preparation for eternity.

The relations of home demand family religion. These are relations of mutual
dependence, involving such close affinity that the good or evil which
befalls one member must in some degree extend to all the other members.
They involve "helps." Each member becomes an instrument in the salvation or
damnation of the others. "For what knowest, O wife, whether thou shalt save
thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy
wife?"--1 Cor. vii., 16. "If one member Suffer, all the members suffer with
it." They stimulate each other either to salvation or to ruin; and hence
those children that go to ruin in consequence of parental unfaithfulness,
will "curse the father that begat them, the womb that bare them," and the
day they entered their home.

Many parents seek to excuse themselves from the practice of family
religion, upon the ground that they have not the capacity nor the time. If
so, you should not have married. But if you are Christians, you have the
capacity, and you will take the time.

But some are ashamed to begin family religion. Ashamed of what? of your
piety? of your children? of the true glory and greatness of your home? Then
you are ashamed of Jesus! You should rather blush that you have not begun
this good work.

The great defect of family religion in the present day is, that it is not
educational. Parents wait until their children have grown up, and
established habits of sin, when they suppose that the efforts of some
"protracted meeting" will compensate for their neglect in childhood. They
overlook the command of God to teach them His words. The influence of this
defect and delusion has been most destructive. Many Christian homes are now