1840 Circular Letter of the Upatoie (Georgia) Association

[w]e are commanded by an Apostle to pray with all prayer and supplication, which doubtless includes family prayer; and holy Joshua, when he set up the good resolution that himself and household would serve the Lord, certainly resolved to pray with his family, which is one of the best testimonies they could give of their serving him; from all which consideration put together, it is evident that family prayer is a great and necessary duty, and consequently those governors of families that neglect it, are certainly without excuse; and it is much to be feared if they live without family prayer, they live without the influence of the Spirit of God in the world; and it is to be feared were God to send out an angel to destroy us, as He did once to destroy the Egyptians’ first-born, and withal give him a commission as then to spare no houses but where they saw the blood on the lintel sprinkled on the door-post, so now none of us, except those that call upon Him in morning and evening prayer, few would remain unhurt by His avenging sword.

But God forbid, brethren, that any such evil should befall us. No, rather we would hope that we have been convinced of the great importance of family religion, and therefore ready to cry out, “God forbid that we should forsake the Lord; nay but we will with our several households serve the Lord.” When we look around upon our children and servants, and see them in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity, and rolling sin under their tongues as a sweet morsel, surely it is enough to excite us to prayer. Oh! Let us pray that His work may be carried on, and that the kingdoms of this world may become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ. Finally, brethren, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of Peace shall be with you. Amen.