THE COMMUNION CUP.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 260, 27 July 1908, Page 2

THE COMMUNION CUP.

Sir,'—l was pleased --tooread " Couimoii Sense's" letter to-clay .on The common Communion cup. Some, of,your, readers will remember that I brought-'lh<f "Mbjeefc : ufr: iii' ■ tho' Anglican Synod- sevefil -years'-'ago.'- I knew as well as anyone Hhat'.my. proposal for a separate: cup' had i not the slightest chanco of being adopted. • The Church has always'refused to lead-in-'roforms, and "Will hold but to tho'last against any'modification of a practice, whoso very mention causes tho disgust which comes, of. knowledge abused, of risk unnecessarily run. That is tho mental disgust. The. physical disgust is as-strong. Tho lover-who ecstatically puts his'-lips to . the cup hallowed by the ruby touch: of- rosebud lips before the cup can bo carried away to be prosaically deterged" by-a soulless menial has : scieiico 011 his side a 6 long as lie remains exalted. But let him once come down to cold fact and examine his act- by tho light of that samo scicuco, and his chances. of non-contamination with anything tho fair one could communicate by the process, are small. . This is just the explanation of tho matter in tho uso of the cdiniiion chalice. Exaltation of spirit protects the devotee to a measurable degree; when, inquiry takes the;placo of that exaltation that protection • is gone. ' And the Church can no moro block inquiry than Mrs. Partington could'sweep back tho Atlantic. Inquiry is in tho air wo breathe, and in this ■ matter of mouth-carried infection is insistent. It;has already obtained loud replies. Hence'tlic disgust aforementioned. I am glad to think that you, permit 1 discussion of this matter in you columns; it . will help., it greatly. I,think "Common ! Senso" has painted in his. picture much .too i irii)dly..: f >Fortunatcly, in a'spiritual sense, all '• persons'aire equal. But all persons are not • equally aesthetically endowed; and the var*

qualification's sii T&sto makes that" equality somewhat 'of a'; menace. Think for a moment of all that'" Common-Sense" in- '.- f ft, m ' I ' s " cou g hs an( i colds." Think or the common necessary uncleanness of a moustache, and. of its appalling possibilities under the circumstances alluded to by "Common Sense." Think of the violation 1 of good •iii-! 1 a nlal >' s smoking and thee touching . witii his tobacco-fouled.lips the cup a Wealthy .' ; i° m ]g b°y .or-girl is'to sip from,-not to. speak °f a fashion-spoiled lady (I- smoke myself, but magna est, etc.). Think how- the doctors have been preaching the caro of children s teeth lately. Are we to ■ assume • that people grow up to. tooth-brushes-as" they grow up to long dresses and to moustaches? v0t..t0., mention, the epithelial scale,, which can convoy consumption as easily as anything else; and the non-expo'sure to the' attack-, of winch should be.,.the; business . nqt of 'the Church,.or of science,•but of tlie law.', : 'ln my opinion " Common Sense's" lady, .friend has acquired more sense than most, of her sex .without sacrificing anything of -Her. good breeding—l am, etc. I ,' July 2U. -,'VP, V. WATERS. -