BEHAVIOR AT FAMILY WORSHIP.
All well-regulated Christian families are assembled, morning and
evening, to worship God. Seeing we are dependent on him for all
things, it is suitable and proper that we should daily acknowledge our
dependence, by asking him for what we need, and thanking him for what
we receive. That we should do this _as a family_ is highly proper. But
if it is our duty to worship God _as a family_, it is the duty of every
one in particular. It is as much your duty as it is your father’s.
You must, therefore, not only make it a principle to be in your place
punctually at the time, but to enter heartily into all the exercises.
Some children and youth appear as if they had no interest in what is
going on, at this most interesting household service. But this is not
only showing great disrespect to your parents, but great irreverence
toward God. It will help you to right feelings, on these occasions, if
you imagine Christ Jesus present in person. God is present spiritually,
and in a peculiar manner, at such times, to bless the families that
call on his name. When, therefore, the family are assembled for
prayers, you should put away all vain or wandering thoughts. When the
time arrives, and the family are assembled for devotion, seat yourself,
in a serious, reverent manner; and if there should be a few moments’
delay, do not engage in conversation, nor in reading newspapers, or any
thing calculated to divert your mind; but direct your thoughts upward
to God, and seek a preparation for his worship. Suffer not your mind
to be occupied with any thing but the service before you. Let not your
eyes wander about, to catch vagrant thoughts. Let not your hands be
occupied with any thing, to divert your attention or to disturb others.
Have your Bible, and take your turn in reading. Be attentive and
devout, during the reading of God’s holy word, endeavoring to apply it
to your heart. If the family sing, enter into this sweet service, not
only with your lips, but with your heart. When prayer is offered, place
yourself in the attitude which is taken by your father and mother. If
they kneel, do you kneel also,--not sit, nor recline, but stand upon
your knees, in a reverent posture. Shut your eyes, and keep your heart.
Let your heart embrace the words of the prayer, and make them your own.
Remember that the devotional habits you form at the family altar, are
the habits that will follow you to God’s house, and probably adhere to
you through life. And what can be more shocking than to see persons
pretending to gentility, who do not know how to behave with propriety
before the great God that made them! If you were in company, and should
treat the person that invited you with as much indifference as you
treat God by such conduct, you would be considered a very ill-bred
person. He has invited you to come to his mercy-seat to converse with
him, and to receive favors at his hand; and yet, by such conduct as I
have named, you show no interest at all in the matter.
Family devotion, when rightly improved, is a very important means of
grace. If you attend upon it seriously and reverently, you may hope
that God will bless it to your soul. It tends, also, to tranquillize
the feelings, and prepare you to engage in the duties of the day with
serenity and cheerfulness.