The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-04

4 HE LoRp's SUrp.R III SpunGEoN's CHURCH.
! IRON tho New York Worlds London Cor.
iesnondence. i Mr. Sturgeon took his place
| at the long table and looked down upon
JJ,oUo Intending communicates, who were
| looking up to him. The preparations for the
ceremony were imposing, In the same sense
as the commissariat arrangements for an
army are imposing. The elders drew away
t!'e shcct-like covering from the table, and
thcfe appeared twenty-four plates Glled with
great Slices Of bread, and twcnty.four cob
tets OF wine. The elders. twelve i'm nun,
hef,-perliars TO represent the twelve apps.
tics--tock seats ut the table, and then Mr..
>purscon, still standing up, repeated the
words, :" And taking bread lie gave thanks
ana break and gave to them. saying This is
my body which is given for you'"; and
5ui'lnS The action TO the word lie
ic&in TO break the slices of bread
on tac platter nearest to him iuto
fragments. while 1T the same moment
ea"l 81 the elders initiated his example, and
raii8iy divided the large slices upon the
Plates before them into innunerablc pieces
This operation lasted for some time, as there
were many slices upon each plate, and all
had 10 be broken up. The elders then taking
plate in each hand passed from the commu-
nio"-!ahlc into the aisics between the seats
and served the commitments with admira-
!'!c nca!nc>S and dispatch. One elder would
stop At The door of each seat, his plate was
passed from hand to hand, and each person
took crunlb and atc it without any more
ceremony. In less than five minutes all
the thirty-fvc hundred were served,
and the elders returned with empty
plates to the table. 1t is to he re-
marked that the communicates received the
bread sitting, and atc it without manitcsting
~ any c'iingc of posture or other outward
a, any hclc' that what they were receiving
was more than what it appeared 70 be. The
realization of this fact takes away from the
mind Of the observer, who might otherwise
hc shocked. TIC feeling that 4 sacrir-c Is be-
inS committed, or HAT any di>rcspcct is being
shown to the person of the Saviour. To Mr..
Sru:%roE'i people and Mr.. Sturgeon him
sill the elements OF the communion undergo
no change after The words Of conservation,
The bread remaining bread and the Wine re-
manning wine, and nothing more. Slr.
Spurrcon a-2in rose, and repeating the
wore $ "Thi:; is the chalicc, the new testa
ment IN my blood. which shall be shed for
you." he handed the goblet nearest to him to
one CT the elders, while the Others seized the
remaining vessels and carried them to the
congregation in precisely the same manner as
before. in i few moments the atmosphere
Of the tabernacle was fragrant with the fumes
Of wine, for the breath of thirty-tive hundred
persons who lave Just been drinking carries
with it Il pcrceptiblc odor. The ceremony
Wi; brought TO Il conclusion with mOrcsing-
inS and prayer, and then the immense build
ing disgorGcd its thousands into the cold.
hess and drcarincSs of the streets. The only
otllci houses Of public gathering open were
the Gin-shops and tayernS, and III these COM
municaHts Of another persuasion were fort
flying themselves against trouble in their own
pccUliar way.