The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-03

BY WILLIAM r. ELLIS.
I'm all New England I do not know a
single town or village that has not its
soldiers monument. The same is true
or hundreds of other cities and smaller
communities throughout the south
and the north Some Of these are the
most beautiful objects in their place.
Anese are memorials of great SER
vice and great sacrifice, designed to
keep fresh in the memory of oncom-
ing generations the patriotism and
neroism of the men long dead. But
they VIII fail of this purpose All over
Japan one may see huge slabs of stone
inscribed with the praises of great
men now forgotten. The very inscrip-
tons are now indeciDherable to most
persons because Of the change in Ian
guage. So it was with the mighty
pyramids and other monuments OF
Egypt so far from telling to all the
world the story of their builders
greatness, their very meaning was un-
known until recent years.
But there is one memorial, the most
widely known and observed in the uni
verse, which has persisted through
Two thousand years, and is better I'M
derstood today, and more generally
recognized, than ever before. This is
that monument of Jesus which is
called the Lords Supper, or the Holy
Communion, or the Eucharist or the
Holy Sacrament. Many signihcances
has this ceremony, but it is primarily
wanted to be remembered. His heart
coveted the faithful and fadeless at
lection OF his friends. Having loved
his own which were in the world, he
loved them unto the end" And he
wanted them so to love him. The
thought Of passing away and being
forgotten is repugnant to every one of
us; this is the last assertion of our
identity as indiyiduals-we want to be
remem bered-
A Worldwide Celebration.
No man knows another's heart: but in
his own words we have the evidence
thai Jesus shrank from being forgotten.
He was the prince Of friends Love
meant more to him than to others
Therefore he priced with a passion
which baser spirits cannot comprehend
the constancy of this little band Of
disciples. Therein is the point of This
do in remembrance Of me-" and of that
other touching sentence. With desire
have desired to eat this passover with
you.' Jesus yearned for friendship
that would last.
The way this tryst has been kept in
spires this imagination. Through long
centuries MANY of them dark, constant
friends whose hearts have responded to
the soul-cry Of the Man of Nazareth as
he was about to go forth to his death.
have met with him at the sacramental
table, showing forth their remembrance
of him. The mystic significance OF this
simple feast to lives which never reveal
their deeper emotions may be inferred
FROM their actions. Consider the COM
muuiOn services of which each of US has
knowledge, personal or indireCti Before
my mind as / write. is a picture of
company of oOyisn soldiers. looking for
ward to the battlefield. rising at dawn
and kneeing on rough pine board be
fore an lmDroNtsed altar to receive
from their chaplain the tokens OF their
Masters dying thought of them. Again
] recall a scene far away in the noun
tains Of the New West, distant from
railroad, in little chapel which could
not afford communion vessels. where
the Master himself seemed to sit as
guest at the table when the missionary
broke the bread Still again there is
before me a picture Of q gathering Of
Christians in the remote interior of
Japan and as the bread and wine were
being passed I saW the wondering Curl
Gus faces of daTk-skinned heather
children and men and women peeping
around the earth loyal hearts are
keeping this memorial of an Unforgot-
ten Lord.
The Three-Gold Meaning.
This simple supDer-simpler it could
not be-which Jesus instituted on this
ap0Cha1 occasion when his little band of
disciples gathered about him in a room
where the hate-flled eyes Of the priests
could not find them, has a significance
that reaches in three directions. It was
an adaptntion OF the Jewish passover,
locking backward to the merciful and
protecting providence Of jehovah Tt is
q reminder OF the past. Contained with
81 Ct were messages Of Gods gracious
dealing. 1t said Remember Egypt. -
70 the Christian It adds to this, Re
member Calvary" It is fraught with
the personality OF Jesus. Thoughts Of
him make It significant In Pauls
words. It declares, Remember Jesus
Christ" The first purpose of the Lord s
Supper IS as a memorial. It looks back
ward to Galilee, to Judea, to the upper
room, to Calvary, to Josevh's garden.
Breeding over the past, to the neglect
OF the present and the future. is never
wise. Since the Founder Of Christian
ity designed a symmetrical life for mis-
friends, this monument which he estab-
lished points forward to goal to be