THE family is the wondrous creation of God, from which all our human social life has of itself unfolded.
Compare national existence in Israel with that in Rome and Greece, and nothing is more strikingly evident, than the far higher place of honor, which the family in Israel occupies.
From Israel this beautiful trait has passed over into the Church of Christ, and in every land where the Cross has been planted, family life has made gains in loving tenderness and uniting power.
Among Christian nations family-life is of higher repute among Protestant than Romish nations. Prussia is ahead of Austria, England of France, the Netherlands of Belgium.
But the sense of home-life was most strong among the nations of the Reformation in Switzerland, Scotland, Netherlands and in America.
Even among these our Netherlands was in the front rank from of old.
In our quiet, substantial domestic social life was the strength of our middle classes and the nerve of strength in our national life.
At present there is less to boast of, however, along this line. Awayness from home has increased. Life in public interests and by night sitting in the clubhouse and bar-room has gained ground.
And therefore the confessors of Christ in the land are called of God, by heroic confession and seriousness of life to save the security once confided to our keeping, and which threatens to be lost, for our own circles, and thereby for the fatherland.
Hence the wish, so frequently expressed, that some volume might be written, suitable at the beginnings of new homes to be placed in the hands of those newly married.
Even church authorities felt the need of this at the solemnities of weddings.
As a sample I wrote and gathered the meditations, which are contained in this volume.
The wondrous Creator of the Family command His blessing upon it, that reading and rereading in many a home might sanctify domestic life, heighten the tone of life, and make you sit down in your house, ever richer and happier in the treasure, which in that glorious fellowship God gave you.
Kuyper.
Amsterdam, July 1, 1899