# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1848 03 01_S114
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

"So this now is my exhortation, that we accustom ourselves to constant prayer and meditation upon Holy Scripture. Those who have never struggled against the devil do not know how needful the spirit of prayer is. For carelessness and false security increase daily, just as rust does on iron, and the Word falls out of our hands before we are even aware of it. When this happens, then Satan has half won the game; for he does not sleep, but watches for every opportunity, and then attacks us when he knows that the heart no longer clings to the Word. There he can easily blow a great fire out of a little spark; and before that fire can be quenched and Christ laid hold of again through the Word, we are either crushed with pains and torments, or altogether put to death; for he is a murderer, and directs all his devices toward this end, that he may destroy us. Therefore one must constantly practice and pray the Word, when we go to bed or rise up, so that the enemy does not find us idle and unarmed, and does not tear the redemption wholly out of our hearts."

"I too am a theologian, one who is fairly well practiced in Holy Scripture through manifold danger, and who has gained some experience; nevertheless I do not exalt myself on account of such gifts, so as to think that on their account I should not pray the Catechism — that is, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Our Father — together with the children, and ponder it with an inward heart; so that I do not merely run over the words, but also attend to what each word means. And when I fail to do this, but am burdened with other business, I certainly find harmful damage results from it. For the Word is given for this purpose, that we should sharpen it within ourselves and diligently practice it, as Moses says: if we do not have this practice, then our hearts become like iron that rust eats away, and we ourselves do not know what has become of our senses."

"Indeed, we see with our own eyes, and daily experience teaches us, into what manifold dangers people fall. There is no other cause for this than that they are secure, do not pray, do not hear God's Word, and do not meditate upon it; they become secure, and content themselves with having it in books and being able to read it. Into such people the devil quietly pours contempt for the divine Word into the heart; and afterward he casts them either into sudden despair or into some other danger; for what indeed does a man have with which he might arm and protect himself against so mighty an enemy?"

"Therefore a lover of the divine Word must learn without ceasing, and constantly exercise himself in the Word and in prayer — not only because these are high, weighty matters that cannot easily enter into our hearts, but also because our adversary tempts us not once but often; therefore one must constantly fight against him and pray. Thus prayer belongs to the Christian people, to the Church, that is, to those who are redeemed and sanctified; for unbelievers and the godless cannot pray." (W. A. IV. 2608 ff.)

A second question is this: how often, and at what time, should family devotion be held? According to the old, praiseworthy custom this took place twice daily, namely in the morning upon rising and in the evening upon going to bed; a basis for this is found in the words of David: "When I lie down, I think of you; when I awake, I speak of you" (Ps. 63:7). A second reason lies in this, that, as Dr. Luther says in the Catechism questions, everyone has the devil about him, who will allow him no peace, day or night, with lies and murder; therefore we are taught to pray, not only in the morning but also in the evening blessing: "let your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may find no power over me"; and how necessary it is, precisely for this reason, to hold fast to the Word of God, Dr. Luther shows by the example of the two apostles Peter and Judas, when he says: "Such preaching (namely the words of Christ, Luke 22:31–32) Peter heard and retained. That word was the staff on which he leaned, so that sin could not press him down; otherwise sin would have done to him just what it did to Judas; but by the Word he saved himself. Learn this diligently, and apply yourself to it in time; hear God's Word diligently; do not lie down, do not rise up, until you have said over to your heart a fine saying, two, three, or four — as Matt. 9:13; 11:28–30; John 3:16–18, 35–36; John 5:24; 11:25; 1 John 2:1–2. Where you daily practice such and similar sayings, and make them familiar to yourself through such practice, you have the true medicine for the soul, which unhappy Judas lacked." (W. A. XIII. 975 ff.) How advisable it would be if diligent readers of the Bible would compile for themselves a collection of such sayings, which treat of our redemption, and would learn as many of them by heart as possible!

Finally, the time of morning and evening is also, with regard to household business, the most suitable, since then all members of the household can be present at family devotion; only, for the sake of small children, it might be advisable to hold it immediately after the evening meal.

That formerly a certain devotional exercise was also customary at midday, the dear forebears can still tell us; the many table-hymns in the old hymnals bear witness to this, and this is also confirmed by the instructions in the Small Catechism, according to which food and drink are to be sanctified with God's Word and prayer; but these instructions too, as they stand there, are now followed by only a few. A praiseworthy custom prevailed in the monasteries, whereby at table an appointed reader read through Holy Scripture in order, as the excellent Myconius did for seven years, in this way learning the Bible almost by heart; it is also told in the biography of Johann Mathesius of Joachimsthal that his wife — who was altogether a true model for all ministers' wives — read the Bible through to him after meals three times over, clearly and distinctly. Should this not encourage many a father of the household likewise to make use of mealtime for the reading of Holy Scripture, so as thereby both to further a better knowledge of it and also to forestall many a useless or even sinful conversation?

As to the third question, namely how family devotion is to be conducted, sufficient answer is in general already found in what has been said so far; whereby I would still remind the reader to read again attentively what was communicated earlier, in the third volume, No. 18, concerning the daily practice of the Catechism. Yet, for the sake of greater clarity, a few further hints shall be given, first of all for those who wish to hold family devotion three times daily.

In the morning they may begin with the morning blessing, "May God so rule," etc., and have it prayed slowly and devoutly, together with the children, or pray it themselves (kneeling or standing, according to Dr. Luther's counsel).

After this let there follow the recitation of the first three Chief Parts, namely:
On Sundays, the first, with the explanation added to each commandment, then the second and third Chief Parts without the explanation.
On Mondays, the first Chief Part without the explanation, the second and third with the explanation.
On Tuesdays, the first and second without the explanation, the third with the explanation.
On Wednesdays, the first, second, and third without the explanation, and then the fourth Chief Part with the reading concerning the Office of the Keys and Confession; the two forms of confession are omitted, likewise everything from the words "thereupon shall..." to the end.
On Thursdays, likewise.
On Fridays, the first three Chief Parts and the fifth, on the Sacrament of the Altar.
On Saturdays, likewise, and then the Table of Duties according to the shorter form in the Book of Concord.*

*) To the Chief Parts let there be added the reading of one or two pages from Dr. Luther's Large Catechism, in order. Whoever wishes may then sing a hymn or a few verses from one, or read them, or recite or have recited a few sayings on redemption (see above, under the first question). Also, on Sundays and festival days, the Scripture passage on which the sermon was preached that morning may be read aloud; and when in this or a similar manner food and drink have been sanctified and partaken of, there follows the grace after the meal according to Dr. Luther's Small Catechism.