The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1913-01-03

$1,000 ~
child the facts In connection with
their redemption from bondage. SO
today, In like manner, the Lords sup
per Ia often the means OF arousins
questions in the minds OF both chill
dren and adults. What Ia the Com
munion servicef What does It repre-
sents What truth does 1t teach? In
answering these questions the Chris
tian afforded an Opportunity Of stat
ing the facts OF the Christian faith,
First. the Communion commemo.
rates a fact OF history One can take
boat or train and soon arrive at Cal,
vary, He may climb this hill and
reach its summit where once stood
the cross on which Jesus Christ died
No intelligent person will deny the
hIstoricity Of the fact OF Christ's
death.
Second, the Communion Is a fact OF
Christian faith. True, Jesus died, but
what did he die for: Here Christian
faith declares itself by answering, He
died for our sins" The question OF
sin must be dealt with, its debt must
be paid, the divine wrath against II
must be a~ppeased, some ground must
be found upon which a righteous God
may deal In mercy and pardon with
sinful man. The Communion table
tells US that all this has been accom-,
plished In the death OF Christ, 1t nc
knowledges the reality Of both sin
and death, and relates these two great
facts In the death of Christ. In the
words Of Jesus we say, This cup Ia
the New Testament In my blood, shed
for the remission OF sins" Preachers
may deny the vicarious atonement of
Christ; the pulpit may be silent
touching the substitutionary character
of Christ's death, but this table has
proclaimed since Chrlst's death and
will proclaim until he comes the fact
that he died for our sins; that
Bearing shame and scofhnEs rude,
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Sealed my pardon with His blood
Hallelujah, What a Saviori'
The Communion is a fact Of pro
phecy. AS oft as ye eat this bread
and drink this cup ye do show forth
the Lords death till he come" A
fact OF history, a fact Of Christian
faith, a fact OF prophecy-that the
Communion links itself to the past,
present and future, II reminds US OF
our Lord, who, while present In spirit.
is absent in body, and assures US that
he will some day come again person.
ally and visibly TO this earth. There
are two pledges for Christ's second
coming: The resurrection Acts
17:31), the pledge to the world; the
Lords supper q Cor. 1928, the
pledge to the church. The Commun-
ion table Is agiow with hope and prom
Use; 1t constantly breaches the sec-
ond coming OF Christ. Every time we
gather around this table we should
look forward with Joy to that glorious
day when we shall see not only our
blessed Lord, but also Those whom
we have loved long since and los'
awhile"
when from loved ones we nre parted.
And our eyes are dimmed with tears
Almost feel we broken-hearted,
As we struggle with our fears.
But, it will not be forever,
We shall meet them ali at hons;
Separations will then be over
They are only It'll He come"
The Communion Ia a fact OF me
mortal. Jesus said, DO this In re-
membrance Of me-" The Communion
is TO be a tangible reminder to us OF
our Lord. Sight helps memory, How
the mementoes we have Of our loved
ones remind us OF them, Of what they
we're to us, and Of our love for them.
We SO soon forget what we do not
see. Is II not strange that Of all that
| Jesus did when he wal here upon the
earth the one thing he would have us
| remember was not his ljfe-wondrous
az that was, nor his m~iracles--atar.
Ting as they were, not even his resur.
rection-convinclng as II was OF
all supernatural claims, but his
death. The Communion table is a
memorial OF that death. and every
time we gather around II we please
the Master by doing that last thing
he asked his disciples to do in re.
membranes of him. The mother goes
to the bureau and from the drawer
she takes two little shoes. They are
simple, and plain, and worn; they
have no commercial value, but, oh,
what a food Of memories they bring
to her heart and mind and soul az
she thinks of the n who has diedl
Let us not forget u Master; he vii
not forget us.
Help me, dear Savior. Thee to own
n ever faithful be;
And when Thou sittest on Thy throne