The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-04-05

There is no business man or employer
that would tolerate for a moment this
going behind positive commands to de-
eide which shall be obeyed and which
shall not.
But there is no difficulty in showing
the practical value of the Lords Supper
and the important uses it subserves. 1t
has first of all a historical value as a
standing evidence of the fact of the death
of Christ. 1t sustains the same relation
to this fact that the Jewish Passover did
to the deliverance from Egypt, or the
Feast of Purim to the overthrow of the
plot of Haman. 1t appeared as memo
rial rite Immediately after the time when
it is claimed that our Lord died. 1t was
universally observed as memorial rite
when those were living who were cogni-
zant of the truth or falsehood of the facts
to which it testified. 1t has been OBJ
served ever since. 1t is thus a silent, but
unimpeachable witness to the truth that
Jesus died according to the Scriptures.
1t has commemorative value. There
is a strange proneness to forget, or at
least to hold duly in memory the friends
that have been dearest, and the events
that have been most intimately connected
with our veal or woe. Hence there has
been always great value attached to
visible mementoes which bring freshly
up into memory pictures long faded away
The engagement ring, the wedding token,
the photograph, the lock of hair, what
power these have to reproduce in all the
vlvidness of present reality friends and
scenes, Joys and sorrows of long ago
Just so with the broken bread and the
crimson wine. They bring back into
memory Gethsemane and Calvary, the
rugged nails and the cruel spe1r. Like
an object lesson they impress the truth
upon us, so that nowhere have we such
affecting sense of the death of Christ for
us as at the communion table. 1t has a
spiritual influence and power conditioned
upon the use to which we have Just re-
ferred. Since it is the great circle of
truths that centre in the death of Christ
which are "the power of God to saliva
ton" this ordinance which presents them
so wildly, and impresses them so tender
ly is one of the chief instrumentalities
used by the Holy Spirit in the sancti6-
cation of the believer Love to the dear
sufferer, loathing for the sin that required
His sacrifice, gratitude for His wondrous
standardization, Joy in the forgiveness
bought with blood these and a thousand
other motives combine to move to tears
tears that have in them less of sorrow
than of joy; and to lead the believer to
renounce his sin and devote himself re-
newedly to the service of his Lord.
1t has discriminative use. 1t draws
line of distinction between those who
have given themselves to the Lord, and
those who have not. The line may not
be a perfect one. There may be some
on one side who ought to be on the other,
owing to the imperfections that attach to
all earthly things but still it is line,
which gives outward and visible express
sion to that law of separation from the
world which the Scriptures everywhere
enjoin.
L might add many other uses, but these
are enough. Surely those who truly love
Christ will avail themselves of an ordi-
nance so precious in its relations to His
death.