O God, our Father, we thank You for this bright morning. We would catch something of the gladness which everywhere abounds. All Your works praise You. We also would praise You, not simply with our lips — but also with our hearts. We desire to make our lives songs which shall be music to those among whom we move. We desire to live victoriously in our cares and trials, not yielding to them — but keeping Your praise in our hearts even in the deepest darkness and the sorest trial. May You therefore breathe your Spirit into our souls this morning, that we may go out and live cheerfully all the day. Let us not be discouraged by the things that will seem hard. Let us not lose the joy out of our hearts, nor the brightness out of our faces, if we have troubles to meet.
We thank You that You have promised to give Yourself to us according to our needs. We know that while You are always with us, You do come nearer to us when we are in trouble; that while Your strength is always given to us, more of Your strength is given when we are in weakness. May You come to us today according to our needs.
Sometimes we get discouraged and fretful. Keep us today from these depressing moods. Help us to live among our neighbors so that they will say of us that we have God to help us. Keep us from worry and anxiety. Teach us how to cast all our cares upon Jesus, who cares for us. May we trust You so perfectly that whatever may come into our life, we shall be happy and strong in You.
We pray for all of our household. Prepare us for all the duties, tasks, and cares of the day. Let no accident befall any of us, and bring us together again in the evening. We ask these favors, with the forgiveness of our sins, in the Savior's precious name. Amen.
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FRIDAY EVENING
Our Father, bless us, Your children, as we bow before You now, at the close of the day. We have not lived as well as we meant to do, when we set out in the morning. We thought we would mount up on wings — but we have only dragged ourselves along on the earth. We thought we would not forget You for a moment — but somehow we have let You out of our thoughts very often. Our day that began so brightly, with good resolutions and honest purposes, has been only a marred, stained day. Father, forgive us — and then teach us lessons of wisdom from the mistakes and sins of today, so that we may make tomorrow a holier day. Help us to learn from our own errors, so that we may never repeat them.
We bring You our day's work. It does not seem much. We have tried to do our duty, each of us in our different places — in our business and work outside, in our household task-work, in school, in play. We have tried to be patient and kind, the one to the other, within our own home. We have tried to be good neighbors to those about us. Wherein we have failed in any of these duties — we ask You to forgive us, and give us grace to do better.
Bless us now at the end of this day. As we pass to our rest for the night, may You receive us into Your care. If death should come to any of us before the morning, receive us home to our Father's house. If we live until the dawn of a new day, prepare us for its duties.
We would not forget tonight, those who have not the shelter of home-love as we have. Remember the sick and those who are watching through the darkness beside the sick. Comfort all who are sitting in sorrow, and make them strong to accept God's will.
Grant us these mercies and favors, for Jesus' sake. 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.