In connection with Article 4.
=1. The Sacrament.=--In the course of our study of the principles and
ordinances of the Gospel, as specified in the fourth of the Articles
of Faith, the subject of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper[511] very
properly claims attention, the observance of this ordinance being
required of all who have become members of the Church of Christ
through compliance with the requirements of faith, repentance, and
baptism by water and by the Holy Ghost.
[511] See Notes 1 and 2.
=2. Institution of the Sacrament among the Jews.=--The sacrament of
the Lord's Supper dates from the night of the Passover feast[512]
immediately preceding the crucifixion of the Savior. On that solemn
occasion, Christ and His apostles were assembled in Jerusalem, keeping
the feast in an upper room, which had been made ready by His express
command.[513] As a Jew, Christ appears to have been ever loyal to the
established usages of His people; and it must have been with most
extraordinary feelings that He entered upon this commemorative feast,
the last of its kind bearing the significance of the type of a future
sacrifice, as well as a reminder of God's favor in the past. Knowing
well the terrible experiences immediately awaiting Him, He communed
with the Twelve at the paschal board in anguish of soul, prophesying
concerning His betrayal, which was soon to be accomplished by the
agency of one who there ate with Him. Then He took bread, and blessed
it and gave it to His disciples, saying, "Take, eat; this is my
body;"[514] "this do in remembrance of me."[515] Afterward, taking the
cup, He blessed its contents and administered it to them with the
words, "Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament,
which is shed for many for the remission of sins."[516] It is
interesting to note that the account of the sacrament and its purport
as given by Paul[517] resembles so closely as to be almost identical
with the descriptions recorded by the evangelists. The designation of
the Sacrament as the Lord's Supper is used by no biblical writer other
than Paul.
[512] See Note 3.
[513] Luke xxii, 8-13.
[514] Matt. xxvi, 26.
[515] Luke xxii, 19; see also Mark xiv, 22-25.
[516] Matt. xxvi, 27-28. See "The Great Apostasy," pp. 119, 120.
[517] I Cor. xi, 23-25.
=3. Institution of the Sacrament among the Nephites.=--On the occasion
of His visit to the Nephites, which occurred shortly after His
resurrection, Christ established the sacrament among this division of
His flock. He requested the disciples whom He had chosen to bring Him
bread and wine; then taking the bread, He brake it, blessed it, and
gave it to the disciples with the command that they should eat and
afterward distribute to the people. The authority to administer this
ordinance He promised to leave with the people. "And this shall ye
always observe to do," said He, "even as I have done.... And this
shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shewn unto you.
And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember
me. And if ye do always remember me, ye shall have my Spirit to be
with you."[518] The wine was administered in the same order, first to
the disciples, then by them to the people. This also was to be part of
the standing ordinance among the people:--"And ye shall do it in
remembrance of my blood which I have shed for you, that ye may
witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me." Then followed
a reiteration of the great promise, "And if ye do always remember me,
ye shall have my Spirit to be with you."[519]
[518] III Nephi xviii, 6, 7.
[519] III Nephi xviii. 11. See "Jesus the Christ," ch. xxxix.
=4. Fit Partakers of the Sacrament.=--The Divine instructions
concerning the sacredness of this ordinance are very explicit; and the
consequent need of scrupulous care being exercised lest it be engaged
in unworthily is apparent. In addressing the Corinthian Saints, Paul
utters solemn warnings against hasty or unworthy action in partaking
of the sacrament, and declares that the penalties of sickness, and
even death, are visited upon those who violate the sacred
requirements.--"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,
ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall
eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be
guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine
himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For
he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation
to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are
weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."[520]
[520] I Cor. xi, 26-30.
=5.= When instructing the Nephites, Jesus laid great stress upon the
fitness of those who partook of the sacrament; and moreover He placed
much responsibility upon the officers of the Church whose duty it was
to administer it, that they should permit none whom they knew to be
unworthy to take part in the ordinance:--"And now behold, this is the
commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall not suffer any one
knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall
minister it; for whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood
unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore, if
ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood,
ye shall forbid him."[521]
[521] III Nephi xviii, 28, 29.
=6.= The direct word of the Lord unto the Saints in this dispensation
instructs them to permit no one who has committed trespass to partake
of the sacrament until reconciliation has been made; nevertheless the
Saints are commanded to exercise abundant charity toward their erring
fellows, not casting them out from the assemblies, yet carefully
withholding the sacrament from them.[522] In our system of Church
organization, the local ecclesiastical officers are charged with the
responsibility of administering the sacrament, and the people are
required to keep themselves worthy to partake of the sacred emblems.
[522] Doc. and Cov. xlvi, 4. See also III Nephi xviii, 30.
=7.= There is an entire absence of scriptural sanction for giving the
sacrament to any who are not members in full fellowship in the Church
of Christ. Christ administered the ordinance on the eastern continent
to His apostles only; and we have record of their giving it to those
only who had assumed the name of Christ. Amongst His western fold,
Christ established the law that only the actual members of His Church
should partake. In promising to ordain one among them with power to
officiate in the sacrament, the Savior specified that the one so
chosen should give it unto the people of His Church, unto all those
who believed and were baptized in His name.[523] Only those indeed who
had been so baptized were called the Church of Christ.[524] Continuing
His instructions to the disciples concerning the sacrament, the Savior
said: "This shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in
my name."[525]
[523] III Nephi xviii, 5.
[524] III Nephi xxvi, 21.
[525] III Nephi xviii, 11.
=8.= And the same law is applicable to-day; it is the members of the
Church[526] who are admonished to meet together often for the
observance of the sacrament; and the Church comprises none of mature
years who have not been baptized by the authority of the Holy
Priesthood.[527]
[526] Doc. and Cov. xx, 75.
[527] Doc and Cov. xx, 87.
=9. Purpose of the Sacrament.=--From the scriptural references already
made, it is plain that the sacrament is administered to commemorate
the atonement of the Lord Jesus, as consummated in His agony and
death; it is a testimony before God, that we are mindful of His Son's
sacrifice made in our behalf; and that we still profess the name of
Christ and are determined to strive to keep His commandments, in the
hope that we may ever have His Spirit to be with us. Partaking of the
sacrament worthily may be regarded therefore as a means of renewing
our covenants before the Lord, of acknowledgment of mutual fellowship
among the members, and of solemnly witnessing our claim and profession
of membership in the Church of Christ. The sacrament has not been
established as a specific means of securing remission of sins; nor for
any other special blessing, aside from that of a fresh endowment of
the Holy Spirit, which, however, comprises all needful blessings. Were
the sacrament ordained for the remission of sins, it would not be
forbidden to those who are in greatest need of special forgiveness;
yet participation in the ordinance is restricted to those whose
consciences are void of serious offense, those, therefore, who are
acceptable before the Lord; those indeed who are in as little need of
special forgiveness as mortals can be.
=10. The Sacramental Emblems.=--In instituting the sacrament among
both the Jews and the Nephites, Christ used bread and wine as the
emblems of His body and blood;[528] and in this, the dispensation of
the fulness of times, He has revealed His will that the Saints meet
together often to partake of bread and wine in this commemorative
ordinance.[529] But the Lord has also shown that other forms of food
and drink may be used in place of bread and wine. Very soon after the
Church was organized in the present dispensation, the Prophet Joseph
was about to purchase some wine for sacramental purposes, when a
special messenger from God appeared to him, and delivered the
following instructions: "For, behold, I say unto you, that it
mattereth not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, when ye
partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single
to my glory; remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down
for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins.
Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, that you shall not purchase
wine, neither strong drink, of your enemies: Wherefore you shall
partake of none except it is made new among you; yea in this my
Father's kingdom which shall be built up upon the earth."[530] Upon
this authority, the Latter-day Saints administer water in their
sacramental service, in preference to wine concerning the purity of
which they are not assured. However, in the vineyard districts of the
Church territory, wine has been generally used.
[528] Matt. xxvi, 27-29; III Nephi xviii, 1, 8.
[529] Doc. and Cov. xx, 75.
[530] Doc. and Cov. xxvii, 2-4.
=11. Manner of Administering the Sacrament.=--It is customary with the
Latter-day Saints in all wards or regularly organized branches of the
Church, to hold sacramental meetings every Sabbath. The authority of
the priest of the Aaronic order of priesthood is requisite in
consecrating the emblems; and, as a matter of course, any one holding
the higher order of priesthood has authority to officiate in this
ordinance. The bread is first to be broken into small pieces, and
placed in suitable receptacles on the sacramental table; and then,
according to the Lord's direction, the elder or priest shall
administer it, after this manner:--"He shall kneel with the Church and
call upon the Father in solemn prayer, saying:--
"_O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus
Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who
partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy
Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are
willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember
him, and keep his commandments which he has given them, that they may
always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen._"[531]
[531] Doc. and Cov. xx, 76, 77; compare Moroni iv.
=12.= After the bread has been distributed to the congregation, in
which labor the teachers and deacons may take part, under the
direction of the officiating priest, the wine or water is consecrated
in this manner:--
"_O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son,
Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine [or water] to the souls
of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of
the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness
unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember
him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen._"[532]
[532] Doc. and Cov. xx, 78-79; compare Moroni v.
=13.= The plainness of the Lord's instructions to the Saints regarding
this ordinance, leaves no excuse for disputation concerning the
ceremony, for assuredly no one who officiates in these holy rites can
feel that he is authorized to change the forms even by the alteration
of a word. If ever the Lord desires a change in this ordinance, He
will doubtless make it known through His established channels of the
priesthood. The records of the Nephites clearly prove that the manner
of administering the sacrament as practiced in their day,[533] was the
same as revealed for the guidance of the Saints in the dispensation of
the fulness of times.
[533] Moroni iv; v.