‘THE NEED FOR THB FAMILY ALTAR. No. 8b ‘Trends over the past few years surely indicate that a satanic onslaught is being waged against the home and family life. God has ordained, blessed and set His seal upon three orgenieations in thie world - the family, Israel as a Nation, and the Church. nd all three are the target of the enemy of souls. The home - the oldest institution in the world, is in danger of collapsing through pressures within and without. ‘The secret of maintaining the spiritual fibre of the home is the femily altar.. fo many fanilice hone is little more than a refrigerator and a few beds. The late J.Sdgar Hoover said, "If there is any hope Zor the future, if there is to be poace and happiness in our hones, we mist return to God and the practice of daily fanily prayer. Our nation is eadly in need of the simple life - a return to the days when God was a part of each household, when families rose each moming with prayer on their lips and ended the day by gethering together to place thenselves in His care. A godlese hone is built upon cand and is an inviting breeding ground for moral decay and crime". Christian parent ~ have you sot up a family altar in your home? Of course there are obstacles in gathering the family together for daily worship and instruction. The biggest obstacle is tim A quiet 15 minutes free from interruption is not easily found in the usual household with its rush, with its staggered hours for those who work and go to school, the various ages and habits of its members, Time IS hard to find - but it mst be taken! The family should talk over its schedule, decide on a definte hour, and then hold to it. It may involve some inconveniences, some loss of sleep or tine each day, but anything foregone in order to render obedience to God will have its revanl. The sooner the habit is started, the easier it will be to stick by it. Al for a reverent devotional stmosphere. Reverence is a basic spiritual need that should be inculcated from early childhood. The children should be taught the truths of the Bible. The Word of God must be the warp and woof of the atmosphere cf the home. (Read Deut 6.6-7). ‘Truths should be explained and taught by group Aiscussion. Use of the mind in studying the Word will be of far greater benefit than that tought by rote. Some fanilies with young children find it effective to read a Bible Story from sone good Bible Story Book ~ and then follow it the next day by ‘the story fron the Bible itself. Blementary knowledge about the real issues of life should be ‘taught - salvation, taking our problems in prayer to the Lord,Bte. We face an unstable world, controlled largely by godless forces. Fanily worship should give opportunity for the discussion and solution of life's probleus. Prayer is anothor basic neod wich mst be met in the family circle. Young people should learn to pray at home. Something important is missing if they don't. Praise ie another need. A tine of quiet united praise is wonderful - sing a chorus or an old aymn, too. Untold blessing will come out of the exorcise of praise. (Next weok we may offer some more suggsations for the setting up end mainteining of a FAMILY ALTAR).