Mr. Speaker stands at the head of the Table. By his side is the Chaplain in gown and bands. Standing in files along the benches are the Members—the two great political Parties facing each other across the floor. The service opens with the 67th Psalm, with its aspirations for the enlargement of God’s Kingdom, to the joy of the people and the increase of God’s blessings. “O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for Thou shalt judge the people righteously and govern the nations upon earth.” The sublime maxims of the Lord’s Prayer are recited. For social policy: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread;” and for foreign affairs, “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation.” There are prayers for the King and Queen. Then follows the invocation to God on behalf of the House of Commons, at which the Members turn to the walls with bowed heads. The Chaplain prays: Send down the Heavenly Wisdom from above to direct and guide us in all our consultations; and grant that we, having Thy fear always before our eyes, and laying aside all private interests, prejudices, and partial affections, the result of all our counsels may be to the Glory of Thy blessed Name, the maintenance of true religion and justice, the safety, honour and happiness of the King, the public welfare, peace and tranquillity of the realm, and the uniting and knitting together of the hearts of all persons and estates within the same in true Christian love and charity one towards another, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen. Strangers are not admitted to the galleries until prayers are over. If they were present they could not fail to notice a strange thing. That is, that the Treasury Bench is always empty during the service. Ministers may be really more in need of prayers than private Members, but then their seats in the Chamber are secured to them by prescriptive right.