It is the custom of the Church of God to use unfermented "fruit of the vine," Grape Juice. Perhaps this is particularly desirable in the United States where prohibition laws have made the other kind unavailable for this purpose. The Jewish people in New York have dispensed largely with the use of fermented wine at the sacrament, since prohibition went into effect.

Administering the Sacrament. It is surely the part of the ministry to serve at the Lord's Supper. However, there are many congregations that do not have a regular minister. Should they desire to partake of the Lord's Supper the elders of the congregation can surely serve.

How Often to Take the Sacrament. In many churches the congregations partake of the Lord's Supper at least once a month, and on Easter especially. In some churches, though very few, opportunity is given to partake of the Lord's Supper every Sunday.

In the Church of God each congregation has the utmost freedom in deciding when they shall have the Lord's Supper. It is felt by many that having the Lord's Supper too often lessens the sacredness of the occasion. Others feel that it is quite fitting to have the Supper at least once a month.

"As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,
ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.”

Feet-Washing

Now we come to something that raises a bug-a-boo from every quarter. "Me, take off my shoes and let some one wash my feet in church! And then me wash somebody's feet! No, No, No, Never!"

Why they're as bad as Peter, for let us read:

(John 13:4-17)

"He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. "After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. "Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? "Jesus answered and said unto him, what I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

"Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, IF I WASH THEE NOT, THOU HAST NO PART WITH ME.

"Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. "Jesus saith to him, HE THAT IS HE THAT IS WASHED NEEDETH NOT SAVE TO WASH HIS but is clean every whit: ******

FEET,

"So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

"IF I THEN, YOUR LORD AND MASTER, HAVE WASHED YOUR FEET; YE ALSO OUGHT TO WASH ONE ANOTHER'S FEET.

"FOR I HAVE GIVEN YOU AN

EXAMPLE,

THAT YE SHOULD DO AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not

greater than his lord; neither he that is sent
greater than he that sent him.

"IF YE KNOW THESE THINGS, HAPPY ARE
YE IF YE DO THEM."

There are three very striking sentences in this reference, that stand out in bold relief for the consideration of the Peters:

1. Jesus told Peter that if He didn't wash his

feet, then Peter would have no part with Him.
2. That if Peter were clean all over, his feet
needed to be washed, anyway.

3. "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed
your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's
feet. For I have given you an example, that
ye should do as I have done to you."

And a Fourth that some of us relish:

"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." I assume that every one who reads English understands this Scripture reference. The usual comment on this Scripture begins about this way: "I know it says that -B-U-T," and then begin the excuses. Now it would be much easier to lay your coat off, and gird yourself about with a towel, and wash another's feet, than it would be to get down a thousand reference volumes, and the dictionary, and old translations of the Scriptures to get out of doing it.

Perhaps you assure us that you "don't understand it." Well, my friend, no one accused you of understanding it. In fact, Jesus Himself said, "what I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter." Even if you don't understand, go ahead and do it. "We shall understand it better by and by." We're like children, lots of us. A mother

tells her boy to do something. And that boy argues with his mother about doing it long enough to have gotten it done and forgotten about it and have the parental blessing for OBEDIENCE.

"A Lesson in Humility." Certainly it is a lesson in humility. We all agree on that. Let us consider the nature of a lesson-in theory, and then in practice. You take a book and read all about just how to build a house. When you get through the book you don't say you are a housebuilder and it would be difficult to find any one who would hire you to build a house. But go and build a house, and you'll find there is much more to learning how to build a house in actually building it, than in reading about it. Theory doesn't count nearly as much as actual practice. The building of the house gets a house. Reading about it doesn't.

Perhaps you feel that you have learned the lesson of humility by reading that Christ washed the disciples' feet. But you would be surprised how much humbler you could feel if, like the Master, you would gird yourself with a towel, and stoop down and wash a brother's feet.

"Obedience is Better Than Sacrifice." Some have urged that to be willing to wash another's feet is sufficient. To that Brother Lemons very aptly said, "Then why be baptized-why not just be willing to? Why take the Lord's Supper-why not just be willing to? Why actually repentwhy not just be willing to?" The best way to prove that you are willing to be baptized is to be baptized. Likewise your willingness to partake of the Lord's supper, and to repent, is best demonstrated by actually partaking of the Lord's Supper, and by repenting.

Then let us be consistent all the way along the line

—and prove that we are willing to wash another's feet by
actually washing them. As a matter of fact, those that
repeatedly attest that they are willing to wash another's
feet and then do not do it, are down in their hearts really
not willing. James said: "I'll show my faith by my works."
Another group, allowing the enemy to cheat them out
of blessings which are rightly theirs, says: "Jesus didn't
command us to wash one another's feet; He only said that
we ought." Apparently that group consider that, "Well,
it's not a command, so I won't go to hell if I don't wash my
brother's fect." Whereas they ought to consider it in
other light altogether:

I place $1000 in a bank for you, and say, "You
ought to go down there and get it." It would be
difficult for me to imagine you replying, "Well,
you don't command me to go, so I'll not go
down." Feet washing brings a blessing that is
better than a $1000 gift. You don't think so?
try it!

an

Now Jesus instructed His disciples to "Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." He told Peter that if he did not take part in the feet washing he would have no part with Him. When Peter heard that he came down off his perch immediately, and said, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." I imagine Peter told of this in many a service.

In answer to some who feel that it isn't so important after all, since only one of the four Gospels records the incident, I should suggest that if they were invited to go down and get the $1000 referred to above, I venture the invitation would not have to be repeated.

Some there are, like Naaman, whom the prophet told