“All-powerful God!  Most loving and beneficent Creator of the Universe!  We Thy creatures, who partake with Thee the endowment of immortality, now beseech Thee to look upon us here, kneeling in adoration before Thee!  Search our hearts and souls with the light of Thy revealing Holy Spirit, and see if in any of us there is concealed an unworthy thought, or doubt, or distrust, or scorn of Thy unfailing goodness!  We ask Thee to discover our sins and imperfections to ourselves, and so instruct us as to what is displeasing to Thee, that we may remedy these wilful blots upon Thy fair intention.  Give us the force and fervour, the wisdom and truth, to find and follow the way Thou wouldst have us go,—­and if our strength should fail, constrain us, oh God, to come to Thee, whether we learn by sorrow or joy, by punishment or pity;—­constrain us, so that we may find Thee, whatever else we lose!  Let the great searchlight of Thy truth be turned upon the secret motives of our hearts and minds, and if there be one of us in whom such motives be found false, impure, cruel or cowardly, then let Thy just wrath fall upon the misguided creature of Thy love, and teach him or her, obedience and repentance!  We pray that Thou wilt punish us, oh God, when we have sinned, that we may know wherein we have offended our dear Father;—­and equally, when we have sought to serve Thee faithfully, may we receive Thy blessing!  Make us one with Thee in Thy perfect plan of good; teach us how to work Thy will in the fulfilment of peace and joy; make our lives of use to this world, and our deaths gain to the next, and let the glory of Thy love encompass us, guide us, and defend us now and forever, through Christ our Lord, Amen.”

After he had ceased, there was a deep silence for many minutes, then all the people as if moved by one impulse, rose from their knees, and standing, sang the following stanzas, which Aubrey had taught them when he first began to preach among them his ideals of love and labour.

     If thou’rt a Christian in deed and thought,
     Loving thy neighbour as Jesus taught,—­
     Living all days in the sight of Heaven,
     And not one only out of seven,—­
     Sharing thy wealth with the suffering poor,
     Helping all sorrow that Hope can cure,—­
     Making religion a truth in the heart,
     And not a cloak to be worn in the mart,
     Or in high cathedrals and chapels and fanes,
     Where priests are traders and count the gains,—­
       All God’s angels will say, “Well done!”
       Whenever thy mortal race is run. 
          White and forgiven,
          Thou’lt enter heaven,
       And pass, unchallenged, the Golden Gate,
       Where welcoming spirits watch and wait
       To hail thy coming with sweet accord
       To the Holy City of God the Lord!