It is a new thing to you, this learning to read and write, and it may come hard at first; but if you keep on, it will soon become easier. And when you have once learned these, what a pleasant thing it will be to you to write a letter, or to sit down in your own house and read all about Jesus and salvation! You must see that your children learn also. Perhaps they will take it quicker, and then they can read to you. How nice it will be, after your day’s work or on the Sabbath, to listen to your children reading to you out of the precious Bible! This will be one of the best blessings connected with your new-found freedom. A HOME. One of the first things you should endeavor to secure to yourselves is a home. Each family should aim at this. No matter how small your house be, if it is a home, and _your_ home, there will be a charm about it. I see not why every family among the freedmen may not obtain such a home--where he can have his family to himself, and train his children to good morals and religion. Freedom makes a home worth something. Get a house, then, as soon as you can; no matter how small or how poor it is. Perhaps by your industry you may make it larger and better. Move your family into it, and begin to live as one who is responsible to God, and who is determined to show that slavery has not robbed him of all his manhood. In this home have family worship. Pray with your family every morning, asking God’s blessing in something like the following words: MORNING PRAYER. Our Father which art in heaven, we thank thee for keeping us safe through the night. We thank thee for our sleep, which has done us so much good. Grant now, O Lord, that we may have thy blessing through the day. Help us to be diligent in business. Keep us from all harm and from all wrong. Help us to do thy will in all things. O Lord, bless this family; make us Christians; give us sorrow for all our sins, and pardon them for Jesus’ sake. May we trust in Jesus alone for salvation. Help us to obey all thy commands. May we love all men, even our enemies. May we serve thee faithfully until we die; and then, O Lord, take us to heaven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen. The evening prayer might be somewhat as follows: EVENING PRAYER. O Lord, we give thee thanks that thou hast preserved us through the past day; that thou hast helped us to do our work, and hast not suffered us to fall into any hurtful evils. Yet, Lord, we know and feel that the day has not been without its temptations and sins. We have done many things which we ought not to have done, and have left undone many things which we ought to have done; and for these sins, O Lord, we ask thy forgiveness. Oh, wash them all away in the blood of Jesus. Give us hearts to love and obey thee more perfectly hereafter.