340 SACRAMENTS MISUNDERSTOOD. 



times even by hundreds at once, were baptized. In a very 

 large proportion of these there is no doubt that a desire to 

 do as their rulers had done was almost the sole motive of 

 their action, while in others there was probably the vague 

 expectation of gaining some unknown spiritual benefit. Even 

 among our more intelligent Christian people it is curious to 

 see what a superstitious notion often attaches to the symbol 

 itself. Some few years ago one of my brother missionaries 

 was preaching in a village congregation in his district, not 

 far from the capital, and being the first Sunday in the month 

 he had to preside at the Lord's Supper. But before that was 

 partaken of he had also to baptize several people, and the 

 water for that purpose was brought (as is frequently the case) 

 in one of the cups used for the wine at the other sacrament. 

 As soon as the baptism was over the cup was, of course, needed 

 for its special purpose ; but here a difficulty occurred to the 

 good deacons. What was to be done with the water ? A little 

 consultation took place ; they appeared to think it improper 

 to throw away what had been used for a sacred purpose, and 

 so at last, to solve the difficult problem, one of them took up 

 the cup, and drank off its contents ! 



But the sacrament of the Lord's Supper is still more liable 

 to abuse by ignorant and half-enlightened people. An incident 

 which occurred in my own experience not very long ago 

 suggested to me how very innocently, almost imperceptibly, 

 high sacramental ideas of the ordinance grew up in the early 

 Church. One day the pastor of one of the congregations 

 under my care, himself a most intelligent and earnest Chris- 

 tian man, came to ask my opinion as to a request which had 

 been made to him. He said that on the previous sacrament 

 Sunday, several of the church members were unable to be 

 present through sickness, and that they were grieved at being 

 thus prevented from joining with their relatives and friends 

 in the sacred feast. They had therefore sent to ask that the 

 deacons might be allowed to take to their own houses a 

 portion of the bread and a small quantity of the wine, so that 

 although at home they might still partake of the sacrament. 

 He appeared to think that this was a very reasonable and 

 proper request, and so in fact, for a moment, it appeared to 



