THE FAMILY ALTAR

August 4.

"Order my steps in Thy Word, and let not any iniquity have

dominion over me." Ps. 119:133.

In these hot summer days many of our fellow-Christians,

especially from the large cities, leave their business and go on

a vacation. But in traveling about the country viewing its scenic

splendors, do they always realize the many dangers to life or limb

that threaten them? Do they ask God in earnest prayer for His

holy angel guards by night and day, and do they therefore stay

in the narrow path of God's saving Word? Or when stopping

at the popular pleasure resorts, are they constantly aware of the

great spiritual dangers lurking on all sides, inviting them while

"in Eome to do as the Eomans do," and at least to hide their

Christian faith and conversation under the bushel, if not to do

worse? It is just in this vacation season that we need to make

this prayer of David ours every day and to fortify our faith with

a chapter from God's holy Word; for it is alone in His Word

that the Lord comes to us and teaches us His ways and sends us

His Holy Spirit to fight and conquer all sinful temptations. Many

a one has gone forth on his vacation with a free and happy heart

and returned with a seared conscience, because he forgot to watch

and to pray on his pleasure trip. Let us never go from home

in the morning, be it on a vacation or to business or work, without

first committing ourselves in body and soul to the protecting care

of our heavenly Father and asking Him to keep our feet in His

saving paths that "not any iniquity may have dominion over us/'