* The practice, later on, gave place to a week-night meeting, on Tuesday, for transaction of such "church acts."--A. T. P.
N.B. (1) Should any persons be present who do not break bread with us, they may be requested to withdraw whenever such points require to be stated as it would not be well to speak of in the presence of unbelievers.
(2) As there are two places in which the saints meet for the breaking of bread, the matters connected with church acts must be brought out at each place.
(1) _How frequently ought the breaking of bread to be attended to?_
_Ans._ Although we have no express command respecting the frequency of its observance, yet the example of the apostles and of the first disciples would lead us to observe this ordinance every Lord's day. (Acts xx. 7.)
(2) _What ought to be the character of the meeting at which the saints are assembled for the breaking of bread?_
_Ans._ As in this ordinance we show forth our common participation in all the benefits of our Lord's death, and our union to Him and to each other (1 Cor. x. 16, 17), opportunity ought to be given for the exercise of the gifts of teaching or exhortation, and communion in prayer and praise. (Rom. xii. 4-8; Eph. iv. 11-16.) The manifestation of our common participation in each other's gifts cannot be fully given at such meetings, if the whole meeting is, necessarily, conducted by one individual. This mode of meeting does not, however, take off from those who have the gifts of teaching or exhortation the responsibility of edifying the church as opportunity may be offered.
(3) _Is it desirable that the bread should be broken at the Lord's Supper by one of the elders, or should each individual of the body break it for himself?_
_Ans._ Neither way can be so decidedly proved from Scripture that we are warranted in objecting to the other as positively unscriptural, yet--
(1) The letter of Scripture seems rather in favour of its being done by each brother and sister (1 Cor. x. 16, 17): "The bread which _we break."_
(2) Its being done by each of the disciples is more fitted to express that we all, by our sins, have broken the body of our Lord.
(3) By attending to the ordinance in this way, we manifest our freedom from the common error that the Lord's Supper must be administered by some particular individual, possessed of what is called a ministerial character, instead of being an act of social worship and obedience.