FOR the first time in thirty-five years the Editor celebrated the Memorial Supper apart from the Allegheny congregation. But we had a blessed season of fellowship and communion of the holy Spirit with the dear friends in London (England), which we will long remember. We reviewed briefly the time from the institution of the Passover more than 3500 years ago to the change from the type to the antitype nearly 1900 years ago, when the Memorial of the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine was instituted amongst spiritual Israelites as a reminder of the broken body and shed blood of our dear Redeemer—"The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." We recognized not only our Lord's redemptive work, but also that the drinking of his "cup" signified our pledge to suffer with him for the cause of truth and righteousness as a condition precedent to our sharing with him his Kingdom honors and privileges, according to his promise. We also remembered the Jewish Law to the effect that all leaven must be destroyed, burned, before the Passover could properly be observed; and we saw from the Apostle's words that the antitype of this to us is the cleansing of our hearts from anger, malice, hatred, envy, strife, and all works of the flesh and the devil. Then we partook—about 450—sang a hymn, and went to our homes full of solemn thankfulness, but still feasting on our Lamb and resolved to suffer with him that we may also reign with him.
The total number so far reported as having participated in the Memorial this year is 8,393. Those that reported 15 participants or over are as follows:—
New Philadelphia, O.; Weatherford, Tex.; Carbondale, Pa.; Syracuse, N.Y.; Healdsburg, Calif.—15.
Windsor, Ont.; Decatur, Ill.; Abilene, Kans.; Annapolis, Md.; Dundee, Scotland; Cromwell, Conn.; Pt. Huron, Mich.; Tacoma, Wash.; Shawnee, Okla.; Waterbury, Conn.—16.
Oil City, Pa.; Joplin, Mo.; Waukesha, Wis.; Santa Monica, Calif.; Big Sandy, Tex.; Sacramento, Calif.; Spokane, Wash.; Whittier, Calif.; San Rafael, Calif.; Mahaffey, Pa.; Dormantown, Pa.; Easton, Pa.; Butler, Pa.; Ogden, Utah—17.
Chatham, Ont.; Niagara Falls, N.Y. and Ont.; Oakland, Md.; Oldham, Eng.—18.
Rock Island, Ill.; Lima, O.; Nashville, Tenn.; So. Sharon, Pa.; Greenwich, N.Y.; Camberwell, Jamaica; Wermelskirche, Germany—19.
Gloucester, Eng.; Valdosta, Ga.; Rochester, N.Y.—20.
San Jose, Calif.; Medford, Ore.; Omer, Mich.; Auburn, Ind.; Chicago, Ill. (Polish)—21.
Grand Rapids, Mich.; Port Limon, Costa Rica—22.
Everett, Wash.; So. Knoxville, Tenn.—23.
Norfolk, Va.; Omaha, Neb.; Preston, Ont.; Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Vancouver, B.C.—24.
St. Petersburg, Fla.; Lancaster, Pa.; Mansfield, O.; Dallas, Tex.; Jackson, Mich.; Port Clinton, O.; Johnstown, Pa.—25.
Hartford, Conn.; New Brighton, Pa.; New Brunswick, N.J.—26.
Bloomington, Ill.; Tampa, Fla.; Worcester, Mass.; Iola, Kans.—27.
Cedar Rapids, Ia.; Galveston, Tex.; New Albany, Ind.; Milwaukee, Wis.—28.
Harrisburg, Pa.; Muncie, Ind.—29.
Liverpool, England; 30; Edinburgh, Scotland, 30; Sherman, Tex., 30; Cumberland, Md., 33; Birmingham, Ala., 33; Allentown, Pa., 34; Youngstown, O., 35; Springfield, Mass., 35; Autryville, N.C., 35; Hamilton, Ont., 36; Lynn, Mass., 37; Binghamton, N.Y., 38; Wheeling, W.Va., 39; Richmond, Va., 40; San Antonio, Tex., 41; Buffalo, N.Y., 42; Pasadena, Calif., 42; Houston, Tex., 42; Newark, N.J., 43; Tiffin, O., 44; Altoona, Pa., 47; St. Joseph, Mo., 48; Canton, O., 48; Stockholm, Sweden, 49; Denver, Colo., 50; Kansas [R4170 : page 149] City, Mo., 51; San Francisco, Calif., 60; Copenhagen, Denmark, 63; Cincinnati, O., 69; Toronto, Ont., 74; Ballard, Wash., 75; Scranton, Pa., 76; Providence, R.I., 85; Indianapolis, Ind., 90; St. Louis, Mo., 91; New York City, 95; St. Paul, Minn., 103; Cleveland, O., 109; Barmen, Germany, 110; Los Angeles, Calif., 150; Washington, D.C., 155; Philadelphia, Pa., 175; Boston, Mass., 216; Chicago, Ill., 225; Glasgow, Scotland, 263; London, England, 450; Allegheny, Pa., 493.
Last night two hundred and forty-six of us met together in an upper room in Glasgow and partook of bread and wine in commemoration of our dear Lord's suffering and death and of our participation in the same. In addition, seventeen brothers and sisters, who were prevented by sickness from joining us, were served in their homes. We felt it a solemn occasion, more particularly as we remembered that so few Memorial Suppers can now be held by the Church in the flesh. We called to mind that since the last occasion several of our number have passed beyond the vail, and we rejoiced to know that the time of our own deliverance from this world of sin and sorrow is now so nigh. Pray for us, as we do for you, that we may be found faithful.
The knowledge that our dear Brother Russell, to whom we owe so much in the Lord's providence, was at the same time partaking of the Lord's Supper so near to us, gave us great pleasure. We are praying that our dear Brother's visit may be greatly blessed of the Lord, not only to himself and to us, but also to many who are hungering for the Truth.
With much love in the Lord, yours in the blessed hope, JOHN EDGAR,—Scotland.
I take great pleasure in sending the report of the Memorial observance at Cleveland. There were 107 participants assembled; two, through infirmity of the flesh, were unable to meet with the others—making in all 109. As each Memorial draws nigh there seems to be a greater appreciation of this blessed privilege and a greater desire that we all assemble at one place, and not be separated into companies for the commemoration of the Lord's broken body and shed blood for the sake of the Church and the world. Truly, "Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love." And may the Lord grant to each and every one of his children more of his holy Spirit and love, binding our hearts into closer union and fellowship with himself and the brethren.
In our Lord and King, W. K.,—Cleveland, O.
I want to tell you that the little Church or gathering in this place, ten in all, partook of the emblems of our dear Redeemer's flesh and blood. We considered the nearness of the time when, if faithful, we shall be [R4171 : page 149] with our dear Lord and see him as he is. We considered also our part in the sin-offering; how our dear Lord bought us, how we presented ourselves to him, and finally how he, as our High Priest, will offer the blood of the finished sacrifice before the Mercy Seat.
There was one dear brother present who was reared a Roman Catholic, and this was the first time he had commemorated our dear Lord's death. It was good to see him. His face shone with love. It was good to be there. We also remembered our dear Brother Russell and all the dear ones gathered at that time. I think we were all made much stronger in the Lord. With much Christian love,