Phillips Brooks.
O Thou who art not far from any one of us, but art the Source and Sustainer of our life, gratefully do we acknowledge the Mercy that has given us this new day with its certain opportunity for living the glad, true life. Directed by Thee, may this be for us a day of progress. May its duties be performed with alacrity and cheerfulness, its lessons learned with humility, its temptations met with resolute will, its crosses with patient hope. We thank Thee for the life of the Master who has shown us that if we would live Thy divine life, ours must be one of continual service and constant progression. If, tried by the seeming drudgery of duties daily repeated, we long for the end of our labors or dream of an idle heaven, O forgive our weakness, and help us trustingly to obey Thy voice as it whispers, "Up and on, this is not thy rest." Thus let the day close on hours well spent, and Thy joy and peace fill our hearts. Amen.
February 4
Who art thou that complainest of thy life of toil? Complain not. Look up, my wearied brother; see thy fellow-workmen there, in God's eternity; surviving there, they alone surviving; sacred band of the Immortals, celestial body-guard of the empire of mankind. To thee, Heaven, though severe, is as that Spartan mother, saying while she gave her son his shield, "With it, my son, or upon it." Thou too shalt return home in honor; to thy far distant Home, in honor; doubt it not,—if in the battle thou keep thy shield! Thou, in the Eternities, and deepest death-kingdoms, art not an alien; thou everywhere art a denizen. Complain not.
Thomas Carlyle.
O Thou God of goodness and grace, who dost turn Thy smiling countenance upon the upturned faces of Thy children, help us to find in the light of another day the continued proof of Thy fatherly care and tender mercy. Since Thou art so well disposed towards us, give us courage to attempt anything which the duties of this day require, remembering that Thou canst not ask anything beyond our strength, or withhold from us the blessing of Thy Divine approval. Living under Thy smile help us to be strong and calm and confident, delighting Thy heart by our faith in Thee and our love for our fellowmen. Amen.
February 5
This goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'er-hanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors. What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god!