of the members of a family, when least supposed and is frequently, under the Divine blessing, the cause in after-life, of leading a poor prodigal to look back to his Father's house; to review the sins and follies of his own conduct, and to return to the Lord his God with his whole heart. It powerfully tends to check, discourage, and stifle the evils which are apt to spring up in families, by producing order, regularity, circumspection in their general conduct; -by checking passion, impetuosity, harsh language, and severe reproof; and by leading all parties to cultivate a consistent and amiable conduct. Important, however, and advantageous as this duty is, it is, alas too often, most grievously neglected; and many, of whom better things might be expected, either shrink from the performance of it, or attend to it in a very irregular or improper manner. They plead their inability; they point out the obstacles in their way; and perhaps insist on certain evils, which have existed or arisen in families where the duty has been attended to.

To remedy positive inability, numerous selections of family prayers have been prepared and are continually issuing from the press; many of these are written in such plain language, and published at so low a price, that few can be unable to procure sufficient and suitable assistance. If persons decline making use of such helps as their talents and circumstances require; or if they shrink from commenc ing a long-neglected duty through shame and similar corrupt motives, they will do well seriously to inquire whether they are not in danger of being condemned as slothful servants, or as those who are ashamed of Christ, and whom he will consequently reject.

Many however plead their want of time, their engagements in business, the incessant interruptions they are exposed to, with various circumstances of a similar nature. But all these objections admit of one general answer. There are and there ever have been many persons in exactly similar circumstances, as to all these particulars, with yourselves, who yet have regularly and habitually, during a long series of years, attended to and performed this duty, to their own comfort and edification; to the lasting benefit of their families; to the conviction and conversion of others, and thus to the glory of Almighty God.

The want of time and the hindrance to business, &c. constitute a very fallacious excuse. The whole time required for a serious reading of a portion of Scripture, and the offering up a prayer to Almighty God, is much smaller than persons in general imagine. Few persons can be found who do not habitually spend far more time in common conversation, in

attending to the news of the day, and other trifling matters, than can possibly be required for family worship. In fact, when once the hour is regularly fixed and carefully attended to, it produces a spirit of order and foresight, by which more time is usually redeemed than is actually wanted for the service.

The interruptions of business will be found equally fallacious. These may be guarded against in various ways. One individual of a family may in turn attend in a shop, &c. while family worship is carrying on, as is continually done in the case of meals. Or the time of family worship may be fixed prior to the hour when the shop is opened, or when customers usually attend. And if perchance an impatient customer should be detained a few minutes, or even offended while a family are honouring God, they may safely leave the matter in his hands, who saith, "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine," and who declares, "Those that honour me, I will honour."

A similar answer may be given to the objections brought forwards against evening family worship, as interfering with company, recreation, the society of friends and relations, &c. But who is not aware of the Saviour's requirement, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me? Who has not often heard the indispensable duty of confessing Christ before men? and how can we with more propriety, and with less offence, confess our Saviour, than by bringing forth our Bibles and saying to any accidental sojourner, It is our usual hour for family prayer, and you will therefore excuse the servants coming in according to custom?' The men of the world honour such conduct as consistent, and, however they may at first take offence, can never in their serious moments avoid reverencing those who dare to avow their principles. They will despise a talking, disputatious character, but cannot elude the force of a holy and consistent life.-Pp. iii.—vii.

The writer has occasionally been pained by observing in some instances that the servants have on one account or other been excluded from family worship. On no class of persons whatever do our comforts more depend than on the servants received under our roof: they have usually but scanty means of religious instruction iu early life; they, generally speaking, attend divine worship much less frequently than the other members of the family; they have little ability and less opportunity to profit by private reading; and it is therefore on every ground most important that they should join the social circle in drawing near to that God who has no respect of persons. Those have little right to complain of the degeneracy

of servants, who deprive them of Christian privileges, and use no exertions for their moral and religious improvement.

In conducting family worship the sacred Scriptures should be read in regular succession: a portion of the Old Testament may with great propriety be used one part of the day, and a part of the New Testament the other; the length of the passage must depend on the convenience of the family. Whatever is read should be read in a serious and devout manner; with reverence and deliberation. It is far better to read a small portion slowly and seriously, than a whole chapter in a hasty and careless manner. The same remark applies to the offering up of prayer. The length of the service is a secondary consideration. The regularity and devotion of it are objects of prime importance. The singing a hymn is a delightful addition to this service, where circumstances will admit of it.-Pp. viii.—x.

The following specimen of one of the prayers must close this article.

Almighty and everliving God, who hast graciously brought us to the beginning of this day, pour down upon us the abundant influences of thine Holy Spirit. Assist and enable us that we may this day love and serve thee. Strengthen us to resist the temptations with which we may be assaulted, and to obtain the victóry over those sins to which we have been in times past enslaved.

If thou, Lord, were extreme to mark what we have done amiss, O Lord, who might abide it? Our transgressions are indeed more in number than the hairs of our heads. We have sinned against Thee in thought, in word, and in deed. We have done those things which we ought not to have done; we have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and there is no health in us. But do thou, O Lord, for thy own great name's sake, pardon all our manifold transgressions which we have in thought, word, and deed committed against thy Divine Majesty.-Look upon us not as we are in ourselves; but as drawing near unto Thee through the merits of our great High Priest, and our all-atoning Sacrifice.May the blood of thy dear Son indeed cleanse us from all sin.-May his righteousness prove to each of us an all-prevailing plea. And O may these our unworthy petitions tions be accepted through the

merits of his intercession.

May thy blessing indeed rest upon us thine unworthy servants. Thou hast in thy Providence brought us together as members of the same family. O grant that we may indeed so live together here, that we may reign with thee in thine heavenly kingdom hereafter. Enable each of

[Bless, O Lord, we humbly beseech thee, the children of this family; may they have indeed grace to seek and serve thee in early life; and be fitted for extensive usefulness in the Church and the world, when we are laid in the grave: O help us ever to live as those who are preparing for that solemn scene, and may our lamps be trimmed, and our loins girt, and we ourselves as they who wait for the coming of their Lord.]

Wherever thy truth is this day preached, vouchsafe to accompany it with thy blessing.-Raise up Ministers and Missionaries-Give thy blessing to all Bible Societies-all Societies for the Conversion of the Jews or the Heathen-all plans formed for the instruction of the poor and ignorant. Let thy work appear to thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Hear and answer us, O our God, and have mercy upon us, not weighing our. merits, but pardoning our offences, for the alone sake and merits of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.-Pp. 26-28.

fore it is a safe and salutary recreation. Because some constitutions resist the plague, this would be no reason why the whole people of a country should expose themselves to its contagion. This is on the supposition, that some solitary individuals visit the theatre without experiencing any evil effects from it,-a position, however, which I am exceedingly disposed to question; for if the whole constitution of man, as an intellectual, social, moral, and accountable being, be taken into consideration, I fear it will be most difficult, with the Bible in our hands, and eternity before us, to prove that, in any one instance, we can frequent theatrical exhibitions without sustaining some sensible injury.

The influence of the stage, however, on the mass is of no equivocal character. It positively deteriorates. It unduly excites the fancy, the imagination, and the passions. It familiarizes the mind to deeds of horror and of guilt. It offends often against those rules of propriety and decoruin, which families, not accustomed to think or feel religiously, strictly regard in private life. It smooths over, and renders palatable to human nature, the heinous crimes of seduction, intrigue, and selfdestruction. It introduces religion often in a false garb, and makes those appeals to the Deity, which partake largely of the spirit of infidelity. It furnishes facilities, and in many instances calls forth the tendencies, to an unbridled sensuality. It gives birth to a false sensibility, by constantly familiarizing the mind to scenes of fictitious misery. It unfits not a few of its votaries for the sober and often trying duties of domestic life. It tempts thousands, in every age, at the risk of all the honest virtues of society, to rank themselves amongst its zealous supporters. It is the constant resort of thieves, idlers, drunkards, and prostitutes. In a word, it has so many risks connected with it, and furnishes so few guarantees of safety, that every wise and prudent youth will at least pause and reflect, before he ventures another time on an amusement so extremely doubtful, where the benefit can, at most, be so small, but where the moral loss may be incalculably great. So deeply convinced was an acute but sceptical author of the anti-religious tendency of theatrical amusements, that he recommended them as a most efficacious expedient for relaxing, among any people, what he is pleased to term "preciseness and austerity of morals;” that is, in other words, all vital religion; retaining only that which may be useful for political purposes.

3d. As to the ball and midnight assembly—What have they done? Let me not be deemed a recluse, or austere, because I cannot subscribe, ex animo, to the absolute morality of promiscuous dancing, and its numerous attendants and results. " I APRIL 1825.

speak as unto wise men; judge ye what I say. Sprightly, and graceful, and bewitching, as is the exercise, I fear it ranks among those things, which, in the estimate of an inspired Apostle, "are not convenient." I speak not of the midnight revel, where only the sons of profligacy are to be found; but I speak of the regularly organized ball, of the well-adjusted assembly, where every thing is under a moral eye, where the laws of good society prevent every infringement upon delicacy, and where every thing passes off to the satisfaction of mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, friends and companions. Even here I strongly demur. Contemplating human nature as it is, and how can allow myself to do otherwise?—I tremble for consequences. I tremble for the vanity of human nature I am afraid of its rashness-its inexperience-its sensuality-its irreligion. To say nothing of health sacrificed, disease accelerated, and simple and inartificial manners outraged, I cannot but hesitate about the utility and moral fitness of an amusement, which, more than any other, recognizes, as necessary, the intercourse of the sexes; which acts with incalculable force on the animal spirits; which makes a demand for flattering, and often insincere, attentions; which so directly tends to perpetuate the reign of folly and thoughtlessness; which gives birth to many premature and clandestine marriages; and which, by a thousand agencies, tends to remove from the minds of the rising generation the contemplation of that most sacred of all subjects-the salvation of the immortal spirit. Although I first drew my vital breath in the country of Robert Burns-the land of the song and of the dance, I am so thoroughly convinced of the moral dangers of the promiscuous ball-room, that no child of mine shall ever be furnished with the necessary preparation for appearing with credit in such a doubtful scene. To this line of conduct I feel myself pledged, as I would not become the instrument of the future injury of my offspring. As to the ordinary opinion, that dancing is necessary to easy and graceful manners, nothing can be more shallow or absurd: in as far as many individuals who never were within the walls of a dancing school have been models of all that was polite and elegant; and in as far too as multitudes who have attended this farfamed school of manners, have nothing to recommend either their grace or their ease. Let Christian parents, who have no wish that their children should mingle in the dance, or swell the ranks of a gay and fashionable dissipation, consider well ere they furnish them with a facility of injuring themselves, and lay the foundation for future and pungent regret to their own minds.

X