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."

Vinet here lays down the true principle of a thoroughly good life at
home: "Wherever we advance in the path of marriage and of life, with
eyes lifted up toward a Saviour we love, with a salvation we hope for,
with a spirit of prayer and supplication through which Jesus Christ
constantly intervenes by his Spirit between the husband and wife--there,
indeed, a marriage may be happy; nay, must be infallibly so. The union
between two converted hearts is necessarily sweet and unutterable;
without this there is no security." The new home consecrated by
prayer--daily prayer--will become what that beautiful home of Sir Thomas
More was--"a school and exercise of the Christian religion."

THE HOME BEAUTIFUL.

Great art is required in making beautiful the new h