POCKET PRAYER BOOK, WITH A SCRIPTURE MEDITATION AND HYMNS ATTACHED TO EACH DAY FOR SIX TWELFTH EDITION. LONDON: Printed and Sold by The PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETY, St. George's Fields. 1844. Entered at Stationers' Hall. PREFACE. THE Editor of the Pocket Prayer Book has reason to acknowledge with much thankfulness the general approbation with which the first Editions of this little Volume have been received. Another Edition being called for, it is now re-printed with additional Prayers for the Family, interspersed with Meditations on Texts of Scripture, selected from Henry, and other devotional writers. It is the Editor's wish, that a short Family Service may be formed, by reading one of the Meditations, followed by a suitable Psalm, or Hymn, (to be read or sung,) and concluded by a Prayer, It will be found that this little Service may be performed in about twenty minutes, and it is hoped will not be thought to encroach too much upon domestic duties. It is not wished, that this short Meditation should take place of the reading of the Scriptures. Some portion of Scripture, accompanied by a select part of a devotional and practical exposition, such as Doddridge, Henry, Brown, or Scott. should be daily read in the family. This might form the morning exercise; and a devotional meditation the evening service. Such a variety might be found highly interesting to the servants and younger branches of the family; and lead them to continue from inclination, as well as duty, a practice from which they had received both pleasure and profit. As the few Meditations interspersed may not afford sufficient variety, the Editor begs leave to recommend for this purpose a small volume of Devotional Meditations selected from Dr. Watts and Mr. Howe. That this little Volume may be attended with the Divine blessing, and be the happy means of promoting a spirit of devotion in the Family and the Closet, is the sincere prayer of The EDITOR. PREFACE TO THE SEVENTH EDITION. The Editor of the Pocket Prayer Book has been long permitted to watch in retirement the progress of her little circulating volumes, unknown by name or place of abode. Their increasing circulation seems to urge the necessity of giving some efficient place of residence, should any future communication be requested from abroad. The Editor, being the only responsible person, hopes that the friends of evangelical religion will accept of this apology for the following short statement. It was a sentiment formed in early years, that every member of society should have in view some leading object of pursuit, so far as may be consistent with the first duties of relative and domestic life. Free from many of its most important cares, the Editor found |