PREFACE. O scene on earth is more sacred, none more tender and beautiful, than a family in t act of devotion. Secluded from the outer world, with a domestic life of entire symp thy and unity in wants, desires, affections, aims, interests, and hopes, they together recogni their dependence upon their Father in heaven, confess to him their failings and their need seek his favor and guidance, and commit themselves in all things to his gracious providenc Together they read his Word for instruction in duty; for consolation in trial; for the knov edge of that higher life to which they aspire; for the perfecting of their love and joy; 1 the hope of that blessedness, complete and eternal, to which they look forward in the Father's house. Together they sing the praise of Him, who, as Creator, Preserver, Redeer er, brings them under daily obligations to his love and grace. Here husband and wit parent and child, master and servant, all are one in acknowledging the same favors, confe ing the same helplessness, supplicating the same mercy. In the absence of every motive to ostentation, there is nothing in such a service to fost hypocrisy; and, while its frequency and uniformity guard it from enthusiasm, its simplici and naturalness should preserve it from formalism. The greatest poet of Germany, himself the author of the magnificent hymn of angworship in the prelude to "Faust," though not a man of family, nor much given to acts devotion, has confessed the beauty and power of family worship, both as a poetic and as religious sentiment. When Mendelssohn was in the first dawn of his fame as a composer, he visited Goeth then in the retired evening of life at Weimar. The master of written language was fa cinated with this young interpreter of that more mysterious language which gives t spirit utterance through "songs without words;" and his inner nature responded to th religious feeling which so pervaded the music of Mendelssohn. In June, 1830, Mendelssohn wrote to his sister, "At the very beginning of my visit. Weimar, I spoke of a print, taken from Adrian von Ostade, of a peasant family prayin which, nine years ago, made a deep impression on me." This print was in Goethe's ov collection, where Mendelssohn had seen it on a previous visit. "When I went at an ear hour to take leave of Goethe, I found him seated beside a large portfolio; and he said, ' you are actually going away? I must try to keep all right till you return: but, at all event we won't part now without some pious feelings; so let us once more look at the prayi family together." How a peasant's family upon their knees could teach him the reality, the beauty, the of religion! Yet a service which is capable of so rich a meaning, which should be so full o to children, and of profit to all, is sometimes neglected altogether, sometimes spasi observed, and too often rendered spiritless and wearisome, or profitless and unedi the manner in which it is performed. In very many cases, this is owing, not to ind to religion, nor to the lack of devotional feeling, but to want of thought in prov the service, or want of experience or of confidence in conducting it. It is to e family worship, by providing facilities for conducting it with regularity and propr this book of "Home Worship " has been prepared, in the hope of rendering this and useful service more general and uniform. Its plan is simple. Each page contains a complete service: and there is one morning of the year; an additional one for every Sunday evening throughout with a provision for the extra day in leap-year, and for the occurrence of a 1 Sunday. By confining the service to a single page, that reasonable brevity i which is so important for the younger members of the family, and for those who l time at their command. Indeed, brevity promotes edification; for a few verses of a short meditation, and a brief but comprehensive prayer, are much more likely to attention at the time, and to be remembered through the day, than a lengthy pass a homily and a liturgy of corresponding proportions. Each service consists of four parts: 1. A Selection from the Scriptures. - Due regard has been had to variety in from the Old and New Testaments; and these are often brought together so as to upon one another. Nearly the whole of the New Testament is contained in the 1 portions of the historical and the prophetical books of the Old Testament, and so Psalms, have been necessarily omitted. Enough is given, however, fairly to rep Old Testament, both in its spirit and in its order; and such connected narratives of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, are continued, without break, from da This book is not intended as a substitute for the systematic reading of the whol individual members of the family, or by the family collectively, but to insure th of a portion of God's word every day by the family together. No selection is In making and arranging the selections, great pains have been taken to give varie sudden transitions, and to promote edification by bringing forth the teachings of in their diversified but harmonious application to all the conditions of human life. 2. Each Selection is followed by a Meditation. - This is not a dry critical ex the text; though it embodies the results of the best criticism of biblical scholars. doctrinal in the sense of presenting the theology of any particular school or sect; to express the teaching of the passage upon which it is founded. It is never con but it seeks to meet difficulties which lie in the passage itself, or which have bee the progress of criticism and science. It is not hortatory in form; yet it gives application to the truth, or suggests topics for personal reflection. In one word, t tations are designed to give a spiritual commentary upon the whole Bible. years of study in the word of God, and of travel in Bible lands, are here comp brief sentences, easily read, and easily remembered. With the exception of a few from such writers as Alford Hackett Robertson Stior and Tholnák Th which expressly for this work. It has been the aim of the author to fuse the scriptural selection into his own mind, and then to pour it forth as if thinking aloud or talking in his own family, in the hope of imparting to this daily Bible-reading a freshness, a simplicity, a tone of living reality, that shall make it attractive to the young, and instructive and profitable to all. 3. A Selection of Hymns and Tunes is arranged at the close of the book; and, on each page, hymns appropriate to the selection for the day are indicated by their numbers. In preparing this part of the work, the author has been much aided by Mr. H. A. Brown. - 4. A Prayer for the Day. About one-third of the prayers in the book have been composed expressly for it. The remainder have been compiled and adapted, with various alterations, from the standard works of Alford, Goulburn, Harris, Macduff, Oxenden, Stobart, and from the Liturgy of the Church of England. These, of course, vary in style, in character, and in excellence. It would be impossible to embrace every topic of family devotion in a single prayer of forty or fifty lines; but the range of a week will be found to cover a great variety of topics, while the common mercies and wants of every day are uniformly recognized. It is a wholesome education in large-hearted philanthropy, that children shall be accustomed to remember many objects outside of the family in the daily prayer at the family altar. Composed in this spirit, and for these ends, this book is sent forth as a humble visitor to the families of the land, with the prayer of the author, that, wherever it finds a welcome, may prove a minister of good, and that it may serve in some measure to prepare all who shall use it for the blessed communion of our Father's house on high. it NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 1871. DIRECTIONS. THIS book contains a selection for every day of the year, upon a distinct page. Hence, at whatever day of the week the reader may begin, the year will come out evenly. Prayers for special days are added at the close of the book; and when one of these is used, if the regular selection for that day of the week is omitted, the course will go on as before, or the special prayer can be added to the lesson for the day. For some public days, a choice of two or three forms is given. There is also in the Appendix a collection of prayers for special family occasions; and the Index will enable the reader to adapt various prayers to particular circumstances. In families where there are no children, the sentences in brackets may be omitted in reading the prayers. Thus the book, while it provides a service for each day, admits a large liberty of selection and adaptation, according to the varying incidents and wants of family life. ILLUSTRATIONS. THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST (Matt. ii. 9-11) (Christmas). . JESUS DRIVES OUT THE MONEY-CHANGERS (John ii. 15, 16). PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN (Luke x. 33, 34) MEETING OF JACOB AND RACHEL (Gen. xxix. 10-12) |