Family Religion | AdventAI

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Feb 25, 1875

Family Religion.

REV. DR. VAN DOREN, in the Christian Intelligencer, has a good article on the importance of family religion and worship. Speaking of some of the excuses for neglect of duty, such as want of time, etc., he says:—

How comes it to pass that the prayerless heads of families find time to trade or farm, to gossip, to visit friends, to attend elections, to frequent the theater, the dance, and a thousand other scenes, but no time to pray with their families? We once saw a young merchant urging with energy, arising to vehemence, a successful business. We accosted him as to his neglect of this and other duties.

"No time, sir, no time, sir," replied he in urgent haste.

"Well, my dear young friend, God will give you time by and by."

Only one week after, he was driving with Jehu speed along the avenue, and one of the tires of the wheels broke. His splendid team, being frightened, became unmanageable, ran away, and flung him against an iron lamp-post, and broke both his legs. His very first thought, he afterward confessed, was his reply to the above question. "Will you have time enough now to pray, Alfred?"

For three long months, like a chained eagle, that fiery-hearted merchant was confined to his house at home. It was a harvest time for eternity as it regards the interest of his soul.

The strongest argument in favor of neglecting family worship is seldom stated. It is a want of heart for the duty. Men who have not been renewed, find it a hard task to play the hypocrite alone. But to subject themselves to the scorching glance of children and servants—this is too much.

It was the question with the patriarch, some three thousand years since, concerning the hypocrite, "Will he always call on God?" A similar question brought a proud, insolent questioner to grief before a large congregation. A minister of Christ, after he had finished a searching sermon, took his seat; but the conscience of one of his hearers could not thus rest. Some explanation of this discourse, in a scoffing manner, was requested by the stranger. The pastor arose, and said:—

"I perceive this gentleman to be a Universalist preacher who questions me. If he will answer me, I will respond to two dozen of his questions. Do you, sir, pray regularly in your family?" The questioning Universalist preacher was as silent as the grave. We read that Prof. Webster, the murderer of Dr. Parkman, was asked a similar question, and the answer may be inferred.

Our Lord prayed with his disciples, as well as alone. These Jewish converts were his family. Abraham, David, Job, Cornelius, Aquila and Priscilla, trained those intrusted to them to hear the daily voice of prayer in the family circle. But sad is the case, where one of the heads of the family is not only unwilling to lead, but opposed to that divinely-ordered custom. It was such a state of the case that Dr. Payson said reminded him of "a dove with a broken wing." Through eternity will millions of souls continually and adoringly bless Providence for their privilege of having been reared under the sacred shadow of the Family Altar.