The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-05
The Real Presence.

TO THE EDITOR OF The SUN--Si: | be-
lieve one Catholic and Apostolic Church.
and believe that Church has given me. in
the words of institution at Holy Communion
the translated words Of our Lord Himself
the all-sufficient ground of my deep-seated
belief in His Real Presence" i'll the sacrament
Of the altar
I'm the night on which ne was betrayed.
He took bread. and when He had given thanks
he brake 1t and gave 1t to his disciples,
saying, Take eat; this is my body. which is
given for you; do this in remembrance Of
me" THAT is, for my memorial) Like
wise, after supper, he took the cup, and when
he had given thanks, lie gave il to them.
saying, Drink ye all Of this; for this is my
blood of the New Testament. which is shed
for YOU and for many, for the remission Of
sins; do this. as oft as We shall drink it. in
rene mbrance OF me-
Upon one little word. is" hangs the con-
troversy; and, fortunately. science. unbe-
known to herself, to speak hguratively, has
settled il. 30 that no unprejuCliced twentieth
century thinker can come to but one belief.
and that in the Real Presence
II is recorded OF our Lords boyhood that
He increased in wisdom and stature and In
favor with God and man" How could Jesus
increase in favor with God! Here Is ano her
point upon which modern science is giving
us great light, the belief Of thoughtful people
in the reality Of matter is being slowly but
surely undermined, and that from two causes.
the discoveries of science and the spiritual
teachings OF inspiration.
Now. st, Paul teaches us that Christ. who
knew no sin, was made TO be sln' on our be-
ness of God. in Him. suffering IL the con-
sequence of sin, and Christ S suiferings We're
the consequence OF His having been made to
edge OF His own divinity and consequent in
ability to sin was acquired gradually. and.
consequently, He oyercame sin, az man.
not as God: for God not only cannot sin,
but can have no knowledge of sin. Now.
this limitation. to which Christ is made
subject, on our behalf necessarily included.
in His early years. ut least imperfect knowl-
edge concerning the real substance of His
body. When, however, He taught that, to
obtain. or rather to realize. everlasting life,
taken nineteen centuries of Christian thought
guided by the Holy Ghost to comprehend in
the limited degree in which we are permitted
The real, and consequently eternal, human
substance of Jesus Christ i manifest divine
love and divine wisdom These are His real
body and blood respectively.
At the last supper Jesus took bread" II
was not ordinary bread that He took, II
had been prepared in prescribed manner
for a special religious purpose.
The Passover lamb was to be killed between
the evenings of the 18th day Of the first month
and WAS TO be eaten WITH NnlpaVened bread.
Why with mleavened bread? Because the
Yeast plant, interesting and useful as IL may
be to students and housekeepers. has been
recognized from very early human historic
times, as an enemy to spirituality.
When Jesus took this llnleavened bread
on This most interesting occasion. He gave
thanks; and for what? He was ut this time
profound mptaphysician. He knew that the
Inleavencd bread he held in his hand ma
terialy considered. had no real. that is
no eternal, being. 1t had only a phenomenal.
temporary existence. But He knew also,
that it's real, eternal substance. was. yes. il.
manifest divine love; and therefore lie said:
This is my body" He did not say this is
something by which you can call my body
TO mind He said. This is my body" This
triumph of His over the false concept of
materialism was and is cause for devout
thanksgiving.
And so. when He took the cup of blessing
the cup of "unleavencd" wine used at the
Passover. beholding nothing material. He
gave thanks, saying, This is my blood"
and SO the Christian priest may stand at
God & altar and bless the Eucharistic emblems
in the usc of our blessed LORDS words Of in
stituion, beholding nothing material in
sacrifice, altar or worshipperS. nor yet IN
himself: and, by these spiritual acts may
Praise God. from whom al blessings flow "
The words of conservation make no change
In the Eucharistic emblems they are glad
thanksgiving by wh iCh we solemnly vet joy-
fully ackno wledg Q { hrists Real Presence"
Rev. ". Il. CALLENDER
FIsBKlII, y. Y. July >.