Prayers from The Female Reader: Or Miscellaneous Pieces in Prose and Verse; Selected from the Best Writers, and Disposed under Proper Heads; for the Improvement of Young Women

By Mary Wollstonecraft, 1789

A Private Morning Prayer

Gracious Creator, support of all those who trust in thee-with humble gratitude do I approach to enjoy the highest privilege of my nature, that of making known my wants, and casting my cares on thee. Thou knowest whereof I am made, and rememberest that I am but dust: self-convicted I prostrate myself before thy throne of grace, and seek not to hide or palliate my faults; be not extreme to mark what I have done amiss-still allow me to call thee Father, and rejoice in my existence, since I can trace thy goodness and truth on earth, and feel myself allied to that glorious Being who breathed into me the breath of life, and gave me a capacity to know and to serve him.

Filled with the idea of thy awful majesty, and impressed by thy love, I think I would rather die than swerve from thy holy law–but I cannot forget my former weakness–and doubt my own resolutions–grant me then thy helping hand lest I fall–and may thy presence never be a terror to me, or ever be forgotten! Pursuing the employments and duties of my station, thou are my guide and stay; may vice never separate me from my God–Oh! let me perceive the light of thy countenance, where only there is fullness of joy!

I laud and magnify thy holy name, for that thou hast made me an intelligent being; and with a trembling heart hope that I shall never abuse the inestimable gift: but that I shall cultivate my talents, and prove that indeed I am an offspring of the Most-High, by conforming to his will, and doing good to my fellow creatures. May universal benevolence expand my heart, and yet may I endeavour studiously to fulfil my private duties; to attain that end may I govern my temper and subdue my passions, and resolutely follow rational pursuits as the way to be useful and virtuous.

Into thy hands do I commit myself this day, and humbly dedicate all my powers to thy service.–Accept, I beseech thee, the imperfect sacrifice of a heart frail but sincere, which glows with a sense of thy goodness whilst my understanding is lost in meditating on thy wisdom and power. Drawn to thee more by love than fear–I know that all my happiness must proceed from thee–grant that no earthly desire may make me forget this conviction, and may it constantly actuate my conduct; in sorrow and in joy may I recollect that thy favour is the one thing needful, the attainment of virtue the main end of life, and the reward of every suffering. May these sentiments animate every action, lest they rise up in judgment against me: and, as the least proof of my love of thee, may I ever anxiously try to be an useful and active member of society, following the example of thy Son, whose delight it was to do thy will. In his name and words I further pray unto thee, first recommending to thy care those I particularly love; bless them, and bless me, also by making me a comfort to them! Our Father, &c.

Private Evening Prayer

After the active employments of the day I return to thank my heavenly Father for his numberless mercies.–All around me is now still–and the resolutions of the morning come with full force into my mind to humble me before thee, and make me wonder at my own weakness and folly. I have neglected many opportunities of doing good and improving myself; and, not sufficiently attentive to my temper, have given pain to those I ought to have been a comfort to. Particular instances of impatience and want of forbearance strike me at this moment when I am imploring thee to have mercy on me, and vouchsafe ot pardon me, that I may sleep in peace.

Every good and every perfect gift cometh from thee; oh grant me a wise and understanding heart–may a reverential fear of thee ever still the tumult of passion, silence every eager wish, and make me resigned to thy most afflictive dispensations, cheerfully enduring necessary chastisement as a proof of thy love, and a means of calling home my scattered thoughts from deceitful pleasures, and the vain desire of worldly prosperity!–these prospects and hopes now fade before me, and appear insignificant when compared with thy favour, and the heart-felt joy arising from virtue.

Full of these thoughts, I seek repose–the image of death presents itself–but why should I be afraid while I can trust in thee–may I die the death of the righteous, and then I shall wake to a new and glorious day–the cloud will be removed that darkens my view-for graciously promised to wipe away the tear that sorrow and frailty force me to shed whilst struggling with my infirmities.

Preserve me from the dangers of the night, if it be thy good pleasure, and bless and guard all those I love. At peace with every human creature, I beg thee to bless the whole world of which I make a part–May thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!–Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace!

A Social Morning Prayer

Almighty God, whose watchful eye overlooks all thy works, receive our sincere thanks for thy fatherly care of us the night past, and for every other mercy during life, whatever appearance it might wear. If trials and afflictions should in future be more particularly our lot, oh grant that they may produce the desired effect, and make us humble and patient; resigned to thy will in this world, and in some measure prepared for a better! Do Thou vouchsafe to enlighten our understandings and help our infirmities;–yet may we ever be attentive to our thoughts as well as conduct, conscious that a pure God, who cannot bear even the shadow of iniquity, is constantly about our paths, and spieth out all our ways. 

We earnestly desire to be enabled to exert ourselves for the service of our fellow creatures; and let a due sense of our own weakness make us ready to practice charity and forbearance. Teach us with humble awe to imitate the divine pattern thou hast set before us-the qualities thou hast condescended to display to attract our affection and lure us to the paths of virtue, where only true peace and lasting pleasure is to be found; may we emulate them here, that we may more perfectly know thee hereafter the source of true joy.

To these our important petitions we wish to add our requests for more particular favours.–Preserve us, we beseech thee, from the contagion of vice and folly when we enter into the active scenes of the day, and from the bodily dangers to which we are liable; grant us necessary food, and those temporal blessings thou knowest to be the fittest for us, and most conducive to our eternal welfare–our attainment of virtuous habits and purity of mind.

Pardon, we entreat thee, our past offences, and grant us thy assistance to fulfil with more steadiness the duties of the present day, for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whose name we presume to pray unto thee, and implore blessings that we can never deserve-but thou art good, therefore thou art to be feared. And ever may the whole host of intelligent beings join to praise him who liveth for ever and ever, King of kings and Lord of Lords.

Our Father, &c.

A Social Evening Prayer

Most adorable God! whose fatherly care is over all thy creatures, we desire to offer unto thee our thankful acknowledgements for thy protection of us through the day past; and for preserving us from many unseen dangers, to which we are at all times subject. By thee we are fed and clothed, and have an habitation to shelter us from the inclemency of the weather; but thy tender affectionate care of us is more particularly displayed in affording us not only the necessaries, but the comforts and conveniences of life. These are the free gifts of thy love:–Oh teach us to have a due sense of them! that whilst thou preservest our frail bodies our minds may be improved, and the main purpose of life diligently pursued–to attain that end, enable us to resign ourselves cheerfully to thy will, patiently enduring those afflictions which thy wisdom hath appointed for our real benefit. 

And, that we may indeed serve thee truly, we beseech thee, O Father of mercies! to look with compassion on the weakness and infirmities of our nature, and grant us Thy divine assistance–save us or we perish!–and lead us to discover more and more, by every day's experience, our numberless faults and imperfections: and, that we may be heartily desirous to correct them, make us thoroughly sensible that our true happiness consists in a life of religion and virtue.

To thy care are we humbly commit ourselves this night; trusting in Thy protection of us while we sleep: in that helpless state we seem to be more particularly exposed to the dreadful calamities of fire, robbery, or tempest; but, knowing that thy almighty power can defend us from evert ill, we now earnestly seek that sure defence:–O grant us a quiet and refreshing sleep, that we may rise in health and safety to fulfil our daily duties, and shew forth thy praise not only with our lips but in our lives.–We wish, while we entreat fresh mercies, to thank thee for the past.–Thou art good, and of thy mercies there is no end!–Blessing, honour, and glory, be ascribed unto thee!-and we thank thee for allowing us to praise thee, and see the hand from which so many blessings flow!

Lord God, our creator and preserver, accept our prayers, which we humbly offer in the name, and through the meditation, of Jesus Christ! 

Amen.