, 1879-07-14
COMMUNION,

SERMON nT. THE REV. EDWARD nEEc1IER.
The Rev. Edward Beccher. OF Galesburg, Ill.,,
preached III the First Congregational Church
yesterday morning to d large congregation, not
withdrawing the intense heat. Tho seynfenl
gentleman took rs llls text the following words:
Hchol1, I stand at tho door md knock: u any
nm,o s hfn, hi1 p a wit Vii sup @ viii lin and be Wit
Repetatton, III, 20.
The words, he said, were addressed not to the
impenitent, but to TIC Church. To conn,i1nc
with Christ wns TIC p!casautcst ard most psols-
able part OF our religious experience, for
in communlng with Him VIC bcca.ne
pn1t Of Him, Eat down with
Him and ate at the satnc table. Nothing could
be moro blessed: Ille seGond part o[ MS texe
,sns found IN John, xV. IS to q, where the idca
Of communion was more clearly anl thoroughly
brought out. flo commented upon the passages.
nliptcd nt RoHe length to shon the p1rtectltn
OF beauty II communion as taush. ~ Cl!rist;
hearers 10 come to Christ, he did intend to
speak to them as Christians, which brought him
to say Tint there was lower communion thnti
hush to illustrate. No doubt tint 1t MIA what
II prutct,ded to bc, but to yet at ts renl beatty
IL hal to be seon IN bloom. So It was With sun.e
Christians who lyed below their privileges.
in tho consideration Of hts subject further ito
sooko OF lhc .ul!ncss aud pcrfection Of comn,M-
linz tl.clr affections fur o1le ano,hcr wcro III ouo
person In thought, md an Intimate tcart-com-
r"D" trns Of The pastor nnd people nere WI. com:
munion both seen and felt, antl .!udas touched
thc root Of the whole qucsiion WHEN lse asked
how 1t was tint they could COMMUNE With Hoi
communion comm With Him In prison. at the atakcet
nutl in ull the irving scenes o! lilo; mud Ills
| communion was divine ,panopY Tor all who
wo,ldscck 1t, WAS protection for all In trouble,
what was meant by Christ coming IN to supwith
us nnl wn with Him.
Tho speaker next considered The effect md
| results Of full communion, It was The sym
pathetic traaster OF dlVlna thought emotion:
their leader, aid Il tho leader was roward they
became towards also, which wills fact running
| through life, But one Of the strong, positive
th!nEs nboMt communion WIN uoa Mas IVY IL
cxlstuuce Of God, beside 1t impaired divine
joy OF which thero was for too ll:tle: Then II
qulcted tie sou! and transiusc'l divine, v!tal
energy Into tic Chr'sttau.,
1n conclusion, tho speaker considered why 1t
was tint there we're 80 many who did not cnloy
this full! communion, Tie reason was ttmt such
ClIrlstians had not been transformed Into the
imaeo of Christ, qta a.s not rescss sM r9sp-
Tlcrr were too many WHO, after l'cinE eorsyert.
cd, turned to thu wurld for theIr ptcasl!ra md
cp}oYinGnt, instead OF Christ and !hc Church.
Tho yo1ng lady ~oskl!,E ~ lhe paneasll'sehota
cIcty, pntl her experience with Christ fell too
often 1clow wlsat Il should hc. There wns uo
lshouor In this transforming, but rat.er honor.
a,nl joy, aud hope. Illu world could only bo
converted Mntl brought to real communion By
cleansing ol the Heart and u purifying ot The
ini,lt,--br living with God, an1 fur Him.
Wor!dlY Christianity had to 10 dcstroyed,-not
tlc Catholic Church. although 1t was worldly
enough. This wiped out, tho sp!rit Of uotl''
Wor.I would llayc tree course Nnd bo glorliicd
au with this preparation tlla Lord wntld come
as wna the prayer OF all believing ones.