Foreword

The manner in which the service of the Evangelical Church is conducted not only distinguishes it from other Churches, but has at the same time a far-reaching, unconscious and continuous influence upon the essential elements of belief in the hearts of the worshipers. The great truths and historic facts of Christianity may be expressed in statements of doctrine; but unless they come to expression also in the common exercises of devotion, they are almost certain to be lost to the living consciousness of the Church. It is true that the language of devotion is different from the language of definition. It is simpler, warmer, less intellectual and more emotional. It falls naturally into an utterance reflecting the deep currents of experience, and moves under the impulses of the quickened heart. But the facts which enter into this experience, and the truths which quicken the heart to penitence, prayer and praise, are none other than those which enter into the fabric of the faith. Devotion, in order to be helpful and sincere, must translate the elements of our belief into the language of confession and petition, adoration and thanksgiving, consecration, intercession and benediction, joyful praise and solemn sacrament.

May this book go out and be the friend and companion of the Pastor in conducting the service, and may it help to achieve the true end of Evangelical worship, which is that all people should join in the service of God as He is revealed in Jesus Christ.

J. Baltzer, President-General

St. Louis, Mo., March 7, 1916

Table of Contents

PART ONE

The Order of Public Worship

  I Opening Sentences for Public Worship......................1

      1. Morning Worship....................................1

      2. Evening Worship....................................2

  II Invocations...............................................3

 III The Worship of God by Offerings. .........................4

      1. Scripture Selections preceding Offering............4

      2. Prayers for the Consecration of Offering...........6

  IV Benedictions..............................................8

   V The Order of Morning Worship..............................9

  VI The Order of Evening Worship.............................15

 VII A brief Order of Worship. ...............................17

VIII Prayers omitting the Confession of Sins..................19

  IX Prayers with the Confession of Sins. ....................26

   X Special Prayers and Intercessions. ......................34

      1. For the President of the United States............34

      2. For all conditions of Men.........................34

      3. General Thanksgiving..............................35

      4. Coming of God's Kingdom and universal

           Peace...........................................35

      5. For Bible Schools.................................36

      6. For Schools and Colleges..........................36

      7. A Prayer of St. Chrysostom........................37

  XI General Prayers..........................................38

PART TWO

The Order of Worship for Festival Days

   I The Advent Season........................................42

      1. First Sunday in Advent............................42

      2. Second Sunday in Advent...........................45

      3. Third Sunday in Advent............................48

      4. Fourth Sunday in Advent...........................50

   II The Christmas Season....................................52

      1. Christmas Day.....................................52

      2. Second Christmas Day..............................55

      3. The Sunday after Christmas........................57

  III The Old and the New Year. ..............................58

      1. The Close of the Old Year.........................58

      2. New Year's Day....................................60

   IV The Day of Humiliation and Prayer.......................64

    V The Epiphany Season.....................................66

      1. The Festival of Epiphany..........................66

      2. First Sunday after Epiphany.......................68

      3. Second Sunday after Epiphany......................69

      4. Third Sunday after Epiphany.......................70

   VI The Lenten Season.......................................71

      1. Opening Sentences for Lenten Services.............71

      2. Prayers for Midweek Lenten Services...............72

      3. Sentences after Scripture Lesson..................76

      4. Sunday Services during Lenten Season:

         a. First Sunday in Lent-Invocavit.................77

         b. Second Sunday in Lent-Reminiscere..............78

         c. Third Sunday in Lent-Oculi.....................79

         d. Fourth Sunday in Lent-Laetare..................80

         e. Fifth Sunday in Lent Judica....................81

         f. Sixth Sunday in Lent-Palmarum..................82

      5. Services for Maundy Thursday......................85

      6. Services for Good Friday..........................86

  VII The Easter Season.......................................94

      1. Easter Sunday.....................................94

      2. Easter Monday.....................................98

VIII The Service for Ascension Day...........................101

  IX The Pentecost Season....................................104

   X The Trinity Season......................................107

      1. The Festival of the Trinity......................107

      2. Prayers for the Sundays after Trinity............110

   XI The Festival of Harvest Home...........................118

  XII The Festival of the Reformation........................122

      1. The Service for Reformation Sunday...............122

      2. Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Bible.............127

XIII The National Thanksgiving Day...........................129

  XIV The Service for Memorial Sunday........................133

 XV Mission Services ........ ............................136

      1. The Mission Festival.............................136

      2. Prayers for Mission Services.....................140

  XVI Prayers for Children's Services........................143

PART THREE

The Sacraments

   I The Order for the Administration of Holy Bap-

      tism ..................................................147

      1. The Baptism of Infants...........................147

      2. The Baptism of Adults............................151

      3. The Baptism of a sick Child not expected

           to recover.....................................155

   II The Order for the Administration of Holy Com-

      munion.................................................158

      1. Preparatory Service..............................158

      2. The Celebration of the Lord's Supper.............162

         a. Form omitting Confession of Sins and

             Absolution...................................162

         b. Complete Form of Lord's Supper includ-

             ing Confession of Sins and Absolution........166

      3. The Order for Private Communion..................172

PART FOUR

The Order for the Rite of Confirmation

   I Prayers for the Confirmands.............................177

      1. Prayer preceding the Instruction in the Cate-

         chism............................................177

      2. Supplication for the Confirmands during the

         time of Instruction..............................178

  II Presentation and Testimony of the Confirmands...........179

 III The Order for the Confirmation of Children..............181

  IV The Order for the Confirmation of Adults................188

PART FIVE

The Order for the Solemnization of Marriage

   I The Complete Form.......................................193

  II A Brief Form............................................197

PART SIX

The Order for the Burial of the Dead

   I The Regular Service.....................................200

     Opening Sentences....................................200

     Scripture Lessons....................................201

       General Occasions..................................201

       Burial of a Child..................................206

       Burial of a Young Man..............................207

       Burial of a Man in Middle Life.....................208

       Burial of a Young Woman............................208

       Burial of one who died suddenly....................209

     Prayers..............................................210

       At Burial of a Child...............................210

       At Burial of one who died in Mature Life...........211

       At Burial of an Aged Person........................213

       At Burial of one who died suddenly.................213

       At Burial of one who died after long suffering.....214

  II The Service at the Grave................................215

       The regular Form...................................215

       At the Burial of a Child...........................217

       Prayers at the Grave...............................218

       Benedictions.......................................219

PART SEVEN

The Order for the Ordination of a Minister

The Order for Ordination.....................................220

PART EIGHT

The Order for the Consecration of Deaconesses

The Order for Consecration...................................228

PART NINE

Installation and Reception

   I The Order for the Installation of a Minister............232

  II The Order for the Installation of the Church Council....237

 III The Order for the Installation of Sunday School Officers

      and Teachers...........................................240

  IV The Order for the Installation of the Officers of

      Societies..............................................244

   V The Order for the Reception of New Members into the

      Church.................................................247

  VI The Order for Receiving Communicants from other

      Churches...............................................249

 VII The Order for Admission of Members on Confession of

      Faith..................................................250

PART TEN

Synodical Meetings

   I Prayers for Opening Service at Conferences..............253

  II Order for Installation of Officers of District or

      Synod..................................................256

  III Reception of Pastors and Congregations into Member-

      ship at Conferences....................................258

  IV Service of Reception of Congregations into Synod........262

PART ELEVEN

Dedicatory Services

   I Laying of a Corner Stone................................267

  II Dedication of a Church..................................271

 III Dedication of a Sunday School Building..................276

  IV Dedication of an Organ..................................279

   V Dedication of a Church Tower............................281

  VI Dedication of a Church Bell.............................283

 VII Dedication of a Parsonage...............................285

VIII Dedication of a Cemetery................................288

PART TWELVE

Anniversary Service

The Anniversary of a Congregation............................291

PART THIRTEEN

Various Tables

   I Table of the Psalms.....................................294

  II Table of the Epistles and Gospels for the Sundays and

      Festivals of the Church Year...........................296

 III Table of Rules to find the Movable Festivals............298

  IV Table of the Days on which Easter will fall from

      1915-2015..............................................299

Abbreviations of Books of the Bible

As used in this "BOOK OF WORSHIP"

(Taken from Hastings’ Bible Dictionary)

OLD TESTAMENT

Gn.-   Genesis           Ec.-     Ecclesiastes

Ex.-   Exodus            S.S.-    Solomon's Song

Lv.-   Leviticus         Is.-     Isaiah

Nu.-   Numbers           Jer.-    Jeremiah

Dt.-   Deuteronomy       La.-     Lamentations

Jos.-  Joshua            Ezek.-   Ezekiel

Jg.—   Judges            Dn.-     Daniel

Ru.-   Ruth              Hos.-    Hosea

1 S.—  1 Samuel          Jl.-     Joel

2 S.—  2 Samuel          Am.-     Amos

1 K.—  1 Kings           Ob.-     Obadiah

2 K.—  2 Kings           Jon.-    Jonah

1 Ch.— 1 Chronicles      Mic.-    Micah

2 Ch.— 2 Chronicles      Nah.-    Nahum

Ezr.-  Ezra              Hab.-    Habakkuk

Neh.-  Nehemiah.         Zeph.-   Zephaniah

Est.-  Esther            Hag.-    Haggai

Job                      Zec.-    Zechariah

Ps.-   Psalms            Mal.-    Malachi

Pr.-   Proverbs

NEW TESTAMENT

Mt.-   Matthew           1 Ti.-   1 Timothy

Mk.-   Mark              2 Ti.—   2 Timothy

Lk.-   Luke              Tit.-    Titus

Jn.-   John              Philem.- Philemon

Ac.—   Acts              He.-     Hebrews

Ro.-   Romans            Ja.-     James

1 Co.— 1 Corinthians     1 P.-    1 Peter

2 Co.— 2 Corinthians     2 P.—    2 Peter

Gal.-  Galatians         1 Jn.-   1 John

Eph.-  Ephesians         2 Jn.-   2 John

Ph.-   Philippians       3 Jn.-   3 John

Col.-  Colossians        Jude

1 Th.— 1 Thessalonians   Rev.-    Revelations

2 Th.— 2 Thessalonians