Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-10-04
From the Southern Christian Herald.
THE DUTY OF FAMILY PRAYER.
No. g..

There are numerous examples on record
in the Holy Scriptures of the conscientious
discharge of this duty. The Lord com.
mends Abraham for his fidelity, in respect
to it in the following language, 81 know him
that he will command his children, and his
household after him and they shall keep the
way of the LORD" Joshua, the distinguish
ed leader of the hosts of Israel, when he
had assembled the tribes ofhis country in
Shechem addressed them thus "Ifit seem
evil unto YOU to serve the LORD; choose
YOU this day whom ye will serve, whether
Gods which Your fathers served that were
on the other side of the flood, or the Gods of
the Amonites in whose land We dwell; but as
for me and my house ne uiNserre the LORD.
OfDavid, who was probably the greatest
King that ever reigned over Israel it is said,
that, after being engaged in the solemnities
of certain public religious celebrations, in
which as King he bore a principal part, and
which were attended withthat splendor which
usually accompanied Jewish worship, he
''turned," like pious parent, "to bless his
household"
It's recorded Of Job that he punctualy
attended to this duty, not only as we may
suppose during the time that his family were
growing, under his inspection, but after they
had scattered, and gone out from under his
roof, he offered sacrifices for them con-
stantly and for each individual. "And it
was so when the days of their feasting were
gone about, that Job sent and sanctified
them, and raisedup early in the morning, and
offered burnt offerings according to the num-
Der of them all, for Job said it may be that
my sons have sinned, and cursed God in
their hearts," Thus did job continually.
Again Cornelius, whom the Lord honored
by making him the first convert to chris
tianity from among the gentles, was "a de-
vout man, and one that feared God with all
his house which gave aims to the people and
prayed to God always" And it was while
engaged in the discharge of this duty that
the Lord was pleased by special revelation
from heaven to assure him of his being ac-
cepted. TO this he bore testimony himself
when he said, 'four days ago Twas fasting
until this hour; and at the ninth hour
prayed in my house, and behold a man stood
before me in bright clothiug, and said Cor
nelius thy prayer is heard, and thine aims
are had in remembrance in the sight OF
Cod"
Such examples transmitted down 10 US
with honor in the sacred record, are propos-
edfor our imitation and as really bind us to
the duty as express prccepts. And it should
be remembered that these men lived under
a dispensation when far less light was en-.
ioyed than we are blessed with. The knowl-
edge which they had of the way of saliva
ton, and of their religious duty was chiefly
derived from types, and from scanty por-
ton of revealed truth when compared to
the complete volume of inspiration which
We possess. If therefore they would have
been inexcusable, had they neglected this
duty, the omission on our part must be an
aggravated sin and the Gentiles who by the
light ofnature, and the ancient patrlarchs
who by the scriptures Of the Old Tesla
ment were taught to worship God in their
families will rise up in the judgement and
condemn us.