COMMUNICANT'S MANUAL - Simple and Practical Guide to the Lord's Table - Third Edition

Sep 28, 2026

A 19th-century Christian manual guiding young communicants in preparing for, receiving, and reflecting on the Lord’s Table. It includes instructions framed as questionings of the heart, reasons for taking communion, guidance for addressing excuses, and marks of unfitness. The text also outlines what qualifies a person to be a communicant, emphasizing repentance, faith in Christ as Saviour, and love for holy exercises, with scripture citations throughout.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages40

Reading Time1 h 41 min

AccessFree to download

In the Index

Questionings of the Heart

The Names given to this Holy Ordinance

The History of this Ordinance

The Sacramental Character of the Ordinance

Considerations and Counsels

Preparatory Meditations

Meditations when at the Table

Meditations after the Feast

Parting Counsels

BV 150 Cumung Te Com ucamtmannae.1877. EDINBURGHPUBLIC LIBRARIES Reference Department THIS BOOK MUST NOT BE REMOVED,UNDERANY PRETEXT,FROM THE REFERENCE DEPART-MENT.INFRINGEMENT·OF THIS RULE RENDERSTHE OFFENDER LIABLE TO PROSECUTION. Before leaving the Library readers must returnthe books to one of the attendants at the issuedesk,or they will be held responsible for them. Readers are required to take care of the books.Writing or drawing with pen or pencil on anypart of a book,or turning down the leaves.or cutting or mutilating them,will be treatedas serious damage. CoNVERSATION IN THE REFERENCE DEPART-MENT IS ANNOYING TQTHDRAND IS NOTPERMITTED. | Class. | Locaion. | Accession.
Bbo40 | | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | 150 | | | 2 THE # COMMUNICANT’S MANUAL. BY THE REV.J.ELDER CUMMING,D.D.,Minister of Sanduford Church,Glasgou. THIRD EDITtQN "This do in remembrance of Me." EDINBURGH:MACLACHLAN&STEWART. GLASGOW:PORTEOUS BROTHERS. 1877. # COMMUNICANT'S MANUAL: A # SIMPLE AND PRACTICAL GUIDETO THE LORD'S TABLE. ADAPTED FOB ribate se amo for imisters'@LIasses. BY THE REV.J.ELDER CUMMING,D.D., MTNISTKR OFSANDYFOED CHURCE,CLABGOW. THRD EDITION. "This do in remembrance of Me." EDINBURGH:MACLACHLAN &STEWART GLASGOW:PORTEOUS BROTHERS, TO THE MANY YOUNG COMMUNICANTS, (Nearly 1000 in number,) WHOM I HAVE ADMITTED TO @ge等orD’s abLe, I DEDICATE THIS LITTLE BOOK, WHICH HAS ASSISTED IN THEIR IN STRU CTION. SANDYFORD,October,I876. IN DE X. Page. Chap. L.Questionings of the Heart, 8 II.The Names given to this Holy Ordinance, III.The History of this Ordinance,IO IV.The Sacramental Character of the Ordinance,I3 V.Considerations and Counsels,, · I9 20 VI.Preparatory Meditations, · 22 VII.Meditations when at the Table, · 28 VIII.Meditations after the Feast, · 3I . IX.Parting Counsels, THE # COMMUNICANT’S MANUAL. CHAPTER I. QUESTIONINGS OF THE HEART. I.—Why should I be a Communicant? "I must by all means keep this feast thatcometh”(Acts xviii.21). I.Because of the parting command of mySaviour,—“This do in remembrance of Me”(Luke xxii.I9). 2.Because I must confess Him before men;and if I never keep this feast I deny Him. 3.Because He set me the example,—“Withdesire I have desired to eat this passover withyou before I suffer"(Luke xxii.I5). 4.Because of the benefits which I may ex-pect to receive from it in my spiritual life. II.—What excuse can I make for not takingpart in it? I.I see many do it who should not. But I see many pray,and go to church,andgive to the poor,who do so in a wrong spirit;and this should not keep me from doing so ina right one. 2.I do not feel prepared to do so. 6 But if I am not prepared to take part in thisordinance,I am not prepared to die,or even tolive.Dare I continue longer in such a state?This very day let me accept of Christ!(2 Cor.vi.2). 3.I am not worthy. But who is worthy in himself?Yet“who ishe that condemneth?It is Christ that died”(Rom.viii.34)."There is therefore now nocondemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus”(Rom.viii.r). # III.—What should“hinder me”to be aCommunicant?(Acts viii.36). There are three certain marks of unfitness: # I.To be guilty of habitual and unrepentedsin. 2.To be careless about the sins which youhave done. 3.To have no love for religious exercises orholy thoughts. IV.—What can qualify me to be aCommunicant? I.Are you sure you have accepted Christ asyour Saviour,casting yourself on Him? 2.If you cannot say so much as this,are yougrieving over your sin,and fighting against it inthe strength of God? 3.Do you think_that you can say honestlythat you are loving Jesus Christ? 4.Can you remember a time when you weremuch more careless about holy things than youare now?

FAQs

Why should someone become a communicant according to this manual?

It urges keeping the feast as a command and as an act of remembrance of the Saviour, confessing Christ before others, following Christ’s example, and receiving spiritual benefits.

What excuses for not taking part are addressed?

The manual contrasts wrong motives with right ones, and it warns that lack of preparation should not become an excuse, urging acceptance of Christ rather than continuing in an unprepared state.

What marks show unfitness to be a communicant?

It lists three marks: habitual unrepented sin, carelessness about the sins already committed, and lack of love for religious exercises or holy thoughts.

Sep 28, 2026

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