The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-09-28
For the Central Presbyterian
4 Sermon Before Communion.

LEXINGTON, VA, Sept. 26th, 1881.
The Rev Edward Lane our Church's valued
missionary in Brazil, was with us on our COM
munion Sabbath, and could not remain longer.
The work in Brazil is the great theme that fills
his heart, and the topic the people most eager
for. He would not ask to preach missionary
discourse on communion Sabbath. But the
pastor reasoned-how can the church more fitly
commemorate the death of her Lord than by
remembering that he was the great missionary
and as such the great exemplar not only of
every specially ordained missionary but of
every faithful follower who has the spirit of his
Master-that his last command was, Go preach
the gospel to every creature"-and that in the
blessed sacrament itself is embodied for all the
Church to all time, the missionary pledge in the
words &" till he come"-and whatever else
Christs coming may signify, it includes the
fulflment of the promise of the establishment
of his universal earthly kingdom. And so
the pastor determined that the preparation
sermon should be a missionary DISCOURSE
and wisely. For rarely has our congregation
been in better frame for the act of communion
than after listening to the quickening words of
the missionary. Our hearts glowed as he rapid
from Noah and Abraham and through the pro-
phets down to Christ the great fulfler, as of all
other types, so too of the missionary Type
Nor did he omit to make mention of His favored
servants, who from the times of Paul and Peter
and the other apostles, down to our own times
have been privileged to consecrate themselves
specially to the same high service. He forcibly
impressed upon the minds of his attentive hear
ers that every Christian is bound by his sacra-
mental pledge to be a missionary in spirit, and
though not called to the foreign field, is to unite
in promoting the great cause by conscientious
cooperation at home.
Mr.. Lane then set before us by rapid but
vivid touches the condition of Brazil, its need of
Bible religion, and its readiness Though under
dificultes) to receive the preparation work at
least for a future harvest of magnificent re-
suits, beyond our power at present to estimate.
I will not undertake any recapitulation of the
steps of his instructive and stirring discourse.
One single proposition 1 must allude to. He
said God never created anything in vain nor out
of proportion. 1t is legitimate therefore to be-
lieve that the superlatively grand and capable
physical constitution of Brazil, was established
by the Creator as the foundation of correspond
ing moral and religious development. Brazil,
to which we are now sending missionaries may
soon prove to be the missionary nation of South
America, and may take her place along side of
the United States and Great Britain, as one Of
the mightiest instruments in the hands of God
in accomplishing his wise plans of redemption for
lost and ruined world.
1t was a good communion sermon. The
sacrifice of Christ connects itself indispensably
with all the highest good temporal and spiritual,
that men possess now or can hope for in time to
come S. L. G.