The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-06-13
FAMILY WORSHIP

Not long ago a Montana evangelist made the statement that
he had been entertained in 800 homes since he had been talking
from the platform in this state and that in only one of these
found family worship. 1t is to be assumed that the preacher
was for the greater part entertained in the homes of the religious
and of the churches. Before making this statement he had re-
lated the custom of his fathers home as to family worship.
1t struck the older persons of his audience with the realiza-
ton of an almost complete change. For family worship was a
common custom among church people and religious people gener-
ally a generation ago. Some form of recognition of the Creator
and of religious observance was a custom and a ritual in most
homes, the reading of a chapter perhaps, a prayer by the father
of mother. Sometimes this occasion was before breakfast, some
times at bedtime-but in either case the effort was to gather the
family together and thank God for blessings granted and for
those craved and to come.
There comes to mind the long, rude dining room of Uncle
Johnny Brant as typical Uncle Johnny was a Wnebrennaran.
His was a large family and in harvest and at other times OF farm
emergency like corn husking there were several of "us boys"
working for him. Before breakfast Uncle Johnny drew the family
together in the big dining room. He didn't read a chapter but
Uncle Johnny prayed. 1t was the same prayer each morning but
Uncle Johnny prayed it in faith believing. Family, hired girl
and hired men knet while Uncle Johnny prayed that we and all
the world might be kept through another day and for the succor
of those "sck or distressed in soul, body or mind" A very care
less boy has kept the memory of Uncle Johnny through years to
age and the picture of the low celed room, bare of rugs and de-
corations, where an old man pleaded in simple faith for his family
and the worldflung family of God, remains to stimulate an oftime
failing faith. And there were thousands of families where like
Burns cotter "the saint, the husband and the father prayed
thus, if in repetition of words and the same sentences not less
in unfaltering faith. Eheu, fugaces! If we have gained much in
material things how much have we left behind US of faith and
trust. %;&r
Perhaps some of those who held family worship did it con-
VentlonaHy. Without doubt some OF them Kept a custom which
lacked the completeness of the spiritual and of full faith. But
even so, the eonventionaities save us from many errors. 1t is
said that man who has been brought up to observe the conventions
of decent society rarely falls so low that he cannot get part way
back. Family worship, even when it was conventional brought
a sense of God and the responsibility toward Him into the home
The man who prays even conventionally accepts some respon
sibiity and recognizes a duty however perfunctOriy he may per
form it.
Yes, yes, there were "hypocrites" in those days as there are
now. Yes, yes, children went wrong from those homes now ant
then as children go wrong now. More or less? Who knows
But there was a faith that was unquestioned then, a sense o
f the authority of God as well as of His fatherhood that seems t.
i have been partially lost along the way somewhere between Uncl
o Johnny Brant and the present day.