Richmond palladium., 1843-12-01
openiur PRAYER at Andover.

Opening prayer at Andover.
We find in the Boston Atlas. the prnye. of the
Rev. Mr.. Stuart, at the opening of The late Wing
Convention a, Andoyer, Mass. Il has been cor
,ected by tho author. and is AZ follows:
PRAYER
Our father vino art in Heaven; halowed be
thy name. We worship thee the K,ng eter-
nal, immortal, invisible, The only wise God; the
King of nations, as we'll as the King Of Saints
Thou doesi Thy will among the armies OF heaven
above; tiny pleasure among tho INHABITANTS OF
this lower world; none can stop thee, or stay
thine hand, or say unto 'hee' VIVA, ooest 'hou I
Thou ar, our God, and We would praise thee; our
fa,he,s, God and we would magnify thy name.
We thank thee for that kind providence, which
,uided our ia ihefs ,hro' tho mighty deep to this
now world and planted them there, and established
them. and has made Of them grea! nation -
We thank ,hee for thy guard an care over this ma
,ion, in Of peril to our rights, our liber
ties, and our lives in days that are past. We
present our Offering Of gratitude for that Kindness
which has established for US a government Who's G
chief design i; is, to secure the lives, the liberty,
civil and religious, the rights and property OF all
who belong to oCr Republic.
We invoke thy blessing on every effor, to rem
der safe and TO perpetuate the enjoyment OF our
precious priv leges, down to the latest generation
Let our magistrates be peace, our exactors rlgh.
teousness; ie, our judges be as at the hrsi and
our counseliors ss at the beginning. Let the
spirit Of party, Of ambition, of avarIce, OF sell
fisboess and the love Of power, which have aris
en- among u.s. and now threaten TO destroy our
peace our prosperity, and even cur existence as
a united nation. be effec tuay controlled and sub
dued by the influence Of thy good spirit upon the
hearts Of men, and by the grave rebuke of all
the upright and we'll ldsposed among us, of what
ever name. May this people be guided by thee,
and inclined to choose such men for rulers as
fear God, and abhor evil, such will shake their
hands from holding bribes, and fear to do their
neighbor a wrong. May light be scattered in
the paths Of all who belong TO this nation, in
such measure as that they will fully discern
their DUTY; and when this shall be accomplished,
wilt thou give TO all heart to do that duty hon
esly, without fear, and without partIalIty.
We have assembled this day, for purpose OF
importance and interest; we come here in hope
that light may be scattered around US, in respect
10 the duties which, as citizens, we ought to per-
FORM and that may also be moved and per-
suaded TO perform them. We invoke thy bes-
sing on ,hese who have been invited to address
us on this occasion. Wilt thou enable them to
discharge this duty in an efficient manner Give
unto lhem q mouth and wisdom, hch no advo-
cate Of disorder and msrule shall be able to gain
say or resist iha, by assembling together, this
day, we may become not only moro enlightened,
but more steadfast than ever. in the discharge of
all our relative and civil duiies.
Almighty and everlasting God! We feel bound
TO confess before thee guilt and i'll desert,
as individuals, a nation. We have been
grateful for thy mercies, disobedIent 10 thy most
holy commands, and forgetfui Of our kind and
constant Beneiactor. We have deserved that our
precious privileges should bs taken from In
thy great mercy, and for Chrs,'s sake, wilt thou
fnrsixa our many and aggravated offences. En-.
ter not into J",e----' ."..h no n ".d' e. - ~
sight Ne cannot be justified. Look down, IN thy
render compassion, the vine which thine own
right hand has brought from a distant land
which thou hast plan ed here-and nourished. and
caused TO bring forth much fruit, and do not sui.
fer il now to be broken up, devoured; let no:
oven the hedges Of thy vineyard be broken down,
nor its walls in any measure demolished.
o Thou, who nearest prayer, and hast com
Inanded all flesh come unto thee and seek thy
salvation hear the voice of our humble suppica'
lion for ourselves and for country! Thou
God in whose hands our breath is, and whose
all our ways, hear and answer, show mercy and
forgive; and thine shall be the glory forevr
Amen!