Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-09-24
Family Worship.

A mans home ought to be the sweetest
place on earth to him, and nothing will
bring sweeter, purer JOY to him than religion.
For this reason, household religion should
have prominent place. But many are so alb
sorbed in the affairs of the world that they
not only neglect family religion, but hardly
have time to cultivate the acquaintance of
their own households. Says one: How
many Of us really know, with rewarding in-
timacy, wives and children, husbands or
friends We hurry to our beds at night
and out of them in the mornings hurry to
our work and through it." A touching in
cident is told by Hamilton, setting forth the
beauty and joy of domestic religion: Z"
was once told of cottage patriarch who
was born in those days when Scotland had
a church in almost every house. There was
one in his fathers dwelling, and when he
pitched tent for himself he builded an al.
tar Round that altar a goodly number of
olive plants grew up, but one by one they
were either planted out in families of their
own, or God took them, till he and his old
partner found themselves, just as at their
outset in life, alone. But their family wor-
ship continued as of old. At last his fellow
traveller left him. Still, he carried ON the
worship by himself So sweet was the mem
ory of it in hs fathers house, and 80 pleas
ant had he found it in his own, that he could
not give it up. But, as he sat in his silent
habitation, morning and evening his culver
ing voice was overheard singing the old
psalm tune, reading aloud the chapter, and
praying as if others still worshiped by his
side" A single incident like this shows
the joy of household religion, and indicates
that any compensation that we seek, in our
greed and haste, in the world, can never be
an equivalent for it, Some omit family
worship because they think they are desti.
tute of the gifts to fit them for the duty.
But the only part of the duty which is at all
difficult is the prayer, and if a man is attend
lug to the private duties of religion as he
should, he ought not to have much hesta-
tion in leading the devotions of his own
family. The prayer need not be long. 1t
need not include many topics. A brief
prayer, if the heart be in it, of thanksgiving,
and the confession of sin and supplication
for mercies, or, indeed, the Lords Prayer
would be sufficient 1t is this household de,
voton that gives us a noble type of piety
that gives US faithfulness and constancy IN
the public duties of religion, and prepares
us to enjoy the services of Gods house
Family religion will make our closets more
attractive, and will fill the sanctuary with q
new and abiding interest, and will bring tc
our church, what it now SO much needs, 4
greater conservation of our energies and our
selves to God Baxter, speaking of his sue
cess among his people, remarked that wher
he went to Kidderminster there were Who'll,
streets where a praying family could not b.
found and when he left there were few
streets where prayer and praise did not as
cend daily from almost every dwelling.
The missionaries in new and trying fields o
labor have more success in introducing fam
lily worship among their converts than min
listers in more favored localities. A mi.
sionary among ten thousand Fijians has re
Gently said more than we can say-namely
81 do not know of single house in whic
there is not family worship Yor
Observer.