Question:
On Sunday morning after we break bread, why is the bread and cup of wine covered? I’ve heard a few different reasons like, “Way back when they had Iowa conference in tents, they had trouble with flies. So they covered the bread.” If that was why, why do we continue to do that today? I don’t know about you, but in St. Cloud, MN we don’t have too many flies.
Answer:
I don’t know the answer to that. It could be just a tradition that is done in certain assemblies. We don’t do it in Bedford. Maybe we never had problems with flies, I don’t know. I can’t find anywhere in the Bible where it says to do it. Some people may think, “What’s the big deal?” I guess it doesn’t become a big deal until little traditions like that become so fixed in our minds that we think they are Scriptural, and must be done. Some other traditions that I’ve see are: having an opening before a gospel meeting; singing only 3 songs during that opening; having Sunday school before the Remembrance meeting (or the other way around); having the Sunday school and Remembrance meeting Sunday morning rather than Sunday afternoon or evening; passing the collection basket right after the wine is passed or waiting until the meeting is over; putting the collection basket on the table with the bread and wine or putting it somewhere else. I’m sure there are many other traditions that different assemblies do. There are probably good reasons why each assembly does things the way they do. I think we need to be cautious about becoming hard and fast with things like these that are not spelled out in Scripture for us. We need to be careful to diligently practice what is spelled out for us and be open to the exercises of others regarding what is not spelled out. It is important to realize that in Matthew 18:17-20, the Lord has given each assembly the authority to judge matters that regard that assembly. That is: each assembly which “are gathered” by the Spirit of God according to His word, to represent the “one body” of Christ of all believers, “unto” (or in worship of) “My [His] name.” The Lord has called us to “walk worthy of the calling wherewith ye have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love; using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, as ye have been also called in one hope of your calling” (Ephesians 4:1-4). The Scriptures give plain instructions to the assembly about how to deal with sin, and through waiting upon the Lord the Spirit of God uses the principles in the Scriptures to guide. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16). How blessed we are that the Lord has so graciously given His Word in the Bible to guide each assembly with each situation it is called to face. “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).