The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-07-30
THE FAMILY ALTAR.
Necessity and Advantages OF Prayer In
tho Household.

a variety of excuses are offered for a
failure to erect the domestic altar, or
fer the negect of the morning and even
ing sacrifice where it has been erected;
but in most instances, 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 mother, the answer is, that all
with rare exceptions, are capable of read.
ing the Bible, and that those who regard
themselves as incapable of offering ex-
tempore prayer may use form. They
may write their prayers and read them,
OF they may make use of the one Of the
many excellent 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 q lack of
time, the answer IS, Prayers and proven
der never hinder the journey" However
pressing our work may be, we cannot
afford to neglect our daily food and pray
ers are no less necessary or important.
No man accomplishes more during the
year by neglecting family worship. 1t
was Martin Luther, if We remember,
who said: "When T have an unusual
amount of labor to perform during the
day I 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 ordinary need of the divine
blessing, and if he would secure this he
must be willing to take more than the
ordinary pains to obtain 1t.
But those who neglect the worship of
the family altar do 80 because they have
no adequate conception of the impor-
tance of faithful discharge of this
duty. The family : ssar should be con.
scientiously maintained, not only be-
cause it is by the discharge of this duty
that the blessing of God upon the family
for the day is secured, but also for the
sake Of it's influence upon the household.
1t is an educating proces in a spiritual
sense which no household can afford to
neglect. It is needed by the parents and
it 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 it's benefits, the
knowledge that family worship is reg.
ularly maintained will leave an impres.
sion. 1t will prove to them spiritual
educator. In many instances the I'M
mediate influence is very marked. Vis-
itors who have not been accustomed to
this exercise, during stay Of very few
days, or even of 3 single day, have re-
ceived Impressions which have led to
their acceptance of Christ. But the i'm
portance of the family altar is to be meas
ured, not by its immediate results, but by
the influence exerted during series OF
years. Its quickeniug and restraining
power is felt by the adult members of
the household, and to the young it is
prominent among the home influences by
which the character of the future man
or woman is nodded. For day or for
month its formative influence may not
be perceptible, but during series OF
years the impression becomes deep and
abiding.
Parents and other heads of families
who I've in neglect of this obligation
make very grave mistake. They wrong
their own souls and they wrong every
member of their household. No one
can afford to live without the family
altar, SO far as relates to his own spirit.
ual interests, and to do so is 10 neglect
a most important means of doing good
to others.-NationaI Presbyterian.