The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-01-21
>SATURDAY
48E% NIGHT
/ SERMONS
-. BY
] hxAMutlW .PuRyHll
THE MASTERS MONUMENT.

ne passover week TO tue uuCleut
Jews was celebration like combina-
ton of our Thanksgiving and Fourth
of July. the former In that it was a
great national feast, the latter in that
1t celebrated the emancipation of Is
rael. 1t was unlike our festivals in
that 1t was profoundly religious, which
can hardly by any sense Of exaggera-
ton be said of the modern celebration
Of the two American holidays The
Passover was time of family re-
unions. do not know whether the
master and disciples had ever cele-
brated it together before or not, but at
this last one he earnestly desired to be
present with them. The first day of
the feast Of unleayened bread began
with sunset of Wednesday and ended
with sunset Of Thursday All leaven
was destroyed in every house. The
feas: consisted Of lamb slain by a
priest in the court of the temple at a
prescribed hour and was cooked by
roasting. With it also for food were
unleavened bread, bitter herbs. wine
and a sweet fruit jam. The disciples
gathered with their Lord In the second
story of little house in the holy city
Tragic things occurred at that supper
the dispute of the twelve which
should he greatest. the Master washing
their feet. the awful announcement
that one of them should betray him
and the departure Of Judas.
This Is My Body"
There Is no one thing that so pro-
claims the true unity Of Christ's church
on earth as this Lords table Around it
all disciples are one in heart. 1t is
observed in all lands by all churches
in many different forms. Some dis
ciples strive to preserve the original
forms. recline on couches. take the
bread and wine in connection with a
simple meal Of lamb Some. sitting In
the pew, take the bread and Wine from
officers Of the church. Some 60 for
ward and. kneeling. take it from hand
Of priest or minister. Some use wine,
some unfermented grape juice. Some
use single cup. some individual cups.
Some others-a few-omit the bread
and wine altogether and count every
eating of bread and drinking Of wine
an occasion Of calling to remembrance
the master and thinking of him as their
guest. Some feel that they partake of
but symbols, others that 1t Is trans
formed into the very flesh and blood
Of their Lord. But among all is the
feeling of loyalty and love: whether
the memorial Is simple or elaborate, it
is done in bis name. And as men eat
of the wheatfield and its strength en-
ters into their bone. the garden and
the strength Of the vegetables enters
their flesh. or the herd Of the field and
Its strength enters into their blood,
these many disciples feed Oh their Lord
and receive spiritual strength.
An Enduring Monument.
Hundreds of thousands Of persons
We're III the city that right to celebrate
the memorial of the passover, which
had occurred nearly 1900 yeats before
Right outside the house under their
window the disciples could hear tie
voices and footsteps hurrying by IN
conscious Of the fact that the worlds
Redeemer was within and that the door
posts Of the world would soon be
sprinkled with his saving blood. How
often Is God near and the throng know
It not! This do in remembrance of
me- What simple request That Is
why we give keepsakes and parting
gifts; that is the why of photograph al
buns. to preserve in the hearts of low
ed ones faces and scenes that might
grow dim. If they had built monu
r1ent like Washington's how far we
would have Travelled. those Of us who
could afford to. to sec it, But some
day sun and rain and frost would de,
stroy 1t. Had he ordered us to build
mighty cathedral how we would send
our contributions that somewhere, DOS.
sibly in the holy city. there might be
central temple over which the cross
on which he hung might stand through.
out the ages. But the cathedral might
pass into hands profane, inpious and
soothing. or blasphemous war might
level its walls.
"Tiii He Come!"
so the twelve partUok OF the last
supper. scarcely const io,s that they
were laying the corner stone Of the
greatest memorial that the world has
ever seen. And 1t has stood through
the ages. towering over the wrecks of
time Wherever on this earth the
church of Jesus has planted her faith
and breathed his milne she celebrates
the solemn ceremony In which bread
and wine are consecrated and partaken
OF in memory of the founder of this
great religion. As on each Sunday
the sunlight travels round the world
it CLEANS on the nplirted paten and
rhalice Sometimes In magnificent
cathedral with swelling organ incense
and candle. sometimes in log hut or
school building, it is the great common
table of the Lord-and it will be so
observed It'll he come" From the
tight when the soon to be crucified
Lord instituted it until now. down
through the ages. it has not fallen. Ma.
Mons have hourished and faded away.
OSCILLATIONS begin. have nodded hu-
man history. and then are lost Cities !
rise In their power. swell in their
'7uience and then molder away until
their very sites are forgotten. But this
memorial stands. and will stand, till
re come whether it be in this year of
ssace 1914 or 10000 years from now
'0TiIl he come" Some day we shall