The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-03-23
international Sunday.SehooI Lessons.
SECOND QUARTER, 1876.
Household Affairs.

In the olden time the father of the
household was its prophet and priest The
father Of the present fast age can hardly
lind time TO make the acquaintance of his
own children, TO say nothing of decent
ind dcyout attention to the proprieties and
sanctities Of family religion.
It is sad fact that, in many house
holds, nominally Christian, there is no
family altar ami no household recognition
of God. The Bible is an unopened book,
and there is no open acknowledgment of
allegiance to God, the Father in Heaven.
A goddess, prayerless household is terri
Die spectacle, especially when there is an
outward profession of better things. The
evils are magniied manifold where there
are young children. What can compcn-
safe for the sweet and tender Influences of
well Conducted family worship on the
minds and hearts of the little ones
Parents who omit it not only provoke the
wrath of the Lord, but neglect the best
and most natural means of religious cdu-
cation, and thus put in fearful jeopardy
the souls of their children. 1t was not an
idle superstition that babe the simple
minded, devout Norwegian girl to flee
from the house where she had engaged
service, because there were no prayers
in the house" A prayerlcss soul is a
fearful anomaly. But home where
children are born and nurured and
reared, where loved ones sicken and suffer
and die, where, in the eyes Of the children,
the father should be the type of the can
Father in Heaven and the mother the
ideal Of all that is tender and afIcctionate
and devout, where all precious memories
should be garncred by hidden treasures,
and where all holy and pure influences
and associations should pcrvade the very
air-with no open Bible and no voice of
song, prayer or praise-what shall we say
of that home? One can hardly conceive
it possible that such a home could exist
in q Christian land No wonder that
the curse Of the Lord hangs in dark relief
over the families that call not on His
name.
We allude to family worship as a relig-
ious educator. One can hardly over csti-
mate the power of this service over young
hearts, if wisely and earnestly conducted.
A daughter Of irreligjous parents spent,
not long since, few months in Chris
tian home. Selected passages of Scripture
usually the readings connected with the
current Sabbath School lesson, were read,
each member taking verse in course.
Not seldom there was some familiar talk
and comment on the passage and the Sab
bath lesson. Then a song, and then all
bowed in brief and simple thanksgiving
and prayer fol daily grace and protection.
This gay young girl soon found the God
thus honored and worshiped in this house
10 be her God and Savior. Not long AFTER
another daughter, gay, cultured and high
ly educated, spent a few weeks in this
humble home. She, too, was sweetly won
to the religion SO magnilied in the house
in which she was guest. Going to her
own home, she preached Christ to her
mother, and now all three are rejoicing in
the Lord. These girls attributed their
conversion to the indirect yet powerful APP
peal that day by day came 10 their Eearts
and conscicnces from these simple ordi-
nary services of family religion.
We fear that pastors and church officers
are not watchful and faithful in the over
sight of the church touching this matter,
especially in the case Of young couples
just setting up their homes. Habits of
neglect once formed are not easily over
come. Starting right at the outset Is often
a guarantee Of lifelong fidelity. Let the
voice of the preacher and the Christian
teacher be lifted up with no uncertain
sound on this subject. We need nothing
so much as consecrated homes.-Presby-
terEQ1t at Work