Genesis 18:19

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him

Family religion

I. THE LIGHT IN WHICH ABRAHAM APPEARS IN THIS PASSAGE; AND HOW HE WAS QUALIFIED FOR THE DUTY HERE ASCRIBED TO HIM.

1. A man of knowledge.

2. A man of piety.

3. A man of virtue.

4. A man of authority.

5. A man of fidelity.

6. A man of diligence.

II. THE NATURE OF THIS DUTY; OR HIS ENDEAVOURS FOR THE GOOD OF HIS FAMILY.

1. He not only prayed with and before his family, but interceded for them as a priest.

2. He was a prophet in his family.

3. He was a king in his house, and used authority.

III. HOW PLEASING IT WAS TO GOD, AND THE BLESSED CONSEQUENCES THEREOF TO ABRAHAM AND HIS FAMILY. Observe--The reason why God would hide nothing from Abraham. “For I know him,” &c. Abraham was communicative of his knowledge, and improved it to the good of those under his care, and therefore God resolved to make communications to him. The way to the accomplishment of God’s promises: “That the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.” Family-blessings arise from family religion;--temperance, frugality, industry, discretion--peace, quietness, love, harmony--the favour, protection, and care of God; His direction and aid--all necessaries (Psalms 37:25; Matthew 6:33)--prosperity, as far as will be good for us, and our families. (J. Benson, D. D.)

The parental empire

The text implies--

I. THAT A PARENT IS INVESTED WITH REGAL AUTHORITY.

II. THAT A PARENT’S AUTHORITY IS TO BE WIELDED IN SUBORDINATION TO THE DIVINE.

III. THAT A PARENT WHO THUS WIELDS HIS AUTHORITY ENSURES THE FULFILMENT OF THE DIVINE PROMISE IN HIS EXPERIENCE. (Homilist.)

Lessons

1. God’s knowledge of souls giveth them capacity of receiving his revelations. The knowledge of His election and approbation.

2. God’s knowledge determines souls unto duty and doth commend them for it, so it did to Abraham.

3. God’s known ones will command for God all within their power.

4. Children and servants are to be commanded by God’s approved rulers to keep close to His way.

5. Saints known of God will take care for their seed to serve God after their departure. Succeeding generations are their care.

6. The commands of godly fathers and governors are answered fruitfully where God knoweth souls.

7. Keeping the way of Jehovah and doing justice are inseparably enjoined and performed.

8. Such souls are fittest to receive discoveries of God’s purposed judgments, who make the best use of them.

9. The full accomplishment of all promises in Christ are the consequents of duty, caused by them.

10. God will bring home all the good promised in Christ unto His covenant ones.

11. God will not hide any thing that is good from the people of His promise; He showeth evil to avoid it.

12. What God hath vouchsafed and spoken to Abram hath always been with respect unto His Church’s good. So in this case to the Church in his family (Genesis 18:19). (G. Hughes, B. D.)

Parental government of a family

I. We are to consider, WHO THEY ARE THAT COMPOSE A FAMILY. Some families are smaller, and some are larger than others. Families are usually composed of parents and their children, which are sometimes less, and sometimes more numerous. But parents may have other children and youths committed to their care and instruction, and those equally belong to their family. Besides their own and other children, they may have those whom they employ in their service, and who reside in their house; and these all belong to their family. They may also have some persons whom they invite to reside with them gratuitously. These likewise belong to the family. In a word, all whom they permit to enter under their roof for pleasure, entertainment, protection, or relief, belong to their family for the time being. Parents are heads of their families, whether larger or smaller, and whether they are composed of persons of different ages, characters and conditions, or not. Their parental authority extends to every individual of their family.

II. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN PARENTAL AUTHORITY, OR WHAT IT GIVES PARENTS A RIGHT TO DO IN RESPECT TO THEIR CHILDREN AND HOUSEHOLDS. And here it may be observed--

1. That it gives them the right of dedicating them to God.

2. Parental authority gives parents the right of instructing their children, as well as the right of devoting them to God.

3. Parental authority gives parents a right to restrain, as well as to instruct their children and households. Children and youth are naturally inclined to vanity and vice, from which they need to be guarded and restrained, not only by instruction, admonition and advice, but by proper authority.

III. THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISING PARENTAL AUTHORITY. This will appear, if we consider the great and happy consequences which family government tends to promote.

1. Family government directly tends to promote family religion.

2. The proper exercise of parental authority is highly important, as it tends to propagate religion from generation to generation, throughout the world.

3. The proper exercise of parental authority directly tends to promote both temporal and spiritual prosperity.

Improvement--

1. If it be so important, as has been said, that parents should properly exercise parental authority over their children and households, then it is highly important that they themselves should be pious.

2. If it be so important that parents should duly exercise their parental authority over their children and households, as has been said, then they are entirely inexcusable and guilty, if they neglect to do it.

3. If the proper exercise of parental authority be so important as has been said, in order to promote and perpetuate religion, then we may discover the primary cause of the declension of religion in any place where it has prevailed and flourished. It must be primarily and principally owing to the neglect of parents in exercising their parental authority over their children and households.

4. If the proper exercise of parental authority be so important, as has been said, to promote and perpetuate religion, then we may discover the primary cause of the prevalence of religious errors at this day in this land.

5. We learn from this subject, to whom it primarily and principally belongs to bring about a reformation in piety and virtue. It certainly belongs to parents in particular. And is there a pious or sober parent, who will not acknowledge that a reformation is necessary? (N. Emmons, D. D.)

Family training

I. WE SEE THE HIGH VALUE GOD PLACES ON EARLY SPIRITUAL TRAINING. Children and servants are both to be brought under religious influence.

II. WE SEE THAT GOD NOTICES HOW SPIRITUAL TRAINING IS CARRIED ON. God could trust Abraham. He would “command,” not in dictatorial tones of tyrant, but by power of consistent life. Devout advice. Gentle firmness.

III. WE SEE THAT GOD MADE THE BESTOWMENT OF INTENDED BLESSINGS DEPENDENT ON THE FAITHFUL DISCHARGE OF DUTY. (F. Hastings.)

Christian culture

I. The first duty of the head towards his household, relates to the DAILY WORSHIP of God.

II. RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION.

III. FAMILY GOVERNMENT. (The Homiletic Review.)

Religion in the family

WHAT ARE THE PRACTICAL ELEMENTS OF WHICH THIS RELIGION IS COMPOSED?

1. Every parent or guardian of a family is in duty hound to maintain proper domestic government.

2. The religious education of the family properly devolves upon the parent.

3. God must be worshipped in the family.

4. Religion in the family will be discovered in the exemplification of the Christian temper.

II. We come to consider THE BLESSED RESULTS THAT ATTEND RELIGION IN THE FAMILY. The personal benefits, we apprehend, will be considerable; but we purpose to consider the relative advantages of religion in the family.

1. The conduct we have described will have an important bearing on the domestics, as to their future character and final destiny.

2. Your piety as parents will have an important bearing on the peace and happiness of the family. “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

3. You may further consider that your religion in the family has an important bearing on society. Society is becoming increasingly corrupt--the rising race threaten to outdo their parents in crime; iniquity abounds. The want of religion in the heads of households has contributed in no small degree to this growing deterioration. (John Williams.)

The true principle of education

I. Now, you should observe THE PECULIARITY OF THE EXPRESSION, “I KNOW HIM THAT HE WILL COMMAND HIS CHILDREN AND HIS HOUSEHOLD AFTER HIM.” Such an expression seems to imply that there is no tendency in children to walk in the right way. They have to be dealt with in the way of command--as though, if left to themselves, the almost certainty is that they will walk in the wrong. And this is a great though melancholy truth never to be lost sight of, in our reasonings upon man and religion. And the moment it is proved that children are given into our keeping with a tendency to evil, we are bound to consider that it rests with ourselves to counteract evil tendencies, just as though it were wholly dependent on us whether they should grow up into the righteous or the unrighteous. Let us learn from every instance of stubbornness in children, from every outbreak of passion, from every spiteful action, from every petty quarrel, that we are in boyhood the very miniatures of what we should all be in manhood, if it were not for the grace of God, and that therefore, in dealing with a child, we have not to deal with unoccupied soil, but with soil already impregnated with the seeds of moral evil; and, oh! let this knowledge persuade us of the importance of the duty, and also of the difficulty of thoroughly following the example of Abraham, of whom God could say--“I know him that he will command his children and his household after him. But here we come to a most important question, as to the manner in which the example may most efficiently be copied. We have a thorough belief that the great secret of training lies in the always regarding the child as immortal. The moment that this is kept out of sight we scheme and arrange as though the child had to live only upon earth, and then our plans not being commensurate with the vastness of their object will necessarily be inadequate to the securing its good. Educate on the principle that you educate for eternity, otherwise it is impossible to produce a beneficial result. If it be a sound maxim, and sound it must be, for Christ Himself delivered it, that the direct way of obtaining such things as are good for us upon earth is to “ seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” what is it but the carrying this maxim into the business of education to count that the best mode of improving the mind, of forming the manners, and of fitting for a profession, is never to suffer the present world to keep the next out of sight, to draw every motive from eternity, and to make every pursuit terminate in God? Only remember, that in carrying out any theory of religious education, far more will depend on example than on precept.

II. But we come now to consider THE PROMISE WHICH IS CONTAINED IN OUR TEXT, AND WHICH MAY SERVE TO ENCOURAGE US IN OUR ENDEAVOURS TO COPY THE PATRIARCH’S EXAMPLE. “They shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.” But do children who have been rightly trained always turn out well? When you come to think on what right training is, a system of example as well as of precept, you must assuredly see how likely it is that the best training has been defective--that even parents who have taken most pains have failed in thoroughly educating their children for God; and of course it is vain to urge that the Divine promise has not been accomplished, so long as there could be doubt as to whether the condition on which it is made has been rigidly complied with. But having delivered this caution, we may proceed to state our thorough conviction, that when parents have done their best to bring up their children in the fear of the Lord, the almost invariable result is, that, sooner or later, these children become what they have wished them to be. It is not that children will walk from the first without any deviation in the course which the parent anxiously prescribes; there is no promise to this effect in Scripture; Solomon only says of the child trained in the right way, that “when he is old he will not depart from it”; and the word rendered “old” does not mark youth or manhood, as distinguished from infancy or child-hood--it belongs strictly to the decline of life, to the season of decrepitude and grey hairs. It is the word used, for example, of Isaac, when it is said--“And it came to pass, when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim.” Our text, as we have already said, by the using the words “after him” seems equally to be looking on to some distant day, as if God would throw parents altogether on their faith, and emphatically warn them against thinking labour lost, because as yet they can discern none of its fruits. In place of despairing, ought not the stubbornness of the soil to be but an argument for increased diligence in all the arts of moral husbandry--seeing that it is on “patient continuance in well-doing” that a recompense is promised by the word of our God? We find, then, the greatest material for consolation in such a passage as our text. We would not ask a stronger encouragement. The emphatic remonstrance of a parent with a dissolute child is not necessarily thrown away because the child persists in his dissoluteness; it may come up with all the touching tones of the remembered voice when the parent has long lain in the grave, and work remorse and contrition in the prodigal. (H. Melvill, B. D.)

Duties of parents

A well-ordered, godly household is among the noblest triumphs of our Christianity.

I. Let us first consider the duties of parents to their children in the years of INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD. The first anxiety of the parents will be about the infant’s reception into the Church. And it is a question of no light or ill-considered moment with the pious parents to determine who shall undertake for the child in that holy sacrament; who, in the event of their own early removal, would be most likely to enter into the responsibilities and sanctity of sponsorship, and so give a practical reality to that orphan’s promise, “When my father and my mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.” I shall presume to offer suggestions to mothers bearing on the treatment of children in their very earliest years.

1. Thus I exhort you to begin cultivating, even in infancy, the principle of prompt and unquestioning obedience.

2. Passing, however, from the infant stage to that commonly designated as childhood, I proceed to offer some suggestions on the best mode of cultivating the religious affections at this period.

3. But, in connection with the formation of the religious character in childhood, we must consider how far it is expedient to impress upon the mind at this tender age anything of stated and compulsory attention to the practical duties and exercises of the Christian life.

II. But let us proceed to consider the duties devolving on parents towards their children at the second stage, or the PERIOD USUALLY ASSIGNED TO THEIR SCHOOL LIFE. But, in relation to the treatment of children at this period of life, the point which of all others will be found to task parental judgment and discrimination most is how to order the discipline of correction or reproof. The discipline itself must, of course, begin from the very earliest period. Let us see what forms of correction seem to be here forbidden.

1. Thus the language may be taken to forbid all angry and intemperate correction,

2. Again, these prohibitions of the apostles extend to that cold, distant, and forbidding demeanour which some fathers think essential to the maintenance of parental authority; but which, in effect, turns the reverence of children into slavish fear.

3. But these are negative directions. What suggestions are to be offered towards a plan of temperate, judicious, and yet firm and effectual correction? Of these some are obvious and general; as, for instance, that all correction be administered upon principles of the most righteous fairness. Again, it should always be apparent to children that you are driven to the use of correction by a loving necessity--by the affection you bear to their souls.

4. But a more important direction for the administering of reproof is to be given, founded on the law for dealing with offenders, laid down by our Lord Himself. “Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother.” Here is an excellent model for parental reproofs. First, let a little time elapse after the wrong is done to give opportunity for reflection.

III. The third class of suggestions to be offered on the duties which parents owe to their children has respect to the interval between the CLOSE OF THE EDUCATION PERIOD and the time when the parental roof is quitted, and entrance has to be made on the active duties of life.

1. And here the first subject of anxious thought to the parent will be a devout and earnest preparation for the rite of Confirmation.

2. A second counsel for this period goes to recommend a careful avoidance of all needless and irritating restrictions upon children; all tightly held reins upon their reasonable choice and liberty; all those offending reminders of an unmitigated and unlightened yoke which might tempt them to leave the parental roof before the time.

3. We may conclude with one other suggestion having reference to the choice of a calling for our children, or their ultimate settlement in life. (D. Moore, M. A.)

Family religion

I. THE DUTY OF FAMILY RELIGION IS CLEARLY DERIVED FROM SCRIPTURE BY THE CASE OF ABRAHAM. When it is said that God knew, that is, approved him in his conduct, in that he commanded his children and household after him, we must consider such approbation extended to all who tread in the steps of Abraham in this particular. It is clearly the duty of every Christian to do all the good which he can during the time of his sojourn here upon earth, whether as relates to the bodies or the souls of men. The more nearly persons are allied to us, the more binding is the duty. The master of a family then must improve his talent. His influence and authority is a sacred trust to be accounted for at the great day. I infer, therefore, upon these grounds the duty of family prayer. In addition to this, all the members of a household have many wants and share many blessings in common, and therefore all should join together in a common service of prayer and praise.

II. Having thus pointed out the duty of family prayer, WE MAY CONSIDER THE ADVANTAGES RESULTING FROM IT. It is an acknowledgment day by day of God’s right over us, of our dependence on Him for everything which we enjoy, either as relates to time or eternity. It is a solemn memento to all the members of a household that God is greatly to be feared. It is a positive channel by which our heavenly Father conveys multiplied blessings to those who wait upon Him. Moreover it tends to unite together the members of a family, and to lessen those jars and dissensions which often interrupt the peace of households.

III. But THERE ARE DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF FAMILY PRAYER TO BE CONSIDERED. First, as to the time and manner of conducting it. Only determine to begin the practice, and the fit time will easily be found. But again, a difficulty may be urged that persons are not always in a becoming state of mind to pray, and that therefore it is not desirable or advantageous to appoint a set time for prayer. This would be a valid argument against all appointed seasons of prayer whatever, and I believe that we enter upon most dangerous ground in admitting any force in such an objection. We must stir up the gift of God within us, and this most especially by calling upon Him to enable us to pray, and by setting ourselves to pray in dependence on the Holy Spirit who helpeth our infirmities.

IV. We have now to consider How FAMILY PRAYER OUGHT TO BE CONDUCTED. Let it be done with gravity, reverence, and seriousness, as becomes the Almighty Being whom we are going to address, and in whose special presence we are about to appear. Let this be done, where it is possible, both morning and evening; in the morning before the members of the family disperse to their several employments, and in the evening at a convenient hour before they retire to rest. (H. J. Hastings, M. A.)

Family worship: its propriety and utility

I. The OBLIGATION we are under to maintain the worship of God in our families.

1. And here we will first of all observe that family worship is reasonable in itself. Shall the father of a human family be respected in his person, acknowledged in his authority, and loved for his paternal kindness; and shall the one common Father of all, the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier of mankind, and the God of all our mercies, remain unrespected, unacknowledged, unloved?

2. Moreover, family worship comes recommended to us by many scriptural examples. Joshua’s well-known determination was: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” When David had brought the Ark of the Covenant from the house of Obed-edom, and set it in the midst of the tent which he had pitched for it, he “returned to bless his house.” Job, fearing lest his sons in the unchecked gaiety of their hearts should blaspheme the Lord, “rose up early in the morning and offered sacrifices for them all,” and “thus did Job continually.” Cornelius was “a devout man--one that feared God with all his house, and prayed to God alway.” We read of the Saviour praying with His disciples as well as for them, and often did He privately instruct them.

II. The ADVANTAGES derivable from family worship.

1. The continuance and prevalence of piety in our families is, in a good measure, assured by family worship.

2. Family worship, too, when prudently conducted, is attended with this advantage--it tends to promote unity and peace in households.

3. Another great advantage resulting almost necessarily from the practice of family worship is the preservation of a sense of Divine anal spiritual things in the mind.

4. A further advantage derivable from family worship is the efficiency it gives to ministerial labour.

5. And whatever advantage the worship and service of God in our families failed to produce, our performance of a plain and acknowledged duty would bring with it its own rich reward. As in Psalms 19:11, we read, “In keeping God’s commandments there is a great reward.”

III. The EXCUSES made for neglecting family worship.

1. An excuse made by many for neglecting family worship is want of ability to pray in the presence of others, or to lead a family’s devotions. Now, it so happens that this is almost the only case in which people pretend to have a very mean opinion of their own abilities. But, admitting you have no ability to do so, you may seek and ask it.

2. Others, again, will say, We fear being ridiculed; we fear we shall be thought too strict and precise in our domestic habits. Here, however, I would observe: The irreligion of the multitude should be a powerful incentive with us to cherish religious habits and the fear of God in our houses.

3. Another excuse urged by some is, We have no time. Bring this excuse to the Bible. Abraham had flocks and herds exceeding many, and very much cattle. Job, too, had the same. Joshua was the leader and commander of all the armies of Israel. David occupied a throne, and had all the cares of government on his mind. But have you really no leisure?--none for amusement?

4. A final excuse we shall notice is this, Fear of personal restraint. This excuse, if we mistake not, lies at the root of almost every other. Let the heart be examined, and many a one will find there, “I am fearful of a restraint upon myself; I am afraid if I have daily family worship in my house I shall not be able to indulge myself and enjoy the world as I am disposed to do; more will be expected from me then than is expected now; I must be consistent; if I say, ‘Hallowed be Thy name,’ I must not take the name of God in vain. (W. Mudge, B. A.)

“My mother never tells lies”

Some females, says The St. Louis Observer, met at the house of a friend, in this city, for an evening visit, when the following scene and conversation occurred:--The child of one of the females, about five years old, was guilty of rude, noisy conduct, very improper on all occasions, and particularly so at a stranger’s house. The mother kindly reproved her. “Sarah, you must not do so.” The child soon forgot the reproof, and became as noisy as ever. The mother firmly said, “Sarah, if you do so again I will punish you.” But not long after Sarah “ did so again.” When the company were about to separate, the mother stepped into a neighbour’s house, intending to return for the child. During her absence the thought of going home recalled to the mind of Sarah the punishment which her mother told her she might expect. The recollection turned her rudeness and thoughtlessness to sorrow. A young lady present observing it, and learning the cause, in order to pacify her, said, “Never mind, I will ask your mother not to whip you.” “Oh,” said Sarah, “that will do no good; my mother never tells lies.” Said my informant, who is also a parent, “I learned a lesson from the reply of that child which I shall never forget. It is worth everything in the training of a child to make it feel that its mother never tells lies.” (Moral and Religious Anecdotes.)

Parents, a blessing

I thank God for two things, yes, for a thousand; but for two among many--first, that I was born and bred in the country, of parents that gave me a sound constitution and a noble example. I never can pay back what I got from my parents. If I were to raise a monument of gold higher than heaven, it would be no expression of the debt of gratitude which I owe to them for that which they unceasingly gave, by the heritage of their body and the heritage of their souls, to me. And next to that I am thankful that I was brought up in circumstances where I never became acquainted with wickedness. (H. W. Beecher from his last public letter.)

The blessedness of submission to parents

A child who had been trained in the ways of religion by a parent who was kind, but judiciously firm, as she sunk to rest in peaceful reliance on her Saviour’s love, affectionately thanked her beloved mother for all her tender care and kindness, but added, “I thank you most of all for having subdued my self-will.” And why so much gratitude for the mother’s faithful discipline? Doubtless because the child regarded it as preparatory to the submission of her will to God, and thus instrumental of her salvation.

Family religion

Religion in thy house must of necessity be minded, or the whole family is cursed. The naturalists observe of the eagle that, building her nest on high, she is much maligned by a venomous serpent called parias, which, because it cannot reach to the nest, maketh to the windward, and breathes out its poison, so that the air being infected, the eagle’s young may be destroyed; but by way of prevention, the eagle, by a natural instinct, keepeth a kind of agate stone in her nest, which, being placed against the wind, preserveth her young. Satan, the crooked serpent, is ever busy to poison the air in thine house, and thereby to destroy thyself, servants, and whole household. The only stone for prevention is to set up religion. (G. Swinnock.)

Parental example

The ancient Romans were accustomed to place the busts of their distinguished ancestors in the vestibules of their houses, that they might be continually reminded of their noble deeds. They supposed that a recollection of their illustrious virtues would lead to the imitation of the same by all the living members of their households. There is no doubt that the influence of this practice was most happy upon the living, awakening in many breasts high and noble aspirations. At any rate, history records the names of many renowned Romans who descended from the families in which this custom was observed. The young grew up to reverence the worthies whose statues they daily saw, and to emulate the virtues which gave their ancestors such lasting fame. In these days we have no busts of honoured ancestors in the porches of our dwellings; but we have something more impressive. The characters of living parents are constantly presented for the imitation of children. Their example is continually sending forth a silent power to mould young hearts for good or ill; not for a single month or year, but through the whole impressible period of childhood and youth, the influence of parental example is thus felt. If it be constituted of the highest and purest elements, the results will be unspeakably, precious. Sons and daughters will become patterns of propriety and goodness, because their parents are such.

Family prayer

In Greenland, when a stranger knocks at the door, he asks, “Is God in this house?” and if they answer “Yes,” he enters. Reader, this little messenger knocks at your door with the Greenland salutation, Is God in this house? Were you, like Abraham, entertaining an angel unawares, what would be the report he would take back to heaven? Would he find you commanding your children and your household, and teaching them the way of the Lord? Would he find an altar in your dwelling? Do you worship God with your children?.. . If not, then God is not in your house. A prayerless family is a Godless family. .. I have sometimes seen family worship in great houses; but I have felt that God was quite as near when I knelt with a praying family on the earthen floor of their cottage. I have known of social worship among the reapers in a barn. It used to be common in the fishing-boats upon the friths and lakes of Scotland. I have heard of its being observed in the depths of a coal-pit. I scarcely know the situation in life in which a willing family might not contrive to pray together. If you live in a scoffing, ungodly neighbourhood, so much the better. Abraham built his altar whilst the heathen Canaanites looked on. He lifted up a testimony for God, and God honoured him, so that Abimelech, his neighbour, was constrained to say, “God is with thee in all that thou doest.” (J. Hamilton, D. D.)

What the religious man is to his family

The religious man may be considered in his family as the keystone to the arch of a building, which binds and holds all the parts of the edifice together. If this keystone be remover!, the fabric will tumble to the ground, and all the parts be separated from each other. Or he is to his family as the good shepherd, under whose protection and care the flock may go in and out and find pasture; but when the shepherd is smitten, the sheep will be scattered. (H. G.Salter.)

Christian example

The Christian parent ought to be a living exemplification of Christianity. His house, his habits, his associates, his pursuits, his recreations, ought all to be so regulated as to evince that religion is, indeed, the parent of order, the inspirer of good sense, the well-spring of good humour, the teacher of good manners, and the perennial source of happiness and peace. (Bp. Jebb.)

Parental instruction

A prison chaplain gives it as his experience that “ the last thing forgotten in all the recklessness of dissolute profligacy is the prayer or hymn taught by a mother’s lips, or uttered at a father’s knee; and where there seems to have been any pains bestowed even by one parent to train up a child aright, there is in general more than ordinary ground for hope.”

Moulding human character; a noble work

Raphael did well, and Phidias did well; but it is not painter or sculptor who is making himself most nobly immortal. It is he who is making true impressions upon the mind of man; frescoes for eternity, that will not shine out till the light of heaven reveals them; sculptures, not wrought in outward things, but in the inward nature and character of the soul. (H. W. Beecher.)

Young should be trained to attendance at public worship

The question is often asked how shall we get our working-classes to attend public worship? The answer may be supplied by an incident of my boyhood. On the mantelshell of my grandmother’s best parlour, among other marvels, was an apple in a phial. It quite filled up the body of the bottle, and my wondering inquiry was, “How could it have been got into its place?” By stealth I climbed a chair to see if the bottom would unscrew, or if there had been a join in the glass throughout the length of the phial. I was satisfied by careful observation that neither of these theories could be supported, and the apple remained to me an enigma and a mystery. But as it was said of that other wonder, the source of the Nile, “Nature well known, no mystery remains,” so was it here. Walking in the garden I saw a phial placed on a tree bearing within it a tiny apple, which was growing within the crystal; now I saw it all; the apple was put into the bottle while it was little and grew there. (C. H. Spurgeon.)