Special circumstances, touching to the Christian's heart, are connected with the institution of "the Lord's Supper." They had eaten the last Passover together, and, as the true Passover, His own blood was to be shed on this same day.* *In the O. T. Scriptures the day is reckoned from one evening to the next evening. (See Genesis, ch. 1:5, 8, etc.; also Exodus 12:6). This reckoning was always followed by the Jews.-[Ed.* Our Lord's path of devoted love was reaching its climax; the shadow of the cross was upon His spirit, and, surrounded by His disciples in that Upper Room, He tells them of His impending betrayal by one of them. Then, Judas having gone out, His heart flows out toward them, and with desire for their hearts' response to His love He requests their remembrance of Him in partaking of the bread and wine.

Memory lingers with tender and affectionate interest round that first institution of the Lord's Supper:Himself still with them, but so soon to be separated from them- to be betrayed-forsaken-denied-condemned-mocked -scourged-crucified! Yet it is He that comforts them, and gives them this tender memorial of His love for them which was taking Him into the depths for their deliverance and eternal blessing.

"THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME"–no pompous ritual, no ceremony; but what could so touchingly recall Himself and His love to the hearts of His own as these symbols of His body and His blood-His body given, His life-blood shed for us! It is the special portion, or remembrance-feast of the Church of God; for to Paul, the minister of the Church (Col. 1:25), it was freshly given by the Lord Himself from heaven (1 Cor. 11:23), showing what value He attaches to His people's love and remembrance of Him.

An open confession of Him is connected with it also:"For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show (announce) the Lord's death, till He come."

In a spiritual sense we are standing like Israel on the Canaan side of Jordan's banks:we look back to where the Ark stood, in the midst of the overflowing waters, till all the people had passed over. In taking that place, our Jesus had to cry, "All Thy waves and billows have passed over Me." Alone, He stood there for us; and we. like the stones taken out of Jordan, are set up on Canaan's side. Risen with Christ, we keep the memorial feast in remembrance of Him, the good and precious Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep, and in resurrection associates us with Himself, the Leader of praises to God in the assembly (Ps. 22:25).

As we contemplate who our Shepherd is-His glorious Person-His eternal Godhead-His perfect Manhood- the Fulfiller of all God's counsels and Revealer of the Father to us, in love, in grace, in tender compassion and self-sacrificing love, going down to the lowest depths where from His holy soul was wrung the cry, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" our subdued hearts repeat:

"Oh, what a load was Thine to bear,
Alone in that dark hour-
Our sins in all their terror there,
God's wrath and Satan's power!"
What could ever stir our hearts like this? What could so appeal to our affections?-and the Lord covets the responsive love of His people. Therefore He has left us this memorial as an appeal to our hearts.

Then, as in spirit we look at the cross, we see it is vacant, and the tomb is empty, and we hear His words, "Go to my brethren, and say unto them:I ascend to my Father, and your Father; to my God and your God." He brings us with Himself into this wondrous place of nearness to the Father-"My Father and your Father; my God and your God!" Himself too, in Spirit, is in our midst, as He said (Matt. 18:20)-our Lord, our Head, our Guide.

And our remembrance of Him is "till He come," when He shall bring us into the Father's house, in the prepared place for the Church, His Bride to share with Him all that is committed into His hands by the Father whose counsels He came to fulfil. What a cluster of glories are thus connected with the Lord's Supper and our remembrance of Him! And while we cannot speak of it as the only "worship meeting," may God grant that we realize it as such in our experience each time we have the privilege thus to remember our precious Lord.

It will be apparent, I doubt not, that ministry, as we usually understand it, has a subordinate place here, yet is not excluded. We are together on such occasions as priests to offer the sacrifices of praise, worship, and prayer to our Saviour-God. Ministry is service man-ward; worship is rendered to God by the "holy priesthood" which all of Christ's redeemed ones are. What a place and privileges He has conferred upon us who have received Him into our hearts! May we be enabled to value and use these privileges in the power of the Holy Spirit, till we enter into the home prepared for us in the glory. F. L. Harris