Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-05-15
Individual Communion Cups.

Individual Communion Cups.
For the first time in the history Of
Rochester churches the individual com
muniou cup was used Sunday. The
novel service took place in North Ave
nue. Baptist Church, of which Rev. q.
+. Love is pastor. 1t was the usual
communion service. bat owing TO the
novelty Of the process of administration
there was on extraordinary attendance.
DR.. Forbes, who designed the sanitary
communion cups and trays, was at the
service 20 see that everything was done
in order, and to examine microscopical-
~ the dregs after communion. Dr.
Forbes stated to reporter that the ser
vice ran smoothly. and was conducted
with dispatch. There was no irrever-
ence, aud no idle curiosity noticeable
while The sacred service was in pro-
gress.
The pastor prefaced the exercises by
few appropriate remarks. He spoke
of the change Of administering the wine
in individual cups as one calculated to
reduce the chances Of conveying dis
ease from person to person. He thought
that no less dignity and socmnity
would be observed by individual cups
than when the single chalice WAS passed
from mouth to mouth.
After this explanation the communion
service was then proceeded with ac-
cording to the prescribed rules Of the
Baptist Church The people sat in
their seats, and then the elders were
called 10 the front and were given
small silver trays, each one holding
twelve miniature chalices. The elders
handed 10 each communicate one of
the little cups, and after the contents
had been tasted the cups were placed
in racks especially made for holding
them. There were $50 communicates,
and all were served in the short space
of half an hour.
DR.. Forbes, whose microscopic re-
searches into the sanitary problem in
volved in the individual cup have at
racteG attention, was allowed to gather
up indiscriminately at least dozen
cups for the purpose of obtaining the
dregs and placing them under micro
scopic examination. The doctor, after
thoroughly investigating the contents,
said:
'From a sanitary standpoint l am
now satisfied that The individual cup is
an advance in the yightdirection. The
dregs that examined hy my micro
scope after the communion service con-
cluded conyinces me that it is q wise
move. 1t is al singular fact, but it is
nevertheless true, that the dregs con-
tained hardly any secretion from the
mouth, and the unused wine was re-
markably clean. The were no cpithe
lium scales observable through tie
lense, so that | concluded that
il any dropped they must have clung
to the ridge of the cup. The bowl of
the chalice Is 50 small t5at it practically
prevents tie scales from entering the
wine,and eyer iftheyshoald, there could
be 10 evil consequences resulting from
them, because the cup once used under
goes "a cleansing before il is used again.
( am satisfied that ne have got Il
perfectly sanitary cup The cup is a
check to disease, and thinkit should
be used in ali churches.
~ examined the wine prior TO its
being used and found ii to be pure
there was not the least evidence OF
bacteria or other matter in the wine.
1t has been Il question whether my
prev .ous Investigations were based on
scientific principles, because l merely
examined the dregs and not the wine
previously. Ny opinion then was that
the conclusions reached would have
been line same even if | had subjected
the untouched Wiie 10 a microscopical
examination. This | think is clearly
proved by Sundays Investigation"
Next Sunday morning ri the Central
Church the 700 COMMITMENTS of the
church Will be served in similar
manner to those III North Avenue
B .uiis; Church Twentyfour gentle
men will be chosen to distribute the
clements among gthe congregation. The
pastor OF the church. the Rev. DR.. II. II.
Stebbins. must, according to the mode
of Presbyterian worship, pour into the
small vials The vine 10 be consumed
by each person.-RoclcStcr Democrat.