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Tags:Sabbath Thoughts and Sacred Communings (1853) is a collection of prayers in vernacular English by Grace Aguilar (1816-1847), published posthumously by her mother, Sarah Aguilar née Dias Fernandes (1786-1854). Fifty-four prayers are included along with schedules for reading through the Ḥumash and Psalms, and some divrei Torah and Tefilah. As indicated in Sarah Aguilar’s preface, this selection of prayers are only the ones she felt suitable for the public and comprise only a fraction of her daughter’s prayer writings from the age of fifteen in 1831 till her death in 1847. While most of the prayers are undated, the few that are dated are arranged in chronological order, and suggest that most of these were written in her late teens and early 20s. In one prayer, for Saturday night, 14 January 1837, Sarah Aguilar notes that it was written at the start of a new book intended for “sacred communings and prayer.”
The prayerbook was published in two separate editions, one for the United States and another published slightly later, in the United Kingdom. In the United States, “Sacred Communings” (1852) comprises a separate section of Essays and Miscellanies (1853), pp. 123-236. The total number of prayers between the two editions, including several variations, is approximately fifty-four. Some prayers in the UK version are lacking in the US version (and vice versa) or else show substantial variation. Thirty-two prayers are shared between the two editions, including four prayers intended for group family reading. The prayers are also arranged differently in each edition. The US edition contains thirty-seven prayers, six of which are not found in the UK edition. The UK edition contains forty-eight prayers total, sixteen of which are not found in the US edition.
This work is in the Public Domain due to its having been published more than 95 years ago.
DEDICATION. [US edition]
To you, my beloved grandchild, do I dedicate this little volume of Prayers and Meditations.
That you may with the name of Grace Aguilar inherit her humble piety, gentle virtues, and sweet, amiable temper, is the daily and fervent prayer of your affectionate grandmother, Sarah Aguilar.
PREFACE. [US edition]
The Prayers and Meditations, from which the following are selected, were composed by my beloved daughter, for her own private use. She had been requested to write some for individual use, but declined doing so; and this selection would never have been published but in compliance with the earnest entreaties of Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Cohen, of Savannah.[1] This would be Solomon Cohen Jr. (1802-1875) and his wife Miriam Gratz Moses (1808-1891). Solomon Cohen Jr., a prominent lawyer, established the first Jewish Sunday School in Georgia.
I hope my kind friends who have been so urgent on the subject, will find some among them which may prove useful; and, for the rest, our young co-religionists may gain something in perusing the Prayers and Meditations of one, who on all occasions was in the habit of pouring out her whole heart and soul in humble faith and trust to her Heavenly Father.
Sarah Aguilar.
February 26, 1852.
[CONTENTS, US edition]
Thoughts on Family Prayer
Family Morning Prayer
Prayer Before Reading the Bible
Family Evening Prayer
(Additional Portions for Friday Evenings and Saturday Mornings)
[Schedule] to Read the Whole of the [Torah], with the Exception of the Psalms, in the 52 Weeks of the [Gregorian Calendar] YearSelf-examination for Every Night [version 1]*
Prayer [for Friends] (Oh, Gracious and Almighty God…)*
Prayer for Friday Night
Prayer for Self-knowledge
Another Prayer for Self-knowledge*
Prayer for Wisdom
Prayer for submission to the Divine will
Prayer for the Government of the Thoughts
Prayer (O Father, merciful Father) [version 1]
Morning Hymn (Bless thou the Lord, oh my soul)
Hymn of Praise
Evening Prayer (I thank Thee)
Prayer for Strength under Bodily Affliction
Prayer before mingling with the World
[Prayer for] Saturday Night, December 24th, 1836
[Prayer for] Saturday Night, December 31st, 1836
Meditations — [Prayer for] Saturday Night, 14th January, 1837
Prayer before retiring to Rest
Prayer in times of bodily suffering*
Concluding Supplication, for every Morning
[Prayer for Wisdom on] Saturday Night, February 25th, 1837
Prayer for Guidance in times of Indecision
Thanksgiving and Prayer
Birthday Meditation [1838]
Prayer [at the commencement of a writing project] (Father of mercies)
Evening Prayer (Another day hath passed) [version 1]
Prayer for Every Night
Morning Hymn (Blessed art thou) [version 1]
Morning Prayer (Another day hath dawned)
Prayer for a blessing on daily pursuits*
Prayer for Grace*
Prayer for the Sabbath Eve
Prayer for the Sabbath Morn*not found in the UK edition (6).
This work is in the Public Domain due to its having been published more than 95 years ago.
PREFACE. [UK edition]
The following Meditations and Prayers, were written by my beloved daughter, for her own use, and they would never have been published, but in compliance with the earnest solicitations of several friends, who, many years ago, had requested her to write and publish some for individual use. She constantly declined doing so. I have selected a few which I trust will be kindly received, more particularly by her young co-religionists, who may learn from them, to turn to their Heavenly Father on all occasions, with a firm religious humble trust in His love and mercy; likewise to encourage and foster sentiments of love and charity to all mankind, whatever their creed. Should their perusal induce the young daughters of Israel to reflect, and endeavour to walk in the path of one, who at the early age of fifteen began to seek to know how to love and serve her Creator with all her heart, soul, and mind, I shall indeed be fully repaid for the anxiety and hesitation which I felt, before I could resolve to publish my dear child’s private meditations and prayers.
Sarah Aguilar
June 17th, 1853.
CONTENTS. [UK edition]
Sabbath Thoughts.
1. On a Lecture on the twenty-second Psalm, by the Rev. R.S. Anderson, 9th November, 1836
2. On the twenty-sixth verse of the first chapter of Genesis
3. Isaiah, chap. 7 and 8
4. Daniel, chap. 2Sacred Communings.
1. Morning Meditation*
2. Prayer for submission to the Divine will
3. Prayer [for Friends] (Father in Heaven)*
4. Prayer before mingling with the World
5. Prayer for the Government of the Thoughts
6. Prayer for Friday Night
7. Universal Intercessory Prayer [for the sovereign]*
8. Dedication and Surrender [“Prayer (Oh, Father, merciful Father)” version 2]*
9. Meditation on the Works of God*
10. Meditation on Death [June 1835]*
11. Concluding Supplication, for every Morning
12. Meditation for the Penitential Days*
13. Prayer for the Penitential Days*
14. Prayer before retiring to Rest
15. Morning Hymn (Blessed art Thou) [version 2]*
16. Morning Prayer (Another day hath dawned)
17. Evening Hymn (Blessed art Thou)*
18. Evening Prayer (Another day hath passed) [version 2]*
19. Self-examination [version 2]*
20. Prayer before the Sabbath Service*
21. Prayer for Self-knowledge
22. Prayer for Wisdom
23. Hymn of Praise
24. Prayer (O Father, merciful Father) [abridged version 2]
25. Morning Hymn (Bless ye the Lord! O my soul)
26. Evening Prayer (I thank Thee)
27. [Prayer for] Saturday Night, December 24th, 1836
28. [Prayer for] Saturday Night, December 31st, 1836Prayers in Illness
29. Morning Hymn (Father of all!)*
30. Morning Prayer (Almighty and merciful Father)*
31. Evening Prayer (Blessed and beneficent Father)*
32. Prayer for Strength under Bodily Affliction33. [Prayer for] Saturday Night, 14th January, 1837
34. [Prayer for Wisdom on] Saturday Night, February 25th, 1837
35. Prayer for Guidance in times of Indecision
36. Thanksgiving and Prayer
37. Birthday Meditation [1838]
38. Prayer [at the commencement of a writing project] (Father of mercies)
39. Evening Prayer (Another day hath passed) [version 1]
40. Prayer for Every Night
41. Morning Hymn (Blessed art Thou) [version 1]
42. Prayer for Sabbath Eve
43. Prayer for the Sabbath Morn*not found in the US edition (16)
Family Prayers
[Thoughts] On Family Prayer
Family Morning Prayer
Prayer Before Reading the Bible
Family Evening Prayer
(Additional Portions for Friday Evenings and Saturday Mornings)
[Schedule] to Read the Whole of the [Torah], with the Exception of the Psalms, in the 52 Weeks of the [Gregorian Calendar] Year
Table to Read All the Psalms in One Month
Notes
| 1 | This would be Solomon Cohen Jr. (1802-1875) and his wife Miriam Gratz Moses (1808-1891). Solomon Cohen Jr., a prominent lawyer, established the first Jewish Sunday School in Georgia. |
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“📖 Sabbath Thoughts and Sacred Communings, by Grace Aguilar [ca. late 1830s] (ed. Sarah Aguilar 1852/1853)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.
Grace Aguilar
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