The services will close with the following or some other suitable prayer:
Prayer.
Most Glorious God, Author of all good and Giver of all mercy, pour down Thy blessings upon us, and strengthen our solemn engagements with the ties of sincere affection. May the present instance of mortality remind us of our own approaching fate, and, by drawing our attention toward Thee, the only refuge in time of need, may we be induced to so regulate our conduct here that when the awful moment shall arrive at which we must quit this transitory scene, the enlivening prospect of Thy mercy may dispel the gloom of death, and that after our departure hence in peace and Thy favor, we may be received into Thine everlasting kingdom, and there enjoy that uninterrupted and unceasing felicity which is allotted to the souls of just men made perfect. "Bless those who are bereaved by this sad providence, and make this brotherhood faithful to their solemn vows, to comfort, aid, and protect those thus left to their sacred charge."
And now, O Lord, we pray for Thy hand to lead us in all the paths our feet must tread; and when the journey of life is ended, may light from our immortal home illuminate the dark valley and shadow of death, and voices of the loved ones welcome us to that "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." Amen.
The Master then approaches the head of the grave (or the entrance to the tomb), and gently says:
Soft and safe to thee, my brother, be this earthly bed. Bright and glorious be thy rising from it. Fragrant be the acacia sprig that here shall flourish. May the earliest buds of spring unfold their beauties on this, thy resting place; and here may the sweetness of the summer's rose linger latest. Though the cold blast of autumn may lay them in the dust, and for a time destroy the loveliness of their existence, yet the destruction is not final, and in the springtime they shall surely bloom again. So, in the bright morning of the world's resurrection, thy mortal frame, now laid in the dust by the chilling blast of death, shall spring again into newness of life, and expand, in immortal beauty, in realms beyond the skies. Until then, dear brother, until then, farewell.
The Benediction will then be pronounced by the Master, or Chaplain, as follows:
The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make His face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up the light of His countenance, and give us peace. Amen.
Response: So mote it be.