The Lord has been pleased to leave with us still the communion seasons which have been a feature of Scottish Church life, and particularly of Highland Church life, for many generations. These seasons have proved to be on many occasions in the past, seasons of reviving and refreshing to the people of God, as well as times of awakening to sinners still in their sins. Even in the days of declension and backsliding which have come upon the Church of God in our day, the Lord still graciously favours His people with times of blessing as they gather on the mount of ordinances. We have reason then to value the privilege we have in this way of meeting together at such times and of enjoying fellowship and communion with the Lord and His people. We have little doubt that Satan would love to see such times brought to an end because of the opportunity they afford to the Lord’s people and to those who are still outside the kingdom to hear the Word of God and to witness, or take part in, the remembrance of the death of Christ.
The several days of the communion seasons, marked out as they are for the various duties required of the Lord’s people, that is, humiliation, self-examination, preparation, commemoration and thanksgiving, have proved helpful to the people of God in connection with partaking of the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. Though the days themselves are not necessarily bound up with the administration of the Sacrament yet these various duties are bound up with it, and consequently, the apportioning of specific days for these duties has not proved unhelpful but rather of considerable benefit. This has been the unvarying testimony of the most spiritually minded of the people of God who have been conversant with this practice.
In this dark day it ought to be a wonder to us to see sometimes two or three hundred people meeting together to attend the worship of the sanctuary. What reason for thankfulness there is that young and old are in this way privileged to hear discourses bearing upon the different themes applicable to each of the days of the communion. Other churches require to have their conferences, and other rallies and meetings. For our part we have little need of these so long as the communion seasons continue to be frequented by young and old. May it long be so in our midst.
One feature of these seasons which ought not to be overlooked is the opportunity they afford for gathering together at prayer meetings. The morning prayer meetings and the Saturday evening and Sabbath evening prayer meetings are often times of refreshing and when the prayer meetings are lively it is usual to find that the preaching is lively as well. Let us not despise the prayer-meetings. It is in answer to the pleadings of His people that the Lord bestows a blessing. “Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them.” Ezek. 36:37. “Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.” Is. 45:11. It is certainly encouraging to see the greater part of a large congregation remaining behind after the Sabbath evening service of the communion to attend the prayer meeting which follows it. Satan would have them otherwise occupied if he had his way.
Another feature of these Communions is the hospitality shown to those who came to the Mount. There are still those who have a heart and mind to open their homes to entertain the people of God and all who come to these assemblies. It is a token for good that the Lord gives them a mind to do so and we have every reason to believe that He will reward them for it. The fellowship in these homes in speaking on the truth or in narrating incidents in the lives of the godly of the past can be refreshing indeed.
After attending communion seasons the great question for each one should be—What benefit have I derived from it? If we are still in our sins then the question for us is—Have I obtained spiritual and saving blessings through the Word preached? Have I found Christ for my never-dying soul? If we are in Christ then we must ask ourselves—Have I obtained spiritual good for my soul? Have the graces of the Spirit in me been stirred up into lively exercise? Have I fed spiritually on the Manna which came down from heaven? Has Christ become more precious to me than He ever was? Have I been enabled to die more and more unto sin, and to live unto righteousness? If we were exercised in this way the season of communion and fellowship might prove a blessing to us even after many days.
There are those to whom the Communion seasons mean so much that they take their holiday at that time so as to be privileged to enjoy them without distraction. We would do well to emulate them in this—and if we did so in a right frame of mind, we have little doubt that at the end of the day we would have to say that it was the best holiday we ever enjoyed. Like the eunuch we would go on our way rejoicing, praising God and saying:
How lovely is thy dwelling place
O Lord of Hosts to me
The tabernacles of Thy grace,
how pleasant Lord they be.