The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-19
THE COMMUNION CUP.
1t Is Defended by One Who Thinks 1t
Contains no Disease Germs.

Editor Morning News Will you kindly
allow me space in your paper to say a few
words in regard to the controversy now
going on with regard to the communion
cup as dissemination of disease? Truly
we have some great "a scientists these
days and a great many OF them. In fact,
it can be said of this day and generation
as it was said of ancient Athens, sit is
easier to find a god (scientist) than a
man." but have no quarrel with a scien-
list that is born great, nor the
one who achieves greatness, but
the scientist who has greatness thrust
upon him. is the man I'm after. Hear
him as he discourseS learnedly of the hor-
rors of the holy communion, for il is the
communion he really attacks and not the
cup He tells the world that the system
in vogue among the churches of passing
the same wine cup among several hun
dred people, scatters pestilence and death
broadcast DER the land he tells the peo-
Pile that all sorts of filthy and deadly
baccilH are carried from one person TO
many by this manner of administering
the communion, and to clinch the argu-
ment one of the fraternity triumphantly
announces that he tested some wine left
in communion cup and found the germs
of several contagious diseases. Now "to
man up the tree" as the saying goes,
this looks like bold attack on Christi
anity The scientist (9) says he found
germs of disease In the cup after being
used, and reasons that the'cup is there
fore deadly affair and should be got rid
of. Now why did not this same man
test some of the same wine, that
had not been served at the communion
aud see if he could find
the same germs there2 The reason is OBJ
vious; he did not want to lose such an ar
gument against religion 10y TOO careful
investigation of its soundness. They say
that because it is not possible to
trace disease to the commun-
ion cup directly. is no reason why it
is not true. According to all law and rea-
son, the burden of proof rests on the party
who is the accuser; let these men give
proof that their statements are true be-
fore they ask US to give up our time-hon-
ored custom, But, stay they are gener-
Gus enough TO offer solution of the diff
! ticulty, and, shades of CRsarl
what solution if there ever was
doubt about this being an attack on
! Christianity it is dispelled here. Listen
Let every communicate bring an individ-
ual cup for his own use at the sacrament
! Wouldn't il be sight to see several
| thousand people going to church each
with cup in his hand; and what an as
sortment of cupsl There would be gold
ups ollNGL cups EldSo anu Culud
cups, big cups and little cups. fancy cups
and plain cups; and then see them as
! they file up to the communion
table, each with his cup, and
see the minister serving to each his por-
ton, like a barkeeper dealing out drinks
/ to thirsty multitude.
| A few more words and then | will stop.
Let's watch the life of one of these
| scientists for one day. He starts to his
| daily business in the morning and ne feels
that he needs bracer; he enters bar,
| takes drink and wipes his mouth with q
/ towel on which probably a hundred men
! have wiped their mouths that morning
Any disease germs on that towel? OF
| course not. He arrives at his Office and
buckles down to business. There
! is ring at the telephone which he
answers and holds a 5-minute talk with
the man at the other end Several hun
| dred people have used that same tele-
! phone, but there is not a disease germ in
a thousand miles of it. He wants to do a
little talking to some one up or down
stairs, and he talks to them through a
speaking tube that every one who desires
| has access to; but that speaking tube is
as pure and spotless as the angels. Then
he is called over 10 the hotel on business,
and While there takes drink of ice water
from the same glass that doZons of other
men have used, but the man who would
| for moment think that a disease germ
was near that glass is crazy; and finally,
after the days work is done, he takes a
1 walk in the park, and being thirsty, he
takes drink of water from the public
fountain, using for the purpose the same
cup that thousands of others have used.
But the idea that a disease germ is on
s. eaking terms with that cup is prepos-
ferrous. They only inhabit the communion
! cup. Z / could go on indefinitely, but will
! close with quotation from the one who
instituted the Lords supper: "Thou
hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine
own eye and then shalt thou see clearly
how to cast out the mote which is in thy
/ brothers eye'' SH