Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-11-17
THE LORDS SUPPER n SPUR
GEON'S CHURCH..

New York Worlds London C-orrespauleuc-.r
Mr.. Sturgeon took his place &C the
long table and looked down upon -lirr--
i've hundred intending commulis-uis
VINO were looking UP to him. The lrar-
arati0ns for the ceremony were inns
ing, in the same SENSE as the commits
siarat arrangements for an army Is
imposing. The elders drew away the
sheet-like covering from the table, aud
there appeared tWenty-iOur plates filled
with great slices Of bread and TWENTY
four gOblets of wine. The elders. lyyeIva
in number-perhaps to represent the
twelve apOsties-tOOk seats aU the ranIp.
and then Mr.. SpurgeOn, still standing
up, repeated the words, And t4-5r.
bread, He gave thanks and brake and
gave to them, saying, This Is NV Body
which is given for you, , and suItiun The
action to the word, he began 10 break
the slices of bread ON the platter ueara-r
TO him into fragments, while az the
same moment each Of the-elders imf.at-
ed his example and rapidly divided the
large slices upon the plates before them
into innumerable pieces. This 0uera-
ton lasted for some time, as there wer.
many slices upon each plate and an bad
to be broken up. The elders then, taking
a plate ia each hand, passed from the
communion table into the aisies between
the seats and served the communican-s
with admirable neatness and dispatch.
One elder would stop at the door Of each
seat, his plate was passed from hand ro
hand, and each person took a crumbard
ateit without any more ceremony. I'm
less than five minutes all the thirtv-fvs
hundred were served, and the elders @
turned with empty plates to the table.
Ii is to be remarked that the commune
cants received the bread sitting. and ate
il without manifesting BY any change Of
posture or other outward act anv belief
that what they were receiving was more
than what it appeared to be. The re-
alization Of this faettakes away from the
mind of the observer, who mightOrh,r-
wise be shocked, the feeling that sac
ulege IS being committed, or that any
disrespect is being shewn to the person
Of the Savior; to Mr.. ~Spurgecu's people
n Mr.. SpurgeOn himself the elements
of the communion undergo mo- change
after the words of conservation. the bread
remaining bread and the wine remain-
ing vine, and nothing more. Hr spur
again rose, and, repeating the
words, This is the chaiice, the new tss-
tamentin blood, which shall be shed for
you, he handed the goblet nearest To
him to n ofthe elders, while the others
seized the remaining vessels and carried
themt to the congregation in precisely the g.
same manner as before. In few mo-
ments the atmosphere of the tabernacle
was fragrant with the fumes Of wine for
the breath of thiriy-hve hundred persons
who have Just been drinking, carries
with it a p~erceptble Od0r- ihe eere-
mony was brought To a conclusion WIN
more singing and prayer, % uieu me
immense building disg0rged i5 lluu-
sands into the coldness and c~le-lhe-s ol
the streets. The only other houses of
public gathering open were the gin snols
and tavarus. and in these communicates
~ anofher Dersuasiop We're lorlilVinr
fhemselves against trouble in their o=rn
peculiar way.