IV. HOLY COMMUNION

One of the wonderful works of God in nature is His provision for nourishing our bodies with food. On the other hand, any one who has held communion with a noble friend knows how one's spiritual nature is similarly refreshed by the contact; just as if the soul itself were receiving food and drink. The nourishing of our souls by such communion is as great a wonder as is the nourishing of our bodies. Without communion the soul would die of starvation and thirst.

You sometimes hear it said of a man "he gives himself to his friends." This means that he sympathizes with their sorrows, rejoices in their joys, shares their thoughts, enters into their lives and makes himself, as it were, one with his friends. They draw spiritual nourishment from him and assimilate it, just as food passes into and becomes part of the body.

As personal devotion to Christ is the essential characteristic of Christianity, so communion with Christ is the necessary condition of keeping our devotion alive. Recognizing this, Our Lord has assured us that our communion with Him must be so perfect and complete that we must become identified with Him by receiving Him into ourselves. It is not enough to hold communion with Him as with even the closest of earthly friends. There must be a closer union: a union so close that we

cannot express it otherwise than by saying that we must spiritually receive His very Body and Blood.

In order that we may have this deepest and highest of all Christian experiences, Our Lord instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Communion, or Eucharist. In this Sacrament, under the forms of Bread and Wine, Our Lord gives Himself to His people. The fact of His presence in the Eucharist and of the reality of communion with Him is attested by the experience of millions. You may have this experience if you will.

Human explanations of the Divine Fact of Christ's presence in the Sacrament are many and varied. They range, on the one hand, from the theory that the Eucharist is a mere memorial celebration, to the teaching, at the other extreme, that the bread and wine change their physical nature and become the Body and Blood. One extreme is less and the other more than the truth. One is unsatisfying; the other repulsive. The truth lies between the two; but it is the fact and not the explanation that is of value to you and me.

IV-Daily Devotions

I. THE FIRST WAKING THOUGHT

When first wake say:

you

To Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, I consecrate this new day. Help me to use its opportunities aright and to spend each minute in Thy service.

II. THE LAST THOUGHTS BEFORE SLEEP

When you are in bed and about to go to sleep, say: — Most Merciful Saviour, I commend my soul and body to Thy keeping. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep me this night without sin. I will lay me down in peace and take my rest, for it is Thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.

III. MID-DAY INTERCESSIONS

At noon Our Lord offered Himself upon the Cross for the salvation of all souls. We can find no more appropriate time than this at which to offer to God a prayer in behalf of others. The noon hour is usually a busy time. We are seldom alone. We can, however,

readily cultivate the habit of praying silently even when many people are around us. The custom of mid-day prayer for missions has become widespread since it was first proposed by Bishop Hare in 1871. It was independently started at Wuchang, China, in 1880. It was adopted in 1891 at the St. Louis Convention of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, at the Missionary Council at Chicago in 1893, and at the Church of England Missionary Conference, London, in 1894. At the Church Missions House in New York and at stations at home and abroad, the noonday prayer is said. Wherever missionary work is done by our own Church, and in many a home and shop, books and tools are dropped for a moment for prayer.

(1) The Mid-day Prayer for Missions

Blessed Saviour, who at this hour didst hang upon the Cross, stretching forth Thy loving arms, grant that all mankind may look unto Thee and be saved through Thy mercies and merits Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost ever one God, world without end. Amen.

(2) A General Intercession

For us men, O Lord Jesus Christ, and for our salvation, Thou didst offer Thyself upon the Cross. I plead the merits of Thy redeeming sacrifice on behalf of

1

most humbly beseeching Thee that their souls

may be precious in Thy sight; Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, One God, world without end. Amen.

IV. GRACE BEFORE MEALS

I thank Thee for this answer to my prayer for daily bread. May the strength which it brings be used in the service of Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

V. PRAYERS FOR EVERY DAY IN THE WEEK

You are reminded again of the suggestions already made in regard to private prayer. One of those suggestions was that your morning and evening prayers should always include the Lord's Prayer and a few words of your own, uttered in thanksgiving for past mercies and in request for fresh strength. It is also suggested that on each day in the week you should take time, either as part of your morning or evening devotions, to think about some one important virtue and make an earnest supplication for it. Below will be found thoughts and prayers for the several days in the week.

1 Here mention the names of all for whom you desire to pray.