The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-28
ON CLOSE COMMUNION.
Rev. John ID. Jordan Explains Posi-
tiOn of Baptists.

tiOn of Baptists.
The service at the First Baptist Church
last night at which Rev John D. Jordan
delivered a special sermon on 1.-The Lords
Supper" was not without its usual conse-
Grafton.
The subject is one which concerns all
church members large number of whom
have different views concerning it. Know
ing this Dr. Jordan showed due regards
for the opinions enterta aimed by others,
but at the same time gave his views in a
plain, undisguised manner He said the
Lords Supper is a monument in memory
of the Savior who said, LAS often as We
do this We do show forth the Lords death
till He comes" The elements of the SER
vice were broken bread and wine, com
memorative of the body and blood of
Christ.
The prerequisites which go before an in
vitation to attend the Lords Supper were
discussed, and among them were Christian
life, church membership and baptism.
Concerning the Lords Supper, Rev. Jor-
dan said he was aware that Bapusts
were known as close communicates and
that the views taken concerning it were
dissented from by many Plainly and i'm
partially Rev. Jordan gave his views as to
the open communion, in justification of
the position taken by the Baptist Church
1t is not scriptural," he said. There
is not one verse of scripture for it, We
read in the Bible: one Lord, one faith.
one BAPTISM open communion would
make that scripture read, One Lord
many faiths, no baptism
1T destroys the very historical order
laid down in the scripture, faith, baptism.
church membership, orderly life, and the
Lords Supper.
1t is against all the logic on the sit
uation If one person must have scriptu-
raj baptism before the Lords Sumner 81
ought congregation If the Lords Sup
per was, and is. designed for the New
Testament churches, then nothing but a
church after the New Testament model
ought to practice Il.
What is commonly called close com
munion destroys the very design and
teaching of the supper. The supper is de-
signed 20 be memorial to our Lord. teach
ing of His death and second coming %
called open communion bases its anneals
on the ground of communing with loved
ones. Home is the place to commune with
loved ones as such and the church is the
place to worship God and commune wifi
Him as such If the Lords Supper be TAX
en- in the right spirit, we forget the idea
OF earthly kinships and think of the heav
emily relation. No one has the right to pre-
vent the teaching of Gods word TO please
the whim or fancies of any.
'So-called close communion errs in that
IL fails to make the proper distinction he
tween Christian fellowship and church fel-
lowship. We believe in the broadcast chris
tian fellowship for all Christians and the
greatest charity for those who are NOT
Christians. The Lords Supper is a church
ordinance. We cannot fellowship with d
church in this ordinance without indorsiny
their doctrines, such as sprinkling. pour
ing. infant baptism and other things. This
we cannot DO because we believe such
scripture.
'So-called open communion Is inconsist-
ent when 1t invites me to join in service
from which am debarred by the organic