secure a profitable attention to it in the evening by having it soon after their return from their work. In many cases, however, the question is not one of inability, or even great inconvenience, but of rising a quarter of an hour earlier.

After all, it is only fair to admit that there may be cases where the regular fulfilment of this duty by the head of the household is impossible. Those whose employments call them from home before their children are up, and who do not return till after they are in bed, cannot, of course, gather them together for this purpose. But as the children grow older, the hour in the evening may not be too late, that in the morning not too early, for some of them; and a brief service, if it be reverent, is infinitely preferable to entire omission. Again, where the husband's employment from home renders his doing this impossible, what can be more appropriate than that the pious wife and mother should take his place? Surely no Christian woman need feel any difficulty in reading the word of God, and using some suitable form of prayer, in her own family. Indeed, in all cases where any difficulty is felt as to offering extempore prayer, nothing can be more suitable than the use of some appropriate form. Some may in any case prefer doing so. No slight or removable hindrance ought to be admitted as an excuse for neglecting this duty. On the other hand, much sacrifice ought to be made in order to fulfil it, wherever, by such sacrifice, it might become practicable. All who can do it, ought to do it; and where the husband, on whom the duty devolves, cannot, the wife should take his place.

The nature of the service, the time to be occupied in

it, and other points of detail, must be left very much to individual judgment. It may be well, however, to say that great length should always be avoided. Where children form a part of the household, and where there are servants, or other members of the family, unconverted, whom it is desirable to interest in religious duties, a long service is apt to excite weariness and disgust. A sufficient time for the devout reading of a short and appropriate passage of God's word, and for the offering of a prayer appropriate to the family wants and circumstances, will in all such cases prove better than a longer period spent in a formal religious service. The spirit and law of the apostle Paul may be well adopted with reference to this duty,-"I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue."1

"The prayer of the head of the family," says Mr. James, "should be in a very peculiar degree family prayer. It should respect the children, the servants, the circumstances of the household. All should feel that the service belongs to them, and not merely to the individual who prays, or to the church and the world."

"Its effect," says Cecil, speaking of family religion, "will greatly depend on the sincerity of the head of the family, and on his mode of conducting the worship of the household. If his children and servants do not see his prayers exemplified in his temper and manners, they will be disgusted with religion. Tediousness will weary them. Fine language will shoot above them.

1 1 Cor. xiv. 19.

Formality of connection or composition in prayer they will not comprehend. Gloominess or austerity of devotion will make them dread religion as a hard service. Let them be met with smiles. Let them be met as friends. Let them meet as for the most delightful service in which they can be engaged. Let them find it short, savoury, simple, plain, tender, heavenly."1

Monotony is to be sedulously avoided. Wisdom and thought, as well as devout feeling, are necessary, lest our family prayers should degenerate into "vain repetitions." "I make it," says Cecil, "as natural as possible." All matters may be suitably included which are of family interest, and those also which are of interest to the church of God at large. This will give variety. Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton was accustomed to make lists of subjects to be referred to in his family prayers. When about to leave Northrepps for the duties of the parliamentary session, he especially referred to this fact, and to the work in which he expected to be engaged. The following extract from his papers will show in what spirit he did this

"In removing, we pray that that merciful Providence which has stood around us may continue; sheltered, refreshed, counselled, strengthened by Thee. Ward off danger, baffle our enemy, rob sin of its temptation, make us wholly in inward thoughts and outward deeds thine own. Be thou the mover of every work in which we engage, the counsellor to teach us what to say and do, the source of strength, confidence, and comfort. May we labour, not with eyeservice,

1 Cecil's Remains.

L

2 Matt. vi. 7.

but in singleness of heart. Bless those rising from bondage [referring to the negroes in the West Indies], and all efforts on their behalf. Bless the spread of education and of thy truth."

In the families of the Henrys, father and son, we should expect to find so important a duty attended to with a high sense of its value. Their method may not, in all its details, be practicable or even desirable for many in the hurried life of the present day. Yet it may be questioned whether a return to the less hurried religious life of those times would not serve favourably to balance, and even to counteract, that restless monotony of worldly care which is too characteristic of the present age, and which is too often connected with hasting to be rich. One thing we may be quite sure of, that the devout spirit and deep earnestness with which these men carried out the idea of family religion are as much needed in our own day as in theirs.

"3

Of Philip Henry his son says, "He made conscience, and made a business of family worship in all its parts. In this duty he was uniform, steady, and constant, from the time he was first called to the charge of a family to his dying day. His doctrine, from Joshua xxiv. 15, was, "that family worship is family duty." He would say sometimes, "If the worship of God be not in the house, write 'Lord, have mercy on us,' upon the door, for there is a plague, a curse in it."4

1 Life, by his Son.

* Prov. xxviii. 22. Compare 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10, 17.

In this respect the son fully followed his father's example. 4 Alluding to the custom, during the plague in London, of marking the door with a large cross, and writing on it those words.

Another saying of his was, "He that makes his house a little church shall find that God will make it a little sanctuary."

The high value which he set upon this duty is shown in his method of fulfilling it. Nothing was allowed to interfere with its due performance. In the morning, before worldly business crowded in, his children, his servants, his visitors, and even his work men and day labourers, who were near at hand, were called together to join with him in this service. In the evening, "before the children and servants began to be sleepy," they met again, and then, as in the morning, the voice of rejoicing was heard in his tabernacle, and he, the priest in his own house, offered up the sweet incense of prayer, in the name of the High Priest who is even now "in the presence of God for us." 1

His method of conducting the service was one which few, perhaps, could follow with advantage; but the devout aim and spirit manifest in it render it worthy of being described. He commenced with a short but very solemn prayer for the Divine presence and grace, particularly asking a blessing upon the Scripture about to be read. This was concluded with a doxology. A psalm was then sung, each member of the family having a book, so that it was sung through without reading the verses separately. Then came the reading of the Scripture in regular order, he sometimes pausing to bless God "affectionately" "for every book, and chapter, and verse, and line in the Bible." The reading was followed by an exposition, "plain, practical,

1 Heb. ix. 24.