I had never thought about Jane’s Austen’s own religious or spiritual stance, except for the fact that she was a clergyman’s daughter. While her important heroines operate out of a moral stance of kindness and truth, there is very little overt religion in the (admittedly, not all) novels I have read; meanwhile, her clergy characters are not, to use a bit of Austenian understatement, exactly role models. So it intrigued me to discover, in several places we visited, a prayer that she had written. Upon further exploration, I discovered three prayers that she had written for Evensong. (I am also tracking Paula Hollingsworth, a scholar whose master’s thesis explores the spirituality of Jane Austen).
Evensong prayers, by tradition (and I remember this from the Compline prayer of my convent days) deal with examination of conscience and requests for forgiveness in case one should not survive the evils of the night – there is a certain dark = evil stance which is characteristic of night prayer. I say this because if there is any “darkness” about Jane’s prayers, at least some of it may be attributed more to the style of night prayer than to Jane’s own world view. Having meditated on the three prayers we have available, I have chosen to include her third Evensong prayer as perhaps more reflective of Jane herself than of Evensong style (admitting, as I say this, that I need to research this much more carefully!):
“Father of Heaven! whose goodness has brought us in safety to the close of this day, dispose our hearts in fervent prayer. Another day is now gone, and added to those, for which we were before accountable. Teach us almighty father, to consider this solemn truth, as we should do, that we may feel the importance of every day, and every hour as it passes, and earnestly strive to make a better use of what thy goodness may yet bestow on us, than we have done of the time past.
Give us grace to endeavour after a truly Christian spirit to seek to attain that temper of forbearance and patience of which our blessed saviour has set us the highest example; and which, while it prepares us for the spiritual happiness of the life to come, will secure to us the best enjoyment of what this world can give. Incline us oh God! to think humbly of ourselves, to be severe only in the examination of our own conduct, to consider our fellow-creatures with kindness, and to judge of all they say and do with that charity which we would desire from them ourselves.
We thank thee with all our hearts for every gracious dispensation, for all the blessings that have attended our lives, for every hour of safety, health and peace, of domestic comfort and innocent enjoyment. We feel that we have been blessed far beyond any thing that we have deserved; and though we cannot but pray for a continuance of all these mercies, we acknowledge our unworthiness of them and implore thee to pardon the presumption of our desires.
Keep us oh! Heavenly Father from evil this night. Bring us in safety to the beginning of another day and grant that we may rise again with every serious and religious feeling which now directs us.
May thy mercy be extended over all mankind, bringing the ignorant to the knowledge of thy truth, awakening the impenitent, touching the hardened. Look with compassion upon the afflicted of every condition, assuage the pangs of disease, comfort the broken in spirit.
More particularly do we pray for the safety and welfare of our own family and friends wheresoever dispersed, beseeching thee to avert from them all material and lasting evil of body or mind; and may we by the assistance of thy holy spirit so conduct ourselves on earth as to secure an eternity of happiness with each other in thy heavenly kingdom. Grant this most merciful Father, for the sake of our blessed saviour in whose holy name and words we further address thee.
Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. “
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