Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-12-21
..THE LORD OF THE HARVEST
A Day of Special Prayer and Devotion
1R the Episcopal Church.

Yesterday was set apart in the Ameri-
can Episcopal Church for special inter-
cession to the Lord Of the harvest that
be might be pleased to send forth la
| boreTs into his harvest. The House of
| Bishops, at their meeting held last Oc-
| tober, appointed a committee to prepare
q form OF service for the occasion TO be
used in all the diOceses of the United
! States. This movement was inaugu-
rated in England by the Society for the
| Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign
Parts, April 10, 1872. The plan was
submitted to the Archbishop OF Canter-
/ bury, and having received his cordial
sanction the concurrence of the Church
| Missionary Society was invited and
promptly given. Subsequently each Of
the societies published minute inviting
| its friends and agents in all parts OF
/ the world to unite in prayer on
the appointed day. The gatherings
for prayer have not the character
of missionary meetings. The special
object of the occasion is not for the sup
| port of missionaries, but for interceding
before Almighty God for an increase OF
the gift Of His spirit and of His blessings
upon the work The Episcopal Bishops
of the United States issued pastor
ais to their fiocks, hoping that the day
would be observed in the closet, in the
family, and in the company of fellow
labOrers in the missionary cause, so that
fellow helpers in work will be fellow
helpers in prayer, and the spirit of devo-
ton quickened by this solemn occasion I;
and, further, that each individual would
feel they are real workers in the mission
efforts.
The invitation extended by the Eng
fish societies has been cordially accept
ed by the American branch of the An
glican community. The service pre-
pared and set forth yesterday in all
Episcopal churches was i'm the form of
morning prayer. The usual eXhorta-
ton, confession, absOlUtiOn, versicles
and collects were followed by special
prayers. The concluding one is as fol-
lows: "How many, o Jesus! of Thy
sheep have no shepherd; none to show
them their danger; none to keep them
out of danger; none to lead them where
they may find pasture. May Thine in
finite wisdom and goodness, o Lord!
reveal to us the means by which Thy
Gospel may be preached unto them,
and prepare their hearts TO receive
the truth, that they may be delivered
from the bondage Of corruption into
the glorious liberty Of the children OF
God. Send them pastors after Thine
own heart, full of knowledge, compass
sion andzeal, who plying their sad con-
ditiOn, may instruct them in the ways
of truth and eternal life. Increase the
number and graces Of Thy messengers
and ministers, and touch the hearts OF
all Christians with a true compassion
like Thine, Q Lord, for all such as are
strangers to Thee and the merits Of Thy
death, by which they have been re-
deemed, that they may cheerfully con-
tribute TO work SO acceptable to the
Divine Majesty. And may Thy Holy
Spirit, by the preaching of the gospel,
add daily to the Church such as shall
be saved through Thy merits and medi-
tatiOns, o Lord and lover of souls.'
The services in some of the Episcopal
churches in Memphis yesterday were
well attended, and the devOtions of a
simple yet impressive character. The
harvest is great even now, but the la
bOrers few. For want of Vine-dressers
the grapes of the Lord are falling in
great lunches to the ground or witheT-
ing on the stem. Suppose men would
wake up from the dream Of wOrldliness,
and for even a brief space consider the
Unreasonable value of ETERNITY-cOn-
slider the superiority Of spiritual things,
and so work together for the advance
ment Of the kingdom of God on earth
The effect would be great. But it is now
true as in the days OF Scripture: with
desOlation is the whole world made des-
Olate, because men viii not think in
their hearts,