command. I think it often is from not quite understanding it."

Susan. "Yes, and from bad habit. It is so much more difficult to make up one's mind to the right receiving of the Lord's Supper, when one has been neglecting it for some time.

Richard "There is a sentence in the Catechism that has always puzzled me. I can understand very well bread and wine being the outward visible sign in this Sacrament, just the same as water is in Baptism. But in answer to the question, 'What is the inward part or thing signified?' we say, 'The body and blood of Christ, which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's Supper.' We do not really eat Christ's body, or drink His blood."

Mary. "No; that is what the Roman Catholics teach. But the doctrine of our Church is different; and we consider this one of their great errors."

Jane. "I wish you had been at Church last Sunday afternoon, brother. You would have heard Mr. Groves explain that very clearly. But I dare say Mary remembered and can repeat what he said." Mary. "Why should not you, Jane? Bessy and I will help you if you need any assistance."

Jane. "Well, I will do my best; and you must stop me if I make a mistake. He began by saying that at the Eucharist (for the Lord's Supper is sometimes so called, the word signifying a feast of joy and thanksgiving) we commemorate the death of

our Lord, and the benefits thereby offered to us, pardon and remission of our sins. The benefit is spiritual, and the feast essentially spiritual; the bread and wine constitute the only visible substance, but the inward part, or thing signified and represented by the bread and wine, is the body and blood of Christ. As we outwardly, according to our human nature, eat the bread and drink the wine, so do we inwardly, in our spiritual nature, feed on Christ, and wash away our sins in His precious blood which was shed for us.

No change, he said, occurs in the actual bread and wine. Those words of the Catechism are used in a spiritual sense, just as much as our Saviour's words, I am the living bread, which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” ” 1

Bessy. "Here is the passage in the Bible, Jane. I have found the place. And there are more verses to the same effect as that Mr. Groves quoted."

Jane read the following verses: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.'"2

1 John vi. 51.

2 John vi. 53--56.

Jews?"

Bessy.

"What was it Mr. Groves said about the

"That they had not faith, and therefore But go

Jane.

scoffed at these words."

Bessy. "Oh, yes; I remember it now.

on, Jane."

Jane. "He added that we, through faith, are enabled to discern the spiritual sense of these words, and therefore draw near to the Lord's Table to receive the bread and wine faithfully, and, as the Catechism says, to feed on Him in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving."

Susan. "I wish I had been at church that afternoon. I should have liked to hear from Mr. Groves himself the explanation you have now repeated. Did he say anything about the benefits of which we partake in the Sacrament?"

Jane. "Oh, yes. He spoke of the strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the body and blood of Christ, as our bodies are strengthened and refreshed by the bread and wine. Our Lord said, 'It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." These then are the spiritual blessings we derive from this Sacrament, the same support and refreshment to our souls, as our bodies derive in nourishment from bread and strength from wine. We know that wine is often recommended to a sick person as a means of restoring health. And as we 1 John vi. 63.

are all sinners, and have all some evil in us, this sacrament, if taken in faith, will restore us to spiritual health, and strengthen us to bear the trials and temptations of the world. Christ hath said, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." This is one of His appointed means of grace. Therefore,' Mr. Groves said, draw near all of you in humble faith. Are any of you weak, and needing support on your journey through life, spiritual strength for any coming trial? Draw near in faith, and you will find it here. Are any of you afflicted or unhappy, mourning for the loss of friends, or grieving because of your own sins? Draw near in faith. You will find comfort here for every sorrow; comfort for the repentant, comfort for the desolate and heart-broken, for the oppressed and unhappy. Draw near in faith all of you. And rest

assured, you will never go away unblessed, unheard.” Susan. "I have thought very seriously before receiving the sacrament, but at the time I have been so frightened, I could not collect my thoughts at all."

Mary. "That I should think may be because you receive it very seldom. The oftener we attend the Lord's Supper with faith, the more calm and devout in spirit we shall become at the time of receiving it." Susan. "I wonder how often one ought to receive the Communion ?"

Mary. "It is impossible to lay down any rule as 1 Matt. xi. 28.

to that.

We ought always to consider it as a privilege to be allowed to partake of it. I will read you some short extracts on the subject. 'Jesus Christ shed His blood for us. There was no sparing, or measuring, or calculating, how little He could do for our service. Then why should we measure and calculate how infrequently we may go to His holy table, instead of saying at once, I will be always there; whenever His table is spread, I will be a guest. is not a question whether three or four times, ten or or twenty times, be sufficient. The oftener you present yourself at the altar, the more you will desire to come again. The oftener you hold communion with the body and blood of Christ, the less frequently you will hold communion with the world, and the things of the world.'” 1

It

Richard. "What Mr. Groves said to me about preparation for the Lord's Supper has been a great help to me. I told him it was such a long business. He replied, that it need not be so. We need only to examine ourselves whether we repent, and are in charity with others, have faith in Christ, and gratitude to Him, and are willing to lead Christian lives."

Bessy. "As the Catechism says, 'To examine ourselves whether we repent truly of our former sins, stedfastly purposing to lead a new life, and have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful remembrance of his death; and be in

1 Rev. W. Bennett.