00 Profitable Portions For the Lord's Day

Profitable Portions For the Lord’s Day Designed to Help the Faith, and Comfort the Hearts of the Lord’s People. By James Smith, 1865

Some readers of "The Believer’s Daily Remembrancer" have wished that the portions for the Lord’s Day had been longer. The present work is designed to meet the wishes of such. Many of the Lord’s people are occasionally detained at home, on the Lord’s Day, by sickness, domestic duties, or distance from the house of God; and others do not go out in the afternoon of that day. This little book is intended to be useful to them. My object is to lead the mind . . .
from SELF — to Jesus;
from sin — to salvation;
from the troubles of life — to the comforts of the gospel. My aim is . . .
to humble the sinner — and exalt the Savior;
to strip the creature — and place the crown on the head of God’s free grace!

I cannot ascribe too much to Jesus — or too little to man! Our God who works all our works in us, and all our works for us, deserves all the praise; and just in proportion as we experience the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts — do we cheerfully give Him all the glory.

Reader, expect no profit from the mere reading of this book, for if it could speak it would say, "It is not in me!" It may be a means of doing you good — but if so, it will be, because the Holy Spirit works by it. He frequently uses weak and feeble things, to effect His great and glorious purposes; He has used the former productions of the author’s pen — may He graciously condescend to use this.

If you would desire benefit from it — read it with prayer! Look up and beseech the Holy Spirit to apply what you read; and if He condescends to bring it home with demonstration and power to your heart — it will prove a real blessing.

Everlasting, ever-living, and ever-blessed God — condescend to bless this feeble production to sinners. May it bring some souls to the Savior, and build up and comfort many of Your poor, tried, and troubled people. Put life, put power into it — that Jesus may be honored by it, and Your saints bless Your holy name for it. To Your blessing it is commended, under Your patronage may it circulate, and by Your grace may it prove extensively useful. Amen.
James Smith, 1865