The Wedding Day: The Service—The Marriage Certificate—Words of Counsel — John Shaqi
The Wedding Day: The Service—The Marriage Certificate—Words of Counsel
Religion
The Wedding Day: The Service—The Marriage Certificate—Words of Counsel
Marriage; Marriage -- Gift books; Marriage service
Care should be taken that the home worship may not be made tedious, and
thus become a burden. I have always found it best to use the Bible for
the Scripture selection rather than the selections made in the books
containing forms of prayer. It is well to read the Bible in course, and
to have _the same copy of the Bible_ from which to read brief
selections, without being governed by the divisions in chapters. Your
one and the same Bible, being used every day in family worship, becomes
very precious with the growing years. It will be associated with all the
tenderest memories of the home life. I have occasionally used a
different copy of the Bible in my own home for family worship, but none
is half so dear as the plain, old, and well-worn copy with which I
began, when I established my own home altar, far back in the years.
But, besides worship together at the family altar, there should be
private prayer. Every one should have a place where he can worship God
alone. Our Lord saw the necessity that each of his disciples should be
alone with him. Hence he said: "When thou prayest, enter into thy
closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in
secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
Begin the day by solitary communing with God. End the day in the same
way, by asking God for his forgiveness for the past, for his
preservation for the night, and for his care in all the time to come.
But some one may say: "Does not this attention to religious duties make
the new home gloomy?" Not at all. It is the way to make it bright and
cheerful. The wedding day soon passes by, and in time will come the
regular domestic life, with its monotony and cares. Leave this life to
God's ordering. He alone can make us strong for every hour's demands.
The German poet Schirmer says a wise word, which well applies to all who
begin life in the new home:
"Left to ourselves we shall but stray;
O, lead us in the narrow way:
With wisest counsel guide us,
And give us steadfastness, that we
May henceforth truly follow thee,
Whatever woes betide us.
.....
"O mighty Rock, O Source of life,
Let thy clear word, 'mid doubt and strife,
Be so within us burning,
That we be faithful unto death
In thy pure love and holy faith,
From thee true wisdom learning.
Lord, thy graces on us shower;
By thy power
Christ confessing
Let us win his grace and blessing."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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