SUPERSTITJO US NO TIONS. 34 1 ' 



me. But immediately I saw how superstitious a notion 

 would inevitably be attached to the symbols ; that they 

 would soon be regarded as a kind of charm, having some 

 mysterious virtue in themselves ; and I therefore pointed out 

 to him the erroneous ideas which would be encouraged by 

 compliance. But it is easy to see how, from such, at first, 

 most innocent and very natural feelings, the doctrine of the 

 " reserved sacrament " arose in the early Churches, accom- 

 panied by all kinds of superstitious notions growing around 

 the simple ordinance of remembrance and spiritual com- 

 munion. 



Another superstitious notion regarding the Lord's Supper 

 I also found growing up in the minds of several of my own 

 people at Ambohimanga, a notion, it will be observed, exactly 

 like the Eomish and Bitualist idea of what is proper before 

 receiving that sacrament. We are asked whether we did 

 not fast before communicating, as they always did themselves, 

 believing that it would be improper to allow the sacred 

 elements to be mixed with common food. There is also a 

 strong feeling that no other time than the forenoon is proper 

 for observing the supper; and to a vast majority of the 

 people any proposal for celebrating it on any other Sunday 

 than the first in the month would be regarded with great 

 suspicion, and much more would they be astonished at par- 

 taking of it on any week-day. 



By a considerable number of the communicants the Lord's 

 Supper is certainly regarded as a kind of charm, for many 

 come to no public service except that on the first Sunday 

 morning of the month, when very large congregations 

 assemble ; and they evidently think that by thus once a 

 month receiving the sacrament they have sanctified the rest 

 of the time, and gained some spiritual advantage. Not a 

 few do not even attend the preceding service of worship and 

 preaching, but just come in for the communion service only ; 

 while now and then, some will even slip in towards the con- 

 clusion of the service, and ask the deacons to procure them 

 some bread and wine, so that they may thus expend no time 

 at all in hearing the Word of God, or in praise and prayer. 



