Let us also consider this, that every one of these Corinthian believers who assembled

to partake of the Lord's Supper had some spiritual gift. It was not that a few had gifts, but

"every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an

interpretation" (I Cor. 14: 26). These supernatural gifts were in perfect harmony with the

dispensation in which they were given; they were, moreover, equally in harmony with all

that we have seen relative to the Lord's Supper. Will those who believe that the Lord's

Supper is for them, satisfactorily (i.e. scripturally, not traditionally) explain their lack of

these qualifications, which were possessed by those to whom the instructions concerning

the Lord's Supper were sent? The "Gifts" and the Lord's Supper ceased at the close of

Acts 28:; we search in vain for the faintest allusion to the ordinance in the epistles

written after Acts 28: Why should we pick out one item from I Cor. xi and seek to

perpetuate that, when we are compelled to confess that the very next verses in chapter 12:

are written concerning that to which we can lay no claim?

If we read I Timothy we find the apostle giving Timothy detailed instructions "that he

may know how to behave in the house of God." The apostle repeats some of his

instructions regarding the ministry of women (cf. I Tim. 2: and I Cor. 11: 1-17), and yet,

although the Lord's Supper is the very next item in I Cor. 11:, he finds no place for it in

his instruction to Timothy. The simple reason is that when the kingdom became in

abeyance, everything connected therewith necessarily went with it. Spiritual gifts, the

Lord's Supper, the covenants, all went with the kingdom teaching. The apostle was then

commissioned to set out the new economy. To him was the grace given "to make all see

what is the dispensation of the mystery which from all ages hath been hid in God" (Eph.

3: 9, R.V.).

This was a revelation of something entirely new, unforeseen, unprecedented,

something not found in the Scriptures, but hidden by God away from all ages. No one

could tell us what was to be observed or omitted except the apostle divinely appointed

and commissioned. He has told us. The epistles of Paul written after Acts xxviii contain

a complete system of doctrine and instruction for the church of the present dispensation.

Where anything that obtained under the previous dispensation was to be repeated, we are

told so. The repetition of the ministry of women (I Cor. 11: & I Tim. 2:) is a case in point.

Where a modification or alteration was to be made, we are told so. The specific statement

as to one baptism in Eph. iv definitely sets aside the two baptisms (water and spirit)

which obtained during the pentecostal period covered by the Acts, and gives us to-day

one baptism--that of the Spirit.

We do not find a catalogue of things which we are not to do, for the list would be too

great, and the record unnecessary. In the epistles after Acts xxviii we have all that is

necessary for our guidance, comfort and teaching. We add to the Word of God sent to us

by the apostle to the Gentiles at our peril. Those who desire to enter into the blessed

realization of the dispensation of the secret will abide by the revelation of God pertaining

thereto. Those who cannot rest satisfied unless they see or do something, will perpetuate

the observance of ordinances, but not without the inevitable consequences that follow

"zeal for God, but not according to knowledge." If we are right to introduce, upon our