Lutheran prayer book: for the use of families and individuals: partly original but chiefly compiled, with introductory remarks on family prayer, together with a selection of hymns, and music adapted to them

Front matter

LUTHERAN

PRAYER BOOK,

FOR THE USE OF

Preface

Though it is believed, that nothing will be found in this Prayer-book to prevent its free use in any Protestant christian family, yet it has beer, prepared mainly with a view to the Lutheran Church. In the German language we are abundantly supplied with such helps; but in English, a general and complete prayer-book, adapted to daily devotion, to special occasions, and to every emergency, has thus far remained a desideratum, which it has been our aim to supply. It is therefore hoped, that the Lutheran Church especially, will encourage this enterprise.

We greatly prefer that both ministers and laymen should pray extempore. Prompted and guided by the Holy Spirit, the prayers that come forth fresh from our own heart, couched in our own language, even though homely and defective, will be more likely to express our peculiar wants and to prove edifying to those who join in the solemn and delightful exercise. But there are seasons when even those who are accustomed to pray extempore, would prefer the aid of a prayer-book ; heads of families whose duty it is to lead in family-prayer twice a day for a long time, are in danger of falling into tautology, sameness, and consequent coldness and formality; and there are moreover, many who are deterred altogether from attending to this important duty by diffidence, or by supposed want of ability. The latter persuade themselves, that to lead in social or family prayer, is a gift which they possess not and cannot attain; and under this plea they neglect it entirely. To meet all these cases, so far as lay in our power, has been our great design.

We deem it our duty to state, that we have made free use of all the facilities to family devotion within our reach. The arrangement is indeed our own; some of the prayers also are original, and those selected, have all been more or less altered and amended, so as to render them more simple and direct, and to adapt them more fully to the purpose contemplated. The sources from which we have culled ,

IV PREFACE.

It will be seen that we have selected Scripture lessons for every morning and evening. For the first week these lessons are duplicated ; the one being printed in full, and the other merely referred to. This plan we have thus partially adopted, in order to ascertain the sense of the public in regard to it. Should a second edition be called for, the arrangement will be modified to suit the public wish.

A considerable number of " occasional prayers," suited to almost every supposable condition, will be found. These are designed to be incorporated in the daily morning and evening prayers, as circumstances may require. The precise point at which they are to be introduced, is sufficiently indicated. They may however, also be used separately or apart from the stated daily devotions.

As the singing of God's praise is a delightful part of family devotion, a collection of Hymns and Tunes has been added. The hymns have been culled from various authors; and in the selection of the music, we have been aided by a gentleman of science as well as refined taste, in whose judgment in such matters, we repose entire confidence.

With these remarks we commend the book to God's blessing, hoping the church may find cause to approve of it, and earnestly praying that it may become one of the aids by which the great ends of the family organization shall be secured, and a means whereby the worship of God shall be extended and perpetuated among the families of this land, and especially of the Lutheran Church. B. K.

Baltimore, Ayrill , 1852.

Contents

PAGE

Introduction — Prayer in all its Forms, &c 1

MORNING AND EVENING PRAYERS.