a few years the benefits of such fidelity in
daily family religion manifestly appeared; the blessings of the upper
and nether springs followed him; health and happiness crowned his
family, and prosperity attended his business.

At length, however, such was the rapid increase of trade, and the
importance of devoting every possible moment to his customers, that he
began to think whether family prayer did not occupy too much time in the
morning. Pious scruples indeed there were against relinquishing this
part of his duty; but soon wordly interests prevailed so far as to
induce him to excuse the attendance of his apprentices; and it was not
long before it was deemed advisable for the more eager prosecution of
business, to make praying in the morning when he first arose, suffice
for the day.

Notwithstanding the repeated checks of conscience that followed this
sinful omission, the calls of a flourishing business concern and the
prospect of an increasing family appeared so pressing, that he found an
easy excuse to himself for this unjustifiable neglect of an obvious
family duty. But when his conscience was almost seared as with a hot
iron, it pleased God to awaken him by a peculiar though natural
providence. One day he received a letter from a young man who had
formerly been an apprentice, previous to his omitting family prayer. Not
doubting but that domestic worship was still continued in the family of
his old master, his letter was chiefly on the benefits which he had
himself received through its agency.

"Never," said he, "shall I be able to thank you sufficiently for the
precious privilege with which you indulged me in your family devotions!
O, sir, eternity will be too short to praise my God for what I have
learned. It was there I first beheld my lost and wretched estate as a
sinner; it was there that I first found the way of salvation, and there
that I first experienced the preciousness of Christ in me the hope of
glory. O, sir, permit me to say, Never, never neglect those precious
engagements. You have yet a family and more apprentices. May your house
be the birth-place of their souls!"

The conscience-stricken tradesman could proceed no further, for every
line flashed condemnation in his face. He trembled, and was alarmed lest
the blood of his children and apprentices should be demanded at his
hands. "Filled with confusion, and bathed in tears, I fled," said he,
"for refuge in secret. I spread the letter before Go