The Clio messenger., 1915-02-26


home. To be sure the home is roy
al court, and yet the principles which
should govern there should govern in
a humber sphere.
2. The text suggests the thought OF
Family Religion, and the opening Of
the New Year is a good time to make
our resolves in regard to it. The i'm
portance Of the family in the redemp-
tion scheme Is seen in this-that Of
the three fundamental agencies to re.
form and save the world, the family
comes before either the church or the
state, for without it neither of them
could survive. And then, too, the
family is the place where our true
character is exhibited and our most
potent influence is exercised.
8. The text suggests at least two
things that will be true of the home
wherein each one seeks to walk with
a perfect heart" First, it will have
a family altar. Even the heather have
their household gods representing the
deities they worship, and surely we
who know the true God should have
some acknowledgment of him in our
homes. But the family altar can only
be sustained where the true Christian
life is lived behind 1t. The odor of true
piety manifests itself, not only in
words, but in looks and tones and in
the general atmosphere pervading
everything and predominating over it.
4. We should note particularly that
family religion is personal matter.
The Psalmist says: "P will walk
within my house with perfect heart"
The husband cannot throw this re-
sponsibility upon his wife and relieve
himself of it, nor vice versa. 1t Is
the obligation of parents no less than
children, and Of children no less than
parents. But it Is very clear that IL
the resolution is to be carried out on
the part of any or all, the strength to
do it must be looked for only from the
Lord. We must do what David did
even before he gave utterance to his
vow, when he exclaimed, "Oh, when
wilt thou come unto me?" 1t is only
as God comes unto us, as he fills US
with his Holy Spirit through our faith
in Christ, that we can be so instruct
ed and sanctified and quickened as to
discharge this solemn duty. Let us
then seek him in a new sense and
with renewed conservation at the be-
ginning of this year, that dwelling in
us individually in power, he may
dwell i'm our households
o happs house, where thou art loved the
best,
Dear friend and Savior Of our race,
Where never comes such welcome, hon.
ored guest,
Where none can ever fill thy place;
Where every heart goes forth to meet
thee,
Where every ear attends thy word.
Where every lip with blessing greets thee,
Where all are waiting on their Lord.
happy house! where man and wife In
heart.
In faith, and hope are one,
That neither life nor death can ever part
The holy union here begun;
Where both are sharing one salvation,
And live before thee, Lord, always,
In gladness or in tribulation
In happy or In evil days.
s. II has been assumed throughout
that Christians we're being addressed
In this discourse, and by Christians
is meant those who have received
Jesus Christ as their Savior by def
mite act Of faith, and by his grace are
seeking to follow him as their Lord.
Only such as these have a desire to
walk within their house with a per.
feet heart" and only such as these
know the source of power to accom-
plish 1t. II at the beginning of this
new year therefore, you are not yet a
Christian in that sense, let me affec-
tionately plead with you to become
such. The things that are happening
In the world today must convince US
that no abiding hope or help can come
from man, and as we look forward to
the future serious questions must
arise within us. What about that fu'
ture? Whittier am going? How may
be right with God? o husbands
and fathers; o wives and mothers; I;
o parents and children, let me plead
with You to accept Christ that you
may possess the peace and Joy OF
known salvation. In this way first of
all, must God come to you in order
to have awakened within you a de-
sire for a perfect heart, and after that
there n continual coming of his
grace to you which strengthens you
in that desire and helps you to see y
realized.