Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-02
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.

Topic For the Week Beginning Dee.
3-ComIrent by Rev. 5. H. Doyle.
ToFic.-'Until He come The Lords sup
pei Cor ii, 1928.
In this passage of Scripture we have
Paul's description of the Lord S supper.
He had not been present when it was
instituted He had not received it from
Christ's disciples, but from Christ Him
self. How or where he received the or
dinance from Christ we do not know,
but we do have his explicit statement,
Il have received Of the Lord that which
also delivered unto you
l. The Lords supper is divine Or
dinance. 1t was instituted by Christ
Himself in the supper room in Jerusa-
lem at the close of the Feast of the
Passover. 1t was the Lord Jesus Him
self who, the night He was betrayed,
took bread and brake and blessed il and
commanded it to be eaten in remem-
brance of Him, and the cup and blessed
it, attaching to it the same command.
This fact should attach peculiar inter
est and Importance to this feast
2. The Lords supper is memorial
This do in remembrance of Me. - said
Christ. 1t is not only memorial OF
Christ. but memorial of that crown
ing act in His life by which the world
was redeemed from sin-the death of
Christ. As often as ye eat this bread
and drink this cup ye do show the
Lords death till He come" The neces-
sity of such memorial is due to the
fact that the human heart is SO prone
to forget. We forget even our greatest
benefactors with amazing ease. What
blessed thing it is, therefore, that
Jesus instituted this ordinance to keep
US in constant remembrance at least CT
the most stupendous event in the his
tory of the world Though we forget
all else Of the ages past. we should new
er forget the death of Christ.
3. The Lords supper is a symbol.
The bread and wine are not actually
changed into the body and blood Of
Christ. Transubstantiation is super
stiticn and absurdity. The elements of
the communion are but symbols. They
are material types OF spiritual attain
ments. Christ is spiritually received by
faith by those who partake of this or
dlnance in accordance with Christ's ap-
pointment. The Holy Spirit applies to
our souls the blessings contained in this
Christian festival. And thus alone can
we be blessed in partaking of these sa-
cred emblems. There is nothing effica-
cious in the elements or in him who
administers them, but when properly
received the Holy Spirit blesses them
to the good of our souls.
4. The Lords supper is a command.
"This do, said Christ. He left no al
tentative. It is as direct command as
can be found in the word of God. The
indifference Of multitudes to it who
profess to believe in Christ is inexplain-
able. Many never observe it, refusing
to identify themselves with Gods peo-
pie in the church where alone it is OBJ
served. Others who unite with the
church are often careless and Indifferent
to this great command. How can we
neglect or ignore it?
5. The Lords supper is permanent
institution. It'll He come, says Paul
to the Corinthians Christ has not come
yet, and therefore until He does this
sacred ordinance is binding upon His
people. Let US appreciate this high
privilege and find a joy and delight
and profit in showing forth Christ's
death "till He come -
Bible Readings. s.-Ex. xii. LA; Ps.
xiii, 1-6; c, 10; cxvi, 1919; Isa. lii,
1-14; Mark xiv, 1899; John xiii, lis;
xiv, 1921; Rom. v, 6S; Acts, ii, Al
At; TX, 6, z; Heb. vii, 25-2s; Pet. ii,
21-25; John ii, 1, Q; Rev. ii, 10.