Publication date
3/15/14
Volume
35
Number
6
The WatchTower
The Memorial Supper April 10th
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1914/6/1914-6-1.html
 
 
 
 
VOL. 
XXXV 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
MARCH 
15, 
1914 
THE 
MEMORIAL 
SUPPER 
APRIL 
TENTH 
No. 
(j 
We 
will 
celebrate 
the 
Memorial 
Supper 
on 
the 
evening 
of 
Fri<lay, 
April 
10. 
We 
trust 
that 
all 
of 
the 
Lord's 
consecrated 
people 
everywhere 
will 
avail 
themselves 
of 
their 
privilege 
of 
memorializing 
the 
death 
of 
the 
Redeemer 
for 
our 
sins 
and-as 
the 
Apostle 
points 
out-our 
participation 
with 
the 
Redeemer 
in 
his 
sufferings 
an<l 
death 
to 
human 
conditions. 
As 
our 
Lord 
and 
the 
Apostles 
met 
and 
symbolized 
his 
death 
in 
advance 
of 
the 
event, 
so 
it 
is 
appropriate 
for 
us 
to 
meet 
on 
the 
anniversary 
to 
cele 
bra 
te 
his 
sacrifice. 
The 
doing 
of 
this 
annually, 
in 
harmony 
with 
the 
evident 
purpose 
of 
the 
Lord 
in 
establishing 
this 
Memorial 
instead 
of 
the 
Jewish 
Passover, 
makes 
the 
occasion 
a 
very 
impressive 
one, 
much 
more 
so 
than 
any 
celebration 
which 
ignores 
the 
anniver­ 
sary 
feature 
and 
celebrates 
occasionally-monthly, 
weekly, 
quarterly, 
etc. 
Let 
us 
not 
find 
fault 
with 
others 
who 
do 
differ­ 
ently; 
but, 
as 
opportunity 
offers, 
let 
us 
inform 
them 
of 
our 
reasons 
for 
observing 
this 
great 
event 
on 
its 
anniversary. 
As 
often 
as 
we 
do 
this 
(yearly) 
we 
do 
show 
forth 
the 
Lord's 
death 
until 
he 
come. 
While 
we 
believe 
that 
our 
Lord 
has 
been 
present 
for 
a 
number 
of 
years-during 
the 
harvest-this 
does 
not 
himIer 
us 
from 
continuing 
the 
blessed 
Memorial 
of 
his 
death. 
Our 
thought 
is 
that 
our 
Lord 
meant 
that 
we 
were 
to 
continue 
celebrating 
his 
death 
until, 
at 
his 
second 
coming, 
the 
full 
harvest 
work 
of 
the 
age 
shall 
be 
completed, 
and 
the 
entire 
body 
of 
Christ, 
the 
church, 
shall 
be 
received 
into 
glory. 
Then, 
as 
he 
declared, 
we 
shall 
drink 
of 
the 
new 
cup 
with 
him. 
Whereas 
now 
we 
drink 
of 
his 
cup 
of 
suffering, 
shame, 
ignominy, 
reproach, 
the 
world's 
derision 
and 
opposition, 
his 
new 
cup 
will 
be 
a 
cup 
of 
joy, 
blessing, 
glory, 
honor, 
immortal­ 
ity-the 
divine 
nature. 
The 
Father, 
who 
poured 
for 
our 
Lord 
the 
cup 
of 
suffering, 
has 
already 
poured 
for 
him 
the 
cup 
of 
blessing 
and 
glory. 
As 
we 
are 
privileged 
to 
share 
with 
him 
in 
this 
cup 
of 
suffering, 
so 
with 
our 
resurrection 
"change" 
we 
shall 
be 
privileged 
to 
share 
with 
him 
the 
cup 
of 
glory 
and 
blessing. 
Yea, 
ours 
is 
a 
mingled 
cup 
now, 
a 
bitter-sweet; 
for 
by 
faith 
we 
already 
enjoy 
many 
of 
the 
things 
which 
he 
has 
in 
reservation 
for 
them 
that 
love 
him. 
In 
the 
Lord's 
arrangement 
the 
moon 
symbolized 
the 
Jewish 
prospects, 
while 
the 
sun 
symbolized 
the 
prospects 
of 
the 
Gospel 
age. 
The 
Law 
Dispensation 
was 
a 
shadow, 
or 
reflection, 
of 
the 
things 
future, 
as 
the 
moon's 
light 
is 
the 
reflection 
of 
the 
rays 
of 
the 
sun. 
Weare 
near 
the 
time 
of 
the 
rising 
of 
the 
Sun 
of 
Righteousness 
with 
healing 
in 
his 
beams, 
to 
flood 
the 
world 
with 
the 
light 
of 
the 
knowledge 
of 
God. 
Seeing 
this, 
we 
lift 
up 
our 
heaas 
and 
rejoice, 
as 
the 
Master 
directed. 
Since 
all 
the 
overcoming 
members 
of 
the 
church 
are 
included 
in 
that 
Sun 
of 
Righteousness, 
according 
to 
our 
Lord's 
parable 
(Matthew 
13 
:43), 
it 
follows 
that 
the 
elect 
church 
must 
all 
be 
gathered, 
and 
her 
glorification 
must 
be 
completed 
before 
the 
full 
light 
of 
the 
Millennial 
glory 
will 
shine 
forth 
upon 
the 
world. 
In 
partaking 
of 
the 
Memorial 
we 
may 
look 
forward 
with 
the 
eye 
of 
faith 
to 
the 
rising 
of 
the 
Sun 
of 
Righteousness, 
in 
contrast 
with 
the 
conditions 
which 
prevailed 
at 
the 
time 
when 
the 
first 
Memorial 
was 
observed. 
Then, 
the 
Moon 
(the 
Law 
Covenant) 
was 
at 
its 
full; 
and 
immediately 
after 
the 
rejection 
of 
Jesus 
and 
his 
crucifixion 
the 
Jewish 
polity 
began 
to 
wane. 
It 
is 
worthy 
of 
note 
that 
the 
very 
day 
on 
which 
Jesus 
was 
crucified 
the 
moon 
was 
at 
its 
full, 
and 
the 
waning 
began 
at 
once. 
So 
this 
year, 
on 
April 
11, 
the 
moon 
will 
be 
at 
its 
very 
full, 
and 
will 
then 
begin 
its 
wane. 
The 
11th, 
therefore, 
corre­ 
sponds 
to 
the 
day 
on 
which 
our 
Lord 
was 
crucified; 
and 
the 
eve­ 
ning 
of 
the 
] 
Oth 
corresponds 
to 
the 
night 
of 
the 
first 
Memorial 
Supper. 
EATING 
AND 
DRINKING 
IT 
WORTHILY 
As 
from 
the 
intelligent 
appreciation 
of 
the 
fact 
symbolized 
by 
the 
Memorial 
Supper 
a 
great 
blessing 
comes, 
and 
a 
joy 
pro­ 
portionate 
to 
the 
participator's 
faith 
and 
obedience, 
so 
also 
a 
condemnation 
attaches 
to 
an 
unworthy, 
improper 
participation 
in 
the 
Memorial. 
N 
one 
are 
to 
participate 
except 
those 
who 
have 
come 
into 
relationship 
with 
the 
Lord 
by 
consecration 
of 
their 
hearts-their 
all-to 
him 
and 
his 
service. 
None 
can 
come 
into 
this 
consecrated 
condition 
except 
as 
they 
have 
recognized 
themselves 
as 
sinners 
and 
the 
Savior 
as 
the 
Redeemer 
from 
sin, 
whose 
merit 
is 
sufficient 
to 
compensate 
for 
the 
defects 
of 
all 
those 
who 
would 
come 
unto 
the 
Father 
through 
him. 
All 
such 
should 
partake 
with 
a 
great 
deal 
of 
joy. 
Remembering 
the 
sufferings 
of 
the 
Master, 
they 
are 
to 
rejoice 
in 
those 
sufferings 
and 
in 
the 
blessings 
that 
these 
have 
brought 
to 
their 
hearts 
and 
lives. 
None 
are 
to 
drink 
of 
the 
fruit 
of 
the 
vine 
on 
such 
occasions 
except 
those 
who 
have 
appropriated 
the 
merit 
of 
the 
sacrifice 
of 
Christ 
and 
who 
fully 
realize 
that 
all 
their 
blessings 
are 
through 
him. 
None 
are 
to 
drink 
of 
the 
cup 
except 
those 
who 
have 
given 
up 
their 
all 
to 
the 
Lord, 
for 
this 
is 
what 
the 
cup 
signifies-it 
is 
the 
cup 
of 
suffering, 
the 
cup 
of 
death-a 
full 
submission 
to 
the 
will 
of 
God. 
"Thy 
will, 
0 
God, 
not 
mine, 
be 
done," 
was 
the 
prayer 
of 
the 
Master, 
and 
is 
to 
be 
the 
sentiment 
and 
petition 
of 
those 
who 
partake 
of 
the 
Memorial 
Supper. 
For 
others 
to 
participate 
in 
this 
Memorial 
Supper 
would 
be 
a 
farce, 
would 
be 
wrong, 
and 
would 
bring 
more 
or 
less 
of 
con­ 
demnation, 
disapproval, 
from 
God 
and 
from 
their 
own 
con­ 
sciences-and 
that 
in 
proportion 
as 
they 
realize 
the 
impropriety 
of 
their 
course. 
But 
let 
none 
think 
that 
they 
should 
remain 
away 
from 
the 
Memorial 
because 
of 
imperfections 
of 
the 
flesh. 
This 
is 
a 
great 
stumbling-block 
to 
many. 
So 
long 
as 
we 
are 
in 
the 
flesh, 
im­ 
perfection 
of 
word, 
dee<l 
and 
thought 
are 
possible-yea, 
un­ 
avoidable. 
St. 
Paul 
says 
that 
we 
cannot 
do 
the 
things 
that 
we 
would. 
It 
is 
because 
we 
need 
divine 
grace 
to 
forgive 
our 
daily, 
unintentional, 
unwilling 
trespasses 
that 
all 
whose 
sins 
have 
been 
forgiven 
and 
who 
have 
been 
accepted 
into 
fellowship 
with 
Christ 
are 
encouraged 
to 
come 
to 
the 
throne 
of 
heavenly 
grace 
in 
prayer. 
The 
Apostle 
says, 
"Let 
us 
come 
with 
courage 
to 
the 
throne 
of 
grace, 
that 
we 
may 
obtain 
mercy 
and 
find 
grace 
to 
help 
in 
time 
of 
need." 
(Hebrews 
4: 
16) 
It 
was 
because 
of 
our 
needs 
that 
God 
opened 
up 
the 
way 
and 
made 
this 
arrangement 
for 
us. 
By 
God's 
provision 
for 
the 
forgiveness 
of 
our 
sins, 
of 
which 
we 
have 
repented, 
and 
for 
which 
we 
have 
asked 
forgiveness 
in 
Jesus' 
name, 
we 
may 
realize 
ourselves 
as 
no 
longer 
sinners 
under 
condemnation, 
but 
as 
clothed 
with 
the 
robe 
of 
Christ's 
righteousness. 
This 
is 
the 
thought 
behind 
St. 
Paul's 
expression, 
which 
applies 
to 
every 
day: 
"I 
beseech 
you, 
brethren, 
by 
the 
mercies 
of 
God, 
that 
ye 
present 
your 
bodies 
a 
living 
sacrifice, 
holy, 
acceptable 
to 
God, 
which 
is 
your 
reasonahle 
service.' 
,­ 
Romans 
12: 
1. 
All 
Christians 
should 
keep 
their 
accounts 
squared 
with 
the 
Lord. 
If 
they 
come 
short, 
they 
should 
lose 
no 
time 
in 
getting 
the 
account 
squared, 
in 
obtaining 
forgiveness 
through 
the 
merit 
of 
the 
Savior's 
sacrifice. 
Such 
accounts 
with 
the 
Lord 
should 
be 
settled 
promptly 
at 
the 
time 
of 
their 
occurrence, 
or 
not 
later 
than 
the 
day 
of 
their 
occurrence. 
They 
should 
not 
be 
allowed 
to 
accumulate; 
for 
they 
will 
rise 
as 
a 
wall 
between 
the 
soul 
and 
the 
heavenly 
Father. 
But 
whatever 
has 
been 
the 
condition 
in 
the 
past, 
the 
Memorial 
season, 
above 
all 
others, 
is 
the 
time 
for 
making 
sure 
that 
no 
cloud 
remains 
between 
the 
Lord 
and 
us, 
to 
hide 
us 
from 
his 
eyes. 
Thul'! 
forgiven, 
thus 
cleansed 
of 
any 
defiling 
spot 
011 
0\11' 
robe 
of 
Christ's 
righteousness, 
let 
us 
keep 
the 
feast-the 
Memorial 
of 
our 
Lord's 
death. 
In 
it 
let 
us 
afresh 
acknowledge 
and 
impress 
upon 
our 
minds 
the 
importance 
of 
the 
merit 
of 
his 
sacrifice 
and 
death, 
and 
how 
it 
represents 
the 
grace 
of 
God 
to 
us, 
as 
it 
will 
by 
and 
by 
represent 
the 
same 
grace 
extending 
through 
the 
Millennial 
kingdom 
to 
the 
whole 
world. 
Let 
us 
remember 
also 
our 
devotion 
of 
oursel,es, 
our 
consecration 
to 
be 
dead 
with 
our 
Lord, 
to 
be 
broken 
as 
members 
of 
his 
body, 
parts 
of 
the 
one 
loaf, 
and 
to 
participate 
in 
the 
drinking 
of 
his 
cup 
of 
suffering 
and 
shame 
and 
death. 
"For 
if 
we 
suffer 
[with 
him], 
we 
shall 
also 
reign 
with 
him. 
"-2 
Timothy 
2: 
12. 
We 
trust 
that 
the 
c·elebration 
of 
the 
Memorial 
this 
year 
may 
be 
a 
very 
deeply 
impressive 
one, 
an 
occasion 
of 
rich 
bless­ 
ing 
to 
all 
of 
the 
Lord's 
consecrated 
people 
everywhere. 
"For 
even 
Christ 
our 
Passover 
is 
sacrificed 
for 
us; 
therefore 
let 
us 
keep 
the 
feast. 
"-1 
Cor. 
5: 
7, 
8. 
We 
trust 
that 
each 
little 
class, 
or 
group, 
of 
Bible 
students 
celebrating 
the 
Memorial 
together 
will 
appoint 
one 
of 
their 
number 
a 
secretary 
to 
write 
a 
post-card 
to 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
office, 
stating 
briefly 
the 
interesting 
facts 
connected 
with 
the 
celebration, 
the 
number 
present, 
and 
the 
number 
participating, 
so 
far 
as 
can 
reasonably 
be 
estimated. 
THE 
PHOTO-DRAMA 
OF 
CREATION 
We 
are 
not 
yet 
prepared 
to 
offer 
the 
DRAMA 
in 
the 
smaller 
cities. 
Friends 
residing 
in 
cities 
of 
50,000 
and 
upward 
de­ 
siring 
to 
co-operate 
may 
appoint 
a 
committee 
which 
should 
write 
to 
the 
Watch 
Tower 
Society, 
care 
the 
DRAMA 
Dept., 
for 
instructions. 
The 
committee 
should 
be 
of 
good 
address 
and 
fluent 
of 
speech. 
[5420] 
Vou. XXXV We will celebrate the Memorial Supper on the evening of Friday, April 10. We trust that all of the Lord’s consecrated people everywhere will avail themselves of their privilege of memorializing the death of the Redeemer for our sins and—as the Apostle points out—our participation with the Redeemer in his sufferings and death to human conditions. As our Lord and the Apostles met and symbolized his death in advance of the event, so it is appropriate for us to meet on the anniversary to celebrate his sacrifice. The doing of this annually, in harmony with the evident purpose of the Lord in establishing this Memorial instead of the Jewish Passover, makes the occasion a very impressive one, much more so than any celebration which ignores the anniversary fcature and celebrates occasionally—monthly, weekly, quarterly, etc. Let us not find fault with others who do differently; but, as opportunity offers, let us inform them of our reasons for observing this great event on its anniversary. As often as we do this (yearly) we do show forth the Lord’s death until he come. While we believe that our Lord has been present for a number of years—during the harvest—this does not hinder us from continuing the blessed Memorial of his death. Our thought is that our Lord meant that we were to continue cclebrating his death until, at his second coming, the full harvest work of the age shall be completed, and the entire body of Christ, the church, shall be received into glory. Then, as he declared, we shall drink of the new cup with him. Whereas now we drink of his eup of suffering, shame, ignominy, reproach, the world’s derision and opposition, his new cup will be a cup of joy, blessing, glory, honor, immortality—the divine nature. The Father, who poured for our Lord the cup of suffering, has already poured for him the cup of blessing and glory. As we are privileged to share with him in this cup of suffering, so with our resurrection ‘‘change’’ we shall be privileged to share with him the cup of glory and blessing. Yea, ours is a mingled cup now, a bitter-sweet; for by faith we already enjoy many of the things which he has in reservation for them that love him. In the Lord’s arrangement the moon symbolized the Jewish prospects, while the sun symbolized the prospects of the Gospel age. The Law Dispensation wags a shadow, or reflection, of the things future, as the moon’s light is the reflection of the rays of the sun. We are near the time of the rising of the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his beams, to flood the world with the light of the knowledge of God. Seeing this, we lift up our heads and rejoice, as the Master directed. Since all the overcoming members of the church are included in that Sun of Righteousness, according to our Lord’s parable (Matthew 13:43), it follows that the elect church must all be gathered, and her glorification must be completed before the full light of the Millennial glory will shine forth upon the world. In partaking of the Memorial we may look forward with the eye of faith to the rising of the Sun of Righteousness, in contrast with the conditions which prevailed at the time when the first Memorial was observed. Then, the Moon (the Law Covenant) was at its full; and immediately after the rejection of Jesus and his crucifixion the Jewish polity began to wane. It is worthy of note that the very day on which Jesus was crucified the moon was at its full, and the waning began at once. So this year, on April 11, the moon will be at its very full, and will then begin its wane. The 11th, therefore, corresponds to the day on which our Lord was crucified; and the evening of the 10th corresponds to the night of the first Memorial Supper. EATING AND DRINKING IT WORTHILY As from the intelligent appreciation of the fact symbolized hy the Memorial Supper a great blessing comes, and a joy proportionate to the participator’s faith and obedience, so also a condemnation attaches to an unworthy, improper participation in the Memorial. None are to participate except those who have come into relationship with the Lord by consecration of their hearts—their all—to him and his service. None can come into this consecrated condition except as they have recognized themselves as sinners and the Savior as the Redeemer from sin, whose merit is sufficient to compensate for the defects of all those who would come unto the Father BROOKLYN, N. Y., MARCH 15, 1914 THE MEMORIAL SUPPER APRIL TENTH through him. AJl such should partake with a great deal of joy. Remembering the sufferings of the Master, they are to rejoice in those sufferings and in the blessings that these have brought to their hearts and lives. None are to drink of the fruit of the vine on such occasions except those who have appropriated the merit of the sacrifice of Christ and who fully realize that all their blessings are through him. None are to drink of the cup except those who have given up their all to the Lord, for this is what the cup signifies—it is the cup of suffering, the cup of death—a full submission to the will of God. ‘‘Thy will, O God, not mine, be done,’’ was the prayer of the Master, and is to be the sentiment and petition of those who partake of the Memorial Supper. For others to participate in this Memorial Supper would be a farce, would be wrong, and would bring more or less of condemnation, disapproval, from God and from their own consciences—and that in proportion as they realize the impropriety of their course. But let none think that they should remain away from the Memorial because of imperfections of the flesh. This is a great stumbling-block to many. So long as we are in the flesh, imperfection of word, deed and thought are possible—yea, unavoidable. St. Paul says that we cannot do the things that we would. It is because we need divine grace to forgive our daily, unintentional, unwilling trespasses that all whose sins have been forgiven and who have been accepted into fellowship with Christ are encouraged to come to the throne of heavenly grace in prayer. The Apostle says, ‘‘Let us come with courage to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’’ (Hebrews 4:16) It was because of our needs that God opened up the way and made this arrangement for us. By God’s provision for the forgiveness of our sins, of which we have repented, and for which we have asked forgiveness in Jesus’ name, we may realize ourselves as no longer sinners under condemnation, but as clothed with the robe of Christ’s righteousness. This is the thought behind St. Paul’s expression, which applies to every day: ‘‘I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodics a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.’ ’— Romans 12:1. All Christians should keep their accounts squared with the Lord. If they come short, they should lose no time in getting the account squared, in obtaining forgiveness through the merit of the Savior’s sacrifice. Such accounts with the Lord should be settled promptly at the time of their occurrence, or not later than the day of their occurrence. They should not be allowed to accumulate; for they will rise as a wall between the soul and the heavenly Father. But whatever has been the condition in the past, the Memorial season, above all others, is the time for making sure that no cloud remains between the Lord and us, to hide us from his eyes. Thus forgiven, thus cleansed of any defiling spot on our robe of Christ’s righteousness, let us keep the feast—the Memorial of our Lord’s death. In it let us afresh acknowledge and impress upon our minds the importance of the merit of his sacrifice and death, and how it represents the grace of God to us, as it will by and by represent the same grace extending through the Millennial kingdom to the whole world. Let us remember also our devotion of ourselves, our consecration to be dead with our Lord, to be broken as members of his body, parts of the one loaf, and to participate in the drinking of his cup of suffering and shame and death. ‘‘For if we suffer [with him], we shall also reign with him.’’—2 Timothy 2:12. We trust that the celebration of the Memorial this year may be a very deeply impressive one, an occasion of rich blessing to all of the Lord’s consecrated people everywhere. ‘‘For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast.’’—1 Cor. 5:7, 8. We trust that each little class, or group, of Bible students celebrating the Memorial together will appoint one of their number a secretary to write a post-card to THe WatcH TowrEr office, stating briefly the interesting facts connected with the celebration, the number present, and the number participating, so far as can reasonably be estimated. THE PHOTO-DRAMA OF CREATION ‘We are not yet prepared to offer the Drama in the smaller cities. Friends residing in cities of 50,000 and upward desiring to co-operate may appoint a committee which should (83-84) write to the Watch Tower Society, care the Drama Dept., for instructions. The committee should be of good address and fluent of speech. [5420]

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