R. A. UNDERWOOD by R. A. Underwood

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 28, 1912

R. A. UNDERWOOD

By R. A. Underwood

Prayer—No. 2

R. A. UNDERWOOD

There are many families among professed Christians who know nothing of the blessings of the family altar. Some thirty-four years ago Elder E. H. Gates and the writer held a series of meetings in the town of Bedford, Ohio. I was invited to spend the night at the home of one of the deacons of the largest church in the community. In the morning I spoke of the importance of family prayer, and told how I was converted when but a child at my father’s family altar. The good deacon said, “O, yes; I suppose we ought to pray, but I pay our minister to do the most of my praying.” While it is good to pray one for another, proxy praying does not acquaint our souls with God, and will not satisfy in the day of need.

There was another deacon in that same church who, with his good wife, had attended our meetings from the first. His name was Franklin Wells. He and his wife accepted the message brought to them, and soon erected a family altar in their home. I shall never forget the joy that was expressed by Sister Wells the day her husband set up that family altar of prayer. She met me in the evening, and said: “O Elder Underwood, I have good news to tell you. This morning for the first time in my life I heard my husband’s voice in prayer. He has been a deacon in the — church for years, but it took the third angel’s message, with the assurance of Christ’s soon coming, to establish the family altar in our home. Thank God for the light.” Recently I wrote to Elder George Wells, president of the Minnesota Conference, who then was a small boy in this home, asking him if he remembered the time his father erected the family altar, and what its influence had been upon his life. By permission I quote a part of his letter in reply, as follows:—

“Your welcome letter was read with deepest interest, especially the portion regarding the family altar and when it was erected in our home. I was a small boy, it is true, but it is fresh in my mind to-day. I remember the first morning my dear father called us children together, and read a chapter from the Bible, and we all knelt down to pray. It was not so much what father said, but it made a deep impression on our minds,

and the blessed Holy Spirit was present, and every heart was touched. The times spent around the family altar during my childhood days are most sweet memories to me. I can truly say that the family worship we had in our home was the means of seed thoughts being placed in my heart; it was there I was taught to pray, and was daily reminded of my Saviour’s love; and there I received an inspiration to work for him. I believe I am in the ministry to-day largely as a result of father’s and mother’s prayers (you know mother never failed to take up her duty in maintaining the family altar when father was absent). I know God heard them pray, and sweet joy often filled my heart as we bowed before our God.

“I was about thirteen years old when you baptized me. I feel sure that the family worship was a great strength to me in my young Christian experience, and held me in the path of duty while others of my age drifted away from God because their parents neglected duty, and did not maintain the family altar, and therefore lost a great blessing. I feel certain that many parents fail to appreciate the blessing that comes into the home by kneeling before the blessed Master with their children, and in the arms of faith presenting them to God for care and deliverance from the evil in the world. I do not know where I should have drifted if my dear parents had failed to call upon God in my presence for help. It would be difficult for me to find language to express the importance of the blessed hour of prayer in the home.

“I can now almost see mother’s dear face shine with holy joy as she spoke, on the day father erected our altar of prayer, those words you have quoted from her. Bless her dear memory! I surely expect to see her, and father, too, in the kingdom if it is my blessed privilege to be there.”

I have quoted quite at length from this letter because it shows the importance of family prayer, and its blessed fruits. Brother Franklin Wells and his dear wife have both fallen asleep in Jesus, but their works do follow them.

I was reminded a few days ago that there are many aching hearts that would be comforted and greatly encouraged in many homes if they could hear regularly the voice of prayer. I was invited to the home of an old neighbor in Ohio, who was sick. Before leaving, I offered a short prayer. As I took the woman by the hand to bid her good-by, tears coursed down her face as she said, “I haven’t heard a human voice in prayer since you prayed with me here three years ago.” The head of this family is a member and an officer of the church, as well as superintendent of the Sunday-school, but no family altar exists in that home.

In family worship the entire family should be equally interested, and all should participate in the worship of God; then it is family worship, and its influence has more to do in molding the characters of the children than any other religious duties the parents may observe.

Praying at the Time of Incense

By comparing Ex. 30: 7, 8, with Luke 1: 9, 10, it will be seen that all the families of Israel were engaged in prayer “at the time of incense,” both morning and evening.

We may well inquire of the significance of this daily service, and why all the people were praying at the hour of its being offered by the officiating priest. The incense was a symbol of the sufferings and the sacrifice of the Son of God in man’s behalf, and is represented as being presented afresh morning and evening before the throne of God. Ex. 30: 7, 8; Rev. 8: 3, 4. John from Patmos beheld the antitypical service in heaven, and described it in these words: “And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.” Rev. 8: 3, 4.

Commenting upon this text, Mrs. E. G. White says: “The angels who offer the smoke of the fragrant incense are ministering for the praying saints. Then let the evening prayers in every family arise steadily to heaven in the sunset hour while these divine ministers are speaking before God in our behalf, of the merits of the blood of a crucified and risen Saviour. . . . Morning and evening the heavenly universe beholds every household that prays, and the angel with the incense, representing the blood of the atonement, finds access to God.” What a joy to know that angels of God present our petitions with the sufferings of the risen Redeemer, morning and evening, before God. But how disappointing to the ministering angels that in many homes there are no morning and evening prayers to ascend from the altar of prayer.

Reader, is this the condition of your home? If so, resolve that henceforth your home shall be “the house of God,” from which your petitions with thanksgiving and praise shall ascend morning and evening, to be presented by the angels’ hands as they offer anew the blood and sacrifice of Christ in your behalf.

Mesopotamia, Ohio.