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RESPOISSIVE READINGS.
Arranced by Rev. J. F. CAR SOX, D.D., Pastor of
Central Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn, X. "V.
FIRST SELECTION.
A CALL TO PRAISE — Psalm 148: 1-14.
Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from
the lieavens: praise him in the lieiglits.
Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him,
all his hosts.
Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all
ye stars of light.
Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye
waters that be aDove the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord; for he
commanded, and they were created.
He hath also established them for ever and
ever: he hath made a decreee w/hich shall not
pass.
Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons
and all deeps:
Fire and hail; snow and vapour; stormy
wind fulfilling his word:
Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and
all cedars:
Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and
flying fowl:
Kings of the earth, and all people; princes,
and all judges of the earth:
Both young men, and maidens; old men, and
cnildren:
Let thme praise the name of the Lord; for
his name alone is excellent; his glory is above
the earth and heaven.
He also exalteth the horn of his people, the
praise of all his saints;
Even of the children of Israel, a people near
unto him. Praise ye the Lord.
SECOND SELECTION.
GOD THE SOURCE OF HELP— Psalm 121:
1-8
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from
whence cometh'my help.
My help cometh from the Lord, which made
heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he
that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither
slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade
upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the
moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he
shall preserv'e thy soul.
The Lord shall preserve thy going out and
thy coming In, from this time forth, and even
tor everr.-Nore.
THIRD SELECTION.
THE BLESSINGS OF GOD— Psalm 103: 1-22
Bless" the Lord, O my soul: and all that Is
within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all
his benefits:
"V\Tio forgiveth all thine iniquities; who heal-
eth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who
crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender
mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Lord executeth righteousness, and judg-
ment for all that are oppressed.
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts
unto the children of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to
anger and plenteous in mercy.
neither will he
He will not always chide:
keep his anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor
rewarded us acording to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so
great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the cast is from the west, so far
hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the
Lord pitieth them that fear him.
For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth
that we are dust.
As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower
of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it Is gone;
and the place thereof shall know it no more.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlast-
ing to everlasting upon them that fear him, and
his righteousness unto children's children;
To such as keep his covenant, and to those
that remembereth his commandments to do
them.
The Lord hath prepared his throne in the
heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in
strength, that do his commandments, hearken-
ing unto the voice of his word.
Bless ye the Lord, all j'e his hosts; ye minis-
ters of his, that do his pleasure.
Bless the Lord, all his works In all places of
his dominion; bless the Lord, O my aoul.
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FOURTH SELECTION.
THE GOODNESS OF GOD— Psalm 107: 1-15.
Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good;
for his mercy endureth for ever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom
he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
And gathered them out of the lands, from
the east, and from the west, from the north
and from the south.
They wandered in the wilderness, in a soli-
tary way; they found no city to dwell in.
Hungary and thirsty, their soul fainted in
them.
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trou-
ble, and he delivered them out of their dis-
tresses.
And he led them forth by the right way, that
they might go to a city of habitation.
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his
goodness, and for his wonderful words to the
children of men!
For he satlsfieth the lonsing soul, and filleth
the hungry soul with goodness.
Such as sit in darkness and the shadow of
death, being bound in affliction and iron.
Because they rebelled against the words of
God, and contemned the counsel of the Most
High:
Therefore he brought down their heart with
labour; they fell down, and there was none to
help.
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trou-
ble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darl<ness, and the
shadow of death, and brake ^heir bands in
sunder.
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his
goodness, and for his wonderful works to the
children of men!
FIFTH SELECTION.
THE VICARIOUS SUFFERER — Isaiah 53: 1-12
Who hath believed our report? and to whom
Is the arm of the Lord revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender
plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he
hath no form nor comeliness; and when we
shall see him, there is no beauty that we should
desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of
sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid
as it were our faces from him; he was despised,
and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried
our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastise-
ment of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the Lord
hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Ho was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet
he opened not his mouth: he Is brought as a
lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before
her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his
mouth.
He was taken from prison and from Judg-
ment: and who shall declare his generation? for
he was cut off out of the land of the living: for
tho tranagreaslon of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and
with the rich in his death; because he had done
no violence, neither was any deceit in liis
mouth.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he halli
put him to grief: when thou shalt make his
soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of
the Lord shall prosper In his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and
shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my
righteous servant justify many; for he shall
bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the
great, and he shall divide the spoil with the
strong; because he hath poured out his soul
unto death: and he was numbered with the
transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and
made intercession for the transgressors.
SIXTH SELECTION.
THE MISSION OF THE SPIRIT— John 14:15-
21; 16:7-15; 15:26-27.
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give
you another Comforter, that he may abide with
you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world
cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither
knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwell-
eth with you, and shall be in you.
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come
to you.
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no
more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall
live also.
At that day ye shall know that I am in my
Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
He that hath my commandments and keepeth
them, he it is that loveth me: and he that lov-
eth me shall be loved of my Fatlier, and I will
love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is exped-
ient for you that I go away: for if I go not
away, the Comforter will not come unto you;
but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And when he is come, he will reprove the
world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judg-
ment:
Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father,
and ye see me no more;
Of judgment, because the prince of this world
is judged.
I have yet many things to eay unto you, but
ye cannot hear them now.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come,
he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not
speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear,
that shall he speak: and he will show you things
to come.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of
mine, and shall show it unto j^ou.
All things that the Father hath are mine:
thetrefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and
shall show it unto you.
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will
send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit
of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he
shall testify of me:
And ye also shall bear witness, because ye
have been with me from the beginning.
ai<<L
SEVENTH SELECTION.
THE LOWLY CHRIST EXALTED — Philipplans
2: 5-11.
■Let this mind be in you, which was also In
Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought It not
robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took
upon him the form of a servant, an was
made in tlie lilceness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he hum-
Wed himself, and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,
and given him a name which is above every
name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth;
And every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
EIGHTH SELECTION.
THE SHEPHERD PSALM— Psalm 23.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restore th my soul: he leadeth me in the
patlas of righteousness, for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art
with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the pres-
ence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head
with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my life: and I will dwell in the houfj
of the Lord for ever.
NINTH SELECTION.
THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT— Gal. 5: 16-26.
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye
shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and
the Spirit against the flesh; and these are con-
trary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do
the things that ye would.
But if ye be led of the spirit, ye are not under
the law.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest,
which are these, Adultery, fornication unclean-
ness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emula-
tions, wrath, strife, seditions,, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings,
and such like: of which I tell you before, as
I have also told you in time past, that they
which do such things shall not inherit the king-
dom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there Is
no law.
And they that are Christ's have crucified the
flesh with the affections and lusts.
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.
TENTH SELECTION.
THE CHRISTIAN !_IFE— REGENERATION—
John 3: 1-8; 1: 12-13.
There was a man of the Pharisees, named
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
The same came to Jesus by night, and said
unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a
teacher come from God: for no man can do these
miracles that thou doest, except God be with
him.
Jesus answered and said unto him. Verily,
verily, I say unto thee. Except a man be born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man
be born when he is old? can he enter the second
time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Jesus answered. Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh Is flesh; and
that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Mai-\^el not that I said unto thee, Ye must be
born again.
The wind bloweth where It listeth, and thou
hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell
whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is
every one that is born of the Spirit.
But as many as received him, to them gave he
power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will
of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
a»5
ELEVENTH SELECTION.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE— UNION WITH
CHRIST— John 15: 1-15
I am the true vine, and my Father is the hus-
bandman.
Every branch In me that beareth not fruit he
taketh away: and every branch that beareth
fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more
fruit.
Now ye are clean through the word which I
have spoken unto you.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch can-
not bear fruit of itself, except It abide in the
vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that
abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth
forth mucli fruit; for without me ye can do noth-
ing.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a
branch, and is withered; and men gather them,
and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done
unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear
much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
As the father hath loved me, so have I loved
you: continue ye in my love.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide
in my love; even as I have kept my Father's
commandments, and abide in his love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my
joy might remain in you and that your joy might
be full.
This Is my commandment, That ye love one
another, as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this .that a
man lay down his life for liis friends.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I com-
mand you.
Henceforth I call you not servants, for the
servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I
have called you friends; for all things that I
have heard of my Father I have ma(?e known
unto you.
TWELFTH SELECTION.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE— CONSECRATION—
Romans 12: 1-8
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mer-
cies of God, tliat ye present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is
your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by tlie renewing of your mind, that
ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,
and perfect will of God.
For I say, tlirough the grace given unto me,
to every man that is among you, not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think; but
to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to
every man the measure of faith.
For as we have many members In one body,
and all members have not the same office:
So we, being many, are one body in Christ
and every one members one of another.
Having then gifts differing according to the
grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let
us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering,
or he that teacheth, on teaching.
Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation; he that
giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that
ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy,
with cheerfulness.
Yea, the sparrow hath found a heart, and the
swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay
her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they
will be still praising thee.
Blessed is the man whose strength Is In thee;
in whose heart are the ways of them.
Who passing through the valley of Baca make
It a well: the rain also filleth the pools.
They go from strength to strength, every one
of them in Zion appeareth before God.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my Prayer: Give
ear, O God of Jacob.
Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the
face of thine anointed
For a day in thy courts is better than a thou-
sand. I had rather be a doorkeeper In the house
of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wicked-
ness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord
will give grace and glory: no good thing will he
withhold from them that walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trust*
eth in thee.
THIRTEENTH SELECTION.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE— EQU IPM ENT— Eph-
esians 6: 11-17.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may
be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places.
"Wherefore 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, having your loins girt about
with truth, and having on the breastplate of
righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the
gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, where-
with ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts
of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
FOURTEENTH SELECTION.
THE CHURCH— Psalm 84: 1-12.
How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of
hosts'
My sou? longeth, yea, even falnteth for the
courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth
out for the living Qpd.
FIFTEENTH SELECTION.
ATTENDANCE ON CHURCH— Psalm 122:
1-9.
I was glad when they said unto me, Let ua go
into the house of the Lord.
Our feet shall stand within thy gates. O
Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city that
Is compact together:
Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of Iho
Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give
thanks unto the name of the Lord.
For there are set thrones of Judgment, the
thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall
prosper that love thee.
Peace be within thy walls, .and prosperity
within they palaces.
For my brethren and companions' Bakes, I will
now say, Peace be within thee.
Because of the house of the Lord our God, I
will seek thy good.
SIXTEENTH SELECTION.
THE CRY OF THE PEN ITENT— Psalm 51: 1-14.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy
loving kindness: according unto the multitude of
thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from mine Iniquity, and
cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my
sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and
done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest
be Justified when thou speakest, and be clear
when thou Judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and In sin
did my mother conceive me.
Behold thou deslrest tru'.'' In the Inward parts:
and in the hidden part th^u shalt make me to
know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me. and I shall be whiter than snow.
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Make me to hear Joy and gladness; that the
Dones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all
mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew
a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take
not thy Holy Spirit from me.
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.
Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, thou
God of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing
aloud of thy righteousness.
SEVENTEENTH SELECTION.
THE RETURNING PEN ITENT— Luke 15: 11-24.
And he said, A certain man had two sons:
And the younger of them said to his father.
Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth
to me. And he divided unto them his living.
And not many days after the younger son
gathered all together, and took his journey into
a far country, and there wasted his substance
with riotous living.
And when he had spent all, there arose a
mighty famine In that land; and he began to be
in want.
And he went and joined himself to a citizen
of that country; and he sent him into his fields
to feed swine.
And he would fain have filled his belly with
the husks that the swine did eat; and no man
gave unto him.
And when he came to himself, he said, How
many hired servants of my father's have bread
enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say
unto him. Father, I have sinned against heaven,
and before tnee, . .
■ And am no more worthy to be called thy son:
make me as one of thy hired servants
And he arose, and came to his father. But
when he was yet a great way off, his father
saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell
on his neck, and kissed him.
And the son said unto him. Father, 1 have
sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am
no more worthy to be called thy son.
But the father said to his servants, Bring
forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put
a rina on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill It;
and let us eat, and be merrj':
For this my son was dead, and is alive again;
he was lost, and Is found. And they began to be
merry.
EIGHTEENTH SELECTION.
THE INVITATION— Isaiah 55: 1-13.
Ho, every one that thlrsteth, come ye to the
waters, .:..nd he that hath no money; come ye,
buy, and eat;
Yes, come, buy wine and milk, without money
and without price.
"Wherefore do ye spend money for that which
is not bread? and your labour for that which
satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and
eat ye that which is good, and let your soul de-
light itself in fatness.
Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and
your soul shall live: I will make an everlasting
convenant with you, even the sure mercies of
David.
Behold, I have given him for a witness to the
people, a leader and commander to the people.
Behold, thou shalt call a naton that thou know-
est not, and nations that knew not thee shall run
unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for
the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call
ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the un-
righteous man his thoughts: and let him re-
turn unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon
him; and to our God, for .he will abundantly par-
don.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neith-
er are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts than your thougnts.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow
from heaven, and returneth not thither, but
watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth
and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and
bread to the eater:
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of
my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but
It shall accomplish that vhich 1 please, and it
shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth
with peace: the mountains and the hills shall
break forth before you into singing, and all the
trees of the fields shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree,
and instead of the briar shall come up the
myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a
name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be
cut off.
NINETEENTH SELECTION.