1. And here we hesitate not to affirm that the FAMILY must be exalted to the true honour of its divine original. There is no hope for a country except through its families. "Every thing that is moral in a nation, and holy, worthy and useful in the Church, if not actually formed, is fostered and cherished before the household fire." God has established natural ties which unite the race, by families, in the strongest bonds. Within the sacred precincts of the little home-kingdom are an oracle, an altar, and a throne. The parent teaches, officiates in religion, and rules. The cradle-place of greatness and of goodness is there. The training of a generation for high purposes must begin there. And, thanks be to God, no country has homesteads more privileged than those in America. There is more right of soil, more ownership of home, more light and opportunity to discharge freely parental duties than elsewhere on the globe. Let then parents, and especially Christian parents, summon their energies to the great work. Providence calls upon them to train up a choice generation, in an eventful day, to aid a great country in doing its part in the regeneration of the world. The family that falters, draws back from the work of the Lord!

2. Next to family training, an intelligent, pious and efficient MINISTRY is an instrumentality of hope for the objects in view. Like the family, the ministry is divine in its appointment, has the promises of the Spirit, and unfolds the purposes of Providence. "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publisheth good tidings of good." How full of power as well as peace is the message of salvation! "Through the foolishness of preaching God saves them that believe." The whole influence of an evangelical ministry is enlightening, sanctifying, nurturing, comforting, blessing. Men may be trained up under its sympathizing and quickening influences, to do valiantly for the kingdom of God. Our country offers a noble theatre for the exertions of an evangelical ministry. Free from Church and State restrictions, with an intelligent people, with a quiet Sabbath, and a general homage for the message and its bearer, the United States may be urged forward to perform a high evangelical service through the instrumentality of the heralds of salvation.

3. Our country must rely upon its CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS to forward the preparation adapting it to its high evangelistic work. Intelligence is a great blessing. It implies elevation, dignity, resources, influence. But unless sanctified, it may corrupt and destroy. We are not now about to discuss the questions relating to common and parochial schools; but we affirm the broad principle that Christian education in our institutions of learning is the only safeguard against the increase of a knowledge, which might otherwise be deceptive in the end. Public religious instruction was one of the principal reliances of the Reformers in the carrying on and in the perpetuation of their mighty movement. The Puritans and the Presbyterians saw eye to eye with the Reformers, and established their

institutions in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. No one can doubt that the value of public education is diminished in the proportion of its omission of religious truth. Nor can any great results be expected to the Church from any system that is not invigorated by the marrow of divinity. Children must literally be "trained up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," in order to advance to the utmost the Lord's kingdom upon the earth. Let our Church, then, guard her position with "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Let her feed Christ's lambs with the pure milk; and let her endeavour in her own schools and in the public schools to set forth the "Scriptures, which are able to make wise unto salvation." Education will then take its true place, as subservient to the mission of the country, through the Church, in the conversion of the world.

4. One other instrumentality must be alluded to among the methods to supply our country's wants. We refer to the influence of a SANCTIFIED PRESS. That is a mighty energy, indeed, which supplies thought. The mind is lost in wonder in contemplating its own spiritual resources, in recognizing within, an incessant whirl of soulpower elaborating thought, emotion, volition. But, even more than man is the press. Whole pages of thought are evolved by it in the twinkling of the eye-pages that will guide many an immortal in his meditations and actions for weal or for woe. The invention of the art of printing was contemporaneous with the discovery of America; and in the providence of God America is, probably, more than any other country, under the dominion of the press. Our people are a reading, intelligent people. The pages that daily impart and suggest thought to their minds are beyond computation in number, and in power still more mysterious. Here is an agency, then, that must be sanctified. The press must be employed in training up a generation of eminent, self-denying, enterprising Christians. Bunyan must edify the pilgrim; Baxter call to the unconverted; Doddridge discourse on the rise and progress of religion. Above all, God must speak with men in the revelation of his word; "the Bible for every family" must stimulate the Church to her whole duty. Too much evil is emanating from the press to admit of inactivity in the use of means to arrest or counteract its pollutions. If the Devil has the press, he will little dread the pulpit. The Church is wisely exerting herself to control this "power behind the throne." Her publication energies must be put forth for God. From the child's Primer to the highest range of mental production, literature must be sanctified. If our beloved country is ever to do its appropriate work among the nations, our children must be trained up in a literature that is pervaded with the truth and the sanctions of the word of the Lord.

The recurrence of the anniversary of the day of our national independence reminds every American of duties to God and his country. Public as well as private engagements are upon all.

Solemnly remembering their constitutional covenant as members of the United States, and their spiritual allegiance to the King of nations and of saints, may all-like one man, E Pluribus Unumdo their best for God, their country, and the world.

SEVERAL GODLY PRAYERS, BY JOHN CALVIN.

PRAYER FOR THE MORNING.*

MY GOD, my Father and Preserver, who of thy goodness hast watched over me during the past night, and brought me to this day, grant also that I may spend it wholly in the worship and service of thy most holy deity. Let me not think, or say, or do a single thing which tends not to thy service and submission to thy will, that thus all my actions may aim at thy glory and the salvation of my brethren, while they are taught by my example to serve thee. And as thou art giving light to this world for the purposes of external life by the rays of the sun, so enlighten my mind by the effulgence of thy Spirit, that he may guide me in the way of thy righteousness. To whatever purpose I apply my mind, may the end which I ever propose to myself be thy honour and service. May I expect all happiness from thy grace and goodness only. Let me not attempt any thing whatever that is not pleasing to thee.

Grant also, that while I labour for the maintenance of this life, and care for the things which pertain to food and raiment, I may raise my mind above them to the blessed and heavenly life which thou hast promised to thy children. Be pleased also, in manifesting thyself to me as the protector of my soul as well as my body, to strengthen and fortify me against all the assaults of the devil, and deliver me from all the dangers which continually beset us in this life. But seeing it is a small thing to have begun, unless I also persevere, I therefore entreat of thee, O Lord, not only to be my guide and director for this day, but to keep me under thy protection to the very end of life, that thus my whole course may be performed under thy superintendence. As I ought to make progress, do thou add daily more and more to the gifts of thy grace until I wholly adhere to thy Son Jesus Christ, whom we justly regard as the true Sun, shining constantly in our minds. In order to my obtaining of thee these great and manifold blessings, forget, and out of thy infifite mercy, forgive my offences, as thou hast promised that thou wilt do to those who call upon thee in sincerity.

(Ps. cxliii. 8.)-Grant that I may hear thy voice in the morning since I have hoped in thee. Show me the way in which I should

* These prayers were composed by Calvin, A. D. 1560.

walk, since I have lifted up my soul unto thee. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, I have fled unto thee. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. Let thy good Spirit conduct me to the land of uprightness.

PRAYER ON PREPARING TO GO TO SCHOOL.

Ps. cxix. 9. Wherein shall a young man establish his way? If he wisely conduct himself according to thy word. With my heart have I sought thee, allow me not to err from thy precepts.

O LORD, who art the fountain of all wisdom and learning, since thou of thy special goodness hast granted that my youth is instructed in good arts which may assist me to honest and holy living, grant also, by enlightening my mind, which otherwise labours under blindness, that I may be fit to acquire knowledge; strengthen my memory faithfully to retain what I may have learned: and govern my heart, that I may be willing and even eager to profit, lest the opportunity which thou now givest me be lost through my sluggishness. Be pleased therefore to infuse thy Spirit into me, the Spirit of understanding, of truth, judgment, and prudence, lest my study be without success, and the labour of my teacher be in vain.

In whatever kind of study I engage, enable me to remember to keep its proper end in view, namely, to know thee in Christ Jesus thy Son; and may every thing that I learn assist me to observe the right rule of godliness. And seeing thou promisest that thou wilt bestow wisdom on babes, and such as are humble, and the knowledge of thyself on the upright in heart, while thou declarest that thou wilt cast down the wicked and the proud, so that they will fade away in their ways, I entreat that thou wouldst be pleased to turn me to true humility, that thus I may show myself teachable and obedient first of all to thyself, and then to those also who by thy authority are placed over me. Be pleased at the same time to root out all vicious desires from my heart, and inspire it with an earnest desire of seeking thee. Finally, let the only end at which I aim be so to qualify myself in early life, that when I grow up I may serve thee in whatever station thou mayest assign me.

AMEN.

The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will make known his covenant unto them. (Ps. xxv. 14.)

BLESSING AT TABLE.

All look unto thee, O Lord; and thou givest them their meat in due season; that thou givest them they gather thou openest thine hand, and they are filled with all things in abundance. (Ps. civ. 27.)

O LORD, in whom is the source and inexhaustible fountain of all good things, pour out thy blessing upon us, and sanctify to our use the meat and drink which are the gifts of thy kindness towards us,

that we, using them soberly and frugally as thou enjoinest, may eat with a pure conscience. Grant, also, that we may always both with true heartfelt gratitude acknowledge, and with our lips proclaim thee our Father and the giver of all good, and, while enjoying bodily nourishment, aspire with special longing of heart after the bread of thy doctrine, by which our souls may be nourished in the hope of eternal life, through Christ Jesus our Lord. AMEN.

Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word which proceedeth from the mouth of God. (Deut. viii. 3.)

THANKSGIVING AFTER MEAT.

Let all nations praise the Lord: let all the people sing praises to God. (Ps. cxvii. 1.)

WE give thanks, O God and Father, for the many mercies which thou of thy infinite goodness art constantly bestowing upon us; both in that by supplying all the helps which we need to sustain the present life, thou showest that thou hast a care even of our bodies, and more especially in that thou hast deigned to beget us again to the hope of the better life which thou hast revealed to us by thy holy gospel. And we beseech thee not to allow our minds to be chained down to earthly thoughts and cares, as if they were buried in our bodies. Rather cause that we may stand with eyes upraised in expectation of thy Son Jesus Christ, till he appear from heaven for our redemption and salvation. AMEN.

PRAYER AT NIGHT ON GOING TO SLEEP.

O LORD GOD, who hast given man the night for rest, as thou hast created the day in which he may employ himself in labour, grant, I pray, that my body may so rest during this night that my mind cease not to be awake to thee, nor my heart faint or be overcome with torpor, preventing it from adhering steadfastly to the love of thee. While laying aside my cares to relax and relieve my mind, may I not, in the meanwhile, forget thee, nor may the remembrance of thy goodness and grace, which ought always to be deeply engraven on my mind, escape my memory. In like manner, also, as the body rests may my conscience enjoy rest. Grant, moreover, that in taking sleep I may not give indulgence to the flesh, but only allow myself as much as the weakness of this natural state requires, to my being enabled thereafter to be more alert in thy service. Be pleased to keep me so chaste and unpolluted, not less in mind than in body, and safe from all dangers, that my sleep itself may turn to the glory of thy name. But since this day has not passed away without my having in many ways offended thee through my proneness to evil, in like manner as all things are now covered by the darkness of the night, so let every thing that is sinful in me lie buried in thy mercy. Hear me, O God, Father and Preserver, through Jesus Christ thy Son. AMEN.