Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-04-17
THE TIMES-DISPATCH
SUNDAY SERMON
Rev. J. wilbur Chapman.

t"'ner taxes his place before his household as
. PRIEST. l do not mean as an ordained min
,seer out rather as one who realizes that he
10 responsible for the spiritual interests of
ms household. 1t is not enough that we Should
PROVIDE Tor the material comforts OF our chill
'".eH: IL Is by no means enough that we
enouha be concerned for their intellectual de-
veiopment. Tho spiritual nature must be Gull
uVated and tho moral atmosphere surround
Ing our children carefully considered and
properiy developed know of no one thing
that can so aid in doing this as that the day
should begin with family prayer.
1t is a sad thing TO realize that some chill.
dren have never heard their fathers pray 7
sincerely pity the father of whom this can BIO
said' and tho child who is thus deprived Of an
inhuence which almost inevitably makes for
strength OF character.
am quite sure that one reason why. so
many men shrink from holding family worship
rs ehis: they do not lccl that they arc able to
make sufficiently long and Intelligent prayer
Eerhaps they feel that they too busy to
read an extended lesson from the Scriptures
am also positive that reason why the
children in the household may find family
worship irksome is this the prayers arc too
indefinite and sometimes. meaningless while
inc reading OF the Scriptures Is too long
uFawn out and the passages selected inappro-
pirate to the occasion.
IL the family altar is 10 be re-cstablished
THIS TACT needs to Ec kept clearly In mind: tho
iathcr and the mother must be right with God
children arc always quick TO detect the note
OF lnsincerity. and there is no place where
TINS reveals itself clearly than I'm tho
words We use in prayer. 1t is not So much
what we say when pray, as the way we
gay 1t. AS n matter of fact ii is not so much
what we say and the way say it, as what
we are. that counts. There is one prayer
which the head of the household should con-
lihuaiiy oHer. 1t is this: Search me- Q God
and know my heart; try me- and know my
thoughts; and see il there be any wicked way
In me- Cps. cNXxix 2S 30 Then, too. 1t is
necessary that the prayer offered in tho morn
ing SHOULD be lived throughout the day. We
cannot pray one way and live another. We
cannot ask for patience and be impatient We
cannot pray for love and be unlovely. There
are trees the spread OF whose roots under the
ground quite equals the spread OF their
branches above ground. and this Is the pIc-
lure OF tho true Christian. Being right In his
DEVOTION he must needs be right In his daily
living.
The influence OF family worship is as last
ing as eternity Many boy who appears
restless ut the fanlil yaltar has al impression
made upon him which comes back to him with
tremendous force In after years when he Is ont
in the world battling with sin. Many a girl
is kept from doing that which is inconsistent
because of her recollection of the trembling
tones heard In her fathers prayer and the
sound of her mother voice in song Many
times we find ourselves drifting we sudden
ly stop as II hand had reached out to lay
hold upon u.s. 1t is impossible to drift farther.
and all because the hand Is memory, and
the memory brings before us tho period OF
family worship when our fathers were pray
Ing and tho very atmosphere OF heaven was
about
Let it not be said that life in these days
is too strenuous for real family worship II
la possible that we may not have the time for
extended worship. but five minutes each morn
ing thus given to God would protect house,
hold. Surely 1t is possible, when the Lords
day comes. to assemble the entire household,
sing n hymn, read the Scriptures together, bow
in prayer, and thus pledge ourselves faithful
and consistent followers Of Christ in the days
ahead of us.
prayerless home is powcrless home. A
household protected by prayer cannot drift
far from God. Therefore. If we would have
cur homo right with God, and our children
kept from drifting. must pray nst only for
our loved ones. but with them. and 1t every
day. Day After Day.