SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNION OF THE

LORD'S SUPPER.*

YE

E who do truly repent you of your sins, who are in love and charity with your neighbors, who desire to express your gratitude and reverence to your Saviour, Jesus Christ, by commemorating his death in the way which he hath appointed, and who intend, by the aid of God's grace, to live a Christian life, draw near with faith, and take this holy ordinance to your comfort.

Hear the words of invitation and comfort which our Saviour speaks to all who truly turn to him:

Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you.

Hear also what his holy Apostles say:

Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

*Principally after the old Greek Liturgies, with especial use of that of Antioch, called the Liturgy of St. James, compiled and translated for a Service-Book by Rev. F. H. Hedge, D.D.

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Forasmuch then as ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Min. Lift up your hearts.

Ans. We lift them up unto the Lord.

Min. Let us praise the Lord.

Ans. It is meet and just.

Min. Yea, it is meet and just and seemly and profitable, day and night, with lips never silent, and heart newer dumb, to praise and to bless and to give thanks unto thee, O Lord, who madest heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is; who madest man in thine own image, and when he had transgressed didst not overlook him nor forsake him, but didst recall him by thy Law and school him by thy Prophets, and didst fashion and renew him by the awful and heavenly mysteries of religion; who madest all things by thy Wisdom, the true Light, thine only begotten Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom we render unto thee the reasonable service which is rendered, O Lord, by all thy people from north to south, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same; through whom every rational creature worshippeth and sendeth up unto thee the eternal song of praise. Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Authorities, and Powers, Cherubim and Seraphim, call to one another

with ceaseless voice, and repeat the triumphal hymn, singing and shouting and saying:

Ans. Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory.

Min. Wherefore, together with the heavenly host, we also cry aloud and say, Holy indeed art thou, all-holy, and without measure is the majesty of thy holiness. Holy also is thine only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and holy the Spirit that searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

and

Thou didst send thy Son into the world, that he might renew and reanimate thine image. Who, born of woman, having his conversation with men, did order all things pertaining to the salvation of our race. And being about to undergo the voluntary and life-giving death upon the cross,the sinless for us sinners, on the night in which he was betrayed, let us rather say, in which he delivered up himself for the life and salvation of the world, taking bread in his holy and innocent and immortal hands, he blessed it and brake, and gave to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken and given for you for the remission of sins.

Ans. Amen.

Min. Also taking the cup after he had supped, and blessing it and giving thanks, filled with the Holy Ghost, he gave it to his disciples, saying: Drink ye all of it; this is the blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you and for many, and given for the remission of sins.

Ans. Amen.

Min. This do in remembrance of me.

For as oft as ye

eat of this bread and drink of this cup, ye show forth the death of the Son of Man, and declare his resurrection, until he come.

Ans. Thy death, O Lord, we show forth, and declare thy

resurrection.

Min. We, therefore, mindful of his life-giving doctrines,

his saving cross and death, his burial and resurrection, his ascension and seat at the right hand of God, - we set apart and devote to the memory of Christ this bread and this cup. And we beseech thee, O Lord, to sanctify these elements, and to sanctify us with thy holy presence. And may this bread be unto us as the sacred body of thy Christ.

Ans. Amen.

Min. And may this cup be unto us as the honored blood of thy Christ.

Ans. Amen.

Min. That so this rite may be profitable to all who partake of it, for the remission of sins, for eternal life, for the sanctification of body and soul, for fruitfulness in good works, for the stablishing of thy holy Church, which thou hast founded on the rock of faith, that the gates of hell may not prevail against it. May we who thus eat of one bread and drink of one cup be made one with each other in the fellowship of the same Holy Spirit, and one with thee in Christ.

And in this our communion we remember, and beseech thee to remember and to bless, the multitudes of every name who are joined with us in one household of faith, - our brethren and sisters in Christ throughout the world.

We remember those who have fallen asleep in Christ, and in the joyful hope of resurrection unto life eternal. O Lord, refresh their spirits with the light of thy countenance.

We remember the fathers from the beginning of the world; the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, and all who have wrought righteousness, from righteous Abel even to the present day. Refresh thou their spirits, and give them abundant entrance into the joy of our Lord. And grant unto us, O God, that we may have our part and lot with all thy saints.

We remember all such as journey or are about to journey, and them that sojourn in strange lands. May they have thee for their fellow-voyager and fellow-traveller. May it please thee to abide with them wheresoever they abide, and, whether

they travel by land or by water, to bring them in safety to their destined goal. Abide with those whom they leave behind, and grant that, in health remaining, they may welcome their own in health returning, and rejoice with them in safety and in peace.

We remember all who are sick and in distress, all who suffer in body or in mind, all who are in prison and in bonds. As bound with them, and as sufferers with them, we bear them in our hearts, and pray for their relief.

We remember our enemies, if there be any who have injured us, or any who look upon us with evil eye, and cherish hatred against us. We beseech thee to turn their hearts, and that we may live peaceably with all men. May we freely forgive all who have wronged us; and if there be any whom we have wronged, may we make amends and seek forgiveness. We remember the whole family of man, beseeching thee that the spirits of all flesh may taste of thy grace, and that the ends of the earth may see the salvation of God.

And unto us, O Lord, vouchsafe such guidance, that, as Christians, and blameless, we may spend the remainder of our life. Gather us, O Lord, when thou wilt, and as thou wilt, but be it without shame and without reproach, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who alone was found sinless on earth.

Ans. Put away from us, O Lord, our sins, whether wilful or against our wills, in deed and in word, in knowledge and in ignorance, in mind and disposition, and forgive them all according to thy mercy:

Min. In Jesus Christ thy Son, in whom and through whom we bless thee now and ever.

Ans. Amen.

Min. O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, may it please thee to accept us in these our supplications. May our offerings find favor in thy sight, and be as the odor of spiritual incense. Accept them, O Lord, as thou didst accept the offerings of holy men of old, and bless them, as thou didst bless