Thus, therefore, we see that the Christian home demands a family religion.
The private devotion of the individual can be no effectual substitute for
it.

"The parents pair their secret homage,
And offer up to heaven the warm request,
That He who stills the raven's clamorous nest,
And decks the lily fair in flowery pride,
Would, in the way His wisdom sees the best,
For them and for their little ones provide."

Family religion includes parental bible instruction, family prayer, and
religious education, government, discipline and example. These involve the
parent's position in his household as a prophet, priest, and king. "Thou
shalt teach my words diligently unto thy children, and talk of them when
thou sittest in thy house."

"Daily let part of Holy Writ be read,
Let as the body, so the soul have bread.
For look! how many souls in thy house be,
With just as many souls God trusteth thee!"

Thus felt and acted our primitive fathers. By every winning art, they
sought to fill their children with the knowledge of God's Word. The entire
range of nursery instruction and amusement was comprised in scripture
pictures and hieroglyphics. They intermingled religion with all their home
pursuits, and entwined it with their earliest and purest associations of
childhood. If Christian parents would follow their example now, in these
days of parental delinquency, we would not behold so many of their children
grow up in religious ignorance and indifference.