CJi. if ORNIA SAN DIEGO 3 1822 01270 3195 LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA . SAN DIEGO . Illllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllll 7: '^ 3 1822 01270 3195 cJ>iO d£uj'^--^^> /f/^/ PRAYERS IN THE SENATE drapers in tlje Senate PRAYERS OFFERED IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE WINTER SESSION OF 1904 BY EDWARD E. JjALE CHAPLAIN BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1904 THIS book contains in substance the prayers offered by me in the United States Senate in the months of January, February, March, and April, 1904. The session ended on the 28th of April, but I was not able to be present with the Senate during the last days. I had been chosen Chaplain of the Senate by a unanimous vote. I should not have accepted the posi- tion unless the vote had been absolutely unanimous. I am glad to acknowledge the courtesy with which gentle- men who had personal preferences which would have led them to wish to place one or another friend in a posi- tion so interesting withdrew those preferences when they knew that other gentlemen had selected an old man who had lived longer than any other candidate. I never went into the glad companionship of that honored father, who led me for the first forty -two years of my life, with any statement in writing of what I wished to say to him. Nor have I ever prepared such a statement in advance of any special interview with my Heavenly Father. The words of the prayers in this book would, there- fore, never have been preserved but for the remarkable, the admirable, service of the Stenographic Reporters of the Senate. To their attentive kindness, not en- forced by any instruction, I owe the reports of the prayers which are in the reader's hands. [V] I have of course changed words, in using them in this book, which had been misunderstood ; and I have changed expressions which seemed to me unfortunate. I am most glad to be able to print them together as a devotional handbook. The Senate is a body of intelligent men, in very close daily intimacy with each other, in the discharge of a common duty of the greatest importance, I re- garded my duty among them as for a good instance I should regard my service in a college or school, where one duty or privilege unites all in the same endeavors, hopes, and needs. It ought not to be necessary to say that, in the life of a winter where we met together almost every day, a certain thread runs through the expressions of religious service which can be traced by any one who chooses to search for it. And of course, in four months' time, the simpler round of daily life is broken by one or another anniversary, perhaps by sorrow, perhaps by occasions of ceremony or of joy. In this instance, the death of Senator Hanna, and of the wife of one of the Senators, the death of more than one member of the House of Representatives, the opening of spring, and especially the passage of what the Church calls Holy Week, have their place in the communion almost daily between children and a Father. E. £• H. Matunuck, Rhode Island, July 30, 1904. [vi] \ CONTENTS I. January 4-8 Pages Our Father; God's Fellow-Workers; Ye are Brethren; Seek and ye shall find; Each Other's Burdens l-S II. January 11-15 The Righteousness of God; Send me; Peace on Earth; Weak- ness and Strength ; God's Commands 6-11 III. January 18-22 God's Temple ; Wisdom from above ; Children of God ; Saved from Sin A Father's Blessings 12-17 IV. January 25-29 The Golden Rule; Overcome Evil; Ye are my Friends; The Lord reigneth; Blessing and Honor and Glory and Power 18-23 V. February 1-5 The Word of God ; Everlasting Life ; Measure of Faith ; The Hill of the Lord 24-29 VI. February 8-12 The Law of Christ ; Author and Finisher of our Faith ; The Lord is at Hand ; His Mercy endureth forever ; Love to God 31-38 [vii] Contents VII. February 15-20 Pages We are the Lord's ; Immortal Life ; Praise Great Men ; The People of God ; The Word of God 40-48 VIII. February 22-27 The Righteous Man; That they may be One; Races and Creeds; One Heart and One Soul; Teach me Thy Statutes; The Lord our God is a Sun and Shield; Lead us in Thy Righteousness 49-54 IX. February 29-March 5 Freedom of God ; The True Light ; The Spirit of the Lord ; The Lord shall guide thee; The Pure in Heart; His Name shall endure forever 56-62 X. March 7-12 Made in the Likeness of God; Go ye into all the World; Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth ; Freely give ; The Statutes of the Lord; The Heavens declare the Glory of God 64-73 XI. March i4-i8 I AM ; Stand therefore ; Serving the Lord ; Every Man ac- cording to his Work; Not to be ministered unto, but to minister 75-83 XII. March 21-26 Prepare thine Heart ; The Word of God is Pure ; The Gifts of God; All Things work together for Good; Praise ye the Lord; The Judgments of the Lord 85-94 [viii] Contents XIII. March 2S-April 2. Passion Week Pages He humbled Himself; He that loveth his Life shall lose it; He that shall endure to the End shall be saved ; He dwell- eth in you and shall be in you; The Saviour's Prayer; That the World may believe 96-106 XIV. April 4-9- Easter Week The Covenant of God; His Glory is above the Heavens; The Heavens declare the Glory of God ; As He was with the Fathers; He giveth Health and Life and Blessing; They that wait upon the Lord 108-^118 XV. April Ii-t6 The Lord is at Hand; The Law of the Lord; The Glory of the Lord; Immortal Life ; The Fruit of the Spirit . 120-127 XVI. April 18-21 The Covenant of the Lord; As He was with our Fathers; The Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord: Follow Peace and Hohness . 129-135 [ix] PRAYERS IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE. IN THE SENATE, Monday, January 4, 1904. Because ye are sons, God sent forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. FATHER of light, Father of love, we come to Thee as children. We come to ask Thee for everything and to thank Thee for everything. But most of all to ask Thee to lead us in all our ways, to teach us to do the work set before us, to be about our Father's busi- ness. Comfort us, that we may have strength for our weakness. We are very weak, Thou art very strong. We do not pray for ourselves alone. We would pray for those in great sorrow, who have seen the last of those they love. We pray for the stricken city far from us in the great calamity which has overtaken so many of its people. Comfort them in their affliction. Bless, we pray Thee, all sorts and conditions of men. The Lord's Prayer. [1] Tuesday, January 5, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, January 5, 1904. IVe are GocVs fellow-workers. FATHER, we thank Thee that we are here all together, Thou with us, and we with Thee. Teach us to- day's duty. Give us Thy strength for it, from Thine own omnipotence. Give us Thy light and life this liv- ing day, for we are Thy children. We ask that Thou wilt give Thy blessing to this country in these days of her prosperity ; that Thou wilt make of her rulers peace, and of her counsellors righteousness, that this may be that happy people whose God is the Lord ; and that Thou wilt be with all the nations of the world. Teach the teachers, be with the rulers, and may they all know that he who is greatest among them shall be the least ; that he who serves most shall be the greatest ; that Thy servants are those who serve Thy children. The Lord's Prayer. [2] Wednesday, January 6, i go4. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, January 6,1904. For One is my Father, and all ye are brethren. OUR Father, who art with us in the majesty of Thy heaven, we come to Thee as children in our Father's house, to ask Thee for everything, to bless Thee for everything. Bound together as brethren in one great service, we ask Thee to unite us by Thine own love, by our faith in Thee, by our wish to serve Thee ; and we are here ready to enter into that service which is per- fect freedom. Be with us. Be with the country we love. Be with all the nations of the world to knit them more closely and closely together, until Thy kingdom shall come and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The Lord's Prayer. [31 Ihursday, January y, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, January 7, 1904. If ye seek me surely, ye shall find me, EVEN so, Father of light, Father of love, we seek Thee now for to-day's duty, that we may go about our Father's business ; that we may enter into Thy ser- vice, which is perfect freedom ; that we may be bound together as children in Thine own family ; that we may be loved with Thy love, loving those who are around us as Thine own children. We ask Thy blessing for to-day's duty, whatever it may be, and that Thou wilt show us the duty next our hands, and that we may go forward as commissioned by Thee, as Thine own children — not as Thy servants, but as the children of God — to enter into His perfect work. The Lord's Prayer. [41 Friday, January 8, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Friday, January 8, 1904. Bear ye one another's burdens. FATHER Almighty, even so love us as Thine own children. Teach us as Thine own children. Lead us as Thine own children, that we may bear each other's burdens. Thy servants are gathered here from north to south, from east to west, that these states may be one, that each may bear its brother's burden, that all may live in the common life. Bring in Thine own kingdom, so that nation with nation each may bear each its brother's burdens, and so fulfil the whole law of Christ. Make us indeed one, one out of many, as the living God with His living children. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [5] [Monday, January n, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Monday, January 11, 1904. The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. FATHER of life, Father of love, we thank Thee for everything. Grant us this day, this week, grant us always. Father, wherever we are, that Thy righteous- ness may be revealed to us ; That we may be strong in Thy strength ; That in our ignorance we may learn from Thy wis- dom ; That in our darkness we may be enlightened by Thee, Father ; That always we may be inspired by Thy holy spirit and go about our Father's business ; That each one of us may keep his hand in the Sav- iour's hand, to be led by Him in all the courses of life ; That He may teach us also how to lift up that which has fallen down, to open the eyes that are blinded, the ears that are deaf, how to proclaim everywhere and always that we are Thy children and that Thou art our Father. From day to day Thou hast seen fit to call away those who are the oldest of us and that have been the [6] (Monday, Jantmry ii, 1904. elders among their people. Bless us each and all, that we may learn the lesson of life, though it were in the house of death. Be with us as with Thine own chil- dren. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [7] Tuesday , January 12, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, January 12, 1904. And the Lord said. Whom shall I send ? and Isaiah said, Lo, here am I ; send me. ALMIGHTY Father, we come to Thee that Thou shalt show to us our duties for this day, and that we may go and come in Thy presence. We need Thy strength. We ask from Thee hght and life and love. Inspire each of us with Thine own holy spirit, that we may go about the Father's business, that we may enter, each of us, into that harvest field, which is white for the harvest ; that we may do our part, and that Thy kingdom may come in this world, and that in place of sin and all injustice. He may reign whose right it is to reign. Father of life, we would have Thy blessing upon those who are in sorrow. We ask Thy blessing upon those who look their last upon their loved ones. Be with us and be with this city, with our country, with the nations of the world, that they may be knit together as one. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [8] Wednesday, January is, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, January 13, 1904. Glory to God in the highest, on earth, peace, good- will among men. EVEN so, Father of light, Father of love, we come to Thee and pray to Thee for the whole world ; that Thou wilt send us all forth as Thy servants, that there may be peace and good- will among men. Kings and subjects, emperors and soldiers, old men and young men, men and women of all creeds and races and nations, all Thy children, everywhere, send them forth as Thy messengers, north, south, east, and west, until all shall be one. Even as the Saviour prayed that as Thou, Father, with Him and He with Thee, that we may be made all perfect in one. Father, as always, we pray for all those whom we can help in whatever way. May we enter into Thy service, which is perfect freedom. May we have Thy strength for our weakness, and Thy light for our dark- ness, and Thy wisdom for our direction. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [9] Thursday, January 14, IQ04. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, January 14, 1904. When I am weak, then I am strong. ALMIGHTY Father, Thou knowest how weak we are, and we know how strong Thou art. Come to us, to each one of us, to help us in to-day's service to do the duty next our hands, to go on the errands on which our God is pleased to send us. We have asked this to-day in our private prayer, and now, as one house- hold of Thine, we ask Thy blessing upon each, upon all, each for all and all for each. Enlighten our igno- rance, give us light in our darkness, help us when we are faint. Lo ! here are we. And we do not pray for ourselves alone. We pray for this city, we pray for these states united together, we pray for the nations of the world, that He may reign whose right it is to reign. The Lord's Prayer. [10] Friday, January 1 5, / 904. IN THE SENATE, Friday, January 15, 1904. y^nd what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou do justly ; that thou love mercy, and that thou walk hvLmhly with thy God? FATHER Almighty, we ask for strength from Thee and hght from Thee, that we may fulfil the com- mands of Thine intuiite wisdom and Thine infinite love ; that we may do justly, that we may love mercy, and that we may walk humbly with Thee ; That we may follow fast in the footsteps of Thy well-beloved Son ; That we may lift up those who are fallen down ; That we may open the eyes that are blinded, and carry good tidings to all men in this world. Be with us when we are weak with Thine infinite strength ; be with us when we are in darkness with Thy light, which shines from Thine own throne. In what- ever moment of our perplexity, answer Thou our ques- tions ; in whatever moment of our joy, double our joy, because we share it with Thee. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [11] CMonday , Jcimiary i8, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Monday, January 18, 1904. Know ye not that the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are? ALMIGHTY Father, consecrate the day with us, that we may go and come as Thine own children in Thine own service, which is perfect freedom ; that we may go about the business Thou hast sent us to do, each one of us, sacred to Thee, consecrated to Thee, as Thine own children ; That we may lift up that which has fallen down ; That we may open the eyes that are blinded ; That we may proclaim the message of Thy glad tidings to all mankind, strong in Thy strength and glad in Thy joy. Father, we can pray to Thee alone. We are glad to come together as one household of Thy children to ask this same blessing, to thank Thee with the same thanks, and to go into that service which is before us now, strong in Thine omnipotence. We ask Thee to unite us here together ; we ask Thee to unite these states in one nation, and to unite the nations in one brotherhood of Thy children, that Thy kingdom may come. The Lord's Prayer. [12] Tuesday, January ig, 1904. IN THE SENATE, ,, Tuesday, January 19, 1904. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ALMIGHTY God, we ask for this wisdom from Thee, that we may be inspired by Thine own holy spirit, day by day, to enter into Thy work, into that service which is perfect freedom, and to go about our Father's business ; That Thy purity may make us pure ; That Thy peace may make us peaceable ; That we may be gentle and easy to be entreated, eager for good works, without partiality and without hypocrisy ; That we may not be chained down to the earth, to the things of the earth, nor blinded by its dust and its smoke ; but that we may enter into Thine high con- cern. Father, we pray that we may take hold of the Sav- iour's hand and be led by Him even as He went about doing good, that we may be strong to go about doing good, remembering always that we are the immortal children of an infinite God. The Lord's Prayer. [13] IVediiesday, January 20, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, January 20, 1904. And God saw everything that He had made, and, be- hold, it was very good. And God made man in His own linage. ALMIGHTY Father, we have Thee to thank for everything; for the Hfe of to-day; for every blessing that is around us now, and we do thank Thee, Father, as Thine own children. Now we would enter into Thy work, to do what Thou hast for us to do this day. Born Thine own children, made in Thy like- ness, may we go and come, not thinking of ourselves alone, but caring for those who are bom in the same likeness. Help us. Father, with Thine omnipotence ; strengthen us with Thine own strength, and inspire us with Thine own holy spirit, that we may go and come as the living children of a living God ; that v/e may follow fast in our Saviour's footsteps, lifting up that which is fallen down, opening the eyes that are blinded and the ears that are deaf ; that we may carry His glad tidings to all sorts and conditions of men and enter into that service which is perfect freedom. We have brought Thee our separate prayers; we [14] Wednesday, January 20, 1904. bring Thee our prayers now as one company of Thy children. We ask Thy blessing upon this nation, Thy blessing upon all the nations in the world, that they may be knit together and live in peace, each with all. The Lord's Prayer. [15] Thursday, January 21 , igo4. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, January 21, 1904. Thou Shalt name Him Jesus the Saviour, for He shall save my people from their sins. ALMIGHTY God, we thank Thee that Thou hast kept good Thy promise, century after century. With every year and every century the world is a better world than it was before, and with every new day we have new hopes for the future that is before us. Now to-day, Father, grant of Thy holy spirit to each of us and all of us that we may all together, as one household of Thine, have Thy common blessing; that we may be better men to-morrow than we are to-day ; that we may be better men afterwards than we are to- morrow ; that with each new day we may see Thee as we have not seen Thee ; that we may hear Thee as we have not heard Thee ; and that we may know the fulness of Thy blessings. We ask that we may be strong in thy strength ; that we may be glad in Thy joy ; that in our darkness Thou wilt give us light ; that in our weakness Thou wilt give us Thine own help. In Christ Jesus we ask it and offer it. The Lord's Prayer. [16] Friday, Jaiiiiaiy 22, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Friday, January 22, 1904. Oh praise ye the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endiireth forever . FATHER Almighty, we praise Thee for so many blessings, fresh every morning, new every even- ing, blessings to each of us, blessings to all of us, bless- ings to the country, blessings to the world. We praise Thee for the light of heaven. We praise Thee for the sleep of the night. We praise Thee, Father, for our homes, for those around us, together with those we love. Now we ask Thy blessing to-day for ourselves who are here, for those who are far away from us, who pray as we pray, who love as we love, and who hope as we hope. We pray to Thee for this city, for the nation, for the countries everywhere, that they may be knit together in peace ; that men may learn to bear each other's burdens. We thank Thee for yesterday. We ask Thy bless- ing for to-day and to-morrow, and that each day we may see that the coming of God is known as it has never been known before, and that He shall reign whose right it is to reign. We ask Thee for everything as Thine own children, in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [17] [Monday, January 2'^, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Monday, January 25, 1904. Whatsoever therefore ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them : for this is the law and the prophets. WE pray for strength to do this very thing, great God, as Thou art pleased to-day to show it to us ; lead us forth as Thine own children, to do the duty next our hands to-day. Thou hast called Thy servants together here in the government of this great nation. In this nation Thou hast permitted that we shall have our rulers from ourselves and our governors from the midst of us. Because we are from ourselves, because our governors are from the midst of us, all of us, each of us, need Thy strength. Thy help. Thy blessing, that this may be God's own kingdom, that Thy kingdom may come here ; that this may be that happy people whose God is the Lord. So we seek Thee morning, noon, and night. We have sought Thee to-day in our separate prayers ; we have sought Thee in the midst of our families; and now as one brotherhood of Thine own household, Thy servants are before Thee here for to-day's strength, for to-day's duty, that each man may seek to do unto [IS] [Monday, January 2^^, igo4. others as he would have others do unto hun ; that this nation may seek to do to the rest what she is willing to have the rest do to her ; that all the nations, Father, may be bound together in Thine infinite and perfect love. The Lord's Prayer. [19] Tuesday, January 26, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, January 26, 1904. Overcome evil with good. ALMIGHTY Father, it is for this that Thy servants are come together here ; it is for this that Thou hast given us another day, — that we may overcome the evil in the world, and that it may be a better world to-morrow than it is to-day. We ask for Thine infinite power. Thou hast been pleased to bring together Thy servants here, that they may act with united stren^h in making this land a better land and this world a better world. We are weak, but Thou art strong. We need not rely on any wisdom of our own or any power of our own, for Thou art ready to give us of Thine infinite strength for these infinite duties. We do thank Thee for these infinite blessings which we enjoy ; most of all that we know we are Thy children, who may come to Thee for whatever we need in doing the duty which Thou hast given us to do. With every day we enter with new hope upon new life. We ask Thee that we may be stronger to overcome evil than we have been, and we trust in Thee that the world shall be better to- morrow than to-day. The Lord's Prayer. [20] Wednesday, January 2j, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, January 27, 1904. Ye are my friends, saith the Saziour, if ye do what- soever I have commanded you. WE come to Thee, Father Ahnig:hty, for Thhie own holy spirit to inspirit us, that we may do this, that we may carry these glad tidings of His over the world, that we may follow fast in His footsteps, that we may take His hand in ours to lift up that which is fallen down, to open the eyes that are blinded and the ears that are deaf, to bring in those acceptable years of Thine infinite kingdom. Help us where we are weak, enlighten us where we are in darkness, teach us where we are in doubt, lead us where we need Thy strength. Father, we ask all things from that goodness which has given us so much. We cannot thank Thee enough for yesterday and for the past. We cannot thank Thee enough that this world goes forward and forward, and that men come nearer and nearer to Thee. Now, for to-day, for to-morrow, for these days that are to come, may all of us who are here join together as the Saviour's friends or work each in his own place, that Thy kingdom may come and Thy will be done. We ask it in his name. Amen. The Lord's Prayer. [21] Thursday, Jamtaiy 28, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, January 28, 1904. How heaiitifiil upon the mountains are the feet of hi?n that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that saith unto the cities of Zion, the Lord reigneth. EVEN so, Father, we thank Thee that these good tidings of Thine have come to us and quicken our lives. Thou hast shown us that Thou art our Father and we Thy children. Thy well beloved Son has brought us into a Father's arms, and we can tell Thee everything and ask Thee for everything, — our hopes, our fears, our doubts, our dit^iculties, our joys, and our triumphs. We tell thee all, and Thou wilt give us of Thy strength and blessing. Thou wilt double our joy because we share it with Thee. Thou wilt help us in our sorrows as a father who pities his children. Now, Father, for to-day Thy servants are together to serve Thee while they serve this nation, to bring this nation nearer to Thyself in justice, in purity, in peace, in life, and in love, that this people may be that happy people whose God is the Lord. Help us each in his own place, help us all together as one family of Thine, that we may have thy strength in our weakness, that we may have Thy light in our darkness, that we may walk humbly with our God. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [22] Friday, January 2g, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Friday, January 29, 1904. Blessing and honor and glory and power he unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb forever and ever. WE also, Father, join with all Thy children every- where in praising Thee for Thine infinite good- ness to us from the beginning ; that Thou hast made this world for our home ; that Thou hast given it light ; that Thou hast made us well and strong and happy ; And best of all, that we are Thy children ; and that Thou hast sent us into the world to subdue this world to Thee, that Thy justice may be our justice ; that Thy truth may be our truth ; that Thy strength, even Thine omnipotence, will come unto us. We thank Thee that Thou hast given us this gospel of Thy love to show us that we are the loving children of a loving God, We will consecrate each day to Thy service ; we will go about this world — as we can in Thy Providence — to bring in Thy law for the law of all nations. We will trust in Thine infinite strength. We thank Thee for that service of those who in older times and in our own days have served the state as they have served Thee. May the lessons of their lives come to us, that we may be willing to sacrifice ourselves for Thee and for Thy service. The Lord's Prayer. [23] (Monday, February i , 1904. IN THE SENATE, Monday, February 1, 1904. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. ALMIGHTY Father, it is for power from lieaven that we ask, that for this day Thou wilt give us strength and life and light to do the duty of to-day and to go about our Father's business ; That we may hear this word of Thine as it speaks to us to-day. Each one of us asks to-day, What shall I do ? What doth the Lord my God command from me ? We ask, as those who hope to obey, that we may go on our Father's business, that we may hear our Father's words, that we may carry further the infinite and blessed gos- pel of Thy Son. We know that we have failed and we have sinned, but we dare ask Thee to blot our sins out of the book of Thy remembrance, so that we may blot them out of ours. We will look forward into the duty of this day to do the duty of this day, to lift up that which has fallen down, to open the eyes that are blinded and the ears that are deaf, and to proclaim the glad tidings of a Father's love. We ask it, we offer it, in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [24] Wednesday. February ^, 1 904. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, February 3, 1904. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. FATHER of life, give us of this refreshment from Thyself ; inspire us with Thine own holy spirit ; feed us with the food that is from heaven, that we may enter into that service which is perfect freedom ; that we may enter it as children ; that we may go and come on Thy errands, to do Thy work as Thy children can do, and only they. How shall we thank Thee that Thou hast revealed Thyself to us ? How shall we thank Thee for these glad tidings of Thy perfect love .'' We are strong because Thou art strong. Now tell us that duty which we can do to-day in Thy service. We pray for our- selves ; we pray for those dear ones who are not here, but who make their homes with us ; for those who are in sickness, that they shall have strength to thank Thee ; for those who watch with them, that Thou wilt give wisdom and protection to them. Father, for those who are in the house of death, y/ho are in suffering [25] Wednesday, February 5, 1904. and in sorrow, we pray, that Thou wilt lift them above these things in the dust and smoke of to-day into Thine infinite, Thine heavenly life, and, for all of us, that we may live as immortals live, and do that which Thou hast given us to do. The Lord's Prayer. [26] Thursday, February 4, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, February 4, 1904. Paul says, writing to Rome, For I say to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think ; hut to think soberly, accord- ing as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. ALMIGHTY Father, even so we come to Thee, that Thou wilt inspire us with Thine own holy spirit ; that Thou wilt give us that measure of faith that we may serve Thee and live to Thy glory and fulfil Thy purpose and advance Thy perfect will ; that we may seek no man his own good, but the good of our brothers ; that we may come into this daily duty which Thou hast given us as children who live in their Father's life. Train us, Father, as we would train our own children, to love justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our Father in heaven. Give us of Thine infinite strength, give us Thy constant blessing. And we do not pray for ourselves alone. For all sorts and conditions of men we pray, north and south, east and west, here and across the waters ; every- where, where Thy children are in Thy service, show [27] Thursday , February 4, 1904. them how to serve Thee, and lift them from the cares of earth, that they may Uve in the Ught of Thy heaven even while they are here. Bind together the nations of the world, that we may live in purity and in peace. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [28] Friday, Febniary 5, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Friday, February 5, 1904. Who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in His holy place ? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul imto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. FATHER of life, Father of love, we come nearer to Thee. We thank Thee, Father, for everything, — for the sleep of the past night, for the light of to-day, for the countless gifts which we cannot name. We thank Thee that Thou art so good to us all. Thou dost never forget us, even though we forget Thee. Now, Father, we ask Thee that Thou wilt strengthen us with Thine own strength, that we may know this which the prophets have told us, until we can come nearer and nearer and nearer unto Thy holy presence ; how we can be strong with Thy strength, yes, and glad with Thy joy. Teach us how to trample down every- where under our feet all the sins that do most easily beset us. Blot them out of the book of Thy remem- brance and blot them out of the book of ours, that we may look forward into a higher and a purer life with each new day, that we may enter into Thy work, and go about our Father's business. Father, we ask for those who are in great sorrow. [29] Friday, February 5, 1904. We ask for those who are on the bed of sickness. We ask for those who mmister to them, that Thou wilt give them Thy Hght and Hfe and love. Teach us what it is to live with God, to live as immortals live. The Lord's Prayer. [30] [Monday, February 8, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Monday, February 8,1904. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. FATHER Almighty, Thou art our help in all calam- ity. In this great calamity we come to Thee for Thy strength, for Thy light, for Thy direction. Here we are. We will do what Thou shalt tell us to do. Each one of us can do his share. All of us can show to the rest that we are brothers in one great family. Here we are ; send us on Thy service. And, Father, we pray to Thee for all who are in any sorrow of body or of mind ; for those who are alone, that they may have Thy great companionship ; for those who are far from home, that they may know that there is no distance to Thee ; for those who watch l^y beds of sickness, that they may have Thy wisdom and light and courage and patience and endeavor. Father, for us, and all of us, that we may bear each other's burdens and fulfil the whole law of Christ, that we may live each for all and all for each. We will not depend upon the rest to help us to-day, unless we do our share in lifting up that which has fallen down. The Lord's Prayer. [31] Tuesday, February g, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, February 9, 1904. Seeing we are also compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight ; let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto fesus, the author and finisher of our faith. ALMIGHTY God, we pray for more faith, every day, that we may come closer to Thee and closer, and live more constantly in Thy law and do Thy will more zealously. That we may look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith ; that we may go about doing good as v/e have opportunity ; that we may know that Thy strength is in our weakness ; and that in times of our trouble and difficulty we may all the more come to Him who is able to save. In these calamities that are around us, show us what to do and how to do it, and we are ready as Thine own children to enter into Thy work and to go about our Father's business. In every doubt of ours answer our questions. Strengthen us where we fail ; lift us up where we fall, that we may know what Jesus told us, — that we are the living children of a living God. Father, we pray to Thee, as always, for those who [32] Tuesday, Fehniary g, 1904. are in distress of body and mind, for those who watch by the beds of sickness, and for those who are upon them. We ask Thee to give strength, to give counsel, to give patience to those who sit in darkness ; to give of Thine own infinite consolation to those who are most weak and need Thee most. Be with us who are here together as with Thine own children in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [33] Wednesday, Fehniary lo, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, February 10, 1904. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing ; hut in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanks- giving, let your requests he made known unto God. FATHER Almighty, our requests are first for courage in every period of calamity or difficulty, the cour- age of the children of the living God. Give us strength from Thine own omnipotence that we may do our duty when we know what our duty is. We ask from Thee that Thou wilt teach us, as a father teaches his children, what we can do this day in Thine infinite service. We ask for purity, for peace, that we may be pure as Thou art pure, and that we may know what is the peace of God. We ask Thee that we may be gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance and without hypocrisy, knowing that Thou wilt give us what we really need, and that if we seek it with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind and all our strength. Thou art at hand. And, Father, we bring Thee our personal sorrows and difficulties and trials. We ask Thee to be by the bed- side of those whom we love, that Thou wilt be with the [34] Wednesday, February lo, igo4. sick and those who' minister to them, to give wisdom to their love and hope and endeavor to give faith and perseverance in whatever trial. Be with the rulers of the world, with those who are at war with each other, that they may know the peace of God ; with all people, with all rulers, that they may seek to enter into thy kingdom of love and purity and peace, that Thy kingdom may come and Thy will be done. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [35] Thursday, February ii, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, February 11, 1904. O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good ; for His mercy endureth forever. FATHER of life, Father of love, we do give thanks to Thee. We give thanks to Thee for everything. We would not go upon to-day's work or to-day's pleas- ure without remembering Thee first, second, and last, and thanking Thee that we live and move and have our being in our God. We thank Thee each for himself. And we thank Thee all together, that we are knit to- gether with these who are around us, — our fathers, our mothers, our brothers, our sisters, these friends whom Thou hast given us ; and we come to Thee not alone, but we come to Thee all together, to bear each other's burdens, to rejoice in each other's joys, to sorrow in each other's sorrows, as one great family of Thine. We thank Thee, not as Thy servants or Thy slaves or Thy subjects, but as Thine own children, made in Thine own image, sharers of the divine nature. And now and here we are here together, that we may praise Thee that Thou art good, and that we may carry our praises into our daily lives, living for Thy glory, working in Thy service, entering into the duty which Thou shalt be [36] Thursday, February ii, 1904. pleased to give us to-day. Show us what to do and see if we do not do it. Help us with Thine own om- nipotence and grant this now and to-day. Father, we pray to Thee not for ourselves alone. We pray to Thee for those who are in great sorrow, for those who watch by beds of sickness. We pray to Thee for these our brothers and sisters who are restor- ing their homes in the burned city. Bind us all to- gether, that we may act as one, and not as if we were alone or could be alone. Show us that we are always with our God, — our Father who art here in Thine own heaven. The Lord's Prayer. [37] Friday, February 12, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Friday, February 12, 1904. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength, and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. FATHER Almighty, Father of love, we come to Thee because we love Thee. We are not afraid of Thee. We know that Thou art our Father, and that what Thou hast in store for us is good for Thy children. So we dare come to Thee in our sorrows and in our anxieties and doubts for that help which God only can give, to ask for that wisdom which comes only from Thee, to ask for the strength of Thine Almightiness in our weakness and failure. Be with us in our doubts to answer all questions. Be with us in our weakness to give us of Thy strength ; Thou wilt be with us in the chamber of sick- ness to bless, as Thou only canst bless, those who are sick and those who care for them. Be with those who are alone, to show them that there is no loneliness ; if men only seek Thee they shall find Thee. In the cabinets of statesmen be present. Thou, that they may have the infinite wisdom and know what Thine empire is and Thy reign over this world. Be with those who [38] Friday, February 12, igo4. travel by water or by land, with all sorts and conditions of men. Reveal Thyself to us as a father to His children. We ask Thy help in this opening of war, that Thou wilt give strength to statesmen and princes and kings and emperors who seek to make peace in the world, the peace of God which passeth all understanding. Give us aid in the midst of our failures, our weakness, our doubts, and our mistakes. Father, we come to Thee as so many children come to Thee in this love of Thine which will make us love our fellow-men better and better. The Lord's Prayer. [39] (Monday, February 75, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Monday, February 15, 1904. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. WE come to Thee, as always, Father of light. Father of love ; we live and move and have our being in our God. And Thou knowest Thine own purpose ; Thou knowest Thine own will ; and Thou wilt love us always. Father, as Thine own children, made in Thine own image, and partakers of Thine own nature, we ask Thee to consecrate to us this day. Consecrate to us the house of death. Consecrate to us the lessons of life, and in the midst of death, may we learn what life is, that we are the immortal children of an infinite God. Teach us how we may do Thy will and enter into work and go about our Father's business. Father, we thank Thee for the life of Thy well- beloved Son, whom Thou hast sent to all Thy sons and daughters. Let us so live as to be strong in weakness, and have light in darkness, and courage in adversity. Come to all who need strength and blessing. Come to us ; come to us here in our sorrows ; those who are close to Thee and hear Thy voice and see Thy face. Be with us all as a father with his children. [40] (Monday, February 75, igo4. And Father, again we pray to Thee, we always pray to Thee, for peace among the nations. Be with all nations, be with all rulers, that they may know the eternal peace is the living God, — that men may sheathe the sword and enter into that communion and compan- ionship with Thee that shall make them glad in each other's joy and strong in each other's strength. The Lord's Prayer. [41] Tuesday, February i6, IQ04. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, February 16, 1904, For we know that if our earthly house of this tab- ernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Behold, I shew you a mystery, Paul writes. I make plain to you that which has been a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, . . . for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. OUR Father, these who have known him best, these who have loved him, they come to Thee to ask Thy strength for weakness, for light in darkness, and that Thou wilt interpret unto them the lessons of life and death. All of us. Father, who knew him to love him and to honor him, we are all together, with those nearest to him in his home, in the sorrows of this hour. Come near to us as only our Father can come near to us. Show us what it is that we are the immortal children of an eternal God, Train us to new and larger service when we go from world to world or from life to life, to be with Thee in this infinite heaven of Thine. [42] Tuesday, February i6, igo4. We pray for this nation, that she may always have counsellors from the midst of her, men who know her people and who know the world and are willing" to join with one heart and with one voice that this may be the kingdom of Thy love. Be with us in our sorrows, as Thou hast been in our joys. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [43] IVediiesday, February ij, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, February 17, 1904. Funeral of Senator Hanna The Chaplain read from the Psahns, from the thirtieth chapter of Ecclesiasticus, from the Gospel of John, from the second Epistle to the Corinthians, and from the last chapters of the Book of Revelation. FATHER of life, he is with Thee. He sees as he is seen. He knows as he is known. And we wait a little longer. We need not pray for him. He prays for us and with us in the glad certainties of the larger life, and we go and come, remembering him and look- ing forward to our meeting with him in Thy time. Father, may every memory of him quicken us to a larger life, and every thought of the future show us how we are to meet all these dear ones who have gone before, when we do see as we are seen and know as we are known. We ask Thy blessing upon those so near to him in his home, where they will not hear his whisper nor see his face again. We are all brothers and sisters in the house of death. We ask it each for all and all for each, that we may bear each other's burdens, even as we have not done until now; that we may be strong in Wednesday, February ij, 1904. each other's strength ; that we may walk with Thee ; that every day we may hear Thy whisper and go and come in Thy perfect love. Grant us more of faith in Thee, that we may see Thee who art invisible ; that we may hear Thee in the whis- pers of Thy love, speaking to us in our own lives ; that Thou wilt inspirit us with Thine own holy spirit ; that we may enter into that service which is perfect free- dom ; that we may do the duty every day which Thou doth command, and that never more we may feel alone, but always may know our Father is with us. Give us more of hope, that we may look forward as immortals look forward ; that we may live as im- mortals live ; that we may enter into Thy work indeed, because Thou hast given it to us to do ; partaking of Thy nature and living in heaven to-day, to-morrow, and in all the days that are to come ; that we may speak with Thy word; that we may think with Thy thought ; that we may love with Thy love, and be glad with Thy joy. Give us more of hope. And for this, Father, that we may bear one another's burdens ; that we may remember the lessons of such a life as his ; that we may forget ourselves while we live for others ; that we may go about doing good as did Thy well-beloved Son, in the homes of the sick and the poor and the weak as in the homes of the rich and the powerful and the strong. Knit together in love, may we bear each other's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Reverently, humbly, and with the tears of the nation, [45] Wednesday, February ly, 1904. we bear his body and lay it in the ground, earth to earth, dust to dust, ashes to ashes. But he is with Thee. He is changed in a moment, in the twinkhng of an eye. He is in the larger life. Father, we pray that we may learn the lessons of that life as we go and come here ; that we may go about the work that Thou hast given us to do to-day and to- morrow, and that we may be ready at any moment to hear the whisper coming to us that we may enter into the joy of our Lord. This is our prayer. Hear us, answer us, and bless us as Thine own children in Christ Jesus. Amen. [46] Thursday, February i8, 1904. ^^ IN THE SENATE, Thursday, February 18, 1904. Say to this people, And they shall be my people, and I uill be their God : And I will give them one heart, and one soid . . . for the good of them, and of their children . . . that I will not turn away from them, to do them good. ALMIGHTY Father, we trust ourselves to Thy love, that Thou wilt give to us one heart and one soul for the good of this nation ; that we may keep Thy law ; that this people may go forward to do Thy will. When we thank Thee and praise Thee, when we look back with pride and look forward with joy upon the past and upon the future, we will remember the loving God who has spoken to us to tell us what to do. Tell us. Father, and see if we do not answer. Help us and we shall indeed be strong. As always we pray for the whole world as the Saviour prayed, that we may be perfected in one, even as he with Thee and Thou with him ; that this world may be knit together in the love of God, to carry out Thy purpose, and that Thy king- dom may come. The Lord's Prayer. [47] Saturday, February 20, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Saturday, February 20, 1904. Ye shall lay up my words, saith the Lord, in your heart, and in your soul, and ye shall teach them to your children, speaking with them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou dost walk by the way, that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children as the days of heaven upon the earth. FATHER of love, our Father who art in heaven, these words of Thine come down to us through the ages, and Thou art pleased to-day, to repeat them in our hearts and in our daily doings ; — that we may make Thy word our law, Thy truth our truth, Thy will to be our will, that we may go and come as the living children of the living God, to do God's work in this world of ours. Thou hast given to Thy servants this high otfice, that from day to day they shall administer Thy Law ; that they shall renew the Law of this nation ; that Thy Law may he our law, indeed ; that we may live and move and have our being as the children of God, whom God has sent about His business. Teach us to-day, Father, what Thou hast for us to do to-day, that Thy servants may lead this people into the way of truth and righteousness and peace and love. The Lord's Prayer. [48] [Monday, February 22, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Monday, February 22, 1904. Who raised up the righteous man, . . . called him to his foot, gave the nations before him., and made him rule over kings? . . . Who hath wrought and done it ?...!, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am He. FATHER of life, we thank Thee that Thou hast been with the Fathers ; that Thou hast been with him whose birth this day we celebrate. Thou wert willing to speak to them, and they were willing to hear Thee and to answer Thee, " Lo, here am I ; send me." We thank Thee that the memory of these men has come down to us ; of him who was first in peace, first in war, and first in the hearts of his countrymen ; and we ask Thee that Thou wilt be with our countrymen to-day, and with us who are here ; that Thou wilt teach us Thy law, that we may walk in Thy ways ; that this may be that happy nation whose God is the Lord. In all time of our trial, if we have sought Thee we have found Thee. In all time of our success Thou hast won for us our victories. Thou hast been with our counsellors. Father, to-day, to-morrow, and in days to come, in our memories and in our hopes, be with us still, our Father who art in heaven. The Lord's Prayer. 4 [49] Tuesday, February 2^, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, February 23, 1904. Neither pray I for those alone, saith the Saviour, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in me and I in Thee, that they also may he one in us. THIS is our prayer also, Father, as it was His, — that Thy children everywhere may be one ; that the nations of the earth may be one in Thee and in Him ; that people with their rulers and rulers with their people may be one ; that all races, and all creeds, that the rich and the poor, the master and the servant, the old and the young, the learned and the unlearned, may be made perfect in one, even as He with Thee and Thou with Him, that this world may be a part of the kingdom of Thy heaven. Father, we are not here praying for ourselves alone ; we are praying for all sorts and conditions of men ; that every day they may come nearer to Thee and nearer, yes, though it were a cross that raiseth us, that we may all come nearer to Thee. We pray for all the nations of the world, that they may be knit together in the harmony of brothers with brothers, and that He may reign whose right it is to reign. The Lord's Prayer. [50] Wednesday, February 24, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, February 24, 1904. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. And not one of them said that aught of the things he possessed was his own. ALMIGHTY Father, here is our prayer, that Thy children everywhere may be of one heart and of one soul, eager to enter into Thy work and to go about their Father's business. We do not dare ask Thee to bless this world and to make it a part of Thy kingdom unless we, as Thy children, are fellow-workers together with God, unless we hear the counsels which Thou art willing to give us, unless we obey the laws which Thou hast made known to us, each and all. We are bound together to bear each other's burdens, to work in the same work, to go into the same vine- yard, to build up where things have fallen down, and to bring in the living law of the living God. Father, we pray for ourselves, and we pray for all sorts and conditions of men, for all the nations, for all the rulers of the world, and for all the people, that they all may be one as Thine own children. The Lord's Prayer. [51] Thursday, February 2=^, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, February 25, 1904. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord. Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes, and I shall keep it until the end. THY law, Father ! make that the centre of our Hves. Teach us each and all what Thy law is. Write it upon the tablets of our hearts. Inspire us by Thy holy spirit that we may interpret it to-day and every day, for these who are around us, for this people, that this may be that happy nation whose God is the Lord. Teach the nations what the law of nations is, that Thy will must be first, second, and last. Teach the people of this country what law is, the living word of the present God, that all of them may go and come in obedience to Thy law ; that all of them may worship Thee and obey as those who mean to serve with all their heart and soul and strength. Thy children here, Father, who have to write down on paper Thy law, that it may apply in this time and for this people, come together to ask Thy blessing, that they may have Thy strength in weakness, Thy light in difficulty, that they may follow the leader whom Thou hast given them in Thy well-beloved Son. The Lord's Prayer. [:2] Friday, February 26, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Friday, February 26, 1904. The Lord our God is a sun and shield. The Lord will give grace and glory. O Lord of Hosts, blessed is the man who trusteth in Thee. FATHER Almighty, we do trust in Thee, and we ask Thee for everything. Thou art pleased to give us everything. Thou dost give us the light by which we see. Thou dost give us this air which we breathe and with which we speak. Best of all, Thou hast shown us that we are one family of Thy children, alive in Thy life and strong in Thy strength. Thou dost give us the water that we drink and the food that we eat. Everything is Thine while it is ours. Now, Father, we are here to consecrate these gifts to Thy service, to come and go indeed as Thy children ; when we speak, to speak the word that Thou shalt teach ; when we act, to do the thing that Thou wouldst. Moreover, inspire us with Thine holy spirit, that we may so come and go in our Father's service, and for the coming of Thy kingdom in this world, that all men may be one, and may bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. The Lord's Prayer. [53] Saturday, February 2y, igo4- IN THE SENATE, Saturday, February 27, 1904. As for us, we will come to Thee in the multitude of Thy mercy; in Thy fear will we worship. Lead us, O Lord, in Thy righteousness ; make Thy ways straight before us. FATHER Almighty, our Father who art here, in Thine own heaven, this is what we pray for ; that we may know Thy righteousness, and that it may be our righteousness, and that Thy way may he clear be- fore us, to-morrow and in all these new days. Here has another week gone by. We acknowledge our sins and are sorry. We acknowledge our follies and would forget them. We acknowledge our omissions. And we ask Thee that as a new week goes forward we may feel more alive in the work of God ; Father, that we may have Thy strength in our weakness, that we may have Thy righteousness in our lives ; that Thou wilt use us, we ask Thee, in Thy service, in the building up of Thy perfect reign. Blot out of the book of Thy remembrances our offences, and show us how to blot them out of ours, so only we walk in God's way and fulfil Thy way, that Thy kingdom may come here upon the earth. [54] Saturday, February 27, 1904. And what we ask for ourselves we ask for all Thy children everywhere, if they only knew that they were Thy children, that they may live to Thy glory and do the duty which God puts into their hands. The Lord's Prayer. [55] [Monday, February 2g, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Monday, February 29, 1904. For ye, brethren, were called for freedom ; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. ALMIGHTY Father, here is a new week, and we would consecrate it to Thee, that we may obey the whole law ; that we may go into the duty of to-day, and the pleasures of to-day and of to-morrow and of all these new days, not for ourselves, but for these, our brothers and sisters in the world. Thou hast been pleased to direct Thy servants here, that they may make the laws for this nation, that they may direct its work, that they may bring it into line with the powers of Thy universe. Bless them. Father, from day to day and from hour to hour, that each man may forget himself as he lives for others. And for this nation be with Thy children, men and women and chil- dren, that they may remember what the whole law is ; that each of them may serve his brethren first and serve Thee in serving them. The Lord's Prayer, r.56j Tuesday, [March i , 1904. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, March 1, 1904, That was the true light which lighteth every man that Cometh into the world. As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the Sons of God. ALMIGHTY Father, Thou art with us and we would fain be with Thee. We would tell Thee every- thing. We ask Thee to give us everything of Thy light, of Thy love, of Thy spirit, and so of Thy power. This is no small enterprise to which Thou hast sent Thy servants here. They come to you for light and life and strength. With half a world to care for, with this continent watching what they do, for every man and woman and child here in this nation give men the ex- ample and the lesson ; that they must live by the Law of God to bind these states together in a union closer and closer, and more loving. This is the task which Thou hast given to Thy servants. Father, they know that they can be Sons of God, that they can share Thine omnipotence, that they can fulfil Thy law, that it is Thy service on which they enter. Bless them to-day ; bless us all to-day with Thine own blessing. The Lord's Prayer. [57] Wednesday, (March 2, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, March 2, 1904. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, said the Saviour, because He hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor ; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. FATHER Almighty, who has commissioned us to follow in His footsteps, to walk in His way, to do Thy will, to bring in the righteousness of God, show us to-day how we can enter upon this high commission, to be strength to those who are weak, to be light to those who are blind, to carry Thy good tidings every- where. Let all men know that Thou art with them if they will be v/ith Thee ; to bring peace to the world, instead of war, to bring light where there is darkness, that we may go about Thy work and enter into Thy business. We are not praying for ourselves alone, but we pray before Thee for all sorts and conditions of men, for the states of this Union, that they may be knit together as truly one, and the people of the world, that they may be knit together as one, that the sword may be beaten into the ploughshare, and that men need study war no more. Hear us, answer us, and bless us as Thine own children in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [SS] Thursday, cMarch 5, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, March 3, 1904. Thou Shalt call and the Lord shall answer thee. Thou shall cry and He shall say, Here am I. The Lord shall guide thee continually. EVEN so, Almighty Father, Lord God of Heaven, Thou art God of our homes. Thou art with us to-day and to-morrow and every day. Guide us con- tinually in what we have to do, that we may know that we are the children of God, that we are the inheritors of the divine nature. It is no small duty which Thou dost require from Thy servants here. They ask Thee to lead them this very day in whatever is before them. They have this people to care for, east and west, north and south, to bring these states of Thine together in Thy service; to order that peace may be among all men, that they may care for each other, that each man may bear his brother's burden. They have to bring the spirit of Thy law into ours, that this may be that people whose God is the Lord. Go with them. Father, as only a father can go with his children. Make them strong with Thy strength, that they may see by Thy light, that they may follow fast in the footsteps of Thy well-beloved Son, and may scatter over this world the glad tidings that God is and God is here. We ask it in His name. The Lord's Prayer. [59] Friday, [Murch 4, /904. IN THE SENATE, Friday, March 4, 1904. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God. ALMIGHTY Father, we are here together to seek Thy strength for our weakness, Thy wisdom for our folly, and to pledge ourselves for this living day, and to-morrow, and every day to work in Thy service and to live to Thy glory as Thine own children. And Thou, Father, Thou wilt help us; Thou wilt strengthen us, Thou wilt bless us. Give us all these blessings which the Saviour has promised us. Lead us by Thine own hand in Thine own way, that we may do the duty that Thou dost require of us, as Thy living children, and see with Thy light, strong with thy strength. Bless us with that purity which is the life of those that live in heaven with Thee, who are not tempted by the earth or the things of the earth. Bless us that we may be peace-makers in Thy service ; that we may help all who are in need ; that we may overcome evil with good as Thy well-beloved Son, our master and teacher and leader, who, when He was reviled, reviled [60] Friday, £March 4, 1904. not again, who prayed for his enemies, and died for the world. O Father, for this country we pray to Thee. Thou hast blessed it in the days that are past with men who were pure and peaceable gentle men, without par- tiality and .without hypocrisy. Bless us in the future with such leaders, whether they serve Thee here in the Senate, whether they serve Thee in the duties of their several stations, whether they serve Thee as the day laborer serves Thee when he fulfils Thy will. Bless us with the sense of Thine own presence and give us of Thine own infinite strength. We ask it in Christ Jesus. Amen. The Lord's Prayer. [61] Saturday, [March 5, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Saturday, March 5, 1904. His name shall endure forever. His name shall be continued as long as the sun. Men shall be blessed in Him, and all nations shall call Him blessed. ALMIGHTY Father, we thank Thee for these prom- ises from the past. We thank Thee that in every age Thou dost fulfil them before our eyes, that men come nearer and nearer to Thee, and that the light of God so comes that every night men know they are Thy children as they did not know it before, that with every morning they start in a new work to bring this world closer and closer together, to bring nearer the kingdom of Thy heaven. Now, Father, to-day we are here, that life may be consecrated for us, that the memories of this last week and the last years and of the generations behind may help us; that our hopes for the future may be the hopes for the coming of God and of God's kingdom in the world, that men may know Thee as they have not known Thee before. This nation has to feed the world. Father, that the bread may be better bread, that the milk and the honey which Thou dost give us may be pure, that the fields [62] Saturday, [March 5, igo4. may yield their harvest when men, Thy children, work in Thy service to bring in that harvest, that the roads may be manned and the ships sailed by men who know they are children of the living God, and that this is Thy service they are in. And for the nations of the world, that they may bear each other's burdens, that each may feed his brother, that each may receive from his brother, that the sword may everywhere be sheathed, and men need study war no more. Hear us and answer us as Thine own children in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [63] (Monday, [March y, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Monday, March 7, 1904. So God created man in His own image. He formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. And man became a living sold. EVEN so, Almighty Father, we are made in Thy Hiceness to do Thy work. Thou hast breathed into our nostrils the breath of life, and we live to-day as Thine own children. Thou hast created this world and sent us into it to subdue it to Thy commands. Thou hast given to us of Thine own holy spirit, and to-day we ask of Thee to inspirit us for to-day's duties. As Thy children we ask Thee for strength. Give us of Thine infinite strength if we cannot trust our own. Give us of Thine own holy spirit if we have not life for to-day's duties ; give us of Thy life that we may bear each other's burdens ; and give us of Thine own light to enlighten our way. Thou hast shown to us what we can do in making this world a part of Thine own kingdom. Lift us with Thine own spirit to-day that we may carry the glad tidings of Thy love every- where, that we may lift up that which is fallen down, [64] [Monday, Uviarch j, 1904. and open the eyes of the blind and the ears that are deaf, that the world may indeed become Thy world. And for this nation, we pray that it may be that happy nation whose God is the Lord. The Lord's Prayer. [65] Tuesday, CMarch S, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, March 8, 1904. Go ye into all the world and preach these good tidings to every creature. ALMIGHTY God, God of this world and of all worlds, to Thee, the God of heaven, we come so gladly to thank Thee for this high commission, and that Thou dost reveal Thyself to us as a father to his children. Here are the glad tidings; and Thou hast sent us to go north and south and east and west to proclaim the glad tidings to all sorts and conditions of men, to shew that we have Thee on our side, that Thou art glad when we are happy, that we have Thy strength in our weakness, Thy wisdom for our direction. For to-day we would go and come as Thy messen- gers, in our own lives welcoming the Father who is with us, seeking Thy strength and asking for Thy good will. in our families, that Thy home may be our home and our homes Thy home, that this help of Thine may be in our hearts and in our lives. In our duties of to- day, Father, that in all that we do Thou shalt speak as always to Thy children, more clearly to Thy children, and that the children shall hear the glad tidings more [66] Tuesday, Ovfarch 8, igo4. and more constantly ; for the nations of the world, Father, that nation with nation each may hear its brother's burden and so fulfil the whole law of Christ. Hear us, answer us, and bless us as a father blesses his children. We ask it in Christ Jesus' name. Amen. The Lord's Prayer. [67] Wednesday, (March g, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, March 9, 1904. / declare unto you glad tidings, how God hath fid- filled the promise unto us the children. For so hath He commanded us, saying, I have sent you to be a light to the Gentiles, that thou shouldst be for salva- tion unto the ends of the earth. ALIMGHTY God, we hear Thy commission to us Thy children given to this nation as never to any nation before, that we should be the light to all mankind, that we should send out those who can speak glad tidings, that we should all live in Thy service. Father, we consecrate ourselves again to this great promise and work which Thou hast given us. We thank Thee that Thou hast sent Thy well -beloved Son to show us the way, that we can walk in it. And now, day by day, and month by month, and year by year, we ask that we can do this work better, and that those whom we serve can do it better and better, that the states of this Union shall do it better and better, that this nation shall do it better and better, till all men know that this is God's world, that Thou art, and Thou art at hand, that men may know that Thou art our [6S] Wednesday, [March g, 1904. Father and we are Thy children, and that we may live to Thy glory. Help us to-day, Father, to say Thy word, to think Thy thought, to do Thy deed, to be fellow- workmen together with God. We ask it in Christ Jesus. Amen. The Lord's Prayer. [69] Thursday, [Mcirch lo, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, March 10, 1904. Then said the chief captain. For a great sum ob- tained I this freedom. And Paul said. But I was free born. Freely ye have received freely give. FATHER, first of all we thank Thee that we are free born ; then that Thou hast told us that we are Thy children ; that we are in Thy service and go and come with Thee ; that no man can stand between us and our God. Now, here we are come to-day, that we may conse- crate to-day to Thee and to Thy service. Grant us of Thine holy spirit that we may think what God thinks, that we may say what God would have us say, that we may do as we say ; that there shall be no break nor jar between the things of the earth and the things of heaven, but that Thy holy spirit shall encourage us and lead us as this day goes by. Freely we have received. Father, freely we would give of Thine infinite bounty to all who are around us, that in this land the meanest and the best shall stand together in the schools and before the law, as they go [70] Thursday, (March lo, igo4. and come; that every man may seek God and find Him, if he seek Him with his whole heart and his whole soul, and Thou wilt bless us, Father, in this ser- vice, as Thine own children in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [71] Friday, [March 1 1, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Friday, March 11, 1904. Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes and I shall keep it iinto the end. Give me understanding and I shall keep Thy law, yea, I will observe it with all my heart. ALMIGHTY God, be pleased to teach this nation what Thy law is and what Thy statutes are. Thou hast sent this nation out on its career to give to the world the lesson of law in liberty and liberty in law. Speak, O Father, to the heart of each man and woman, boy and girl, that we may walk with God and obey Thy perfect will. Come to us so that we may know Thee as a Father, so that we, the children, may offer to Thee the service of children ; so that when we go and come it may not be for the things of earth that perish, it may not be for the dust and slime of to-day or of yesterday, but that it may be for Thine infinite purpose and by Thy perfect will. Show us how Law is the daughter of the Voice of God ; that we may consecrate life as we go and come with Thee as our Father in heaven. Father, we remember before Thee those who are sick. We remember those who are ministerins: to them. We remember all sorts and conditions of men, and ask that Thou wilt reveal Thyself to each and all of us ; and we ask it in His name. The Lord's Prayer. [72] Saturday, {March 12, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Saturday, March 12, 1904. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firma- ment showeth His handiwork. Day unto day utter eth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. ALMIGHTY God, Thou hast spread the heavens out for a lesson to us every day, and Thou art ready to come to our hearts to teach us, because Thou art father and we are children. Father, we are here to thank Thee for such infinite love of Thine. We are here to consecrate ourselves to Thy service, to ask for Thy direction now and to-day, — to give ourselves to the kingdom of God. We have sought Thee for our personal needs, we have sought Thee as we met in our families, and now this Senate asks Thee to be strength in weakness, to be light in darkness, to be wisdom in doubt, to be protector and friend. Almighty Father, we thank Thee that Thou hast revealed Thyself to us ; that we know that the God of the snowflake and the God of the storm is He who whispers to us in our hearts ; that we may come [73] Saturday, zMarch 12, igo4. to Thee as children come to a father. May we take a Saviour's hand in ours to go this very day to do Thy perfect will, glad when Thou art glad, sorry when Thou art sorry, entering into Thy work as the sons of God in their Father's business. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [74] [Monday, [March 14, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Monday, March 14, 1904. And God said unto Moses, I am that I am ; and God said, Thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you. OUR Father who art m heaven, we come to Thee, the eternal God, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. This heaven is Thy home and it is our home. Children in a father's house we may ask Thee for everything, and we do ask Thee for everything. We thank Thee for everything which Thou art pleased to give us. Here is this new week in which we are to do our duty toward Thee and by our fellow-men, to love our God with all our heart, and all our soul, and all our strength, and to love each man his neighbor as himself. And Thou hast sent to us Thy Son, well beloved, to teach us who our neighbors are, who these are for whom we can speak and work and live and move. And Thou wilt come to us to-day, to-morrow, and every time to be strength in our weakness, and to be light in our darkness. In our homes here is our Father now, the present father with his children. In this Senate Thou art with us now to be strength and law and life and hope. [75] [Monday, {March 14, igo4. In this country the Lord God Omnipotent reigns ; and as Thou hast been with our fathers Thou art willing to be with us. If we seek Thee truly we shall find Thee — if we seek Thee with all our heart and all of our soul. Now, Father, on this day, in this Thy home, make this home to be a part of Thine own kingdom, that Thy kingdom may come, that Thy will may be done here on earth to-day as it is done in heaven. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [70] Tuesday, {March 75, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, March 15, 1904. Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand therefore. ALMIGHTY God, we are with Thee and Thou art with us. We are here because in Thy providence Thou hast called us here. We know Thy will. Thou art willing to show us to-day the duty next our hands. We enter on that duty as Thy children, to live in Thy life, strong with Thy strength, and glad to help in Thy service. Thou hast made us Thy partners for the lifting up of this world, that it may be a better world. We have Thine infinite strength. We live as immortals live, with an infinite God, and we are ready to go about our Father's business. Now, Father, in this day help us, that we may do that work as Thine own children, that we may fear nothing, so we are with God, that we may say nothing that God might not hear, that we may resolve nothing but in Thy perfect law. O God, we ask this for all sorts and conditions of men, for all who are in public trust, for all who are in [77] Tuesday, [March 75, 1904. the duties of the country. Father, we ask it for all who are in doubt, that Thou wilt enlighten them ; for those who faint or are weary, that they may have Thine infinite strength ; and Thou wilt come to us to be our help and our portion. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [78] Wednesday, [March 16, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, March 16, 1904. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good. "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another, not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. EVEN so, Almighty Father, we come to Thee to- day for strength for these very things, that we may be fervent in spirit, not slothful in business, that we may serve Thee to-day and to-morrow and in these next days as Thou dost give us opportunity. Thou hast given to us this land with blessings untold. Thou hast been with the fathers and their fathers and their fathers, and now hast intrusted us with the des- tinies of to-day and of this land ; that there may be happy homes here, fathers and mothers and children seeking Thee and finding Thee ; that the hungry in the world may be fed, and that this nation may feed them ; that there may be peace among the nations, and that this nation may show the way ; that this world may be a better world to-day than it was yesterday, and a better world to-morrow than it is to-day. Here is the duty which Thou hast given to each of us ; and all of us, Father, ask Thee to help to-day that we [79] Wednesday, (March i6, igo4. may bear each other's burdens, these boys and these girls, these women and these men, all of us alike the children of God. Father, show us how we can live in Thy kingdom and live to Thy glory. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [SO] Thursday, €March ly, icjcq. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, March 17, 1904. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates into the City. ALMIGHTY Father, we are here every day remem- bering this promise and to ask Thy blessing. Aided by it, may we do our work better and enter into Thy purpose. Nor do we ask for ourselves alone, but for all sorts and conditions of men who are Thy children. Thou hast sent us all that to this world we may bring the glad tidings of Thy love. Open our eyes that we may see, and our ears that we may know what Thy comimandments are and that we may do them, that we may have a right to the Tree of Life and enter into the gates of the City. In this nation to-day how many there are watching by the beds of sickness and of death, how many who pass from life to life. For all of them we pray, as we pray for all who are lonely or cast down, who need courage for to-day's duty. It is Thy holy spirit which [SI] Thursday, (March ly, 1904. we ask for. Father, be with us, each and all, that with every day we may see Thee as we have not seen Thee, and know as we have not known, how near we are to God. We ask it in His name. The Lord's Prayer. [82] Friday, [March i8, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Friday, March 18, 1904. But whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister ; and whosoever would be first among you shall be servant of all : for verily the Son of man came not to he ministered unto, hut to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many. ALMIGHTY God, we ask for Thine holy spirit that we may fulfil Thy law ; that we may reach the promises of these prophecies ; that we may do some- thing ourselves for others ; that Thy kingdom may come and Thy will be done on earth not for ourselves only, but for all Thy people ; that the carpenter may encourage the goldsmith, and the goldsmith may en- courage him that beateth upon the anvil : that all in common faith in country and in God, may do something each for the other, each for all and all for each. That the teacher may encourage the scholar, and the scholar may encourage the teacher; that the rich may help the poor, and the poor may help the rich ; that the workman may help his master, and the mas- ter may help the workman — for all sorts and condi- tions of men, that all may know that we are one great family in Thy great household, and that we may bear [83] Friday, [March i8, 1904. each other's burdens. Thus shall this nation be a happy nation, whose God is the Lord. So may this nation lead the nations of this world, because each man is his brother's keeper. Father, we ask it in Christ Jesus. Amen. The Lord's Prayer. [84] [Monday, [MiTrch2i, 1^04. IN THE SENATE, Monday, March 21, 1904. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands toward me, if wickedness do not dwell in thy taber- nacles, then shall thou lift up thy face without spot ; yea, thou shall be steadfast and shall not fear. FATHER Almighty, this day we come to Thee, not only to pray for ourselves but for this nation, that all men and women, all boys and girls, that the aged and young, may go about their Father's business and enter into this work which Thou hast given us for mankind. Show us what it is to work with God for the coming of Thy kingdom. Thou hast set this people forward among the nations. We have to feed the hungry, we have to clothe the naked, we have to take care of the exile, to give him his home. Father, here at home we have to take care of those who are sick and those who are weak, and to open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf. But we can do it, and we will do it with Thy strength. We consecrate ourselves to Thee. See that this nation shall put oif every weight and put away every temptation, and enter into the service of the living God [85] [Monday, cMarch 21 , 1904. in faith and hope and love ; that all men and women, and boys and girls, and the old and the young, may draw nearer to Thee, great God, nearer to Thee in Christ Jesus. Amen. The Lord's Prayer. [86] I Tuesday, cMarcb 22, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, March 22, 1904. Every word of God is pure. He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Hearken thou unto the words which He speaks, lest He reprove thee and thou become a liar. ALMIGHTY Father, Thou art willing to speak to us every living day. Thy word is in our hearts and we know Thy will ; only give us strength to do that which Thou hast commanded. To-day, Father, that we may all go and come as Thy children in Thy ser- vice, to do that which Thou art willing to command us to do, that we may listen to Thy word, that we may go about our Father's business, to lift up that which has fallen down, to open the eyes that are blind and the ears that are deaf. Thou hast shown the way, the truth, and the life ! O God, that we may always walk in that way, that we may always speak in that truth, that we may always live in the life of the sons and daughters of the living God ! Hear us, answer us, bless us, as Thine own chil- dren in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [87] IVednesday, [March 2^, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, March 23, 1904. Blessed he the eyes that see the things which ye see ; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have de- sired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them. ALMIGHTY God, we cannot thank Thee enough for these signs which we see, for these words which we hear. We cannot thank Thee enough that Thou hast given such riches to Thy children and to the world. But we can ask Thee that we may use them in Thy service ; that we may consecrate every gift of to- day and yesterday, every gift of the past as well as every promise of the future, to the service of God. The best gift of all is that Thou hast taught us of Thyself ; that Thy word is written in our hearts, if we would only read it ; that Thy word speaks to us every day, if we would hear it ; that our eyes do see and our ears do hear what men have waited for in vain and have not seen or heard. Now, Father, we consecrate this day to Thee. The hopes of to-day are Thine; the duties of to-day are Thine. Everything to-day needs Thy strength for our [88] Wednesday, {March 23, igo4. weakness, Thy light for our darkness. Thou hast given to this land these matchless opportunities. O Father, be with the people of this land that they may know that they are the gifts of God, and that they can be used for the service of men. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [89] Thursday, [March 24, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, March 24, 1904. IVe know that all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. EVEN so, O God, and we thank Thee for the promise that all things shall work together for good to them who are called according to Thy promise. Now, here are we. Thou hast been pleased to call us to the duties which every man knows ; how to do his part according to Thine infinite purpose, that it may be fulfilled. Be Thou our help and our stay. We pray for ourselves, for this Senate, for the Con- gress, for the Administration, for the world, that all men may enter into Thy work and live for that for which Thou hast bidden them live ; to work in Thy work, to lift up what has fallen down, to open eyes that are blinded, to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. Grant to all men that they may have the truth which shall make them free, which shall send them forth to do this duty as the sons of God. Grant that men shall look up to Thee, and find Thee, everywhere, and Thursday, [March 24, 1904. live in Thy life. Grant such love that every man may bear his brother's burden, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Our nation, Father, our nation is set forward in this work to lead the nations and to show them what is the way of God, the truth, and the life. Give to us each and all Thy blessing. In Christ Jesus we ask it. The Lord's Prayer. [911 Friday, [March, 2^, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Friday, March 25, 1904. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens ; praise Him from the heights ; praise Him ye heaven of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is excellent. Praise Him for the glory of springtime, for the summer flowers, for the wonders of autumn, for the ice of winter. Praise Him that He has placed us in this world to subdue it to His commands. ALMIGHTY Father, we will not thank Thee for spring-time and harvest without renewing our lives as the year begins. And not for ourselves only, but for this nation we ask Thy help, that the new-born year, from spring to summer, to autumn, to winter, may see a nation drawing nearer to God, more willing to obey Thee, and searching for Thy infinite com- mands, that we may walk in Thine infinite love. Bless us who are here that with every day we may know Thee better and may advance in that knowledge. Bless the people of this nation that they may know Thee better. Bless the schools and those who teach [92] Friday, [March 2^, i go4. children, that they may teach them first and second and last that Thou art with them and that they walk with God. Bless the states in their governments that they may be knit together as brothers indeed in this great family. Show men how to bear each other's burdens. Bless the nations of the world, of whom Thou hast made this nation a leader, that their rulers may be peace and their exactors righteousness. Show them what this is that the angel sang, " Peace on earth and glory to God," that all men may live to Thy glory and subdue the world to Thee. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [93] Saturday, (March 26, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Saturday, March 26, 1904. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever : the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Moreover, by them is Thy servant warned : and in keeping of them there is great reward. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. ALMIGHTY Father, we are in truth before Thee to ask Thy blessing and Thy forgiveness for our- selves, for our homes, for this nation, for this people, that Thou wilt forgive and forget our omissions and our commissions. We have done many things which we ought not to have done and we have left undone the things which we ought to have done. For all the people of this land, O God, forgive their cruelties and make them pure before Thee. Forgive their selfishness and make them bear each other's burdens. For our- selves, that Thou wilt forget and forgive what we have said which we ought not have said, what we have done which we ought not have done. Help us. Father, to look up to Thee from the earth and the dust and smoke of the past, that we may [94] Saturday, [March 26, 1904. mount nearer to God, and nearer with each new day ; that we may live as Thine own i'^mortal children live with Thee, and in the present kingdom of Thy heaven ; leave these passions of earth behind us, leave these temptations of the flesh and the devil behind us, and look forward and upward as the immortal children of an eternal God. O Father, that all the people of this land may bear each his brother's burden, may teach the igiiorant, may enlighten those who are in darkness, may lift up those who are fallen down, yes, that this may be that happy nation whose God is the Lord. Father, we ask it in Christ Jesus, who has revealed Thee to us, and so to each other. Bless us and keep us and comfort us and strengthen us. We ask it in His name. The Lord's Prayer. [95] Tuesday, (March 29, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, March 29, 1904. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone : but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it ; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am there shall also my servants be : if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. FATHER of love. Father of life, He gives us these blessings day by day as this week passes by, be- tween the triumph of the palms and the triumph of the cross ; and we, Father, we are His disciples and His brethren. We are Thy children. We ask Thee to give us strength and light and love to inspire us by Thine own holy spirit that Thy lesson may not be in vain for us. He that loveth his life shall lose it. That we may live in Thy glory, that we may live for our brothers and sisters in the world. And we do not pray for ourselves alone. We are in prayer to Thee for all sorts and conditions of men and of women, that all may be drawn nearer to Thee, nearer [98] \ Tuesday, [March 2g, 1904. to Thee, even though it he a cross that raiseth us, that it may not be in vain that we are called by His name, that we pretend to step in His footsteps, and to be His disciples. Hear us, answer us, and bless us as Thine own chil- dren in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [99J Wednesday, (Mcircb ^o, 1 904. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, March 30, 1904. [ The gospel of the Wednesday of Passion Week is the gospel of the Mount of Olives, when the Saviour sat looking on the temple with His disciples.'] The disciples asked Him, What shall be the sign of Thy coming and of the end of the world ? and Jesus said, Take heed that no man deceive you. Many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many, but he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. He that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. ALMIGHTY Father, our Father who art with us in Thy heaven, the Saviour has given us the lesson for the week and for to-day. Help us so that we may endure to the end in whatever trial or in whatever ditfi- culty. They tell us of war, and rumors of wars, but Thou art the unchanging God, and we are Thine im- mortal children. Father, that we may go and come to-day and to- morrow and in this new year just begun with the return of this week, that we may go and come as Thine im- mortal children, this is our prayer. Be with us all to help us. Here we are, so many of Thy children, [lOOj Wednesday, (March 30, 1904. strangers and friends, and we all need a father's blessing. Come to those who are in great sorrow, that sorrow may be to them the way of life. Come to those who are in great joy, and double their joy because they share it with Thee. There are those who are in doubt. Answer their questions. There are those — all of us — who are weak. Give us Thy immortal strength. This Senate is convened for the government of this land. Help us, help all who are here together, in the administration of the law. And for the states, we pray for the administration of government for this people that they may know what is the coming of the Lord of lords and the King of kings, strong in Thy strength, glad in Thy joy. Hear us, answer us, and bless us as Thine own children in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [lot] Thursday, £March ^i , 1904. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, March 31, 1904. [The memories of Thursday of Passion Week are those of the Lord's Supper and of the Saviour's passing from His earth.] If ye love me, He said, keep my commandments. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another com- forter, even the Spirit of Truth whom the world can- not receive because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him. But ye know Him, for He dwelleth in you and shall be in you. EVEN so, Father, that Thou wilt dwell in our hearts, that Thou wilt be in us the very spirit of truth, that what we do may be inspired by the spirit of truth, that all that we are may be the light, the work, the love of Thine own children. Dwell in us that we may know Thee, God in us, and we in God. Father, for this we ask Thee, that we may keep these commandments, that we may love the Lord our God with all our heart and all our soul and all our strengi:h. And the other is like it, that we may love our neighbors as ourselves. Do not let us go out into the world to-day or to- morrow, even to save our own souls alone, but help us [102] Thursday, [March p , igo4. ourselves all together to press forward in the great com- pany of Thy children as one great family. For these who are in the Senate here, all of us who meet together to pray and to resolve, all that we love, Father, where- ever they may be, all who are in the government of this nation or of these states, for all sorts and con- ditions of men we pray, that we may all know Thee from the least to the greatest. Hear us, answer us, and bless us as Thine own children. The Lord's Prayer. [103] Friday, April i , 1904. IN THE SENATE, Friday, April 1, 1904. The calendar for Good Friday includes the words of the Saviour on the Cross : Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And then to the thief at his side, This day shall thou be with me in Paradise. Then for Himself, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me ? and to His mother, Woman, behold thy Son ; and afterwards, He said to the disciple. Behold thy mother ; and at the end, It is finished : Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit. FATHER, his prayers are ours to-day ; and we meet with the memories of to-day and offer these prayers for to-morrow, and all the days that are before us. First for our country, for her enemies, if she has any, and for ours, if we have any ; that Thou wilt forgive them, that Thou wilt bring them to Thee, and we ask Thee that all men may come together to know their God. Father, that Thou wilt be with us, strength in our weakness, light in our darkness, wisdom for our folly. Father, we pray for those who have sinned and have repented, that they may also enter into Thy kingdom and know what is the Father's love. Yes, and for our [104] Friday, April i, 1904. fathers and our mothers, and our brothers and our sisters, and our sons and our daughters, for home, we pray. We ask everything from Thee, that Thou mayest be in the midst of our homes, a father with his children. hito Thy hands we commend ourselves. If we die to-day, if we die to-morrow, whenever the end of this hfe shall come, we commend ourselves to the living God, and ask our Father's strength in whatever weak- ness. And Thou, Father, wilt help us to-day and to-morrow and in all these new days, that we may take a Saviour's hand and be led by Him in every trial or in every joy. He shall give us strength in our weakness ; He shall give us light in our darkness ; He shall give us wisdom in our folly, to know Thee, which is the only knowledge, that we may come closer and closer to our God, nearer, Lord God, to Thee, nearer to Thee, even though it were a cross which raiseth us. This shall be our prayer, that we may come nearer to Thee. The Lord's Prayer. [105] Saturday, April 2, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Saturday, April 2, 1904. Neither pray I for these alone, saith the Saviour, but for those who shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be one as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me. FATHER, His prayer is our prayer, that we all may be one, one in heart, one in soul, and one in life. This Easter season, as the year begins, calls us to ask Thee that all nations may be one, that all sects and parties and creeds and races may be one, in the unity of the spirit, which is the bond of peace. What is language, what is creed, what are words, what are mere memories, so we can all be one in heart and soul and love and faith and hope, all one in Christ Jesus, all one in Thee ! O God, help each of us to go out all apostles of Thine, apostles of His, that we may bring in this king- dom of love over the world, the kingdom of the living God, when He shall reign whose right it is to reign. That wars everywhere may cease, that men may need study arms no more, that nation shall not rise against nation nor people against people. First of all, Father, [106] Saturday, April 2, ig04. that these states of ours may be knit together in one ; every man to bear his brother's burdens, and so fultll the whole law of Christ ; that the drudge may help the workman and the workman may help the drudge ; that the workman may toil with the master, and the master with the workman, all in the spirit of love ; that the learned and the unlearned, the poor and the rich, the old and the new, the black and the red and the white may be one in Christ Jesus. This is our prayer, as it was His prayer. Hear us, answer us, bless us, as Thine own children. The Lord's Prayer. [107] {Monday, April 4, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Monday, April 4, 1904. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which I command thee this day to do, for it shall come to pass if ye do hearken to these judgments and keep them to do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the cove- nant and mercy which He swore unto the fathers. A LMIGHTY God, the privilege comes to us and the r\ promise comes to us. If we will keep Thy law, Thy statutes, Thy judgments. Thy commandments, Thou wilt bless us as Thou hast blessed our fathers ; Thou wilt make this nation the happy land of Thine own children ; Thou wilt give to us strength and light, and life and joy. Father, we know that we must keep Thy judgments, Thy commandments, Thy law. Teach this people what law is, and teach them that law in liberty and liberty in law are at the very beginning and at the very end ; that in them they must live, if they would have the favor of God. Father, come to each and all of us, to show us Thine own strength, Thine own presence. Thine own judg- ments, that the boys and girls may serve the Lord their [lOS] [Monday, April 4, 1904. God with all their heart and all their soul and all their strength in every household here represented. As they meet in the morning or as they part at night, — that they may know that in that home is the presence of God ; though they do not hear the whisper in which Thou art willing to speak in each heart and in each soul. For all men and women in this land, that as they go and come they may walk with Thee, that they may walk humbly with their God. For us here we pledge ourselves in this new week to work in Thy service, which is perfect freedom. Hear us, answer us, and bless us as Thine own chil- dren in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [109] Tuesday, April 5, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, April 5, 1904. Praise ye the Lord, praise ye the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest, kings of the earth and all peoples, princes, and all judges of the earth, both young men and maidens, old men and children, for His name alone is excellent, His glory is above the earth and the heavens. WE praise Thee, O God, for the heavens above us, for the earth on which we tread, for this air which we breathe, that Thou art with us here, to hear us though we whisper to Thee, or although we do not speak in words. We thank Thee for so many gifts, for the food that we eat and the water that we drink, for these friends that are around us, for the happiness and glory of our homes, that Thou hast been with us, that Thou wilt be with us as Thou hast been with our fathers. Now, Father, to-day, what can we do in Thy service ? How can we lift what has fallen down ? How can we feed the hungry ? How can we give water to the thirsty ? How can we help those who are alone and give companionship to them 1 Show us. Father, show each one of us, what is the duty next his hand, that we [110] Tuesday, April 5, 1904. may enter in and do that duty in Thy service and as followers of Thy well-beloved Son. Father, we pray for all sorts and conditions of men, for the nations of the world, that they may be knit to- gether as one. And in our own private duty bound as Americans for this country, that Thou wilt be with each and all of us, with this Senate and Congress, with all the servants of this people, with all governors of states and all legislatures, with the Cabinet and with the Presi- dent, that each of them as he seeks Thee may find Thee, seeking Thee with all his heart and all his soul and all his strength ; and that the world may be a brighter world and a better world because each of us has lived this day. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [Ill] Wednesday, April 6, 1 904. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, April 6, 1904. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firma- ment showeth His handiwork. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart he acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. ALMIGHTY God, Thou art willing to reveal Thy- self to us in the heavens above, in the stars in their courses, in the sun as he goes forth as a bride- groom ready to run a race ; and Thou art as ready to speak, to us in the secret chamber of our hearts, in the whisper of Thine own holy spirit, strength for our weakness, light for our darkness, wisdom for our direction. O Father, in this living day may we go and come with Thy strength and life and love, that whatever we do may be done to Thy glory. Open our ears that we may hear Thy voice speaking to us, as the birds come to us in the springtime. Open our eyes that we may see Thee in the glory of the spring as the flowers open around us, that it may not be in vain for us that a new- [112] Wednesday, April 6, 1904. born year has come. And when we ask ourselves what can we do, how can we enter into His service, O Father, even to-day, answer in the still small voice that speaks to us and give us Thy strength for to-day's duty, give us Thy life in the place of death, give us Thy courage for our endeavor. In this Senate, Father, that we may serve Thee as citizens of this land, that we may serve Thee as we go and come from one ocean to another, that we may do our part that is given us to do, and that Thy will may be done on earth as it is in heaven. Bind the nations of the world in a closer tie, that nations may do unto others as they would have others do unto them, that the sword may everywhere be sheathed, and that men need study war no more, and with our own people make us truly one out of many. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [113] Thursday, April y, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, April 7, 1904.1 Let us praise famous men and our fathers who begot us. The Lord hath wrought great glory by them through His great power from the beginning. Leaders of the people by their counsel and by their knowledge of learning meet for the people, wise and eloquent in their instructions. All these were honored in their generations and were the glory of their times. There be of them that have left a name behind them, that their praises might be reported. And some there will be who have no memorial, who are perished as they had never been. But these were merciful men, ivhose righteousness hath not been forgotten. The people will tell of their wisdom and the congregation will show forth their praise. ALMIGHTY Father, we thank Thee for everything. But this morning first of all for our fathers who begot us, for those from whom we spring, for the men who made the States of this nation, for the men who first sat in this Senate, who led this people by their wisdom, by their counsel, by their foresight, and by their love of God. 1 This was the day appointed for the recognition of the ser- vices of Hon. Marcus A. Hanna. [114] Thursday, April j, 1904. They are remembered by name or they are not remembered ; but their righteousness shall never be forgotten ; and we, the sons, will not be faithless to their memory. First of all, in this Senate, the men who made the first laws for this great nation, who listened to God and heard Him, the men who were pure and peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good works, without variance and without hypocrisy. And now. Father, for to-day and for to-morrow and the days that are to come, be with the children as Thou hast been with the fathers. Make the children live, as so many of the fathers lived, in the way of God. Show them Thy law, that we may make it our law, that we may apply the will of God unto the will of men, that Thy kingdom may come and Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. We ask it in Christ Jesus. Amen. The Lord's Prayer. [•15] Friday, April 8, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Friday, April 8, 1904. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that love Him. He is their mighty protection atid strong stay and defence from heat, and a cover from the sun at noon, a preservation from stumbling, and a help from fall- ing. He raiseth up the soul. He lighteneth the eyes, He giveth health, life, and blessing. FATHER of light, Father of love, our prayer to-day is for love. For friendship, for our friends. Consecrate to us the lessons which were taught here yesterday. Consecrate to us the lessons of friendship. Show us how we are bound each to each, brothers with brothers, how each may help each other, that each may bear his brother's burdens. Show us how we are one great family of the living God ; that Thou art with us wherever we go, wherever we are ; that these are Thy whispers which we hear in our conscience, that this is Thy love with which v/e love each other. Help us with Thine own strength. Oh, that we may not be alone, that no man may bear his sufferings alone, that no man may go forward alone to meet temptations, or sorrow, or prosperity, or adversity. Bind us together, that we may be one as Christ is [116] Friday, April 8, igo4. with Thee and as Thou with him, that we may be per- fected in one. For this, Father, we ask that we may love the Lord our God with all our heart and all our soul and all our strength. Yes, as Thou hast loved us, that we may love one another. Hear us, answer us, and bless us as children indeed in one great family of a father's love. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [1171 Saturday, April g, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Saturday, April 9, 1904. The everlasting God, the Lord, creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not neither is weary ; there is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint, and to him that has no might he giveth strength. Even the youth shall faint and he weary, and the young men shall utterly fail. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount on wings as eagles ; they shall run and not he weary ; they shall walk and not faint. ALMIGHTY God, we are before Thee, asking for strength this day, that for to-day's duty we may have Thy infinite strength, that we may have the help of Thy infinite wisdom, as we know we have Thy love, our Father with His children. There is a great deal to do, but we are not afraid, because we can come to Thee for the Almighty power. We can come to Thee for counsel when we are in doubt. We can come to Thee for companionship when we are alone. We can come to Thee for everything, and we find everything, if we seek for it with all our heart and soul and strength, [US] Saturday, April 9, 1904. So to-day, Father, be with us to show each one of us here, the youngest or the oldest, the weakest or the strongest, what is the duty next his hand to-day, that we may enter into that work and go about our Father's business. And for that duty to-day. Father, lend Thine own omnipotence, lend Thine own infinite omniscience, that Thy kingdom may come and Thy will be done. Show us where we can smooth the highway, where we can fill up the valley for the coming. If it is only to strew flowers upon the road to make the day more beautiful and more alive, show us how and where. Go with us and be with us as with Thine own children. The Lord's Prayer. [119] [Monday, April 1 1, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Monday, April tt, 1904. Let your moderation he known unto all men. The Lord is at hand, — be careful for nothing ; hut in everything by prayer and supplication with thanks- giving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, ivhich passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. ALMIGHTY Father, we thank Thee for words like these, and here is our prayer ; that we may have Thy strength for our weakness, Thy light for our dark- ness, and so our moderation shall be known among all men. Who are we to be afraid if the Lord God is on our side ? Why should we fear danger if Thou hast helped this world from year to year and from century to century ? Father, help us to look to Thee for strength and wisdom in every moment of doubt, and to rest on Thine arm when there is no human arm for strength ; to bring in peace and good understanding among all men who are around us here, and among all the nations of the world, that they may be one with Thee, as Christ with Thee and Thou with Him, and we may be united in that unity of the spirit which is the bond of peace. Father, we ask it in His name. The Lord's Prayer. [120] Wednesday, April 13, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, April 13, 1904. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the sotil ; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the fear cf the Lord is clean, enduring forever ; the judgments of the Lord are trite and righteous altogether. ALMIGHTY Gai, show us what Thy law is. Speak to us in our hearts as a father speaking to his chikiren, that we may know Thy law, that we may know Thy law is the beginning of all law, and that law is the life of nations. For this people, great God, to show them that law in liberty and liberty in law is the great gift that Thou wert pleased to give the fathers. And that gift remains for us, if we will take it from Thy hands and use it. And for this people give us Thy testimony, Father, day by day and hour by hour. Show us what is rigiit and what is wrong, what is for Thy kingdom and what is for the poor meanness of little minds, that we may know Thy testimony from the beginning to the end and walk in Thy ways. Show us, Father, that Thy judgments are sure, and that we may have that fear of Thee which comes to the perfect love of God ; that we [121] Wednesday, April 13, 1904. may join with God in all His great transactions, and find Thee with us in all these things of to-day, he they little or be they great. We are God's children at work in God's work, to go about our Father's business. Hear us, answer us, and bless us thus as Thine own chil- dren in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [122] Thursday, April 14, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, April 14, 1904. Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, Thou art very great ; Thou art clothed with honor and majesty. He laid the foundations of the world, of the earth, that it should not be moved forever. He watereth the hills from His chambers. He causetb the grass to grow for the cattle and herbs for the service of man. The glory of the Lord shall endure forever. The Lord shall rejoice in all His works. OGOD, we praise Thee for these blessings, that Thou hast given to us this land and hast blest it with Thy constant care and perfect love. We thank Thee for the gold and the silver and the iron, that we use them for Thy glory for all men's good. We thank Thee for the mountains, the hills, the lakes, and the rivers. We thank Thee that Thou hast sent the waters out into the valleys to make this world alive in the service of our God. We thank Thee for everything that Thou hast made. Thou hast made it for the good of men. Morning, noon, and night we renew our praises. And now, Father, to use everything for Thy service [123] Thursday, April 14, 1904. as Thine own children, for the coming of Thy king- dom, help us this day that we may work, with God as children do work with their father, as those do live who live and move and have their being in Thee ; that our corn and our wheat may feed the nations ; that our iron may build their ships and carry their food ; that our fruit may be for all men ; best of all, that our laws, our constitutions, the wisdom Thou hast given the fathers, may live to-day for the blessing and benefit of mankind. Show us. Father, show us where we can work, how we can work, how we can live for God. Bind us together as Thine own children, man with man, state with state, nation with nation, that we all may be one, even as He hath said that we may be one with each other and with our God. We ask it in His name. The Lord's Prayer. [124] Friday, April i ^, 1904. IN THE SENATE^ Friday, April 15, 1904. Let not your hearts be troubled : ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions, which is to say, are many homes. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself ; that where I am there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. . . . lam the Way, the Truth, and the Life. ALMIGHTY Father, we bring to Thee our personal sorrows. And we pray for those who have looked the last upon the face which they love, who cannot hear us speak, and who will not speak to her till they all meet in the glorious light of that future life. Speak to them. Father, Thou who art the comforter and the only comforter. Speak to all of us here to teach us the lesson of life at the moment of death, to show us what this eternal life is of the infini+e children of an infinite God, that we may look up to Thee in Thine own heaven and look forward to that eternity of our lives nor be satisfied with the dust and smoke of the earth. " I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life," He hath said to us. That we may walk in that way, that we [125] Friday, April 75, igo4. may listen to that truth, O Father, that we may live as He lived, to lift up that which has fallen down, to open the eyes that are blind, the ears that are deaf, to pro- claim everywhere and always the infinite gospel of our Father's perfect love. We ask it in His name. The Lord's Prayer. [126] Saturday, April i6, ig04. IN THE SENATE, Saturday, April l6, 1904. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffer- ing, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit. Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another. ALMIGHTY Father, we come to Thee for a Father's blessing, that this day we may go about Thy work and enter into Thy business, aHve in Thy spirit and strong in thy strength. We ask this for ourselves, each of us, that we may be knit to each other as brothers with brothers, to bear each other's burdens. We ask it most of all for home, that in home- life there always may be joy and peace and love, each seek- ing another's good, brothers and sisters with sisters and brothers, fathers and mothers with their children, that home may be the place of Thy holy spirit and the home of joy. We ask the same blessing for these states which we represent here, north and south, and east and west, that their governors, all the servants of the people, may be strong in Thy strength, may be ready each one to yield to those who are around him, if only the Lord God consent to the yielding, that men may live at peace with one another. [127] Saturday, April i6, igo4. And in the Senate here, Father, we ask that each man may see what his duty is and be ready to do his duty, to enter into the Father's woric, and to hve and walk in Thy holy spirit. Hear us, answer, and bless us, for we are Thine own children in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [128] [Monday, April i8, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Monday, April 18, 1904. This is the covenant that I will make, saith the Lord. I will put inv laws info their mind and write them in their heart, and I will be to them a God, and they shall he to me a people, and they shall not teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying know ye the Lord, for all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest. ALMIGHTY Father, we thank Thee for the promise and for its performance, that we do know Thee, our Father, close to us in the majesty of Thy heaven ; that we know we are Thy children and we have Thine infinite strength if we will seek it ; and that we can go about our Father's business. Hear us this new week, the week of the springtime, the week of v/ork, hard work. We know it is hard work, but we can do everything with the Lord God with us, since we have almighty power, and for that almighty power we thank Thee ; and we ask Thee that we may use it in Thy service, that Thy kingdom may come. Grant us of Thine own holy spirit that we may be inspirited indeed from Thee, that we may be of good 9 [129] zMonday, April i8, ig04. courage, and that every man may know he is going to succeed in the work that he does with God. We thank Thee for our experience of a Father's love, for we see how we may enter into the lives of our brothers as if they were our own, that we can love them as Thou hast been pleased to love us. We can retlect upon them the blessings which we receive from Thee, we can go forward, not alone, man for man, but we can go forward as united messengers and servants of the living God, to build up Thy law and to do what Thou wouldst have us do, strong in Thy strength, glad in Thy joy, and alive with Thy love. And, Father dear, we do not pray for ourselves alone, but there are so many whom we remember who need Thy help to-day in sorrow or in joy ; — in the wilder- ness or on the seas. Draw near to each of them, all of them, as only Thou canst draw near to Thy chil- dren. We ask it all in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [130] Tuesday, April ig, 1904. IN THE SENATE, Tuesday, April 19, 1904. [The Daughters of the Revolution to-day lay the corner-stone of their national hall. I shall read the close of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the cen- tral temple in Jerusalem.'] Blessed be the Lord who hath given rest unto His people, according to all that He promised, the Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers. Let Him not leave us nor forsake us, that He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers. FATHER Almighty, Thou art the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. There is no change of time or centuries to Thee. So we ask Thee boldly to come to us as Thou didst come to our fathers, and that we may know Thee as they knew Thee, Thy strength for our weakness, and Thy wisdom for our folly. Teach us as Thou wast pleased to teach them, that Thy law is the foundation of law, and that we must enter into that service of Thine, by which we shall obey Thee in our law, by which we shall make our law on the plan and pattern of Thine. [131] Tuesday, April 19, 1904. Come to us, Father, that we may love Thee as they loved Thee, that we may seek Thee in whatever trial and trouble. So we may go to Thee in whatever difficulty, we and our children and our children's chil- dren, and Thou wilt speak to us day by day in the secret chambers of our heart. If we seek Thee we shall find Thee. This Thou wert pleased to promise to them, and Thou wert pleased to promise to us, and Thou wilt keep Thy promise to children's children. Father, we do seek Thee day by day. We seek Thee in our morning prayer. Day by day we come together because we need Thy strength. And we will leave to our children this injunction, that they shall love the Lord their God with all their hearts, that they shall enter into that service which is perfect freedom, and that they shall seek Thee day by day in their endeavor. Even so be with Thy servants in this consecrated work of to-day. Be with their great society, that it shall be true to Thee for to-day and for the future. We ask it in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [132] Wednesday, April 10, igo4. IN THE SENATE, Wednesday, April 20, 1904. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon you, the spirit of wisdom and understanding. . . . Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. . . . They shall not hurt nor de- stroy in all my holy mountain : for the earth shall he full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. FOR peace among the nations is our prayer, great God. Thou hast given us the promise, and we thank Thee for the promise. Thou hast sent us the Prince of Peace to bring it in. How can we praise Thee for that infinite blessing.? We thank Thee for the prophets and the martyrs, for the men who have lived and died that this peace may come to all the world. And now that Thou wilt make us Thy servants in this great land, that thou wilt come to us and show us how we can work with God, that every man forgive his neighbor's wrongdoing, that every man may forget where he has been hurt by another, that we may for- get such trespasses as Thou art willing to forget and to forgive ; that these states may live at peace with one [13J] IVednesdqy, April 20, IQ04. another, that old animosities may be forgotten, that there may be no conflict between man and man nor race with race, that men may bear each other's burdens, may feed each other, may help each other, may love each other, may lead each other, may teach each other, and that the nations of the world may be one, that swords may be beaten into ploughshares, that men may go out with pruning-hook and sickle where they went to war. O God, Thou knowest, Thou who rulest in the hearts of men, rule all people, all teachers, and all leaders, that we all may be one as Christ Jesus with Thee and Thou with Him that we may be made perfect in one. The Lord's Prayer. [134] Thursday, April 21 , 1904. IN THE SENATE, Thursday, April 21, 1904. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Lift up the hands which fall down and the palsied knees. Follow peace with all men and holiness, with- out which no man shall see the Lord. FATHER, our prayer is for our homes, for all we love, whether they be on the sea or on the land, wherever they are scattered, that they may seek Thee as Thou hast sought them. How can we thank Thee for this infinite love of Thine which is with us always, from which we cannot he parted, and which brings us close to those who are ours wherever they may be ? Thou art pleased to give us the light of the day and the darkness of the night. The sleep is Thine and the waking is Thine. And here we are to consecrate this day for those whom we love and for ourselves to Thy service and to Thy glory. Grant to us each and all. Father, that we may love those who are around us, those who are in our homes, [135] , Ihursday, April 21 , 1904. those who write to us from afar, those of whom we are thinking now, that we may love them with this perfect love with which Thou hast loved us. As God has loved us, so ought also we to love one another. Show us how the wise can help the foolish, how the old can help the young, how the young can help the old, how the strong can help the weak. Make us all, Father, one great family of Thine. We ask it as Thine own children in Christ Jesus. The Lord's Prayer. [136] UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A A 000 315 460 6