By Win. Freeman Jones, Iberia, Mo.

A tract under the above caption is before me. Its author, or authors, try to defend use of CUPS in the communion service with the following arguments:

1. Many states have outlawed the public common drinking cup, "and even the same in the communion service, because "medical science has shown beyond a doubt that some diseases are spread by germs."

2. "Some brethren . . .. take for granted a point which is to be proven—that the Lord has ordained that all should drink from the same cup. If such is the case, then few churches are scriptural, for all of any size have more than one cup for convenience. But in all that the Lord has commanded he expects us to carry the details out with wisdom."

3. "The command to do a thing implies everything necessary in obeying that command; also, everything helpful in obeying that command to the best advantage, if it is in harmony with the rest of the New Testament."

4. "When Christ gave the Lord’s Supper there was but one cup. There were only a dozen persons present, and they did not need any more. Sometimes now hundreds of people will meet together to commemorate the Lord’s death in this institution. For convenience’s sake it has always been a custom among the churches to have two, four, six or eight cups, according to the size of the assembly; and we do not remember of ever having heard any objections to the dividing into several cups until some now see that the principle of the individual cups has already been endorsed. The one who contends for one only should tell us what he would do in a church of several hundred members. The Book tells us to do all things unto edification, and would he think it edifying to sit for an hour each Lord’s day in silence while the communion was being attended to with one cup ?"

The concluding paragraph to this tract says:

"Those who urge the individual cups should be sure that there is real danger of disease, and those who oppose them should be sure that they are opposing a real departure from a New Testament principle."

1. A leading physician informs me that no state has laws against use of one cup in the communion service, and that it would be unconstitutional for any state legislative body to do so, according to decisions handed down by the state supreme court. But, even if our national Congress should be upheld by our federal supreme court in enacting such a law, should that abrogate the example and law of Christ?

And, admitting that medical science is right that diseases are spread by germs, who can prove that by drinking from the cup of the communion service the communicants may be in danger of contracting disease? "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24).

2. Beyond even the shadow of a doubt, there is no passage of scripture, which mentions anything about the communion service, that speaks ok or implies use of more than one cup, either in example or precept.

As in Matt. 26:26-28, we have both example and precept; and in 1 Cor. 11 :23-34, the apostle Paul mentions the example, also the precept of the Lord in his instituting or ordaining the Lord’s Table forhis people. Again, in 1 Cor. 10:16, the apostle specifically mentions THE CUP, as Christ did as recorded in the accounts in Matt. 26:27 and Luke 22:20.

Whether but few churches could be scriptural or not today, which use a plurality of cups, is not the vital concern for us, who wish to be righteous in our worship. What saith the scripture? It is not convenience, but obedience that counts for our decency and orderliness and salvation in this matter. "Whatever is, is right," said a historical voice. But, is it?!

Mechanical music is used by the popular churches for convenience. They say the exigencies of their case demand use of it. But, do they have a right to use it, and yet claim apostolicity in their worship? Contenders for CUPS among professed disciples of Christ say NO! With the plainness of the Word as to the ONE CUP for the communion, why inject CUPS where the Author ordains. but ONE CUP? In Eph. 4:4, Paul says, "There is ONE BODY." Will those among us, who contend for more than ONE CUP, dispute the apostle’s plain word by saying, "There is MORE than ONE BODY ?" No; perhaps they will say, to organize a "Bible" college, or a missionary society, or any other society for church work is to institute another body, or other bodies than the Lord has ordained. Why, for any apparent reason, shall we reject the ONE of the communion and uphold the ONE BODY as the only scriptural spiritual society through which to glorify God (Eph. 3:21)?

And, may I ask, with whose wisdom does the Lord expect us to carry out the details "in all that the Lord has commanded ?" To use CUPS would be to use man’s wisdom, for, the Lord has ordained but ONE CUP.

3. Whatever time it takes to carry out the Lord’s will in the communion is the time we must use. At Eola, Texas, it took 31 minutes to serve the communion with one loaf and one cup, and for the collection, including the remarks of the one waiting upon the Table, the thanks for the emblems, etc., 240 communicants participated. Was not this in harmony with the Lord’s wisdom, and but a short time for 240 souls eating and drinking of but ONE loaf and ONE cup, including the time required for the collection?

This tract’s authorship would devote several minutes to filling the individual cups for an assembly of hundreds of communicants, but inconsistently deny an assembly, who contend for the scriptural ONE CUP, ample time to decently and orderly (1 Cor. 14:40; Col. 2:5) attend to the Lord’s communion service! In the latter service no time would be squandered in pouring into hundreds of cups!

Those, who declare that the use of one, two, or more cups in so many hands in waiting upon the assembly, is in scriptural harmony, have no argument against those who contend for individual cups, because, if we may have as many as two cups, we may have any number of cups. But we repeat that the Lord’s wisdom gives us but ONE CUP!

4. Can we "do all things unto edification" while apart from the Lord’s wisdom? And above all, we have proven that the ONE CUP is all the Lord used and authorized. Also, false is the statement that all, who object to the plurality of communion cups, do so because denominations use them. As shown above, the scriptures approve of the CUP only by example and precept, as it approves of the One Body only by example and precept. There is nothing more plainly set forth in the New Testament record than the elements of the communion service. Therefore, those who contend for the use of CUPS in the Lord’s communion service, should cease their opposition to any and all unscriptural teachings and practices of the popular churches, for the Lord’s followers "walk by faith, and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 11:6; Rom. 14:23).

In 1 Cor. 11 :1, 2, Paul says, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you." Beginning with verse 23 he, giving instructions as to how to observe the Lord’s Table, he says, "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you," etc. See also Philip. 4:9; Col. 3:17.

"Consider what I say (that is in the Lord’s wisdom); and the Lord give you understanding in all things" (2 Tim. 2:17).