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was instituted by our Lord himself, on the same night in which he was betrayed. Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, take, eat, this is my body, which is given for you.

[In the mean time the clergyman will be breaking the bread.]

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During the breaking of the bread, he will occupy the time by offering such remarks as seem to him to be suited to the occasion. He will not fail to show the original design of the institution, viz. to keep the Lord Jesus in the remembrance of his followers. This do in remembrance of me." The broken bread is an emblem of his broken, crucified body; and is always so to be looked on in this service. The clergyman should not, therefore, fail to carry the minds of the communicants to the scene of the crucifixion. Direct them to view the Saviour's sufferings, the cross, the crown of thorns, the death scene, and especially to remember the dying prayer for his murderers, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." But it is not necessary that the clergyman should confine himself at all times, to the events of the crucifixion. Let him think of the Saviour's words, "This do in remembrance of me," and he will see, that any portion of the Saviour's life may furnish subject for reflection at the table. The feeling that will pervade his heart will be that of a solemn joy, a deep sense of affectionate gratitude; nor should any remarks be offered, inconsistent with such a feeling. O what an opportunity is there here for solemn reflection. With what force may the speaker impress on the communicants the necessity of humility, and of setting their affection on things above.

"When I survey the wondrous cross,

On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride."

The remarks, however, should not be long; from

three to five minutes is sufficient. Let the words be few and fitly chosen.

The bread being broken, he will pass it to the deacons, (serving himself as he passes the last plate,) saying, "Take, eat all ye of it, in the name of Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood."

He then sits, (his mind being intently fixed on the subject before him,) until the plates are returned to the table; or he may, should he judge it best, make some remarks, while the officers are serving the communicants. But all remarks should be made standing.

The bread having thus been served, he next proceeds to serve the wine. He takes the cups towards him, saying, Jesus took the cup and gave thanks. In imitation of his example, let us once more approach the throne of grace. Let us pray.

[Here he will offer a prayer suited to the occasion.] While he is pouring the wine, (and he may have intervals between the filling of the cups, if he wishes to extend his remarks,) he will offer suitable thoughts to guide the minds of the communicants. And what thoughts are appropriate while serving the wine? 1st. It is an emblem of the shed blood of the Redeemer. For whom was his blood shed? For all. For what

purpose did he die? Will that purpose be accomplished? Again. The Saviour made the cup also a figure of the New Covenant." This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you." See Luke's account. The wine is not only an emblem of the shedding of the Saviour's blood upon the cross, but it is also a figure of his doctrine. And so it was employed by the prophets. "Come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price." Jesus says, we must drink his blood. He does not mean in the outward and literal sense. See John vi. 53-60. He explains his metaphor to mean his doctrine, verse 63. "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; THE WORDS that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." From all these subjects, he

who administers the ordinance, cannot fail to draw profitable reflections.

He passes the wine to the deacons, as he had done the bread, and then sits until the communicants are served, and the cups returned.

This being done, an appropriate hymn is sung, which it is always best should be sung by the communicants; the minister, or one of the church, starting the tune.

After the hymn, the collection is generally taken, to defray the expenses of the church, and for charitable objects; after which the benediction is pronounced.

And now the author will not close this chapter, without a humble petition, that what he has written may be the means of inducing those who agree with him in faith on the great salvation, to pay a due respect to the holy, purifying service of the Lord's Supper.

CHAPTER XI.

EVIDENCES OF REVEALED RELIGION,

I. UNIVERSALISTS feel a very deep interest in sustaining the Christian religion. It is the source of their highest confidence in God, and of the enrapturing hope of immortality. In all their periodicals special attention has been paid to the evidences of revealed religion. Courses of lectures, on this subject, have been preached by them. In addition to these, four distinct works, in defence of revealed religion, have been published by them within a few years.

The first is "Lectures in Defence of Divine Revelation," delivered at the Universalist chapel in Providence, R. I. By Rev. David Pickering, Pastor of the First Universalist Church and Society, in that place. 1830. The second is "Christianity against Infidelity, or the Truth of the Gospel History." By Rev. Thomas B. Thayer, Pastor of the First Universalist

Society in Lowell, Mass., 1836. The third is "An Argument for the Truth of Christianity," in a series of discourses, by Rev. I. D. Williamson, pastor of the Universalist Society in Baltimore, Md., 1836. The fourth is "The Causes of Infidelity Removed," by Rev. Stephen R. Smith, pastor of the Universalist Society in Albany, N. Y., 1839.

II. As it was desirable to include in this work a chapter on the Evidences of Revealed Religion, the mind of the author has been much exercised as to the best manner of introducing a large amount of evidence into a small compass. It has, after much reflection, seemed best to him, on the whole, to republish entire the masterly work of Leslie, entitled "A Short and Easy Method with Deists." This work has never been answered; and an answer never was attempted, except by one man, who finally abandoned his design in despair. It seems impossible that a man should read it, and not be satisfied with the truth of revealed religion.

A SHORT AND EASY METHOD WITH THE DEISTS. BY REV. CHARLES LESLIE, M. A.

SIR, In answer to yours of the third instant, I much condole with you your unhappy circumstances, of being placed among such company, where, as you say, you continually hear the sacred Scriptures, and the histories therein contained, particularly of Moses, and of Christ, and all revealed religion, turned into ridicule by men who set up for sense and reason. And they say, that there is no greater ground to believe in Christ than in Mahomet; that all these pretences to revelations are cheats, and ever have been among Pagans, Jews, Mahometans, and Christians; that they are all alike impositions of cunning and designing men, upon the credulity, at first, of simple and unthinking people, till, their numbers increasing, their delusions grew popular, and came at last to be established by laws;

and then the force of education and custom gives a bias to the judgments of after ages, till such deceits come really to be believed, being received upon trust from the ages foregoing, without examining into the original and bottom of them. Which these our modern men of sense (as they desire to be esteemed), say, that they only do; that they only have their judgments freed from the slavish authority of precedents and laws in matters of truth, which, they say, ought only to be decided by reason; though by a prudent compliance with popularity and laws, they preserve themselves from outrage and legal penalties; for none of their complexion are addicted to sufferings and martyrdom.

Now, Sir, that which you desire from me, is, some short topic of reason, if such can be found, whereby, without running to authorities, and the intricate mazes of learning, which breed long disputes, and which these men of reason deny by wholesale, though they can give no reason for it, only suppose that authors have been trumped upon us, interpolated and corrupted, so that no stress can be laid upon them, though it cannot be shown wherein they are so corrupted; which, in reason, ought to lie upon them to prove who allege it; otherwise it is not only a precarious, but a guilty plea; and the more, that they refrain not to quote books on their side, for whose authority there are no better, or not so good grounds. However, you say, it makes your disputes endless, and they go away with noise and clamor, and a boast, that there is nothing, at least nothing certain, to be said on the Christian side. Therefore you are desirous to find some one topic of reason, which should demonstrate the truth of the Christian religion, and at the same time distinguish it from the impostures of Mahomet and the old Pagan world; that our deists may be brought to this test, and be either obliged to renounce their reason, and the common reason of mankind, or to submit to the clear proof, from reason, of the Christian religion, which must be such a proof as no imposture can pretend to, otherwise it cannot prove the Christian

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