Almighty God, may thy kingdom be advanced in all hearts this day. May the truth, as it is in Jesus, be everywhere faithfully proclaimed, and received into good and honest minds, where it shall spring up and bear the immortal fruits of holy living. Send its blessed consolations into afflicted souls; and let it bind up the brokenhearted, and give liberty to the captive. Fill all hearts with the joy and gladness of thy presence; and let thy will be done by men on earth, as it is by angels in heaven: and to thee shall be the glory for ever. Amen.

XXVII.

Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God, he riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself, and began to wash the disciples' feet. So after

he had washed their feet, and was set down again, he said unto them,

Know ye what I have done unto you? Ye call me Master, and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am. If I then, your lord and master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet; for I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me; and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go ye cannot come, so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

PUT on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and long-suffering, and above all, charity, which is the bond of perfect

ness.

The end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal : and though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long and is kind charity envieth not; is not easily provoked; thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth:

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away:

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then, face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

PRAYER.

FATHER of lights, from whom cometh down every good and every perfect gift, let thy spirit warm our hearts while we bow in prayer and praise. Great is thy goodness, Lord: constant and unnumbered are its manifestations. Even when we are evil and unthankful, disregarding thy favors and breaking thy commandments, still thou dost not withhold thy benefits from us, nor avenge thyself for our dark ingratitude and guilt. Thou makest thy sun rise upon the evil and upon the good, and sendest thy rain upon the just and upon the unjust. Thus is revealed thine unchangeable loving-kindness. O that the sacred flame of thy love may kindle our souls, purging away all their impurities, and shining in our lives as a faint reflection of thee!

Enable us, thou who art the Sum and Source of every perfection, to rise above all envy and hatred; that we may, like our Divine Master, love our neighbors as ourselves, and always be ready to sacrifice the inclinations of selfishness to the nobler claims of Christian charity. But most of all we pray, that, by means of a faithful discharge of our duties to those around us, and an earnest improvement of the privileges of this world, we may rise into hallowed communion with thee, and experience a foretaste of heaven.

Forgive us all, Merciful Father, our transgressions. Bless us early with thy love, that we may serve thee in usefulness, and rejoice before thee in innocence, all our days. In the Redeemer's name, we beseech thee to hear and answer our humble prayer. Amen.

XXVIII.

LET not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me. He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father.

If

ye love me, keep my commandments: and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for