JESUS CHRIST IS ALL IN CHRIST is his a Father's chiefest choice, I now in e Christ have beauty bright, And clothed in his g robe that's white; ALL TO HIS. Christ is i my light, my life, and strength, And what these things r to them can be, a 1 Pet ii 4 c Phil iv 4 d Rom viii 38 39 e Ezek xvi 14 u Luke xii 19 a John xiv 13 b Ezek xvi 6 c 1 Pet ii 7 d Heb xii 2 e Eph iii 18, 19 f Eph iii 18, 19 (Continued from page 227.) 6 6 R. Well, Thomas, have you finished your job?' T. Nearly, Sir.' R. I want to ask you another question, Tom.' T. Yes, sure Sir, a score if your honour please.' R. They tell me then that your family go to prayers every night and morning, is that the case?" T. I hope so, Sir; its a blessed time, is'nt Master, when we all meet together as a family before the throne of grace; it does one so much good, and makes us all so comfortable together, and stops any differences; I dare say, Sir, you do find it so now.' R. Why, Tom, I regret to say, that I cannot speak thus from my own experience, for family worship is a privilege which I have never yet tried in my own house, but I hope (God willing) to begin it.' T. 'I should have thought then, Master, that most of the gentry would have prayers, for they have got more time than we working folks.' R. Ah, Tom, I am inclined to believe that, with few exceptions, that text still applies, "Not many rich, not many mighty are called;" but I should like to hear how you manage, considering you are up so early, and have M no servants to help?' T. 'Why, Master, if we rise ever so early, and have ever so much work to do, my wife and myself must have our breakfast you know; and if we can contrive to feed the perishing body, we should also contrive to get nourishment for the soul. We always then, a mornings, as soon as the breakfast is ready, shut the door and kneel down to the table, and then I 6 in my poor humble way kneel to one end, and make a short prayer, and finish with "Our Father," and "the grace," &c. In the evening, the last thing, my son (who has learnt to read at the Sunday-School) gets down the Bible and reads a few verses, and then I says a prayer again, and we go to rest.' R. Don't you ever use a book? T. Why, but seldom, Sir; first along I used a good little book of prayers for every day from the Tract Society, but 'tis better I find to tell my own case and my own wants to Him who can relieve them. What will suit one family might'nt suit another, and the chapter in the Bible often puts one upon what to say; but sometimes I take the book, and mix my own words and petitions with what is in the book.* R. . 'I suppose you are thought very strange by your neighbours?' T. "O no, Sir, I believe not. Indeed there is one of my This is the best way. In Family Prayer it is not 'my own case,' ,' 'my own wants,' I have to tell, but the case, the wants of the family I have to tell. My own case and my own wants may best be told in my own words; but as to Family Prayer, I must express my decided conviction that in most cases (where the Head of the family is not a duly ordained Minister of Christ) a form of prayer, in which he may, with our good friend the Hedge-clipper, mix up his own words and petitions, as God may enable him, is by far the best way. The Pocket Prayer Book,' published by the Philanthropic Society,' is of all I have seen the best for this purpose. Price 2s.-ED. · 6 neighbours who has got the curse of a miserable son, a cursing, Sabbath-breaking, wild young fellow, and as there's no peace in their house for him, he and his wife very often come into our house and go to prayer with us, and, poor things, it seems to comfort them: and when I pray God for mercy upon those who have no mercy upon themselves, I hear them sigh deeply, thinking, no doubt, upon their ungodly child.' R. How long have you practised this good act then Tom?' T. "Many years, Sir; but I believe I should now, Sir, if never before.' R. Why then Tom? Why, Sir! the times are so awful; the wickedness of the land is so terrible great; and, Sir, I am foolish enough to believe that the end of all things is at hand, and I would therefore wish to be sober and watch unto prayer.' R. "Times are certainly remarkable, but we shall be all right again by-and-by I hope.' T. God grant it, Sir; but I don't expect things to be right, 'till the 24th chapter of Isaiah has been fulfilled, and every hour, Sir, in my humble opinion, is bringing us to that.' R. "Well, Tom, we wont talk about prophecies just now, although I believe with you that we are on the brink of a tremendous period; I only hope that we shall be found with our loins girded.' T. 'Ah, yes, Sir! and prayer is one great means to this end; and if you have it in your family, as well as in private, your family, children, and all will be kept upon the look out, and that day will not come upon any of you unawares.' R. Well, Tom, I am not above learning good, I trust, from any one, and I purpose, God willing, to follow your example, and have Family Prayer this very night.' T. Sir, the Lord make ye to feel the blessing of it.' My friend had the good sense and resolution to put his intentions into practice; and though from timidity he began with 'Jenk's Devotions,' nothing could be more orderly or pleasing than the scene of this first simple endeavour to break through former prejudices and ignorance, and to serve the Lord. Q. R. N. B. We would recommend our readers to peruse Letter 5, in 'Newton's, Omicron.' AMERICAN PRACTICE. It was a happy day for man when Societies were raised up to send out the Scriptures; we soon saw them provoking one another to love; and the Christians of the United States of America came to the noble resolution of supplying every family that was destitute of it with a copy of the Scriptures. This plan has been pursued up to the present hour; and as the blessing of the Lord might well be expected to descend on so holy a work, we accordingly find an increasing value for the precious word springing up among that people. And we would now call your attention to one of the happy effects of the increased circulation of the Bible. A plan for committing the sacred word to memory has been entered on. This beautiful system, known by the name of "The Verse System,' commenced in America nearly three years ago, and was begun by a few pious young people in one of the United States. It has since been extending throughout many of the churches; and families both in the United States of America, as well as in France, in England, in Bengal, China, and Africa, and I believe also in the Polynesian Islands, have joined in it. It consists simply in committing to memory one passage of the word of God |