Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-27
COMMUNION BREAD.

Church members of the United States and Canada pay $JO,OOO n year for waters which they consume at eel ebrations of the Lords Supper. And this large sum covers the cost of the bread received by the comparatively few who provide the same in the form of wafers. Fully one-half of all church members receive common bread at the Holy Communion, and so no record of the cost of the same is possible. The use of bread in wafer form is rapidly growing, however, and al this Lenten season, and during Eas- tertide now approaching, the consump- tion of it in that form will be very large.
 The newest branch of the Holy Con- munion wafer trade is among the Episcopalians. Contrary to the gen eral impression, the low church wing is almost as much committed to the use of the wafer as is the high church wing. The trade among these Episco- palianS began in a curious way. St Marks church, Jersey City, the Rev Frederick D. Mortimer rector, began some eight or ten years ago to permit the women of the parish to make the altar bread as a matter of economy. So successful were these women in the work that it was decided to begin the making of the waters to supply other churches. Special ovens were pur- chased at cost of $500, and the de mand became so great that the parish realized a revenue.
 To-day churches in nearly every state are supplied, and orders are ire quently received from the West Indies, the Sandwich Islands and even from Japan. Gas ovens are used and spe- cially made cutters are provided for ChlnlnC baked in sheets. They are packed in wooden boxes and are sent to custom CTS by mail The material of them is simply flour and water, and the waters are hardly thicker than paper. Sev- eral sizes are provided those for the priests being much larger than those for the people. All of the work of making the waters is done by the wo- men of the parish, one set doing the actual making. another the cutting and packing, and third set takes care of the orders.
 In the Roman Catholic church cer- tain slsterhoods make these altar breads, using the money received from their sale to further their religious work. The large kind. used exclusive ly by the priests, are four inches in diameter. and about as thick as a vis- 1ting card. The small kind are the same thickness, but are only two inch es in diameter, and are for the people, Both kinds bear symbols in relief. The priests wafer generally has the letters
 l. ii. ;" With a cross on top of the Il. The peoples waters bear a cross, lamb. a heart, or some instruments of the Passion.
 Until few years ago altar breads were made wholly by hand. but an in genlous Boston man invented a ma chine which makes them quicker and has reduced the cost. In country par lshes the priest is usually provided With irons, and often makes the bread himself Generally, though, good lady of the congregation attends to the duty. Where waters are purchased the cost varies from S1 to $4 per thou sand. the difference being due to size The Jersey City church gets for 25O, including pay of transporta, H. The St Marks parish, mentioned. makes q profit of S2OO q year. which goes to help religious work, but Sisters of Charity, and other societies of Roman Catholic women make much more by this means to aid their religious work. because the consumption of waters in mat community is very much larger. Generaily some SiSterhood in each dio- cese haS the manufacture and sale for that diocese. selling outside to any par lsh that chooses to buy. Even if church members receive no oftener 1han the rules require, the consumD- tlon per year must reach $5OOOO, and from profits known to be made from the sale of these breads it is safe 10 estimate that the consumption is much more. Some churches other than Episcopal and Roman Catholic are be- Slnnlng the use of communion bread III this form.--Hartford Times.