for the church. The church gives to home a sacred religious ministry, a
spiritual calling, a divine mission; investing it with prophetic, priestly
and kingly prerogatives, and laying it under religious responsibilities.

This gives to the Christian home its true meaning, and secures for its
members--

"A sacred and home-felt delight,
A sober certainty of waking bliss."

Such was the home of Abraham, who "commanded his children and his household
to keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment,"--of Joshua, who
with "his house served the Lord,"--of David, who "returned to bless his
household,"--of Job, who "offered burnt-offering according to the number of
his sons,"--of Cornelius, who "feared God with all his house,"--of Lydia,
and Crispus, and the jailor of Philippi, who "believed in the Lord with all
their house."

How many Christian parents practically discard this attribute of home!
While all their temporal interests cluster around their home, and their
hearts are fondly wedded to it as their retreat from a cold and repulsive
world, they never think perhaps that God is in their family, that He has
instituted it, and given those cherished ones who "set like olive plants
around their table." They are faithful to all natural duties, and make
ample provision for the temporal wants of their offspring; the mother bends
with untiring assiduity over the cradle of her babe, and ministers to all
its wants, watching with delight every opening beauty of that bud of
promise, and willingly sacrificing all for its good. With what rapture she
catches its first lispings of mother! The father toils from year to year to
secure it a fair patrimony, a finished education, and an honorable position