September 8

Psalm xxx. — 2. O Lord my God! I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

3. O Lord! thou hast brought up my soul from the grave; thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

4. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his! and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

5. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night; but joy cometh in the morning.

7. Lord, by thy favor thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.

8. I cried to thee, O Lord! and unto the Lord I made supplication.

10. Hear, O Lord! and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper.

11. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

12. To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God! I will give thanks unto thee forever.

Mark v. — 25. And a certain woman which had an issue of blood twelve years,

One knows not whether most to admire the humble faith of this woman, or the ready compassion of Jesus in acknowledging it. The long continuance of her disease, the hopelessness of human help, the want of natural fitness between the remedy she now proposed to herself and the infirmity with which she was burdened, — between the stealthy touch of a garment and the cure of her plague, — these all evince the energy, the almost desperation, of her faith. She knew that this man healed diseases by miraculous power. She would not presume to present herself to his notice, to ask him to lay his hand upon her sore: if she could only touch, not his person, but the border of his garment, she was persuaded that she

26. And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

27. When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

28. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

29. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

30. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

31. And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

32. And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

33. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

34. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole: go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

should be healed. Jesus knew, of course, all that was passing in her mind: he gave forth the healing virtue to her touch; but, wishing to bring such faith to the notice of all, he summoned her to acknowledge his grace. Her testimony, given with trembling, in the hearing of many who knew of her infirmity, at once established the miracle, and rendered the homage of faith to the divinity that dwelt in Jesus. He himself put the healing upon the ground of faith; and so he ever holds his grace subject to our call, if with the earnest confidence of this supplant we will but go to him for his touch of healing, his benediction of peace.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 27, 32, 57.

O Lord, our heavenly Father! we have nothing to bring to thee but our wants, and such poor return of love and gratitude and praise as these hearts can render for thy goodness. As thou dost cause our lives to overflow with thy mercies, so do thou fill our hearts to overflowing with thy Spirit, that we may thank thee and praise thee as we ought. The morning calls us again to praise thee for thy loving-kindness in the night-season; and every day renews the tokens of thy bounty. Every good gift cometh down from thee, the Father of lights; and though we are so changeful in our love, so inconstant in our service, with thee there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Bind us to thyself, O our Father! by the mighty attraction of thy love. May the love of Christ, who died for us that we might live, constrain us to live ever unto thee!

We pray thee keep us this day from temptation, evil, and sin. Prosper us in our lawful undertakings. May we be upright in our dealings, true and kind in our speech, gentle and patient in our spirit, pure and holy in our walk! May we do good to all as we shall have opportunity, and so exhibit in our lives the graces of the gospel, that we shall win others to the love of Christ! And we pray that multitudes may be won to the Saviour; that thy Church may increase; that missions may prosper; that thy Word may be given to all people, and the knowledge of the Lord may fill the earth as the waters fill the sea. We thank thee for our home, and pray thee to bless us with all things that we need as a family. Bless the absent who are dear to us; and bring them, together with us, we beseech thee, unto thy heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.