Passaic City record., 1891-10-17
THE FAMILY ALTAR.

A variety of excuses are offered for fail
ure to erect the sacrifice altar, or for the neg
lect of the morning and evening sacrifices
where it has been erected; but in most in
stances, if not in all, they are excuses only,
not reasons. If the plea is a lack OF ability
on the part of the head of the household,
whether father or q mother, the answer is,
that all, with rare exceptions, are capable of
reading the Bible, and that those who regard
themselves as incapable of offering extem-
Iore prayer may use form. They may
write their prayers and read them, or they
may make use of one of the many excel
lent volumes that have been prepared for
the benefit of this class; and all who are able
to read may unite in the service. But if the
excuse is a lack of time, the answer is,
'.Prayers and proyender never hinder the
Journey" However pressing our work may
be, we can not afford to neglect our daily
food ; and prayers are no less necessary or
important. No man aecomplishes more
during the year by negleeting family wor-
ship. 1t was Martin Luther, if we remember,
who said: "When | have an unusual
amount of labor to perform during the day
spend more than the usual length of time in
the morning in prayer But this was the
wise and reasonable course. If it were
necessary to do more than his ordinary
amount of work, he had more than an ordi-
nary need of the divine blessing, and II he
would secure this he must be willing to take
DiOTe lndu tDt OTulHdIy pilus W OUtdiD IL.
But those who neglect the worship OF the
family altar do so because they have no
adequate conception of the Importance of q
faithful discharge of this duty. The family
altar should be conscientiously maintained,
not only because it is by the disch1rge
of this duty that the bless
ing of God upon the family
for the day is secured. but also for the sake
of its influence upon the household. IL is
an educating process in a spiritual sense
which no household can afford to neglect.
IT is needed by the parents, andit is needed
by the children. And if there are domestics,
or boarders, or visitors, it is needed by them.
And though they may not understand its
value and refuse TO avail themselves of its
benefits, the knowledge that family worship
Is regularly maintained will leave an impress
sion. 1t will prove to them a spiritual
educator. In many instances the lmme-
diate influence is very marked. Visitors
who have not been accustomed to this ever
else. during stay of very few days. or
even of single day, have received impress
sons which have led to their acceptance of
Christ But the Importance of the family
altar is to be measured not by its immediate
results but hv the influence cxerted during
series of years. Its quickening and re-
straining power is felt by the adult members
of the household, and to the young il is PROM
inent among the home influences by which
the character Of the future man or woman
is modelled. For day or
influence may not be perceptible, but during
i series of wears the impression becomes
deep and abiding Parents and other heads
of families who live in neglect of tnis oblga-
ton make very grave mistake. They
wrong their own souls and they wrong every
member Of their households No one cali
afford to live without the family altar, so far
IS relates to his own spiritual interests, ana
to do so is to neglect most important means
of doing gnod to others The National
Presbyterian,