The battle of life : $b or, What is a ChristianA. L. O. E.
Religion
The battle of life : $b or, What is a Christian
A. L. O. E.
Children's stories, English; Christian life -- Juvenile fiction; Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
"Excuse me," said Harry, quickly; "the Christian feast of the Holy
Supper is founded on the Jewish feast of the Passover, which our
Lord Himself kept in obedience to God's command. If you turn to the
12th chapter of Exodus, you will find that on one particular evening
in the year, every Israelitish household had to partake of a lamb,
in remembrance of the firstborn of Israel being spared, through the
sprinkled blood of a lamb, when the firstborn of Egypt were slain.
'This day shall be unto you for a memorial, said the Lord, all the
congregation of Israel shall keep it.' * A Jew who should have
neglected attending the Holy Feast would have shewn, by such neglect,
that he cared not for the blood of sprinkling, that he did not choose
to cast in his lot with that of the Lord's chosen people."
* Exodus xii. 14, 47.
"But surely, sir," said Michael, earnestly, "we Christians in Britain
are not bound to keep a Jewish feast."
"No more than we are called upon to sacrifice a lamb," replied Harry,
"and sprinkle its blood on our door-posts. Our sacrifice was offered
once for all, when the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the
world, died on Calvary for us. But the feast which he ordained in place
of the Jewish Passover, is to be kept 'till He come.' † What are the
words of St. Paul on the subject? 'Christ our Passover is sacrificed
for us: therefore let us keep the feast.'" ‡
† 1 Cor. xi. 26. ‡ 1 Cor. v. 7.
"I never understood afore that the Passover had anything to do with the
Lord's Supper," said Michael.
"It was what is called a type of it," replied the officer. "The
Israelites in the Passover celebrated their deliverance from death,
and the bondage of Egypt; Christians celebrate in the Communion their
deliverance from eternal death, and the bondage of sin. The Israelites
rejoiced in the gift of Canaan, Christians rejoice in the gift of
Heaven. The Israelites, when starting on their long journey through the
desert, gained strength in body by partaking of the food which they
ate by God's command. Christians, in their long journey through life,
gain strength in soul by partaking also, by God's command, of bread and
wine, with faith and repentance."
"Oh! My friends, let us never forget this. If we feel that we are
sinful and weak, let us go to the Lord's Table for grace and strength
to struggle against sin, grace and strength to press on towards Heaven.
'Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith.' * The
Christian Communion is not only a service of obedience, it is also a
service of hope, and a service of joy."
* Heb. x. 22.
Harry rose as he finished the last sentence, but the old labourer did
not rise; Michael did not wish his visitor to quit the cottage just yet.
"Then really I may be angering God by leaving this thing undone," he
began, rather as if speaking to himself, than as addressing any other
person present.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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