whether prosperous or adverse, whether they relate to communities or individuals, whether they respect the kingdoms of this world or that kingdom which is not of this world and which cannot be destroyed, are under the guidance of unerring wisdom, and subject to the control of almighty power. The Lord reigneth, and he reigneth in righteousness, let the earth rejoice.

While we revere thine attributes, and admire and adore Thee for thy perfections, we would praise Thee for thy mercies. We bless and magnify thy great and glorious name, above all, for thine unspeakable gift, even the gift of thine own Son, the anointed messenger of grace and truth, of light and life, to a dark, erring, and guilty world. We bless Thee for the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, which reveals to us the true way to eternal life, and holds out for our guidance and imitation the example of wise and good men, who, through faith and patience and fortitude, obtained a good report, and, finally, inherited the promises. We bless Thee for thy paternal love, thine ever guardian care, manifested to thy Church in every period of its existence. Thy providence has been to it a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, to guide, to protect, and to save. Thou didst open for it a highway in the sea, and mark out its path in the wilderness. When there was no

bread, Thou gavest bread from heaven. And where there was no water, at thy bidding the rock opened its treasure and sent forth living water. Though sometimes on fire, yet, like the bush in Horeb, it was not consumed. And though ofttimes bleeding, yet was it nurtured and increased by its own blood.

We have heard with our ears, and our fathers have told us, what things Thou didst for them in their days in times of old; how Thou broughtest them as a vine out of Egypt; how Thou didst drive out the heathen and plant them; how Thou didst scatter the nations that delight in war, and prepare room before them, didst cause them to take deep root, and, behold, they have filled the land. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes; for they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but thy right hand, and thine almighty arm, and the light of thy countenance, because Thou hadst a favor unto them.

We rejoice in the return of this memorable anniversary, with all its interesting and hallowed associations. We bless Thee for the privilege and the facilities afforded for bringing together so goodly an assemblage of the sons and daughters of a pious ancestry, to commemorate their virtues, and the interposition of a kind and merciful Providence, during their sufferings and sacrifices for conscience' sake, and the security and enjoyment of civil and religious liberty. When called to embark and go out into a land which they knew not, thy presence went with them, and thine arm was outstretched for their support, protection, and deliverance. Thou didst stand by them, and spread over them thy shield, while in perils by their own countrymen, in perils in strange cities, in perils in the sea, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the wilderness, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness; until they finally found a resting-place on this hallowed spot, consecrated by their prayers, their tears, and their graves; and where Thou didst nourish and feed them from the abundance of the sea, and treasures hid in the sand. They were indeed found of Thee in a desert land, a waste, howling wilderness. And as an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings, so the Lord alone did lead them, and there was no strange God with them. With thine arm to sustain them, and the light of thy countenance to cheer, to guide, and to comfort them, though troubled on every side, yet were they not distressed; perplexed, indeed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

We thank Thee for all the free, the excellent institutions Thou didst dispose and enable them to establish for the benefit of their posterity, and for example to the world. Above all, we bless Thee that Thou didst give them a heart to plant the tree of life in this new world, and that, under thy nurturing care, it has grown and spread, sending forth its branches to the east, and to the west, and to the north, and to the south, until its healing influence is felt from river to river, and from sea to sea.

We rejoice, that, through the instrumentality of a pious ances

try, we, their descendants, were born in a land of Gospel light, that the day-spring from on high hath visited us, that the Sun of Righteousness hath risen upon us with healing in his wings; that Thou hast set up thy tabernacle among us, and thy sanctuary in the midst of us, and that we can now say, "Come, and let us go up to the mount of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.”

May we be truly humble for every deviation from the purity of their example, the steadfastness of their faith, their love of the truth, their estimation of the value of civil and religious liberty and the rights of conscience, and the ardor and elevation of their piety; and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, that we may walk therein, and find rest unto our souls.

May we be grateful to a kind and benevolent Providence, which has blessed us, their posterity, with pleasant places, and a goodly heritage, as the fruit of their labor and their sacrifices. May the protection and favor shown to our fathers in the darkest period of their history increase our confidence in an overruling Providence, confirm our faith in the religion they professed, strengthen our attachment to the institutions which they founded, and of which we are reaping the benefit, and fasten our hold more strongly on those great Protestant principles and precious promises which inspired them with a desire to know the truth, and a resolution to follow it, to keep their minds open to the light, and to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ had made them free.

But while, as the descendants of Protestant Christians, we enjoy religious liberty, and claim and exercise the rights of conscience, may it never be our condemnation, that our liberty has become a cloak for licentiousness, and our right of conscience a plea for exemptions from the requirements and sanctions of religion, the obligations of morality, and the restraints of law. But under the influence and guidance of Christian truth and a Christian spirit, may this be the resolution of our hearts, and may we have grace to abide by it: "All that the Lord hath said unto us, that will we do, and be obedient."

Smile, we beseech Thee, O Thou who art governor among the nations, still smile upon our beloved country! Be Thou our God,

as Thou wast the God of our fathers. Throughout all generations, wilt Thou choose this favored land for the lot of thine inheritance. Suffer no root of bitterness, springing up within us, to trouble us. Suffer no weapon formed against us from without to prosper. May the evils which we suffer, or fear, be speedily removed, and our light rise in obscurity, and the darkness become as the noonday.

We pray for our rulers, for the President of the United States, for the Governor of the Commonwealth, and for all in authority over us. Vouchsafe to them the wisdom that cometh from above. Help them to deliberate and act with a single eye to the peace, the union, the prosperity, the liberty, and true glory of the whole country. May the resolution of the patriarch be inscribed upon their administration, to be read of all men: "Till I die, I will not remove my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live." And under an enlightened and liberal administration, aided by the power and influence of pure religion and sound morals, may we as a people lead quiet and peaceable lives, in all godliness and honesty. And may all classes of our citizens be protected and secured in the peaceable possession and enjoyment of their just rights and liberties. May intelligence and virtue keep pace with the privileges and advantages with which we are favored, and render us worthy of the liberties which we enjoy.

While we are reminded, by this day's commemoration, of the blessings we enjoy, we would remember, in our devotion and festivities, the benighted and oppressed of all lands. May the yoke of the oppressor everywhere be broken, and the oppressed go free. Give them increasing light, and increasing virtue; and with knowledge and virtue, and due subjection to the requirements of religion and the restraint of law, vouchsafe to them the blessings of civil and religious liberty.

And wilt Thou speed the progress of intellectual light, useful learning, pure religion, equal laws, well-regulated liberty, and righteous government, throughout the world; and may the time soon come, when every nation and kindred and tongue and people, living under the light, cherishing the spirit, and exemplifying

the virtues and graces of the Gospel, shall unite with the heavenly hosts in ascribing glory to God in the highest, because there is peace on earth, and good-will to men.

We supplicate thy blessing upon the society to whose enterprise and agency, under Providence, we owe much of the pleasure and interest of this day's commemoration. Vouchsafe to its President and his associates thy continued favor, assistance, and blessing. As a reward for their labors and efforts, wilt Thou still smile upon the remaining services and festivities of the day; and grant that whether we eat or drink, whether we speak or hear, or whatever we do, it may be to thy glory through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The beautiful hymn written by Mrs. Hemans, commencing with the words, "The breaking waves dashed high," was very finely sung by Mr. Baker and his choir.

Rev. Dr. Blagden of Boston read appropriate selections from the Scriptures, in the following order:

Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

They cried unto thee, and were delivered; they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. Ps. xxii. 4, 5.

We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favor unto them. Ps. xliv. 1,3.

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; Praise thy God, O Zion.

He maketh peace in thy borders, and fillest thee with the finest of the wheat.

He hath not dealt so with any nation; and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord. —Ps. cxlvii. 12, 14, 20.

And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous, as all this law which I set before you this day?