The Saint Paul globe., 1897-06-07
SUPPER AT PARTING.
Rev. w. C. Hoit's Theme at House of
Hope.

Hope.
''The Lords Supper" was the topic of
the morning service at House of Hope
church, where Rev. w. G. Holt, of Au-
burn, N. Y, is filling DR.. Egbert's pull
pit. He said in part:
The Lords suppe" GENES with the
sadness of past hours and parting
words. 1t has the authority of explicit
and unqualified command. It is to re-
main the one sacred feast in the church
| for all ages to come. There is far more
than human friendship in the remem-
brance. The spiritual work made
| possible by that friendship is chiefly
| to be thought Of. The Lords table is
the spiritual successor of a rite of ma
| t1onal significance. The Paschal sup
per was the ever recurring memory of
the events that made possible the life
of the Jewish people. The awakening
| and corrupting influences of heathen
nations were to be beaten back by
! these solemn feast days. Successive
generations were to be taught the story
of their God-wrought deliverance, and
the religious consciousness of the race
| was to be kept alive by the anniversary
just as our Memorial day looks back
to the heroic struggles for our national
life, and music and flowers and speech
are tributes of affection and teachers
| of patriotism.
into the Christian sacrament. It was
no longer to be the property of a sin
gle people, the truth involved in it was
to be set free and made universal
Christ our passover is sacrificed for
US" Christ, His life, death, resurrec-
ton. the total personality in His ne-
ture and work made a new life possi-
bic for mankind And this we are to
remember that our life, in it's motives
and affections, and plans, and ideals
and all those elements that make as
spiritual men and women and that
bring us into harmony with God.
The sacrament has served it's divine
purpose in setting forth to every age
the heart of the gospel. Doctrines de-
velop in the growth of the church The
eXigencies of the age may bring some
truth into new prominence The goS-
pei is having ever increasing unfolding
and adaptation. But this is not all the
changing conditions of human life and
the shifting emphasis of the church.
| through the table of the Lord gives it's
single and certain message. 1t is the
test Of all truth of this life, it is the
center of all spiritual progress. How
eloquent this silent ministry through
the ages.
The Israelites partook of the first
passover with their loins girded and
all things made ready for the journey
I
this physical readiness but while this
outer form gave away, the spirit of
expectancy increased as the fullness Of
! the times drew near. They lived in
hope and it was the hope of the prom
Use made to their fathers that kept
the passover from losing it's meaning
ID them, and passing at last into for
getfulness, like the sacred feasts of sur
rounding nations. 1t lived and had
its true effect on national life because it
spoke of better day and made the
heart glad with that hope. This is the
perennial element in the Christian
feast. It lifted them out of the sad
minor key into triumphant rejoicing
! We remember Gethsemane and Cal
vary, and our hearts are subdued un-
der the shadow of the cross. We do
not look back to a dead Christ, but to
living Lord, and forward to the king
dom of God perfected. 1t is not the
end. but promise kept on the way
as sign post pointing the direction
to the weary pilgrims and telling of
rest and refreshment at the journeys
Va 4