THE commencement of this sacred delightful duty must often be attended by difficulties, where the head of the family has neglected it. "I have never done anything since I became a christian," writes one, "which required so much self-denial and which was so truly a bearing of the cross, as beginning family worship. I felt that it was duty, from the time I devoted myself to the service of Christ, but I shrunk from its performance so painfully, that day after day, and week after week, passed away without my attempting it. At length conscience remonstrated so loudly, and my conviction that it was a sin to neglect it was so strong, I determined to make the effort to perform it the next morning, cost what it would. It occasioned me a wakeful night: again and again I implored strength from on high. I was constitutionally timid, and when the morning came I was much agitated. "Before breakfast, I said to my wife, 'I feel, C—, as if we ought to have prayer in the family. We have all souls to be saved, and need God's blessing. I am sure you will not object to it.' 'No,' she replied, but the tone in which she said it was not encouraging. When we rose from the breakfast-table, it seemed to me the children had never been so noisy before, and it required an effort to request them to keep silence and be seated. They did so, but I felt their eyes were fixed wonderingly upon me. I took the large Bible from the shelf and sat down. I wished to preface the service with some remarks, but could not trust my voice, and I opened the book and read the first chapter that presented itself. I then knelt, and with a faltering voice began to address the Creator. But my hesitation soon passed off. I knew not why it was, but during the performance of this service my soul was so filled with thoughts of God's goodness in permitting me to approach him, and to place myself and those dear to me under the shelter of his protecting love, that I forgot the presence of others, and poured out my heart in supplications for his blessing, with as much freedom and fervor as I had ever done in secret. When I arose, I perceived that my wife's eyes were moisted with tears. "The conflict was over—the duty was entered on—and the peace which follows the consciousness of having done right, came into my heart. Prayer with my beloved ones was no longer a burden, but a delightful privilege: and ere long I had the satisfaction of knowing that the heart of my companion ascended in full unison with my own to the throne of grace. I can speak freely in my family of the value and sweetness of this service, and to many of them I believe the hour of prayer has become one of the most highly prized of all the day brings us."