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149.-a prayer for the times.
At the opening of the Tennessee Legislature.
on the 25th ult.,
Rev. James Bardwell offered up the following prayer:
Almighty and most merciful God, our heavenly Father, we adore Thee as the king eternal,
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immortal and invisible, the only living and true God,--the creator and governor of all worlds — ruling in the armies of Heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth.
Thy favor is life and thy frown is death — with reverence and profound humility would we present ourselves before Thee, to confess our sins and implore Thy mercy, through
Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
In his name do we present our petitions, and for his sake we humbly invoke Thy favor.
We have sinned against Thee, 0
Lord, as individuals, and we have sinned against Thee, as a people.
We have been unthankful for our blessings; we have abused mercies; we have misimproved our privileges; we have too often disregarded Thy authority and rejected Thy counsel.
In the pride and vanity of our hearts we have forgotten Thee, the God of our fathers, and arrogated to ourselves the glory which is due to Thee alone.
Lord, we confess our sins, we acknowledge our transgressions, and we humbly implore Thy pardoning mercy.
Be merciful unto us, 0 God, be merciful unto us. For the sake of Thy dear Son, our Redeemer, in the midst of divine wrath, make known and remember mercy.
Doubtless Thou art our God, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not. Thou hast been the God of our fathers, their refuge in every trouble.
And we now look to Thee as our God and Redeemer.
In this the time of our calamity and trouble, we invoke Thy guidance and protection.
Bless, we beseech Thee, the
Governor of this Commonwealth, encircle him with Thy mercy, and grant unto him that wisdom and strength that may be necessary to direct and sustain him in the discharge of all the responsible duties now devolving upon him. And bless, we humbly pray Thee, the Legislature of this State, now convened under circumstances of peculiar solemnity and responsibility.
Preside over and direct, in wisdom and great mercy, both houses of this general assembly.
Give unto our senators wisdom — a spirit of knowledge and sound understanding.
Place Thy fear before their eyes, and write Thy laws upon their hearts.
May they all realize the solemn responsibilities devolving upon them at this critical juncture.
Deliver them from strife and division in sentiment and action, unite them in fear and in firm maintenance of the cause of justice and truth.
Deliver us as a people from dissension and conflict at home; save us from passion, from violence, and from wickedness of all kinds.
But grant unto us wisdom, prudence, firmness, and efficiency in all our deliberations and actions.
O
Lord, our help is in Thee, and we humbly invoke Thy protection.
Wilt Thou not defend the right, and bring to nought the wickedness of the wicked?--Restrain, we beseech Thee, the wrath of man. Put Thy hook in the nose of him who deviseth mischief against us, and turn him back by the way he came.
Circumvent and frustrate all his wicked devices; and may it yet please Thee to save us from the horrors of civil war and bloodshed.
Graciously pardon all our sins, remove us from Thy judgment, ar rest and bring to repentance our enemies, and protect and defend us in the maintenance of all our rights, and once more give us peace and prosperity; and to Thy great name shall be all the praise, through
Christ Jesus, our
Lord.
Amen.--
Charleston News, May 10.
