Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-01
Preparing for Family Prayers.

There are few Christian heads Of house.
holds who do not establish some kind Of
family worship. The order of this varies
much. according to the time that can be al
lowed for it, the ability, and perhaps the
opinions, of the one who conducts It. Pos
sibly any kind of family prayer is better
than none at all and yet it is sad to see the
tendency which there is for it TO become a
mere form, and to mark how frequently it
fails to be the power it might be in promot-
ing the religious life of the household. Too
often the place is only found in the Bible
because-z marker is kept there; hurried
prayer is read or said, and the hasty service
leaves but little likely to impress stamp
on the events Of the day. No doubt the in
terest of the service would be increased by
anything which allowed the various mem
bers of the family to take part in it. Sing
ing, where it can be managed, is often much
enjoyed and where this is not possible, the
mere reading of hymn gives happy va
riety. The occasional reading of verses by
others than the one who conducts the wor-
ship checks formality; and at least each
might have Bible of his own, and follow
the reader The grown-up young men and
women who have been early trained thus
will be less likely to be found absent when
the morning bell has summoned the house
hold for prayer. Other things being equal
it can scarcely be denied that simple ex
tempore prayer by the head of the household
is far more likely to excite interest, to lead
on 10 true prayer, than any of the many ex
cellent forms provided for this purpose. The
writer was much struck the other day, OF
inquiring into the particulars of the last i'll
ness of a lady well known in early life, tC
find that she had repeatedly referred to he,
fathers prayers offered in the family; ant
this was the more remarkable, as she wa
probably very one of his numerous house
hold who least liked to be present at them
and who, at the time, appeared least affected
by them. But whether the leader Of tn
worship uses his own words or employs tn
words of others in approaching the thron
, of grace, there must be times when he feel
that great weight and responsibility is lai
upon him; and every Christian will lon
that help may be given to the infirmit
which he feels too often to press upon hir
7 on such occasions. We venture to inauir
, whether this would not be more likely to b
given il there were, as a rule, more prepare
tion for family prayer,-preparation on tn
; part of the one who conducts it. 1t mos
| surely should not be made substitute fo
5 his own private devotion. Private praye
and study of Gods Word should be made
tell upon the worship of the family. Th
subject to be brought before them might b
!, thought over aud prayed over alone; the p
n titions which are to rise in united forl
f might have been already breathed as s
q cret prayer and who can tell the differenc
this wonld give to the worship of the fan
: ilyP Possibly a word or two might be pl
e in by way of explanation to the Scriptu
t read and the very study of the subje
), would suggest matter for the prayer, if
Il were extempore. And where form is use
what life would be added to it by the add
tion of short sentence, perhaps not mo
Il than word or two, making it suit the sp
,. cial need of the household, or even by mere
!, emitting that which could not be uttered
u its suitable request. What reality would
n given to these forms if the substance
IS them had first been breathed out in the FRI
t. and often broken way in which man ca
q pour out his soul when alone with God
From The Christian Monthlu.