A pious tradesman, conversing with a minister on family worship, related the following instructive circumstances respecting himself:—When I first began business for myself, I was determined, through grace, to be particularly conscientious with respect to family prayer. Accordingly, I persevered for many years in the delightful practice of domestic worship. Morning and evening, every individual of my family was ordered always to be present; nor would I allow my appren-
tices to be absent on any account. In a few years the advantages of these engagements appeared manifestly conspicuous: the blessings of the upper and nether springs followed me; health and happiness attended my family, and prosperity my business. At length, such was my rapid increase in trade, and the necessity of devoting every possible moment to my customers, that I began to think whether family prayer did not occupy too much of our time in the morning. Pious scruples arose respecting my intentions of relinquishing this part of my duty; but, at length, worldly interest prevailed so far as to induce me to excuse the attendance of my apprentices, and not long after, it was deemed advisable, for the more eager prosecution of our business, to make the prayer with my wife, when we arose in the morning, suffice for the day. Notwithstanding the repeated checks of conscience that followed this base omission, the calls of a flourishing concern, and the prospect of an increasing family, appeared so imperious and commanding, that I found an easy excuse for this growing evil, especially as I did not omit prayer altogether. My conscience was now almost seared as with a hot iron, when it pleased the Lord to awaken me by a singular providence.
One day I received a letter from a young man, who had formerly been my apprentice, previous to my omitting family worship. Not doubting but I continued domestic worship, his letter was chiefly on this subject. It was couched in the most affectionate and respectful terms; but judge of my surprise and confusion when I read these words:—”Oh, my dear master, never, never shall I be able sufficiently to thank you for the precious privilege with which you indulged me in your family devotions! O, sir, Eternity will be too short to praise my God for what I learned there. It was there I first beheld my lost and wretched state as a sinner; it was there that I first knew the way of salvation; and there that I first experienced the preciousness of Christ in me, the hope of glory. O, sir, permit me to say, never, never neglect those precious engagements. You have yet a family and more apprentices; may your house be the birth-place of their souls!” I could read no further; every line flashed condemnation in my face; I trembled, I shuddered, I was alarmed at the blood of my children and apprentices that I apprehended was soon to be demanded at my soul-murdering hands!
Filled with confusion, and bathed with tears, I fled for refuge in secret. I spread the letter before God. I agonised, and—but you can better conceive than I can describe my feelings; suffice it is to say, that
light broke in upon my disconsolate soul, a sense of blood-bought pardon was obtained. I immediately went to my family, presented them before the Lord, and from that day to the present I have been faithful; and am determined, through grace, that whenever business becomes too large to interfere with family prayer, I will give up the superfluous part of my business, and retain my devotion: better to lose a few shillings than become the deliberate murderer of my family, and the instrument of ruin to my own soul.