Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-06-24


Of me.'-Luke %: 10.
The Lords Supper Is the subject of this
iesson-1 Cor IL: 1920. The passage
selected for the lesson on the Lords Sup
per Is from a chapter in which Paul aims
TO correct serious abuses which had
grown up in the church at Corinth. 1t
appears that there was total lack Of re-
gard for the proprieties of worship. In
particular, the ordinance of the Lords
Supper was perverted into an ordinary
and somewhat riotous meal. The early
Christians celebrated this ordinance fire.
quently, at some periods probably every
day, and sometimes immediately proceed
ing or following a regular meal. 1t was
thus easy for evil disposed persons to in
troduce unseemly levity, even giuttony
and drunkenness, into this sacred ordi-
nance. Paul rebukes sharply those who
permit such practices, and objects to the
practice of combining the supper with an
ordinary repast Il Cor. IL: 20-22). he
then gives TO them in few words the true
significance and solemnity of the cere-
mony. In connection with this account,
the narrative of the institution of the or
dinance in the gospels should also be read
Matt 26: 1920; Mark A: 22-25; Luke %:
1920.
Explanatory.
~ have received of the Lord: by this
expression Paul certainly seems to indi-
cate a special revelation. 1t is not neces-
sary to suppose, however, that the mere
historical facts as to the origin of the
supper were thus communicated; for they
presumably formed part of the common
apostolic tradition, and Of the early docu-
ment from which our gospel, according to
Mark, is supposed to have been written.
But Paul may have received a deeper ap-
prehension of the inner meaning of this
solemn symbol, making him thereafter
more conscious of its Importance in the
life of the individual and of the church.
He speaks with authority concerning it,
not as If he were merely giving an opin-
ion.-"I delivered unto you: during his
visit to the Corinthian church, on his Sec
ond journey. The letter was written dur
ing the third journey, FIVE years later.
HE took the cup, when he had supped":
there was thus some interval between the
two parts of the ceremony. As they sat
down for the evening meal, or perhaps
after it had begun, Jesus blessed bread
and gave to the disciples. When the
meal was completed, instead of the usual
passing round of the cup of wine and
water, he refused to drink of it, and gave
to them with the words recorded.-''The
new testament in my blood: many pupils
get from these words a dim notion that
the New Testament as a book is in some
way connected with the drinking of wine.
Testament should be covenant" as in
the revised version. The full meaning Of
these words is not easily fathomed, but
they seem TO contain at least the thought
| that IN the sacrifcial death of Christ,
| foreshadowed in that first supper and
commemorated by all repetitions of 1t, a
new covenant between God and men was
| nstituted.-"This do ye, as oft as We
drink t., in remembrance Of me-: a some
what frequent repetition of the supper is
suggested.
With the twenty-sixth verse, probably,
| Paul's comments begin; though it is not
| impossible that he is still quoting the
| words of Christ, now in the third per-
| son instead Of the first. "Ye do show
| forth the Lords death till he come: re-
| vised version, I'VE proclaim the Lord 8
death till he come" The supper is then
| a memorial and a symbol of the death Of
| Christ. 1t is also, as we must infer from
1 Cor 10: 16, II, communion" or shar-
ing of spiritual blessing, among the men,
bers of church Of Christ partaking of
| it, The passage cited indicates that the
| sharing of the single loaf and the single
cup symbolizes the fellowship of those
partaking, in their common Lord. But it
| is quite true that the memorial signifi-
canoe of the ordinance, judging from the
| scripture references, exceeds the element
of fellowship in importance.
These are solemn words, words to be
| pondered by every Christian with due hu-
| initiation and determination. But they
have been often understood in q sense in
| which Paul never intended them Fear
| full souls, mindful Of past sins and present
| tendencies to sin, hesitate, to approach the
! Lords table lest they come under curse.
| This is particularly true of some young
Christians to whom the celebration of the
| ordinance is pain rather than a blessing,
because the word "unworthily" seems to
warA them off the sacred ground. The
privilege becomes q dreaded test of con-
science, and to partake seems equally pre-
sumptuous. But a study of this passage
| in its connection with the verses that pre-
| cede and follow it, ought to remove such
| scruples. No man comes to the Lords
| supper "worthily" in the sefrse that his
| conduct is so perfect as to enable him to
come with clean record, needing no for
| givenSss. No man comes ''unworthily"
| who comes conscious Of sin, but sincerely
desiring forgiveness and purposing
amendment of life. Those to whom Paul
wrote the stern warning in VS.. 11-34 were
| of quite another sort They came to the
Lords supper as to an ordinary meal, eat
| ing and drinking in manner which would
| have been discourteous even to an earthly
host. They ate ''unworthily," or rather
perhaps "carelessly," 'unthinkingly." not
"discefning The body" Of Christ, that is
not perceiving or attempting to perceive
| the spiritual meaning of the ordinance
which they so grossly perverted.
| Quarterly Review.
The last four lessons of the quarter do
| not come in the regular course of the mar
rative. Omitting them, the work to be re-
viewed is Acts .: BIB: 30. This is the
era of the broadening of the church. Dur.
| ing the first quarter we studied the de-
velopment of the church at Jerusalem, its
conflict with persecution, its scattering.
| During the second quarter two great cur
| rents of Christian influence may be dis
| cerned, flowing sometimes near together,
but for the most part separated: Jewish
| tice originating In Jerusalem and repre-
scented 10y James, Peter and most of the
| Christians who Travelled through the lands
| adjacent to Palestine in the persecution
| that arose about Stephen. carrying the