“Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Job from all his afflictions.” R. “Amen.”

“Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Isaac from being sacrificed by his father.” R. “Amen.”

“Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Lot from Sodom and the flames of fire.” R. “Amen.”

“Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Moses from the hands of Pharaoh, King of Egypt.” R. “Amen.”

“Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Daniel from the lions’ den.” R. “Amen.”

“Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst the three children from the fiery furnace and from the hands of an unmerciful king.” R. “Amen.”

“Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Susanna from her false accusers.” R. “Amen.”

“Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst David from the hands of Goliah and Saul.” R. “Amen.”

“Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Peter and Paul out of prison.” R. “Amen.”

“And as thou deliveredst that blessed virgin and martyr, St. Thecla, from most cruel torments, so vouchsafe, O Lord, to deliver the soul of this thy servant, and bring it to the participation of thy heavenly joys.” R. “Amen.”

“Depart, Christian soul, out of this world, in the name of God, the Father Almighty, who created thee; in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who suffered for thee; in the name of the Holy Ghost, who sanctified thee; in the name of the angels, archangels, thrones and dominations, cherubims and seraphims; in the name of the patriarchs and prophets, of the holy martyrs and confessors, of the holy monks and hermits, of the holy virgins, and of all the saints of God.  Let thy place be this day in peace, and thy abode in Sion, through Christ, our Lord.” R.  “Amen.”

The offering up of this most beautiful prayer by the children for their dying parent was not unattended with several breaks and pauses, caused by the overwhelming grief of the poor orphans.  They “gave out” the short prayers of the litany very well, and without much interruption; but when they came to the more solemn portion of that beautiful service, the “recommendation of a departing soul,” they could no longer restrain their tears or suppress their lamentations.

Small blame to the poor children for this manifestation of grief, since we have known instances of the most hardened hearts being touched, and the most manly eyes yielding their tribute of tears, at the bare recital of the most beautiful form of prayer for the “soul departing.”  We have ourselves read this service a thousand times, at least, by the death bedsides of many “departing souls;” and never could we once go through the form of it entire without yielding