PRAYPJRS, SL'ITAIU.K FOR THE TIMES IN WHICH WE LIVE USE OF THE SOLDIERS ARMV OF THK fONFEllERATE STATES. CHAHLESTOX: EvAN'.s & Cogswell, N(i. 3 Broad Strket. 18G1. #■ V-o... »^^ ^—T • -^ PRAYERS SUITABLE FOR THE TIMES IN tflllCn WE Lfi^E. A PnAYEll FOR THE TIMES. Compiled from an old writer, with alterations and additions suitable to the present condition of the Confederate States of America. Gracious Father, the life of man is I a warfare upon earth, and the dangers which assault us are diversly pointed . against us. We humbly beseech I Thee be present with us in all the course and passages of our lives, but especially in the hostilities in which we are involved. Suffer no malice, or treachery, or stratagem, to hurt us; no cunnino- to circumvent us; no .^- surprises to com^e upen us unawares ; il-u f j no falsehood to betray us. That I which we cannot foresee, we beseech I Thee to prevent; that which we can- I not withstand, we beseech Thee to I master; that which we do not fear, we beseech Thee to unmask and frustrate — that being delivered from all dan- gers of spirit, soul and body, we may praise Thee, our Deliverer, and expe- rience how secure and happy a thing | it is to make the Lord of Hosts our | Protector and Helper in the day of ; fear and trouble, of peril and distress. 0, our God, though mighty and numerous States gather together on heaps, yet let them be driven away from our borders as the smoke before the wind; and though they take coun- sel together, bring it to nought. For though they pronounce a decree, yet it shall not stand, if Thou, Grod, -^ ^. be Avith us. Be with us, therefore, God, for Jesus Christ's sake. Al- i mighty and merciful Father, at this 1 time we need Thy more especial assis- I tance both by land and by sea, and j for the mercy of Christ deny us nei- • ther. Defeat, we implore Thee, the de- signs and confound the machinations ' of our enemies; abate their pride and 1 assuage their fury ; soften their hearts and change their unnatural hatred ; into Christian love, and forgive them i all their sins against Thee and i aa"ainst us. Grant that their ships may tind no way m our seas, nor any j path in our floods; may their spies j be speedily detected and eifectually i I banished from our midst ; preserve : us from war and tumult; from battle, I murder and sudden death; guard us ; from sedition, conspiracy and rebel- j ^ A ^ ^ lion; protect our soldiers from cap- tures and imprisonment, and extend deliverance to those already in the cus- tody of the enemy; defend our soil from invasion and our ports from blockade — that we may glorify Thee for these deliverances, and thus being sheltered by Thy grace and favor from every spir- itual and temporal evil, and from all personal and national calamities, we may ever obey and serve Thee in purity of heart and holiness of life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all praise, worship and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 8= =^ %> ^ A PRAYEK FOR OUE ENE.AIIES. From tlio same writor. O God, we beseech Thee, forgive and pardon our enemies, and give us that measure of Thy grace, that for their hatred we may love them; for their cursing we may bless them ; for their injury we may do them good; and for their perseciUion we may pray for them. They have laid a net for our steps, and they have digged a pit before us; Lord, Ave desire not that they themselves should fall into the midst of these, but we beseech Thee keep us out of them, and deliver, ! establish, bless and. prosper us for ; Thy mercy's sake in Jesus Christ our 1 Saviour, to whom Avith Thee and the | JJoly Spirit, we desire to consecrate ! ^ '- c^ ^- ourselves and our country, now and forever, imploring Thee to be our God, and to make us Thy people. Amen. WASHINGTON'S PEAYER. From McG-uire's Religious (Opinions and Char- acter of Washington. Almighty Father, if it is Thy holy will that we should obtain a place and name ampng the nations of the earth, grant that we may be enabled to show our gratitude for Thy good- ness, by our endeavors to fear and obey Thee. Bless us with wisdom in our councils, success in battle, and let all our victories be tempered with humanity. Endow, also, our enemies with enlightened minds, that they may become sensible of their injus- tice, and willing to restore our liberty -c^ ^. : ^ 9 and peace. Grant the petition of Thy servant, for the sake of Him whom Thou hast called Thy beloved Son; nevertheless, not our will but Thine be done. Amen. A PEAYER FOR OUR ARMIES. By Bishop Green, of Mississippi. Almighty God, whose Providence ' watcheth over all thinos, and in I vvhose hands is the disposal of all j events, we look up to Thee for Thy ! protection and blessing amidst the , apparent and great dangers with which we are encompassed. Thou hast, in Thy w^isdom, permitted the ; many evils of an unnatural and de- I structive war to come upon us. Save j us, we beseech Thee, from the hands I of our enemies. Watch over our 8- * 10 fathers, and brothers, and sons, who, \ trusting in Thy defence and in the j righteousness of our cause, have gone \ forth to the service of their country. ' May their lives be precious in Thy i sight. Preserve them from all the ! dangers to which they may be ex- ! posed. Enable them successfully to perform their duty to Thee and to \ their country, and do Thou, in Thine ; infinite wisdom and power, so over- ' rule events, and so dispose the heart* of all engaged in this painful strug- gle, that it may soon end in peace and brotherly love, and lead not only to the safety, honor and welfare of our Confederate States, but to the good of Thy people, and the glory of Thy great name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. I -* ' 11 ^ A PEAYER FOR A SICK PERSON. 0, Fatlier of mercies and God of all comfort, our only hope in time of need, we fly unto Thee for succor in behalf of this Thy servant here lying under Thy hand in weakness of body; look graciously upon him, Lord, and the more the outward man de- j cayeth, strengthen him, we beseech i Thee, so much the more continually ! with Thy grace and Holy Spirit in j the inner man. Give him unfeigned repentance for all the sins of his past j life, and steadfast faith in Thy Son ■ Jesus Christ, that his sins may be • 13ut away by Thy mercy, and his par- | don sealed in heaven. Visit him, '• Lord, with Thy salvation, deliver.him | in Thy good appointed time from his I bodily pain, and save his soul for Thy | ^ 4 12 mercies' sake; that if it shall be Thy pleasure to prolong his days here on earth, he may live to Thee, and be an instrument of Thy glory, by serving Thee faithfully, and doing good in his generation, or else receive him into those heavenly habitations, where the souls of those who sleep in the Lord Jesus enjoy perpetual rest and felicity, Grant this, Lord, for Thy mercies' sake in Jesus Christ our Saviour. God, whose days are without end, and whose mercies cannot be numbered, make us, we beseech Thee, deeply sensible of the shortness and uncertainty of human life, and let Thy Holy Spirit lead us through this vale^of misery in holiness and right- eousness all the days of our lives: that when we shall have served Thee 3= ^ 13 I I in our generation, we may be gathered unto our fathers, having the testimo- ny of a good conscience; in the com- munion of Thy holy church; in the confidence of a certain faith; in the comfort of a reasonable religious and holy hope; in favor with Thee our God and in perfect charity with the world: all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. PEAYER TO BE USED BY A SICK OE WOUXDED PERSON. 0, Almighty God, Father of men and angels, in whose hands are the . keys of life and death, to wjiom it I belongs justly to punish sinners, and j to be merciful to those who truly re- 1 pent, look down in great mercy on me, Thy unworthy servant, now suf- 9^ ___ _____ _ ^ fering sickness and pain, which Thou in Thy wise Providence hast sent up- on me. Thou hast commanded us to call upon Thee in our trouble, and hast promised to deliver us. Give me grace to rely with unshaken confi- dence on Thy glorious promises. 0, leave me. not, nor forsake me, for there is none that can help or deliver, but only Thou, God. In Thee, Lord, do I -put my trust, let me never be confounded. Give me patience and resignation, a perfect abandon- ment of my own will and a conform- ity to thine, that I may be prepared to endure evil at Thy hand Avith for- titude, or to receive good with thank- fulness. But yet, Lord my God, give Thy servant leave to pray unto Thee, that Thou wilt not cut me off ^ ^ ^ 15 in the midst of my days, nor forsake me when my strength faileth. Spare me, God, that I may live to serve Thee, to redeem my time misspent in folly, to gain victory over my temp- tations, and perfect dominion over my passions. spare me a little, that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen ; so shall Thy servant rejoice in Thy mercies, and speak of Thy loving-kindness in the church of the redeemed. Give me true repentance for all my sins. I Enable me steadfastly to believe in ; Jesus Christ the Lamb of God, which I taketh away the sins of the world. I Let me be washed, let me be santi- 1 tied, let me be justified in the name I of the Lord Jesus, and by Thy Spirit, I Lord God. Make me meet, by I the renewing of the Holy Ghost, for 8= ^ 16 the inheritance of Thy saints, that if it shall be Thy pleasure to take away my life by this visitation, I may rest in Jesus, or if Thou shalt be pleased in Thy mercy, to raise me up from this bed of languishing, I may always remember Thy goodness, and carry I with me, through all my days, the ! impressions which Thy grace has now j made upon me, and, by Thy help, ! joyfully serve Thee to Thine honor and the salvation of my own soul, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name alone I present my prayer to Thee. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and je shall find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. — Matt, xi: 28, 29, 30. S= 4 ! 17 For Gud so loved tli<' world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not pcrisli, hut have everlasting life. — John iii: K). This is a true saj-ing, and worthy of all accei)tation, that Christ Jesus came into the w^orld to save sinners : of whom I am chief. — '1 Tim. i: 15. If any man sin. we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins. — 1 John ii: 1, 2. Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bid'st me come to thee, O Lamb of God! I come. Just as I am, and waiting not. To rid my soul of one dark blot. To thee whose blood can cleanse each spot. O Lamb of God! I come. Just as I am, though tossed about. With many a conflict, many a doubt, Fighting within and fears without, O Lamb of God I I come. y^- ^- -^ 18 Just as I am — poor, wretched, blind. Sight, riches, healing of the mind — Yea, all I want in thee to find: O Lamb of God ! I come. Just as I am, thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve: Because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of G-od! 1 come. Just as I am — thy love unknown. Has broken every barrier down : Now to be thine, yea thine alone, ' O Lamb of God ! I come. My God, my Fatlier, while I stray Far from my home on life's rough way, Oh ! teach me from my heart to say, '* Thy will be done." If thoushould'st call me to resign What most I prize — it ne'er was mine, 1 only yield thee what was thine! ^ "Thy will be done." E'en if again I ne'er should see The friend more dear than life to me, Ere long we both shall be with thee — "Thy will be done." <§=- ^^ I ^^ Should pining sickness waste away My life in ])romatnro decay, My Father, still I strive to say, "Thy will be done." If but mj'^fainting heart oe blest, '\Vith thy sweet Spirit for its guest, !My God, to thee I leave the rest — "Thy will be done." Eenew my will from day to day, Blend it with thine and take away All that now makes it hard to say "Thy will be done." Then when on earth I breathe no more, The prayer oft mixed with tears before, 111 sing upon a happier shore, "Thy will be done." Sun of my soul I Thou Saviour dear, It is not night if thou be near : O may no earth-born cloud arise To hide thee from thy servant's eyes. When the soft dews of kindly sleep My wearied eyelids gently steep, Be my last thought, how sweet to rest Forever on my Saviour's breast. -^ ^- <€ 20 Abide with me from morn till eve, ;&or without thee I cannot live: Abide with me when night is nigh, For without thee I dare not die. "Watch by the sick ; enrich the poor "With blessings from thy boundless store: Be every mourner's sleep to-night, Like infant's slumbers, pure and light. Come near and bless us when we wake, Ere through the world our way we take Till in the ocean of thy love, "We lose ourslves, in heaven above.