llect of the Nativity, which shall be
said continually unto New-year's Eve_.

FOR THE EPISTLE. Acts vii. 55.

Stephen, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into
heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right
hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the
Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried
out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him
with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him:
and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet,
whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God,
and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down,
and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

THE GOSPEL. St Matth. xxiii. 34.

Behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and
some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall
ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to
city; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon
the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of
Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and
the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come
upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest
the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee; how
often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen
gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold,
your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye
shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he
that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST'S DAY

_December_ 27.

THE COLLECT.

Merciful Lord, we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of light
upon thy Church, that it being enlightened by the doctrine of
thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John may so walk in the
light of thy truth, that it may at length attain to the light of
everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.

THE EPISTLE. 1 St John i. 1.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we
have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands
have handled of the word of life; (for the life was manifested,
and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that
eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto
us;) That which we hav