much spiritual pride and censorious judging, so much false zeal and unchristian behaviour, so much disgust of intelligent minds. To these opinions they have a perfect right. Thus have I endeavored to set you right upon some of the representations by which your calvinistic acquaintance would shake your confidence in unitarianism. In the same way, bring all their assertions to the test of scripture and facts, and you will be in no danger from that quarter. B. W.

Yours,

FAMILY DEVOTION.

It is worthy of remark, that prayer is so natural and so proper for men as dependent beings, that our Saviour commonly takes it for granted that they will pray in some way or other. His injunctions therefore have respect, generally to the mode and spirit in which devotional exercises are performed. If we judged only from man's relations and obligations to God, we should presume that there was an altar for his worship in every family and in every heart, till we had evidence to the contrary.

But experience teaches us a melancholy truth. We learn from it, however reluctantly, that mankind are fearfully alienated from God; and that many literally live without him in the world. Yes, it is a matter of grief and shame, that in this christian country, where the mind is enlightened and worship is free, and the gospel is known in its spirit, reality, and power-even here, where God's bounty is the richest, and his smiles are the kindest, and his revelation is the clearest, there are many families that call not upon his name.

If we admit the duty and expediency of prayer on any occasion, there seems to be nothing whatever to be said against family devotion. I suppose indeed that men are more likely to neglect to pray in secret than in the domestic circle: there is no great need therefore of persuading a man who prays at all, that he ought to pray with his family.

There is certainly great reason to fear that many, who would take it ill to be denied the name of Christian, do actually live without prayer; unless joining occasionally and languidly in public worship can be called praying. Now I do not mean to say that they are not Christians, because I do not know the fact; but I do not at all understand how they can be. I do not at all understand how a christian spirit and character can be acquired and improved, or even preserved, without cherishing it at the fountain of spiritual life.

Liberal Christians have been frequently and publicly charged with this neglect. I hope they are not generally guilty of it; if they are, let them look to it. Our principles are greatly misunderstood if they are supposed to release us in any degree, from the need or the obligation to pray. They require, indeed, more prayer than the principles of most other sects of Christians; for in proportion as we depend less on what is outward or dogmatical, we ought to have more of that piety which is inward and spiritual. If we depend less upon a religion of form and ceremony, we ought to have more of a religion of affection and fervor. We altogether disclaim-we have nothing to do with a liberality which takes away any moral or religious obligation.

I am supposing my readers to have some conscience on this subject. I am supposing them to be willing to be Christians, and to be willing to discharge this christian duty, if they could be made to feel it-and if they could get over certain difficulties which now appear in their

way.

I will notice one of the most common, and perhaps the greatest of these difficulties. It is, that men unaccustomed to lead the devotions of others, are apt to believe that they cannot perform the service extemporaneously. I know that this is to many a very formidable difficulty at first. Unaccustomed as they are to speak continuously on any occasion or subject, they have no idea how they can command a constant succession of proper thoughts clothed in appropriate language. Besides, they are overawed by the solemnity of the service. We have known a young man in one of his earliest attempts, as incapable of utterance as if he had an overpowering vision of the throne of the Eternal.

Repeated

But this difficulty may be soon overcome. efforts will give you confidence. Aim not at fine and elaborate expressions. If you wish to learn to pray as Christians ought to pray, reflect seriously on your infirmities, your wants, and your sins; and you will have thick coming thoughts proper for a helpless being to offer to the God on whom he depends; and you will find no want of language through which the sentiments of penitence and devotion may be conveyed.

Meditate on the goodness of God, daily flowing in upon you in so many rich and varied streams. Think of all your domestic, social, and civil relations; of the duties 4.

VOL. II.-NO. I.

they impose, the affections they exercise, and the happiness they confer. Think of your weaknesses, temptations, sorrows, and your need of God's spirit to console you in affliction, to sustain you in trial, and to strengthen all your virtuous principles, that you may stand firm in the rectitude, and purity, and holiness of the gospel. Reflect with gratitude on the christian revelation—the deliverance from sin which it has brought-the blessed light and consolation which it has imparted-and the everlast. ing hopes it has inspired. Think long and often of these things, and make them the subjects of your se cret prayer and praise; and you will cherish a cheerful and affectionate piety, which will give you glad communion with the Father of your spirit, in your best and happiest hours; and lead you to him as the everflowing fountain of comfort, when distress and anguish come over your spirit.

If you do all this, can you have any difficulty, when you bring with you your dearest objects of interest and affection around the family altar? O no; you cannot fail to be rich in the materials, and fervent in the spirit of devotion. Every day, as it brings its new proofs and instances of God's goodness, and discloses new wants, or awakens new aspirations in yourself, will supply new topics of grateful praise, and give new expression to the warm desires of a pious heart. Have you seriously and long endeavored in this manner to learn to pray in your family? It cannot be then that you have labored in vain unless there was some greater than common obstacle in your own nature or habit of mind.

Suppose this to be the case. Suppose, what I am unwilling to believe, that you cannot learn to pray extempo

raneously; there is still a remedy. I would not, however, advise you to commit a single prayer to memory, and repeat it every morning and evening, till its spirit is cold. and dead, and its words fall on the listless ear, awakening no pious emotion. No one prayer on earth can express all the communings which a family ought to hold with its God. The ever varying wants, trials, and blessings of domestic life, require corresponding varieties of expres sion. If a prayer does not breathe out the actual wants and desires of the soul, it is but a cold and formal offering, in which the heart has no share.

You can do better, a great deal better, than either to neglect family devotion wholly, or to recite a single prayer from memory. You may, with great advantage, read prayers in your family, preceded by passages from the scrip tures. You can find books adapted to supply this want, containing sentiments which every man ought to feel, clothed in language which he may conscientiously utter. The aspirations of your own fervent piety will not be rejected by our Heavenly Father, because they go up to him in a form prepared by another kindred mind. If then you cannot, or suppose you cannot, perform extemporaneous exercises of family devotion, you will do well to discharge the duty in another way. Keep a hallowed fire glowing in your own bosom, to give new warmth, and spirit, and life to the forms you employ, and your morning and evening devotions will ascend like grateful incense to the throne of God.

I would affectionately address these remarks on the use of forms of domestic devotion to female heads of families. These forms are generally necessary for them. From their shrinking and retiring delicacy, it cannot be