Evening Prayer

TO BE USED IN FAMILIES.

(Authorized by the American Church, and contained in the American Book of Common Prayer.)

After the Hymn and the Lesson, let the Reader say,

The Lord be with you.

Answer. And with thy spirit.

Reader. Let us pray.

¶ After which the rest shall say with him the Lord's Prayer, as followeth.

Our Father, Which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil: For Thine is the Kingdom, The Power, and the Glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

Confession of sins.

Most merciful God, Who art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and Who hast promised forgiveness to all them who confess and forsake their sins, we come before Thee humbly acknowledging our own unworthiness, and confessing our manifold transgressions of Thy righteous laws.

(Here let him who reads make a short pause, that every one may secretly confess the sins and failings of that day.)

Prayer for Pardon. (see page 200.)

But, O gracious Father, Who desirest not the death of a sinner, look upon us, we beseech Thee, in mercy, and forgive us all our transgressions. Make us deeply sensible of the great evil of them; and work in us a hearty contrition; that we may obtain forgiveness at Thy hands, Who art ever ready to receive humble and penitent sinners: for the sake of Thy Son Jesus Christ, our only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

Prayer for grace to reform and grow better.

And lest, through our own frailty, or the temptations which encompass us, we be drawn again into sin, vouchsafe us, we beseech Thee, the direction and assistance of Thy Holy Spirit. Reform whatever is amiss in the temper and disposition of our souls; that no unclean thoughts, unlawful designs, or inordinate desires, may rest there. Purge our hearts from envy, hatred, and malice, that we may never suffer the sun to go down upon our wrath, but may always go to our rest in peace, charity, and good will, with a conscience void of offence towards Thee, and towards men: That so we may be preserved pure and blameless unto the Coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Intercession.

And accept, O Lord, our Intercession for all mankind.

Let the light of Thy Gospel shine upon all nations ; and may as many as have received it, live as becomes it.

Be gracious unto Thy Church; and grant that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may serve Thee faithfully.

Bless all in authority over us; and so rule their hearts and strengthen their hands, that they may punish wickedness and vice, and maintain Thy true religion and virtue.

Send down Thy blessing, temporal and spiritual, upon all our relations, friends, and neighbours.

Reward all who have done us good, and pardon all who have done or wish us evil, and give them repentance and better minds.

Be merciful to all who are in any trouble, [especially N. and N.:] and do Thou, the God of pity, administer to them according to their several necessities.

For His sake, Who went about doing good, Thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Thanksgiving.

To our prayers, O Lord, we join our unfeigned thanks for all Thy mercies: for our being, our reason, and all other endowments and faculties of soul and body for our health, our friends, our food

and raiment, and all the other comforts and conveniences of life.

Above all, we adore Thy mercy in sending Thy Only Son into the world, to redeem us from sin and eternal death, and in giving us the knowledge and sense of our duty towards Thee.

We bless Thee for Thy patience with us, notwithstanding our many and great provocations; for all the directions, assistances, and comforts of Thy Holy Spirit; for Thy continual care and watchful Providence over us through the whole course of our lives; and particularly for the mercies and benefits of the past day:

Beseeching Thee to continue these Thy blessings to us; and to give us grace to shew our thankfulness in a sincere obedience to His laws, through Whose merits and intercession we have received them all, Thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Prayer for God's protection through the night

following.

In particular, we beseech Thee to continue Thy gracious protection to us this night. Defend us from all dangers and mischief, and from the fear of them; that we may enjoy such refreshing sleep as may fit us for the duties of the following day. Make us ever mindful of the time when we shall lie down in the dust; and grant us grace always so to live, that we may never be afraid to die; So that, in life or death, we may evermore be Thine; Through the merits and satisfaction of Thy Son

Jesus Christ our Lord, in Whose Name we offer up these our imperfect prayers. Amen.

Blessing. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

NOTE.-Should it be more in accordance with the previous custom of the Family, the Lord's Prayer may be said at the end of this last Form of Evening Prayer, immediately before the Blessing, instead of at the beginning.