In the New Testament, the traces of family religion are not less obvious. We gladly borrow the animated language of Mr. Hamilton of London and ask: “Do you envy Cornelius, whose prayers were heard, and to whom the Lord sent a special messenger to teach him the way of salvation? He was a ‘devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people,and prayed to God alway,’ and who was so anxious for the salvation of his family, that he got together his kinsmen and near friends, that they might be ready to hear the apostle when he arrived and share with himself the benefit (Acts 10:2, 24, 31). Do you admire Aquila and Priscilla, Paul’s ‘helpers in Christ Jesus,’ and who were so skillful in the Scriptures, that they were able to teach a young minister the way of God more perfectly? You will find that one reason for their familiarity with the Scriptures was that they had a ‘church that is in their house’” (Acts 18:26; Rom. 16:5). It was doubtless recognized in regard to spiritual as well as in regard to temporal things, that “if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Tim. 5:8). That spirit of social prayer which led disciples to join in supplication or praise, in upper chambers, in prisons, in the stocks, and on the sea beach could not but have manifested itself in daily household devotion (Acts 1:13; 16:25; Gal. 4:12; 2 Tim. 1:3).
Our records of primitive Christianity are so much distorted and corrupted by a superstitious tradition, that we need not be surprised to find a simple and spiritual service such as this, thrown into the shade by sacerdotal31 rites. Yet we discern enough to teach us, that believers of the first ages were not neglectful of Family Worship.
“In general,” says Neander32 in a work not published among us, “They followed the Jews, in observing the three seasons of day, nine, twelve, and three o’clock, as special hours of prayer; yet they did not use these in a legal manner, such as militated against Christian liberty; for Tertullian33 says, in regard to times of prayer, ‘nothing is prescribed, except that we may pray at every hour, and in every place.’ The Christians began and closed the day with prayer. Before meals, before the bath, they prayed, for as Tertullian says, the ‘refreshment and nourishment of the soul must precede the refreshment and nourishment of the body; the heavenly before the earthly.’ When a Christian from abroad, after brotherly reception and hospitality in the house of a brother Christian, took his leave, he was dismissed from the Christian family with prayer, ‘Because,’ said they, ‘In thy brother thou hast beheld thy Lord.’ For every affair of ordinary life they made preparation by prayer.”
To this we may add the statements of a learned man, who has made Christian antiquities his peculiar study: “Instead of consuming their leisure hours in vacant idleness, or deriving their chief amusement from boisterous34 merriment, the recital of tales of superstition, or the chanting of the profane songs of the heathen, they passed their hours of repose in rational and enlivening pursuits; found pleasure in enlarging their religious knowledge, and entertainment in songs that were dedicated to the praise of God. These formed their pastime in private, and their favorite recreations at their family and friendly meetings. With their minds full of the inspiring influence of these, they returned with fresh ardor to their scenes of toil; and to gratify their taste for a renewal of these, they longed for release from labor, far more than to appease their appetite with the provisions of the table. Young women sitting at the distaff35 and matrons going about the duties of the household, were constantly humming some spiritual airs.
And Jerome36 relates, of the place where he lived, that one could not go into the field without hearing the ploughman at his hallelujahs, the mower at his hymns, and the vinedresser singing the Psalms of David. It was not merely at noon and in time of their meals that the primitive Christians read the word of God, and sang praises to His name. At an early hour in the morning, the family were assembled, when a portion of Scripture was read from the Old Testament, which was followed by a hymn and a prayer, in which thanks were offered up to the Almighty for preserving them during the silent watches of the night, and for His goodness in permitting them to meet in health of body and soundness of mind; and at the same time His grace was implored to defend them amid the dangers and temptations of the day, to make them faithful to every duty and enable them in all respects to walk worthy of their Christian vocation. In the evening before retiring to rest, the family again assembled, when the same form of worship was observed as in the morning with this difference: that the service was considerably protracted beyond the period which could conveniently be allotted to it in the commencement of the day. Besides all these observances, they were in the habit of rising at midnight, to engage in prayer and the singing of psalms, a practice of venerable37 antiquity, and which, as Dr. Cave justly supposes, took its origin from the first times of persecution, when not daring to meet together in the day, they were forced to keep their religious assemblies in the night.”38
When we come down to the revival of evangelical piety at the Reformation, we find ourselves in the midst of such a stream of authority and example that we must content ourselves with general statements. Whatever may be the practice of their degenerate sons, the early Reformers are universally known to have set great value on family devotion. The prayers of Luther in his house are recorded with warmth by his coevals39 and biographers. The churches of Germany, in a better day, were blessed with a wide prevalence of household piety. Similar facts are recorded of Switzerland, France, and Holland.
But in no country has the light of the dwelling burned more brightly than in Scotland. Family Worship in all its fullness was coeval with the first reformation period. Probably no land in proportion to its inhabitants ever had so many praying families; probably none has so many now. In 1647, the General Assembly40 issued a Directory for Family Worship in which they speak as follows:
“The ordinary duties comprehended under the exercise of piety, which should be in families, when they are convened to that effect, are these: first, prayer, and praises performed, with a special reference, as well to the condition of the Kirk41 of God, and this kingdom, as to the present state of the family, and every member thereof. Next, reading of the Scriptures, with catechizing in a plain way, that the understandings of the simpler may be the better enabled to profit under the public ordinances, and they made more capable to understand the Scriptures when they are read: together with godly conferences tending to the edification of all the members in the most holy faith: as also, admonition and rebuke, upon just reasons, from those who have authority in the family. The head of the family is to take care that none of the family withdraw himself from any part of Family Worship; and seeing the ordinary performance of all the parts of Family Worship belongeth properly to the head of the family, the minister is to stir up such as are lazy, and train up such as are weak, to a fitness for these exercises.”
“So many as can conceive prayer, ought to make use of that gift of God; albeit, those who are rude42 and weaker may begin at a set form of prayer; but so that they be not sluggish in stirring up in themselves (according to their daily necessities) the spirit of prayer, which is given to all the children of God in some measure: to which effect, they ought to be more fervent and frequent in secret prayer to God, for enabling of their hearts to conceive, and their tongues to express, convenient desires to God, for their family.” “These exercises ought to be performed in great sincerity, without delay, laying aside all exercises of worldly business or hindrances, notwithstanding the mockings of atheists and profane men; in respect of the great mercies of God to this land, and of His corrections, whereby lately He hath exercised us. And to this effect, persons of eminency, and all elders of the kirk, not only ought to stir up themselves and families to diligence herein, but also to concur effectually, that in all other families, where they have power and charge, the said exercises be conscionably performed.”
31 sacerdotal – pertaining to priests or priesthood; a reference to Romanism.
32 Johann August Wilhelm Neander (1789-1850) – German church historian and theologian; born David Mendel, a Jew; converted to Protestantism and took the name Neander (Greek for “new man”); author of the 6 volume General History of the Christian Religion and the Church.
33 Tertullian (c. 155-220)–early Latin father of the church; born a pagan, converted, finally left Roman Catholicism for Montanism; coined the term “trinity.”
34 boisterous – loud, noisy, and lacking restraint.
35 distaff – a stick or spindle onto which wool or flax is wound for spinning
36 Jerome (c. 347-419) – Biblical scholar and translator of the Latin translation of Scripture known as the Vulgate.
37 venerable – deserving honor and respect.
38 The Antiquities of the Christian Church, Lyman Coleman, 2nd edition, p. 375.
39 coevals – contemporaries.
40 General Assembly – highest church court of various national churches, especially the Church of Scotland.
41 Kirk – Scottish form of “church,” derived ultimately from the NT Greek adjective kuriakos, “of the Lord.”
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