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that the Holy Ghost hath come upon you.

Officers elect. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Leader. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

Congregation. And blessed be his glorious name forever, and let the whole earth be filled with his glory.

Leader. Brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Congregation. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Officers elect. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit; then will I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Leader. Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Congregation. Commit thy way unto the Lord. Trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.

Officers elect. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

(After an appropriate song, the pastor, or some one whom he may designate, shall address the newly elected officers as follows :)

To the President: You have been chosen to the chief office of our Chapter. This is indeed a high honor. The position is also one of grave responsibility. You are to be a pattern to the young people of our Church. To you we shall look for counsel, inspiration, and leadership. See to it that you conduct the affairs of the League in such a modest, fraternal, and unselfish spirit, that harmony may prevail, and all departments of our work be advanced. Be assured of our confidence, sympathy, and willing co-operation. We will earnestly pray that wisdom and grace may be given you by our Lord, and that your suggestions and plans may be blessed to our personal good and the honor of the Master whom we serve. I place in your hand the gavel, an emblem of authority and good order. May you govern with uniform promptness, courtesy, and love!

Officers elect. Then said I, Here am I, send me.

Leader. Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and the maimed and the halt and the blind, that my house may be filled. Officers elect. I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is called day. The night cometh when no man work.

can

Leader. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Congregation. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

Leader. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord.

Officers elect. Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. Congregation. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

is the very core of our organization. It should always be an attractive service. From beginning to close the exercises should be characterized by promptness, earnestness, and Christian joy. I charge you, allow no inattention or lack of zeal upon your part to cripple, in any measure, the spiritual activities of our Chapter. The greatest work in which any human being can engage is that of leading souls to the Savior. Time is short. Opportunities are passing by. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, therefore, do it with thy might. I hand you a copy of the Holy Scriptures, a fitting emblem of your office. Study the Word, assimilate its truths, walk in its light, follow its sublime teachings, and you will indeed become a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.

To the Second Vice-President: I present to you this miniature cross. It suggests the idea of self-sacrifice. Like your Master, you will be expected to go about doing good, ministering to those who are in poverty, sickness, and distress. There are many homes where the shadows lengthen. There are many hearts lonely, discouraged, and sad. In darkened chamber and hospital ward there are hundreds who suffer, and they are hungry for a word of sympathy and good cheer. These homes you may brighten; these hearts you may comfort; the languid eyes of the sufferer may be caused to sparkle with new luster. The curse of intemperance

and of social impurity still menaces the land, blighting character, robbing manhood of its strength and womanhood of its domestic joys, and entailing an unending stream of misery which can not be told in words. These monstrous iniquities you may help to put down. The Mercy and Help workers of our League have a Christly mission to perform, and, as their recognized leader, we pray that you may possess broad sympathies, unflagging zeal, and undaunted faith in God.

To the Third Vice-President: Next to the society in which we mingle, the books and periodicals which we read mold our opinions, fix our principles, and make us what we are. The land is full of evil literature. Some of it is morally contaminating. Some of it is frivolous, and furnishes no proper food for the mind. The Epworth League seeks to create a taste for that which is pure and uplifting in literature by supplying the young people with books and papers of the highest grade. A systematic course of Bible study has been provided, upon which you will do well to place emphasis. An effort is being made to give to young persons who have not enjoyed the benefits of a liberal education, a glimpse at the field of general literature, and to inspire all to inform themselves concerning the history, doctrines, polity, and present activities of our own Church. I place in your hand, as an emblem of your office, a copy of our official paper, The Epworth Herald, and a volume from the reading course of the current year. May the intellectual life of our young people be greatly stimulated during your term of service!

To the Fourth Vice-President: You are to be intrusted with duties which are at once most delicate and responsible. Young people demand companionship and a measure of recreation. It is well for us to recognize this fact, and see to it that it does not become necessary for them to go to the world to have this demand supplied. The rules of our Church (and the pledge of our League) properly forbid our participation in dancing, card-playing, theater-going, and other injurious amusements. And because of these prohibitions we are under special obligations to create a delightful social atmosphere within the Church, so that our young people may enjoy social life under Christian auspices. To your department has been intrusted

VESPER

Leader. Behold, now, the day draweth toward evening.

Response. Behold the day groweth to an end.

L. The day goeth away.

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the duty of seeking new members, and of extending a cordial welcome to all who attend the meetings of the League, Sunday-school, and Church. I extend to you my hand of fellowship, an act which most fittingly symbolizes the work of your office. May you receive the hearty cooperation of your colleagues in this department, and of the Chapter generally, as you strive to lift the social life of the Church and community to a higher plane!

To the Secretary: Upon the correctness, courtesy, and faithfulness of a Secretary much of the success of a Chapter depends. Your election (or re-election) is evidence that in the judgment of your fellow-leaguers you possess these admirable qualities. The keeping of neat and accurate records is of no trifling importance. But this will be only a small part of your work. You will be expected to aid the President and department leaders, prepare notices for the pulpit and the press, issue certificates of removal, and correspond with absent members. I transfer to you the records of our Chapter. Let us hope that they may ever contain the history of zealous and faithful Epworth service.

To the Treasurer: Every well-organized society has a treasury, and a responsible guardian of its funds. While the League was not organized to collect and disburse money, it nevertheless finds it necessary to pay its current expenses, and it counts it a privilege to aid the local Church in any financial enterprises which duty of instructing us in systematic beit may have on hand. To you belongs the neficence -a duty which is now too often neglected. I transfer to your hands this purse, which contains the present funds of our chapter, together with a statement of its assets and liabilities.

Dear friends, you have heard in outline a statement of the work upon which you are now to enter. Do you assume the obligations involved?

Answer. I do.

Will you discharge the duties committed to your care as you have opportunity, and to the best of your ability? A. I will endeavor so to do, God being my helper.

PRAYER OF CONSECRATION BY THE
PASTOR.
INAUGURAL BY THE NEW PRESIDENT.

SERVICE.

Sing: No. 145.

Leader. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice.

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Response. Evening, and morning, and noon will I pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice.

PRAYER.

Leader. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised.

Response. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion and unto thee shall the vow be performed.

L. Sing praises to God, sing praises; for God is the king of all the earth. Sing iye praises with understanding.

R. To him that made great lights: the sun to rule by day; the moon and stars to rule by night.

L. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High.

R. O God, thou God of my salvation, my tongue shall sing aloud of thy right

eousness.

L. To show forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.

R. And to stand every morning to thank and to praise the Lord, and likewise at even.

L. Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Sing: No. 13.

Leader. O taste and see that the Lord is good.

Response. Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

L. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night.

R. Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

L. Nor for the arrow that flieth by day. R. He is a shield for them that put their trust in him.

Leader. Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

Response. So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

L. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

R. A building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

L. There shall be no night there. R. And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.

L. And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.

R. Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the

right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Catholic Church (or general Church of God); the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.