The herald., 1896-11-23
THE COMMUNION CUP
Should the Individual Cup Be Adopted
Instead?
Has Scriptural Warrant-Dr. Chi
chester Declines to Talk.

The Herald on Saturday morning
printed a petition sent to the Los An
geles board of health by Rev. V. Mar
shall Law of the church of the Advent,
East Oakland, asking that body to take
such action as shall most effectually
bring the dangers attendant on the use
of the common communion cup in the
dissemination of disease germs to the
attention of the clergy and the people,
with view to the general adoption of
the individual cup. With view to test
ing the sentiment among the local cler-
gy, Herald reporters interviewed sew
eral oi the leading pastors, with the fol-
lowing result:
ADVOCATES INDIVIDUAL CUPS.
Rev. Burt Estes Howard of the First
Presbyterian church said:
The use of Individual cups in the
communion service is by no means
new idea. For several years system
of individual cups has been in vogue
i'll certain eastern churches. have
given the matter considerable attention,
and some two years ago brought the
circulars of two different systems be-
fore the session of my church, with
view to the adoption of some form OF
individual cup in our communion SER
vices. l was authorized by the session
to secure terms, with sample styles OF
cup and rack. The sale of the old church
property, with the subsequent agitation
and the building of the present struc-
ture, delayed any definite action. How
ever. when the time seems right for 1t
l shall again take the matter up.
The use of individual cups should
meet the approval of every intelligent
person. The mere fact that 1t occurs
in the midst of a religious ceremony
nCti ING q orr q n
plain laws of health. In large con-
gregation, when the old system is in use,
the cup touches the lips of several scores
of people. The opportunity for the
spread of disease germs is appalling. 1t
is no more sanitary or clean to use the
solitary cup in communion than 1t is to
drink from the cup at public fountain.
In fact. the latter IS more to be COM
mended. because of the frequent rims
ing given it before it is applied to the
mouth.
I'm California. of all places the in
dividual cup should be used. The gath
ering of multitudes of persons in all
stages of ailments is sufficient argument
for the abandonment of the old system.
1 am aware that the conservatism which
opposes every new thing simply be-
cause it is new has contended for the old
way. But aside from sentiment. there
is little to justify the tenacity with which
some hold to the single cup. 1t Is ad-
mitted that the use of one or of half
a dozen cups-there are always more
than one in most churches-seems to be
more in keeping with the idea Of COM
munion, but after all, the communion Is
not a matter of form, but of fact; and
when we come to press the matter close
ly. there is small difference between the
use of six cups and and six hundred, SO
far as the spirit of the service goes.
1t NAV he said that there hqq
never been put on record a case of in
fection from the cup at communion. To
that it may be said that our treatment of
disease does not go back to the deter
mination of the specific times of in
fection or incubation. and that on the
question of the transmission of disease
germs by means of commandments
we have no evidence, save the actual
finding of such germs in unmistakabe
quantities on the cup after its use. Such
evidence, however, is sufficient"
OPPOSES ANY CHANGE.
Rev. C. C. Mclean, pastor of Simpson
tabernacle, expressed himself as un-
compromisingly against any change in
the present system of administering
the sacrament. Mr.. Mclean said the
Bible said that in administering the
sacrament Christ passed "the" cup
around. Therefore it would be absurd
to think there was more than one cup
USED. Again, the single cup signifies
unity, without which the communion
service is unavailing. Mr.. Mclean does
not think there is any foundation in
truth in the statements made of the
danger of contracting contagious dis
eases by drinking from a common cup.
He further said, however, that while
he was emphatically against the adop-
ton of individual cups, if he were placed
in charge where they had already been
adopted he would not oppose their use.
FAVORS THE SINGLE CUP.
Rev. j. w. Ball of the English Luth-
eran church expressed himself as fol-
lows on the use of the individual cup:
Exclusive use of either the individual
or the single cup in the Holy Communion
is not matter of conscience with me;
for the efficacy of the sacrament depends
rather upon the presence of the Lord and
upon the faith of the communicate
Hoover, inasmuch as the single cup was
| used by Christ and as it typifies the unity
of believers, 1 prefer to use the one cup.
With care the objections SO commonlv
urged against it csn easily be obviated."
DECLINE\ TO TALK.
DR.. Chichester of the Emmanuel Pres
byterian church was asked what he
thought of individual communion cups
but declined to express any opinion