(Thanksgiving.) — (Petition.)

Lord God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Thou art the almighty God of heaven and earth, and in Thee we live, move, and have our being. Thou, however, doest desire that man should live by bread, and therefore didst, in the beginning of the world, make the earth fruitful through Thy almighty Word, and after the days of the flood, didst declare that while the earth remaineth seed-time and harvest shall not cease. Behold, Lord, this Thy order, once established, continueth yet, and Thou still doest ever crown the year with Thy goodness. Thou doest cause grass to grow for the cattle and herb for the service of man. Thus Thou bringest bread out of the earth and doest fill our hearts with joy and gladness. Most loving God, how wisely indeed hast Thou ordered all things! How great is Thy goodness toward us, who are not worthy of Thy bread. And how wonderfully infinite Thy omnipotence, when Thou doest increase the little grain which moulders in the earth, into a hundredfold! It is Thy unsearchable wisdom, this Thine unutterable goodness, mercy and omnipotence, which hath again this year visited our land. Men had sowed their seed in hope, but Thou hast hitherto blessed the seed in the fields, and hast moreover permitted us to live to the time, when men everywhere reap and gather into barns what Thou hast given. O Lord, Thou God of riches, all that men harvest is indeed Thine; for we of ourselves can bring forth nothing out of the earth, and be it little or much, it is still more than we have merited. Thanks be also unto Thy holy name for each and every gift, which Thou hast bestowed on our fields during this year. Thou alone art the God, who doest sustain us from the day of our birth, and shower Thy blessings upon us. Wherefore unto Thee alone be all the praise, honor and thanksgiving now and in eternity.

We beseech Thee, O kind Father, that Thou wouldst not again take from us in Thy wrath, what Thou in Thy grace hast given. Thou Thyself hast said in Thy Word, that rain is not seemly in harvest. So do Thou not permit that the blessings of the fields, which Thou hast hitherto spread out before our eyes, may perish by unfavorable weather. Do Thou also henceforth guard that which has been gathered into barns and garners, against danger by fire and water, against thieves and unfaithful stewards, against usurers and unscrupulous grain-speculators, and against all else that might rob us, or destroy Thy gifts. Moreover let us not forget that all we receive comes from Thee and is Thine. Do Thou likewise help that because of this we may never be discontented with what Thou givest, never uselessly squander aught of it through luxury and wantonness, never lock up any of Thy gifts unmercifully against our needy neighbor through avarice or envy; nor in mistrust against Thee brood over it with cares, as though that which Thou hast given be not sufficient for our wants. Inasmuch as we in future will have need of Thy providing care, do Thou not in Thy wrath let our land remain uncultivated, lest it lie waste and become unfruitful when forsaken. Prevent every thing which might hinder the tilling of the fields after harvest. And, that no years may come, in which man sows but does not reap, do Thou provide that neither frost nor heat, neither floods nor drought, nor destructive insects destroy the seed in the earth by which we in future are to live.