at for which the Church in Paradise is waiting in expectation. It
represents heaven, into whose blessedness the Church shall enter as the
"Church triumphant" at the second coming of our Lord.

When we enter a church, the part which is the center of attention is
always the sanctuary--the place of the Altar. To this the other parts
all lead up. It is the most elevated part, and here the dignity and
beauty of the decorations center, just as {31} all our life in the
fellowship of Christ's Church here on earth, our cross-bearing, and the
worship by which we are prepared and trained on earth and in Paradise,
all lead us heavenward.

The sanctuary is made the place of the greatest dignity and beauty, and
is most richly decorated, because it is the place of the Altar; and it
is through thoughts which come to us from the solemn service of the
Holy Eucharist, which is celebrated at the Altar, that this part of the
chancel is made the symbol of heaven.

Let us see from Holy Scripture what it is that our Lord, who in His
love did so much for us on earth, is still doing for us in heaven. "We
have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God, ... called of God a high priest after the order of
Melchisedec.... Because He continueth ever, He hath an unchangeable
priesthood. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost
that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession
for them." This is finely presented in one of our Eucharistic hymns:

"O Thou, before the world began
Ordained a sacrifice for man,
And by the eternal Spirit made
An offering in the sinner's stead;

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Our everlasting Priest art Thou,
Pleading Thy death for sinners now.

"Thy offering still continues new
Before the righteous Father's view;
Thyself the Lamb forever slain,
Thy priesthood doth unchanged remain;
Thy years, O God, can never fail,
Nor Thy blest work within the veil."

Now if we turn to the Office for the Holy Communion, we shall see how
the oblation in the Holy Eucharist is linked in with this present work
of our "great High Priest" in heaven.

In the Prayer of Consecration we say: "All glory be to Thee, Almighty
God, our heavenly Father, for that Thou, of Thy tender mercy, didst
give Thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the Cross for our
redemption; who made there (by His one oblation of Himself once
offered) a full, perfect, and sufficient