Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-12-20
Family Prayers.

prayers every uhyj elInNi III Vi'0 hi"' -
ing or the evening, seems, uniorIu-
nately, to be on the wane. very
much in our restless, eager life, 30
full Of competitions and of conflicts,
initiates against this excellent family
habit. If the home is in the suburbs,
some miles from the Office or the shop
and the business man must rush from
the breakfast table to catch train, he
often feels too hurried to be in the
proper devotional frame, he has an
instructive perception that in his
prayers and Bible reading he is run
nIng a race with the locomotive, and
this does not commend itself to his
mind as an appropriate or decent
thing to do.
Children, obliged to be IN school at
a stated hour, often ask to be excused
from morning prayers. They have a
lesson to review, or an exercise to
write, or some last toilet duty, as but
toning shoes, or mending to perform,
aud if their presence Is insisted upon
they fume and fret over the delay
thus involved. A strong pressure is
thus brought to bear from the earth
side against this heaven seeking at
hume in the morning,
At even-tide it is no better. Vari-
GUS meetings, soma of them religious,
some merely social, summon people
as they rise from the supper or late
dinner, which 1t is becoming the gen
eral fashion for families to take
Callers come in. The young people
have numerous engagements. Before
the family are aware of what has hap
pened, the family prayers in the eve
ming have been so often omitted that
the blessed habit is finally lost by
default.
Yet, what a pity to part lightly with
30 great an advantage, 80 precious
comfort!
At the family alter the family bond
is strengthened rs no where else.
Hearts draw closer together there
The absent child Is remembered.
Perhaps that child, grown to man
hood, is surrounded by temptations.
Is there not for him safeguard in
the blessings sent to HIM daily by
way of the Throne? Can he forget
the little circle in the sitting-room,
the heads bent low, the fathers ten
der voice? Shall not that memory be
as amulet in many day of troubled
"Thy God, and thy fathers Godp
Happy are the homes which have SO
anchored hero that the hopes allied
to the promises never break faiths
cable.
Self consciousness, partly, and part
ly the lack of knowing how to con-
duct family worship simply, and, also,
when necessary, briefly, keeps some
from establishing the little service in
the daily life. Let me tell yon how
easily it may be done.
In q household where | was the
other day guest, daughter goes to
the piano and plays the air of a
familiar hymn. Everyone sings. !
shall not soon forget the sweet, plead
ing voices In Let the Savior ID" nor
the the solemnlty or beauty of ABIDE
with me, fast falls the even-tlde," as
heard them sung IN that home. AZ
ter the hymn, every child, from the
youngest upward, recItes u verse of
Scripture in turn, and the father then
reads short passage IN a Psalm, and
leads in prayer.
In another household the custom is
simpler still. The father and mother
reads the text and stanza for the day
from an everyday textbook. and then
the simple aud brief petitions follow,
commencing the household to Gods
care, and acknowledging His constant
mercies.
The reading of Psalm and the re-
petition in concert of the Lords
Prayer by the whole family, would
constitute family worship.
As breakwater against the incur
sions of worldlness, as a protection
to the family against unbehef, as the
tribute justly due to our fathers God
let us hold fast to family prayer