THE COMMANDMENTS AND RESPONSES1

This Order may be used as a separate Service: or it may be said at the opening of Morning Service; in which case it may be preceded by a suitable Hymn. It is suggested as an appropriate service preceding the holy Communion. See Responses, with music, Hymnal Number 738.

Let all stand while the Minister reads the SENTENCES, the People answering him.

Minister. Blessed are the undefiled in the way: who walk in the law of the Lord.

Answer. Order my steps in Thy Word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

Minister. Blessed are they that keep His testimonies: and that seek Him with the whole heart.

Answer. With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments.

Then shall the Minister say,

'Let us pray.

Let the People reverently bow down while he leads them in

THE INVOCATION.

ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee, and worthily magnify Thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then the Minister shall read THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, and the People, still bowing down, shall, after every Commandment, ask God's mercy for their transgressions in time past, and grace to keep the Law in time to come.

GOD spake all these words, saying,

I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.

Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any

1 From the Book of Common Worship-Presbyterian Church.

likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.

Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His Name in vain.

Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it.

Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Thou shalt not kill.

Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Thou shalt not steal.

Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these Thy laws in our hearts, we beseech Thee.

Then the Minister shall say,

Hear also what our Lord Jesus Christ saith:

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

After a short pause let the Minister continue in Prayer, using, if he will, the following, or other fitting words.

WE confess to Thee, Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that we have grievously sinned in thought, word, and deed. Make us truly contrite. Fill us with holy fear, and give us grace to amend our lives according to Thy Word, for the glory of Thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who of His great

mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn to Him; Have mercy upon you; pardon and deliver you from all your sins; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness; and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

NOW unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us; unto Him be glory and dominion in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

THE RITUAL

OF THE

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

[Let every adult person, and the parents of every child to be baptized, have the choice of either sprinkling, pouring, or immersion.] [We will on no account whatever make a charge for administering Baptism.]

Order for the Administration of Baptism to Infants The Minister, coming to the Font, which is to be filled with pure Water, shall use the following:

DEARLY BELOVED, forasmuch as God in his great mercy hath entered into covenant relation with man, wherein he hath included children as partakers of its gracious benefits; and our Lord Jesus Christ saith: Suffer the little children to come unto me; forbid them not: for to such belongeth the kingdom of God; I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that having, of his bounteous mercy, redeemed this child by the blood of his Son, he will

NOTE. We call upon all our ministers to make faithful use of the forms and orders here provided, and without other deviation than that here indicated as permitted.

We urge all pastors to encourage and train their congregations to participate audibly in those portions of the service provided for this purpose, particularly in the celebration of the Lord's Supper. The portions to be used by the congregation are specially indicated by black face type.

Copyright, 1916, by The Methodist Book Concern.

The Scripture quotations in this Ritual, excepting the Psalms, the Lord's Prayer, and forms of benediction, are from the American Standard Edition of the Revised Bible. Copyrighted, 1901, by Thomas Nelson & Sons.

grant that he, being baptized with water, may also be baptized with the Holy spirit, be received into Christ's holy Church, and become a lively Member of the same.

Then shall the Minister say:

Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, who by thy well-beloved Son Jesus Christ gavest commandment to go into all the world and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; we beseech thee, that of thine infinite mercy thou wilt look upon this child: that he, being saved by thy grace, and received into Christ's holy Church, may be steadfast in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in love, and may so overcome all evil that finally he may reign with thee, world without end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the Minister address the Parents or other Sponsors as followeth:

Dearly Beloved, forasmuch as this child is now presented by you for Christian Baptism, and is thus consecrated to God and to his Church, it is your part and duty to see that he be taught, as soon as he shall be able to learn, the nature and end of this Holy Sacrament; that he shall read the Holy Scriptures and learn the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed and the Catechism; and that he be instructed in the principles of our Holy Faith and the nature of the Christian life. And ye shall call upon him to give reverent attendance upon the appointed means of grace, such as the ministry of the Word, and the public and private worship of God; and that in every way, by precept and example, ye shall seek to lead him into the love of God and the service of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you therefore solemnly engage to fulfill these duties, so far as in you lies, the Lord being your helper?

Answer. We do.

Then shall the People stand up, and the Minister shall say: Hear the words of the Gospel, written by St. Mark. [Chap. 10. 13-16.]

And they were bringing unto him little children, that he should touch them: and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me; forbid them not for to such belongeth the kingdom of God. Verily