Lord’s Supper
James Dodson
A Scottish sacramental observance.
THE REFORMED FAITH AND THE LORD’S SUPPER HOMEPAGE.
“III. The outward matter thereof, or Signes, are Bread and Wine.
IV. The Supper is lame, without both Signes; and to rob the people of the Cup, is Sacrilege.
V. The inward matter is Christ, with all his satisfaction and merit.
VI. As it is Jewish superstition, to use unleavened Bread; so the Popish Penny-wafers are superstitious reliques.
VII. Its outward form consists in Actions and Words.
VIII. The Actions are the breaking of Bread, and powring out of Wine; the distribution of both Signes, and the receiving thereof with the hand and mouth.
IX. The word is, the whole Institution, containing the Eucharist, the command, and the promise; but the promise chiefly.”—John Wollebius, The Abridgment of Christian Divinitie, (1650).
WORKS ON THE LORD’S SUPPER, INCLUDING ITS MODE AND MANNER:
A Brief Catechetical Exposition of Christian Doctrine.-1632-William Twisse.-A treatise containing four catechism. The first designed to explain and distinguish the sacraments; the second treats the Lord’s prayer; the third expounds the Ten Commandments; and the fourth unfolds the articles of the Apostles’ Creed. This is a good example of many early Reformed catechisms written specifically for helping communicants prepare for a right reception of the Lord’s supper.
Of the use of a Table in the Lord’s Supper. And of the communicants their coming to, and receiving at the Table.-1649-George Gillespie.-In this essay, Gillespie explains and defends the use of a table in the celebration of the Lord’s supper. This is an authoritative exposition of this subject.
An Apology and Vindication, or, the Practice, and Binding Obligation of Following Christ’s Institution and Example in the Administration of the Supper, Asserted and Defended.-1783-John Howie.-This work, which engages with a particular controversy in the Anti-Burgher Secession Church, purports to be the united efforts and combinations of four committees of “Lifters”. The gist of the argument, set against the case of David Smyton and the so-called “Lifters”, canvases history, theology and practice to show that the proper mode of administering the Lord’s supper requires “lifting” the elements while the prayer of sacramental consecration is made. Smyton argued that, in the consecration of the elements of the Lord’s supper, the bread and wine are elevated (hence, “Lifters”), and that this is part of the proper mode of distributing the elements of the sacrament. Smyton’s rival was the very learned Anti-Burgher Seceder, Adam Gib. The author, or authors, of this, the largest pamphlet produced during this controversy, sees this as matter of applying the Regulative Principle. As he works his way through the argument must discuss terms of communion, the use of communion tokens, and many ancillary topics.
A Collection of Acts of the General Assembly Anent the manner of dispensing the LORD’s Supper. To which is prefixed Three parts of the BOOK OF COMMON ORDER, viz. On BAPTISM, the LORD’S SUPPER, and MARRIAGE; wrote by the Revd. Mr. JOHN KNOX in Geneva, and approven by the Church of Scotland in the first and second Reformation. Taken from an Edition printed before the Psalms at Aberdeen, in the Year 1633. Together with Quotations from the Confession of Faith, Act and Testimony, Doctrine of Grace,—and six Questions to the unprejudiced Reader.-1784-The “Lifters”.-This pamphlet is a pro-Lifter contribution to the controversy among Anti-burgher Seceders regarding whether ministers should “lift” or elevate the bread and wine before distributing them at the Lord’s Supper. It assembles John Knox’s liturgies, Acts of the General Assembly (particularly the 1638 rejection of the Perth Articles), and excerpts from the Westminster Directory and Covenants to argue that these historical standards authorize the minister taking the elements before the prayer of distribution. The concluding six questions challenge the consistency of the prominent anti-Lifter Adam Gib, implying his opposition to this practice contradicted the worship standards he helped ratify during the 1743 renewal of the covenants.
A Vindication of the Principles of Seceders, upon the Head of Occasional Communion.-1800-Robert Culbertson.-In “A Vindication of the Principles of Seceders, upon the Head of Occasional Communion” (1800), Robert Culbertson presents a rigorous theological defense of the Seceder position against occasional communion with churches from which they had separated. Culbertson argues that such communion would be inconsistent with the grounds of their separation, undermine steadfastness in maintaining their Christian profession, compromise their role as witnesses for the present truth, and potentially harm both themselves and the churches they had left. He contends that the Seceders’ existence as a distinct body would lose its purpose if they were to freely communicate with churches whose principles contradicted their own. Culbertson addresses numerous objections, including appeals to Christ’s example, the presence of godly individuals in other churches, and the original intentions of the first Seceders, countering each with scriptural and logical arguments. The work exemplifies Culbertson’s scholarly approach and his commitment to maintaining the integrity of the Secession testimony during a period of significant ecclesiastical division in Scotland.
A Disquisition on the Observance of the Lord’s Supper, With a View to the Defence of the Presbyterian Plan of Administering that Ordinance.-1805-Alexander Duncan (1777-1844).-A minister of the Secession, Duncan takes issue with John Mitchell Mason’s “Letters of Frequency of Communion,” in which Mason asserted that the Lord’s Supper should be celebrated weekly. Duncan rebuffs Mason’s arguments and shows that the Reformed churches largely have not been inclined to such practice for several important and Scriptural reasons. He also defends the use of fast days before and days of thanksgiving after the celebration of the sacrament.
The Fall Sacraments.-1822-Anonymous.-In this article, the substance of a letter to a friend, the author describes the course of the communion services of the Reformed Presbyterian Church which they have observed for centuries. Of interest are the comments respecting the preceding day of fasting, the Saturday night service when the communion tokens were issued and the thanksgiving service, on the following Monday.
Danger of Being Over Wise:-1835-William B. Sprague (1795-1876).-This is the sermon in which Sprague first attacks the temperance movement and its fanatical adherents who sought the removal of wine from the Lord’s supper.
Dr. Sprague’s Reply to Professor Stuart’s Letter addressed to him through the American Temperance Intelligencer of August, 1835.-1835-William B. Sprague (1795-1876).-In this letter, Sprague responds to Moses Stuart, a professor at Andover Seminary, who objected to his sermon on religious fanaticism which demanded the use of wine, not grape juice, be retained in the Lord’s supper. Sprague attacks the fanatical impulse and its undermining of the sacrament.
An Apology for Religious Services Accompanying the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.-1843-Anonymous.-The article, from the Reformed Presbyterian magazine, gives an apology for fast days before the observance of the Lord’s supper and thanksgiving days afterward. It also presents some of the Biblical rationale for this practice which has been found in the history of the Reformed Church of Scotland during her most faithful times.
The Holy Communion. An Address Before Administering the Lord’s Supper.-1844-John Brown, of Edinburgh (1784-1858).-This address was given at the celebration of the Lord's supper for the edification of the communicants. In it, Brown explains the two dimensions of fellowship, or communion, involved in the right reception of the sacrament.
Debarring and Inviting Service.-1871-Samuel Bowden (1822-1894).-This address, from Reformed Presbyterian minister, gives an example of the warnings proper to the administration of the Lord’s supper complete with debarring and inviting of would be communicants.
The Bible Wine Question.-1881-Dunlop Moore (1830-1905).-The first of two articles examining the claims of Temperance advocates that there are two kinds of wine in Scripture-one unfermented and the other fermented. He notes the novelty of those who advance this view and dissects their flawed logic with the precision of a skilled surgeon. He also shows their lack of honesty in scholarship on the question. The only wine known to the Bible has the potential to intoxicate and that has implications for Christian practice, especially with respect to the Lord’s supper.
Sacramental Wine.-1882-Dunlop Moore (1830-1905).-The second article on the issue of Bible wines in which the author vigorously defends the use of wine (not grape juice) in the sacrament of the Lord’s supper. Having defended the intoxicating nature of Biblical wine, he is forward to press the claims of its use in the sacramental observance. Once more, he lays waste to the dishonesty and poor scholarship amongst the promoters of total abstinence.
The Lord’s Supper According to the Directory for Worship of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. Maintained as the True Scriptural Form for its Observance, both against Present Attempts to Change it, and also against Modifications in Use by Others.-1888-Samuel T. Lowrie (1835-1924).-An often acerbic look at the Temperance fanatics who wished to remove wine from the Lord’s supper. This small volume also contains many other interesting observations and admonitions to keep to the traditional sacramental usages of Reformed Protestantism. There is also a helpful discussion of why we use leavened rather than unleavened bread in Reformed churches. It contains an appendix by Dunlop Moore on Biblical wine that condenses his arguments.
Communion.-1900-James G. Carson (1833-1908).-In this tract, Carson defends the practice of “close communion”—limiting participation in the Lord’s Supper to those who adhere to a church’s specific profession and submit to its government—by distinguishing between the invisible, spiritual fellowship of all believers and the visible, external fellowship of the organized church. He argues for this position based on three points: (1) Badge of Membership, asserting that the Lord’s Supper is the distinctive mark of church membership, and admitting non-members creates disciplinary inconsistency by holding visitors to a lower standard than members; (2) Joint Profession, since partaking requires a public, joint adherence to a church’s specific doctrinal standards and discipline, which only its own members can honestly make; and (3) Witness for the Truth, because a church can only maintain an effective testimony against error by making its distinctive principles terms of communion, ensuring it does not endorse opposing views through shared table fellowship.
The Use of Tokens in Our Covenanter Communions.-1908-Robert James George (1844-1911).-The first of two articles written by George, this one chronicles the decline of the use of communion tokens amongst 19th century Reformed Presbyterians in America with observations concerning the result of their disuse. This was the first step toward introducing open communion.
The Use of Tokens an Appropriate, Instructive and Impressive Service.-1908-Robert James George (1844-1911).-This second article gives a number of reasons for the continued use of communion tokens with appreciation for their conduciveness to a more orderly administration of the sacrament.
The Communion Cup.-1912-Finley Milligan Foster (1853-1948).-This is a short tract responding to the Synodic decision to permit the use of individual cups in the Lord’s Supper. His argues are simple and direct as he criticizes the permission given.
Dissent from the Action on Individual Cup.-1912-James Mitchell Foster (1850-1928).-Registering his dissent against Synod for its decision to allow individual cups in communion, Foster gives several reasons why he must express strong disagreement.