unless you feel that you are speaking the truth from your heart. If you find that you cannot truly say it, ask God to change your heart and to give you repentance, that you may be able to say it earnestly.