states, an
imperfect substitute for the primitive practice of open penance.
Notice that in using this Service we do not invoke the wrath of God
on sinners, but merely declare that a curse must rest on sin. The
Service is used on Ash Wednesday, although, if ordered, it may be
used at other times. The first seven sentences are from Deut.
xxvii.15-26; the eighth is from Jer. xvii.5; the ninth is an
agglomeration of sins condemned in Scripture. The _Amen_ here means
not _So be it_, but _So it is_. The exhortation which follows is a
succession of quotations from Scripture. The Rubric mentions the
"place where they are accustomed to say the Litany," which place
is neither the _pulpit_ nor _reading pew_ mentioned in the first
Rubric in the Office, but is a desk placed "in the midst of the
church" (Injunctions of 1549). Following the Lord's Prayer,
Versicles, and Collects, comes a most forcible confession couched
in the words of Scripture, but less comprehensive than those of
the Morning and Communion Services. The Blessing, added in 1662,
is a shortened form of the old Jewish Blessing (Num. vi.24-26), but
here it is precatory not declaratory.

COMMITTAL PRAYER. That prayer in the Burial Service in which the
minister _commits_ the body to the ground, "earth to earth, ashes
to ashes, dust to dust." (See _Burial Service_.)

COMMON PRAYER, _see_ Liturgy.

COMMUNION, THE HOLY. Variously called the _Lord's Supper_ and the
_Eucharist_. This Service, formerly exclusively called the _Liturgy_
is the highest act of Christian worship. We will consider it under
four heads,--(1) History; (2) Rubrics; (3) Service; (4) Views.

(1) _History_. The two Sacraments--Holy Communion, and Holy
Baptism--differ from all other Christian observances in that they
are the only two expressly ordained by our Lord. We have four
records of the institution of the Lord's Supper in the New
Testament, viz., Matt, xxvi.26-28; Mark xiv.22-24; Luke xxii.19-20;
1 Cor. xi.23-25. In obedience to our Lord's command, "This do in
remembrance of Me," we find the Apostles constantly celebrated the
Holy Communion; Acts ii.46; xx.7; &c. This was always accompanied
by a set form of prayer, traces of which we may even find in the
New Testament--Acts ii.42; 1 Cor. x.16; 1 Cor. xiv.16. Justin
Martyr, who wrote A.D. 140, gives an account of a Sunday Service.
Almsgiving usually, if not always, accompanied a celebration of the
Holy Communion. As the number of Christians incre