Southern Christian Advocate

FAMILY WORSHIP.

A household in which family prayer is devoutly attended to, conjoined with the reading of the Scriptures, is a school of religious instruction. The whole contents of the sacred volume are in due course laid open before its members. They are continually reminded of their relation to God and the Redeemer. of their sins, and their wants, and of the method they must take to procure pardon for the one, and the relief of the other Every day they are receiving "line upon line, and precept upon precept." A fresh accession is continually making to their stock of knowledge; new truths are gradually opened to their view, and the impressions of old truths revived. A judicious parent will naturally notice the most striking incidents in his family in his devotional addresses; such as the sickness, or death, or removal for a longer or shorter time, of the members of which it is composed. His addresses will be varied according to circumstances. Has a pleasing event spread joy and cheerfulness through the household? it will be noticed with becoming expressions of fervent gratitude. Has some calamity overwhelmed the domestic circle? it will give occasion to an acknowledgment of the divine equity; the justice of God's proceedings will be vindicated, and grace implored through the blood of the Redeemer, to sustain and sanctify the stroke.

When the most powerful feelings, and the most interesting circumstances, are thus connected with religion. it is not unreasonable to hope that, through Divine grace, some lasting and useful impressions will be made. Is not some part of the good seed thus sown, and thus nurtured, likely to take root and to become fruitful?'Deeply as we are convinced of the deplorable corruption of the human heart. and the necessity consequent on this, of Divine agency to accomplish a saving purpose, we must not forget that God is accustomed to work by means: and surely none can be conceived more likely to meet the end. What can be so likely to impress a child with a dread of sin. as to hear his parents constantly deprecating the wrath of God as justly due to it ; or to induce him to seek an interest in the mediation and intercession of the Saviour. as to hear him imploring it for him, day by day, with an importunity proportioned to the magnitude of the subject?

By a daily attention on such exercises. children and servants are taught most effectually how to pray. Suitable topics are suggested to their minds; suitable petitions are put into their mouths; while their growing acquaintance with the Scriptures furnishes the arguments by which they may plead with God.--Robert Hall.