Great Father, hear a pastor's prayer for his people. Thou knowest that at the sight of this multitude, our soul is bowed within us. Oh, God, Thy servant feels his own inability every day, more and more, till sometimes his heart is ready to break with a sense of the overwhelming respon sibilities which Thou hast laid upon one of the weakest creatures whom Thou didst ever honour in Thy service. But wilt Thou not be the Pastor of this people? Wilt Thou, Jesus, not be the great Shep- herd and Bishop of these souls?
Help the brethren who help us. Stand by the church officers in all that they seek to do for Christ, and grant them that they, being good shepherds of the flock, may have a good reward. Keep our mem- bers. Some of them are very poor. Oh, let them not be too much cast down. Let them not lack any good thing. Supply their wants out of Thy fullness. Some of them are very young. Keep them; let not early temptations be too strong for them. Many of them are very weak in faith; comfort and strengthen them. Some, Thou knowest, are very much tempted; every day they are tempted; and perhaps they are tempted by their besetting sin. Oh, keep them; some of them are going back; they are backsliding. Gracious Fa- ther, rouse them. Besides these there are some that are sick and some that are de- spending in spirit, and there are some who have lately had to mourn over sad bereavement. Do Thou visit every aching heart, and give consolation to every trou- bled spirit this day. Feed the whole com- pany of Thy children with bread to the full.
We feel even more anxiety for the un- converted part of our congregation. Oh, God, save them we pray Thee. Those who have listened to the Gospel till it has be- come an old thing with them; those who have listened to it, and yet never feel its power by the blood of Christ, we beseech Thee to save them. Save them! Aye, save them this day!
We have nothing, Lord, give us Thy- self. We have no power, Lord; clothe us with Thy power. And as of old Thou didst make Thy prophet speak words that moved the heart and made men feel the terror of Jehovah's presence, so do Thou speak today through us.— Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
