the Psalms (e.g., Pss. 61, 65, 145), from the Sermon on the Mount, from 1 Cor., chap. 13, from the parables of Jesus, will be suitable.

The closing prayer may be extemporaneous or may be read from one of the books of prayers.  Many of the prayers in the Episcopal Prayer Book are especially beautiful and quite suitable.  Of course in families of the Episcopal church the collect for the day would be the right prayer to use.  It is sometimes necessary to use prayers prepared beforehand; some persons never acquire the ability to pray aloud, even in their own families.  But halting sentences that are your own, that your children recognize as yours, may mean more to them than the finest flowing phrases from a book.  Use the prayers from the book, not as a substitute, but as an addition.

     WEDNESDAY

     1.  A good poem from general literature.

     2.  Prayer.

There are so many good collections of the great and inspiring poems that one hesitates to recommend any collection.  Remember that a poem may be religious and imbued with the spirit of worship, helpful to the purpose of this occasion, even though it contains no allusions to Scripture and makes no direct references to religious belief.  “A House by the Side of the Road"[29] is thoroughly human, popular, and could not even be accused of being a classic; but it has a helpful motive and is likely to lead the will toward the life of service and brotherhood.  Some would prefer to read a part of one of the great hymns.

     THURSDAY

     1.  A brief reading or recitation from the New Testament.

     2.  A few moments’ conversation on the reading.

     3.  A very brief prayer followed by a song.

The only apparent difficulty here is in starting the conversation.  Do not ask formal questions; rather put them something like this:  “I wonder whether people would do just the same on our street today.”  Make the conversation as general as possible; do not slight, nor scoff at, the contribution of even the least in the group.

     FRIDAY

     1.  A few verses in concert.

     2.  Read a parable or very brief narrative.

     3.  The Lord’s Prayer.

The reading had better be from one of the paraphrases if it is a narrative from the Old Testament.[30] Even in reading the New Testament one can at times use with advantage the Twentieth-Century Bible or the Modern Reader’s Bible.

     SATURDAY

     1.  A period of song.

     2.  Closing prayer, with the Lord’s Prayer.

Perhaps only one song can be sung.  It need not be a hymn; that should depend on the choice of the children.  Help them to put together all the good songs, including the hymns, in one category in their minds.

     SUNDAY