Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-22
FROM BISHOP HARDING
EPISCOPAL NOTE ISSUED TO
THE DIOCESE OF WASHINGTON.
Arrangements for Daily Communion
at the Church of the Assem-
sion During Lent.

In a pastoral letter read in the Prot
estant Episcopal churches of the city
yesterday morning. Bishop Harding ex-
pressed his gratitude for the many mani
festations Of good will. the promises Of
support and the intercessions for him and
for the diocese which marked the be-
ginning Of his episcopate. He also ex-
pressed his thanks for the gracious sympa-
thy given him and his in his recent
Bereavement.
The letter was addressed to the clergy
and laity of the diocese of Washington.
1T had been my intention ran the text.
ito have addressed word Of greeting to
my people earlier than this. but now, with
the Lenten season close at hand. my
thoughts and prayers turn in the direc-
ton of asking God, the giver of all gifts.
to give us grace to use the great oppor-
tunity that Lent affords for an increase of
true religion, for the nourishing of all
goodness among us and for the conversion
of sinners from the error of their ways.
ITO this end the church commends to
US. as her Lord and Master has taught
her. the three great duties of prayer
fasting and almsgiving, necessary to the
true Christian life at all seasons, but
especially to be learned. practiced and
cultivated at this time. Let us then. bot Ii
priests and people, make our prayers in
private and in the great congregation
more earnest more frequent and more
definite. Let us pray for special bless
ing on the preaching OF the Word, on
the work of our Sunday schools. on the
members Of our confirmation classes. on
the institutions of the diocese. on all the
organizations for the spread of Christ
of Christ here and throughout the world.
Let us pray for the sick. the sorrowing
the discouraged, the afflicted. the poor
Let us pray for great manifestation of
the power of the Holy Ghost in our own
hearts and lives and In the hearts and
lives of our friends and neighbors, that
He may graciously arouse the careless,
awaken the Indifferent. restore the fallen.
bring back into the ways of truth and
peace all wandering souls.
Let the communicates pray that the
Holy Ghost may teach them so to prepare
their hearts that they may come pure and
clean to their communions In true peni-
tence, in perfect charity, with a lively
faith in Gods mercy through Christ and
A real purpose to amend their lives Let
the clergy ''exhort their parishioners to
the often receiving of the holy commu-
Mon of the body and blood of our Savior
Christ, when 1t shall be publicly admins
tered in the church: that so doing they
may. in case of sudden visitation. have
the less cause to be disquieted for lack Of
the same
Our Lord says in the Sermon on the
Mount: When ye fast be not as the
hypocrites" He places fasting in the
same category as prayer. He expects us
to practice fasting. He warns us against
doing it I'm way that has for its motive
the desire to be seen of men. He gives us
no minute rules. but would have us fast
really as an expression Of true penitence
and as a means of gaining self-control
He would have us benefit. and not injure
health OF body. He would have us seek
in this way health Of body and Of soul
Let us ask Him to teach us what He
would have us do, and to give us grace
and power faithfully to fulfill the same.
Our Lord places almsgiving also
among the primary duties of the Chris
tan life. AS with fasting. so with this.
He bids us beware of the wrong motive.
namely, Ito be seen of men, But how