THE PLAN FOR FAMILY READING

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, January 22, 1880

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 4

THE PLAN FOR FAMILY READING.

We learn that the circular sent out to the churches to be read Dec. 21, proposing a plan for family reading, did not reach some of the churches in season, and that others were unfaithful in attending to the matter, and hence that many are unacquainted with the plan proposed. We therefore present the plan again, so far revising it as to adapt it to the present circumstances, as some of the time has already passed.

In many homes the family spends one to three hours chatting around the fire, or engaged in various employments. Farmers and mechanics usually spend the winter evenings with their families at home. And while in some families the time is wholly spent in useful employment, in many the father is reading or dozing, the mother making garments, or preparing food for the morning meal, and the children studying their school lessons, or at play. There is hardly a family where one or two hours could not be saved, to be spent profitably in a systematic course of reading from some good books of general interest to the whole family circle.

We recommend that every family of our people organize a home reading society. Let the exercises be held one hour of each evening, only excepting those evenings when meetings or other duties occupy the time.

And we have recommended that the reading for January, February, and March, 1880, be the three volumes of “Spirit of Prophecy.” These volumes are rich in thought, and are highly spiritual and practical. We urge that in every family of Seventh-day Adventists in the land, reading exercises be instituted. Let the entire family be assembled at the fireside, and let different members of the family have the benefit of the practice in reading. And if circumstances will admit, let neighbors and friends be invited to join. We know of no better exercise to secure mental and spiritual culture than reading, and no books better than the volumes named.

Let these volumes be taken as a course of family reading, between Jan. 1, 1880, and April 1, 1880. In the three volumes there are one hundred chapters, and between the dates named there are 78 week days and thirteen Sabbaths. Now it will be seen that the work can easily be accomplished by adopting the following plan, which involves only a little system, order, and perseverance, qualities which all should cultivate; namely, let one chapter be read each week day and two chapters each Sabbath, and the work is done with a little time to spare.

The above is the plan which was proposed to commence Jan. 1, and some are already going forward with it as recommended. But others have not yet commenced, and so are behind. Now we recommend that those who have not yet entered upon the work, procure the volumes immediately, and read two chapters each day till they catch up with the regular readers who began Jan. 1. For instance, if you commence Feb. 1, and read two chapters a day and two each Sabbath, you will be on the 1st of March up with those who began Jan. 1, and have read one chapter a day and two on the Sabbath. Then all can go on through the month of March, reading one chapter a day and two on the Sabbath, according to the regular plan, and finish the volumes together, April 1.