Father, as the brightness of a new day has come to us, we wait before You to get Your blessing. We desire to make this a new beginning of life. We would forget the things that are past. We would forget . . .
our past mistakes and sins,
our past sorrows, and
our past battles and struggles.
We begin this new day, asking for grace to live a new life that shall honor You, and bless the world.
As we go forth to our day's tasks, we ask for Your special presence with us. We plead Your promises. You have said, "As your days — so shall your strength be!" You have said, "Lo I am with you always — even unto the end of the world!" We wait for the fulfillment of these promises. We need Your guidance and help at every step. We are weak — but You can make us strong to endure. May You empower us with Your Spirit, that we may carry something of the love of Jesus to those whom we shall meet. We desire to live in the world, as those who belong to Heaven, carrying Heaven's love in our hearts, and Heaven's brightness in our faces.
Conscious of our weakness, we cast our lives with all their burdens of infirmity, upon You — and ask You to keep us. May You watch over each one of us and bring us all together again in the evening, if it be Your will. But if our circle should be broken, if any of us should be taken away from earth — receive us into the Father's house, to go no more out forever!
We pray for those with whom life will go hard today — for the poor, the sick, the tempted, those in sorrow's darkness. Manifest Yourself to them in tender love.
Hear us in these our morning prayers. Keep us from all evil. Help us to faithfully do every duty. We ask all this in Jesus' precious name. Amen.
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MONDAY EVENING
Now at the closing of the day, our Father, we come back again to You. You have heard our prayers. You have kept us from accident and harm. You have blessed us in many ways. We thank you for the blessings we have had, for the health and comfort of the day. We now bring all that we have done, to Your feet. Whatever of it has pleased You — accept and bless. The things we have done that did not please You — we beg You to forgive, cleansing our hearts from sin. The efforts we have made to help or comfort others — please accept and use. We have tried to be cheerful in difficulties and under discouragements. We thank You for the strength You have given us, helping us to endure. If we have cast shadows upon any other life today, by fretting and discontent — we beg Your forgiveness. We have tried to speak kind words to those we have met — and we ask You to use these words to give cheer and courage.
Now at the ending of the day, as the darkness has come over us — we beg You to shelter us. You are our keeper. You neither slumber nor sleep. We shall be safe through the night — because You will be watching over us.
We would not forget our friends. Some of them are far from us — but all are near to You. Some of our friends may be in trouble. Some of them may be in great need. Some of them may be drawing near to death. You know all their dangers and needs; may You give to each of them the blessing that will do them the greatest good. Remember the homeless and the lonely tonight.
Receive us now into Your care, keep us through the darkness, and bring us again to the morning light, if it be Your will. If not, bring us to Heaven's morning, which is far better. We ask in Jesus' precious name. Amen.
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J.R. Miller (1840 - 1912)
Prolific author and pastor of Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois, Rev. James Russell Miller served the USCC as a field agent in the Army of the Potomac and Army of the Cumberland.J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia. J.R. Miller D.D.'s lasting fame is through his over 50 books. Many are still in publication.
James Russell Miller (March 20, 1840 - July 2, 1912) was a popular Christian author, Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In 1857, James entered Beaver Academy and in 1862 he progressed to Westminster College, Pennsylvania, which he graduated in June, 1862. Then in the autumn of that year he entered the theological seminary of the United Presbyterian Church at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller resumed his interrupted studies at the Allegheny Theological Seminary in the fall of 1865 and completed them in the spring of 1867. That summer he accepted a call from the First United Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. He was ordained and installed on September 11, 1867.
J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia.
Five years later, in 1880, Dr. Miller became assistant to the Editorial Secretary at the The Presbyterian Board of Publication, also in Philadelphia.