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ITS NAMES. This sacrament is called: 1. The Sacrament of the Altar,
because it is administered at the altar. 2. The Lord's Supper, because
it was instituted by the _Lord_ while the disciples were eating the
Passover _Supper_. 3. The Table of the Lord, because the Lord here gives
food and drink to our souls. 4. The Communion, because it is a communion
of bread and wine with the body and blood of Christ, a communion of
believers with Christ, and a communion of believers with one another. 5.
The Eucharist--a name derived from a Greek word meaning to give
thanks--because the administration of the Lord's Supper is attended with
thanksgiving.

WHAT THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR IS.

The Lord's Supper was instituted by OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THE SAME NIGHT
IN WHICH HE WAS BETRAYED, while He and the disciples were eating the
Passover Supper. [I Cor. 11:23-25, Matt. 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke
22:19-20] What the Lord's Supper is, we learn from the words of Christ
Himself as given by the evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and by St.
Paul.

THE EARTHLY ELEMENTS. The Lord TOOK BREAD, AND WHEN HE HAD GIVEN THANKS,
HE BROKE IT AND GAVE IT TO HIS DISCIPLES. AFTER THE SAME MANNER ALSO HE
TOOK THE CUP containing the wine, WHEN HE HAD SUPPED, GAVE THANKS, AND
GAVE IT TO THEM. The earthly elements used in this sacrament are,
therefore, bread and wine. The wafers which are generally used in
Lutheran Churches are unleavened bread--the kind which Christ
used--because at the time of the Passover no other but unleavened bread
dared be used by the Jews. The wine which Christ used was real wine, not