Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 24:95 (Jul 1867)
Article: Free Communion
Author: Sereno D. Clark

BSac 24:95 (July 1867) p. 482

Free Communion1

Rev. Sereno D. Clark

Part II. —The Specific Principles And Canons Of Scripture
Prescribing: And Regulating Church Fellowship

As intimated in the previous part of this discussion, it is not our object to break down denominational distinctions, or to consolidate all visible saints into one church organization. It is the farthest possible from our design to obscure the cardinal doctrines of revelation. We have no sympathy with efforts towards Christian union which undervalue these, or descry zeal in their honest defence. Such endeavors indicate rather a feeble grasp of gospel realities than that calm, rational charity which “worketh no ill to his neighbor.” There is nobler ground. It is the public recognition of the unity in Christ of all who have publicly entered into covenant with him. It is a unity of Christians and churches perfectly compatible with denominational distinctions, notwithstanding even the earnest defence of such distinctions; a unity which ought to be visibly recognized, and which we believe Christ intended should be specially recognized in the memorial supper, the family feast of the household of faith. While, therefore, the several denominational organizations may be retained in all their fixedness of outline, we affirm that the sacramental table of each should be free to all other denominations receiving Christ as their atoning Saviour. No bar-

BSac 24:95 (July 1867) p. 483

riers should be thrown around the sacramental board, save such as the nature of the ordinance demands.

In this discussion, therefore, we admit: 1. That believers alone may partake of the Lord’s supper.2 2. That to commune with a church one must give the body credible evidence that he communes with Christ, and that the proper way of doing this is the profession of his faith by entering into covenant with God and with the brethren.3 3. That the church of Christ is purely a spiritual body; the scriptural practice of infant baptism not being incompatible with the idea of a church thus constituted.4 We are willing in argument even to admit that infant baptism is unscriptural, and that it tends to paralize the church by introducing into it unsanctified elements; in a word, that the Baptist views regarding the rites and spirituality of the gospel church are correct.5 Our position lies below such supposed errors and their developments. It is, that actual life in Christ, under the conditions above stated, is the ground of eucharistic comm...