To the Clergy and Laity of the Diocese of New-York:

DEAR BRETHREN,

The thirtieth day of the present month having been designated and set apart by the President of the United States, as a day of National Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer, the following form of Prayer is set forth to be used in this Diocese on that day.

Commending you, dear Brethren, to the Blessing of GOD,
I remain,
Your faithful friend and
Brother in Christ,
HORATIO POTTER,
Bishop of New-York
New-York, April 16, 1863.

¶ The Service of the Day shall be the same with the usual Office, except where it is in this Office otherwise appointed.

THE ORDER FOR MORNING PRAYER

¶ Instead of the Anthem, Venite, Exultemus
Domino; Psalm cxxx. De profundis clamavi,
shall be said or sung, as follows:

OUT of the deep have I called unto Thee,
O Lord: Lord, hear my voice.

O let Thine ears consider well: the voice of
my complaint.

If Thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what
is done amiss: O Lord, who may abide it?

For there is mercy with Thee: therefore
shalt Thou be feared.

I look for the Lord, my soul doth wait for
Him: in His word is my trust.

My soul fleeth unto the Lord: before the
morning watch, I say, before the morning
watch.

O Israel, trust in the Lord, for with the
Lord there is mercy: and with Him is
plenteous redemption.

And He shall redeem Israel: from all his sins.

PROPER PSALMS.

Psalm li. Psalm xcvii. Psalm xcix.

PROPER LESSONS.

THE FIRST LESSON. Isaiah lviii.

THE SECOND LESSON. Luke xiii.

¶ After the Second Lesson the Hymn, Benedictus.

¶ The LITANY shall be said entire.

¶ In the end of the Litany, immediately before the General Thanksgiving, shall be said the following Prayers.

O MOST powerful and glorious Lord God, the Lord of Hosts, that rulest and commandest all things: Thou sittest in the Throne judging right, and therefore we make our appeal to Thy Divine Majesty, in this our trouble, that Thou wouldest take the cause into Thine own hand. Stir up Thy strength, O Lord, and come and help us. Save and defend our country in this its hour of peril. Revive in all hearts a spirit of devotion to the public good. Let Thy divine Protection and Guidance be over all who serve in Council or in the Field; and so rule their hearts and strengthen their hands that they may preserve to us the goodly heritage which Thou gavest unto our Fathers. Mercifully forgive the grievous sins which have drawn Thy judgments upon us. Help us to look to Thee in all our troubles and adversities, and at last to rejoice in the greatness of Thy Salvation; through the merits and mediation of our blessed Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

O ETERNAL GOD and Heavenly Father, the Aid of all who need, the Helper of all who flee to Thee for succor: we commend to Thy Almighty protection all those Thy servants now gone forth in our defence, for whose preservation amid the perils of war our prayers are desired. Guard them, we beseech Thee, from the dangers that beset their way, from sickness, from the violence of enemies, and from every evil to which they may be exposed. Give them comfort and sure confidence in Thee; and of Thy great goodness restore them to us in due time, in peace and safety, with a grateful sense of Thy mercy, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

O LORD, we beseech thee, mercifully hear our prayers, and spare all those who confess their sins unto Thee; that they, whose consciences by sin are accused, by Thy merciful pardon may be absolved, through CHRIST, our Lord. Amen.

O MOST mighty GOD, and merciful Father, who hast compassion upon all men, and hatest nothing that Thou hast made; who wouldest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his sin, and be saved; Mercifully forgive us our trespasses; receive and comfort us, who are grieved and wearied with the burden of our sins. Thy property is always to have mercy: to Thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins: spare us, therefore, good Lord, spare Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed: enter not into judgment with Thy servants, who are vile earth, and miserable sinners; but so turn Thine anger from us, who meekly acknowledge our vileness, and truly repent us of our faults; and so make haste to help us in this world, that we may ever live with Thee in the world to come, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

¶ Then shall the people say this that followeth, after the Minister.

TURN Thou us, O good Lord, and so shall we be turned. Be favorable, O Lord, be favorable to thy people, who turn to thee in weeping, fasting and praying. For Thou art a merciful God, full of compassion, long-suffering and of great pity. Thou sparest when we deserve punishment, and in Thy wrath thinkest upon mercy. Spare Thy people, good Lord, spare them; and let not Thine heritage be brought to confusion. Hear us, O Lord, for Thy mercy is great; and after the multitude of Thy mercies look upon us, through the merits and mediation of Thy blessed Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

¶ The Litany being ended, there shall be sung from the Selection of the Psalms in Metre, Selection 61, Verses 5, 6 and 7; or some other Selection, at the discretion of the Minister.

SELECTION 61. L. M.

From the lxxx. Psalm of David.

5 To Thee, O God of hosts, we pray,
Thy wonted goodness, Lord, renew;
From heaven, Thy throne, this vine survey,
And her sad state with pity view.

6 Behold the vineyard made by Thee,
Which Thy right hand did guard so long:
And keep that branch from danger free,
Which for thyself Thou mad'st so strong.

7 Do Thou convert us, Lord, do Thou
The lustre of Thy face display;
And all the ills we suffer now,
Like scatter'd clouds, shall pass away.

¶ In the Communion Service, the Collects, the Epistle, and the Gospel, shall be as follows:

The Collects.

O LORD, we beseech Thee favorably to hear the prayers of thy people, that we, who are justly punished for our offences, may be mercifully delivered by thy goodness, for the glory of Thy name; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

O GOD, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; we humbly beseech Thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the GOD of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through JESUS CHRIST, our Lord. Amen.

For the Epistle. Lamentations iii. 22.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach. For the Lord will not cast off for ever; but though He cause grief yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

The Gospel. St. Mark, iv. 35.

AND the same day, when the even was come, He saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took Him even as He was in the ship. And there were also with Him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou not that we perish? And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?

¶ Then shall be sung the 81st Hymn, Verses 1, 2, 3; or some other Hymn, at the discretion of the Minister.

HYMN 81.

1. DREAD Jehovah! God of nations!
From Thy temple in the skies,
Hear Thy people's supplications,
Now for their deliverance rise:

2. Lo! with deep contrition turning,
Humbly at Thy feet we bend;
Hear us, fasting, praying, mourning,
Hear us, spare us, and defend.

3. Though our sins, our hearts confounding,
Long and loud for vengeance call,
Thou hast mercy more abounding,
Jesus' blood can cleanse them all.

¶ Immediately before the Benediction, these Collects following shall be said.

O GOD, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive, receive our humble petitions, and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of Thy great mercy loose us; for the honor of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

GRANT, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by Thy governance, that Thy Church may joyfully serve Thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

¶ The Minister may add the following Prayer, in his discretion.

O SOVEREIGN Lord! who, for our sins, art justly displeased, we prostrate ourselves before Thee, [this day with the rulers, and with all the people of this land,]* confessing our manifold transgressions, and acknowledging the justice of all thy dealings with us; beseeching Thee to have compassion upon us in these days of tribulation.

* With the omission of this clause in brackets, this Prayer is allowed by the Bishop to be used when desired by the Clergy during the continuance of the present National Troubles, on occasions of Public Worship, before the General Thanksgiving. Perhaps it may be found not altogether unsuited to occasional use in Private and Family Devotions. H. P.

LORD, let it be Thy pleasure to remove Thy sore judgments from us. Purge this nation from the grievous sins that have stirred up Thy heavy displeasure against us. Put Thy fear into all our hearts, that we may return unto Thee; that we may repent, and that iniquity may not be our ruin. O let Thine anger be turned away from us. May the dread of Thy judgments deter us from evil. May Thy goodness and patience lead us to repentance. Give us not over unto the will of our adversaries, and unto such as strive to bring all things into confusion. Preserve this Church in the midst of all dangers. Restore unto us peace and unity; and pour out upon all the people of this land the abundance of Thy grace, that so making a right use of Thy blessings, and bringing forth fruits meet for repentance, we may all walk in the light of Thy favor, and be evermore Thy people, strong in Thee and in the power of Thy might. All which we humbly beg, through the merits and intercession of our Blessed Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

¶ Immediately before the General Thanksgiving shall be said, the Prayers appointed in the Morning Service to be there used, and the Collects and Prayer appointed to be said before the Benediction, in whole or in part, at the discretion of the Minister.

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