[The following material is taken from the Provisional Liturgy of 1857. Much of this liturgy was retained in the Holy Communion service of 1866. Parts in lighter text is material retained in the 1866 service.]
The Holy Communion, 1857
When the Communion is celebrated, this service shall take the place of the regular service of the Lord's Day.
The Minister, standing at the altar, shall begin thus:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen.
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, who by the blood of Thy dear Son hast consecrated for us a new and living way into the holiest of all; cleanse our minds, we beseech Thee, by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, that we, Thy redeemed people, drawing near unto Thee in these holy mysteries, with a true heart and undefiled conscience, in full assurance of faith, may offer unto Thee an acceptable sacrifice in righteousness, and worthily magnify Thy great and glorious name: through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Then shall the Minister pronounce, slowly and solemnly, either the whole, or some part, of the following selection of passages from the Holy Scriptures.
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. – Isa. Liii. 4-7.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me; for He was before me. And I knew Him not: but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. – John i. 29-34.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. – John iii. 14-17.
This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins , and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John i. 5-9.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. – 1 John iv. 9, 10.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing. – John xv. 4,5.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread which I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. – John vi. 51-58.
Here shall be chanted the Gloria in Excelsis, the Congregation rising; or else in place of it may be said or sung, either the Te Deum or the proper Canticle for the season; or a suitable Hymn may be sung.
Then shall follow the Gospel and Epistle for the day, with their proper Collect, and the Festival Prayer for the season.
After this, a brief Sermon or Homily may be preached, suitable to the occasion. Or instead of this, the Minister , may, if he sees proper, read a lesson of moderate length, taken from the Holy Gospels, on the history of Christ’s Passion and Death.
Having reached this point, the service shall now go forward with the recitation of the Nicene Creed (p. 16), the people rising and joining in it, whether spoken or sung. Instead of which, however, on the occasion of the last Communion in the Church year, use shall be made in the same way of the Athanasian Creed (p. 17).
Here shall follow a collection of the Offerings of the people, to be devoted to the service of the poor, or to some strictly benevolent purpose; during which the Minister shall read some sentences from the Holy Scriptures, such as may seem to him suitable to the occasion. When made, the collection shall be brought by the Deacons, in some proper vessel provided for the purpose, to the Minister; who shall then reverently place it upon the altar, in token of its proper meaning, as an oblation presented unto God. After which he shall uncover and expose to view the vessels containing the Bread and Wine for the use of the Holy Sacrament, and then proceed as follows:
DEARLY BELOVED IN THE LORD: Our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, when He was about to finish the work of our redemption by making Himself a sacrifice for our sins upon the cross, solemnly instituted the Holy Sacrament of His own Body and Blood; that it might be the abiding memorial of His precious death; the seal of His perpetual presence in the Church by the Holy Ghost; the mystical exhibition of His one offering of Himself made once, but of force always, to put away sin; and the bond of His living union and fellowship with them to the end of time. From all this we may understand how great and glorious the Sacrament is, and with what just reason it hath ever been regarded in the Church as that act of worship, in which men are brought most near to God, and, as it were, into the innermost sanctuary of His presence, the holiest of all, where more than in any other service it is fit that their adoration should be joined with sacred reverence and awe. We have to do here, in a mystery, not with the shadows and types only of heavenly things, but with the very realities themselves of that true spiritual world in which Christ, now risen from the dead, continually lives and reigns. See, then, as many of you as have it in mind to take part in this service, that ye be properly clothed for the occasion with the spirit of humility, self-recollection, penitence, and prayer. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Renew inwardly your baptismal engagements and vows. Renounce all sin both in your lives and in your hearts. Be in perfect charity with all men. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Present yourselves on the altar of the Gospel, in union with His glorious merits, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. And now that we may be able so to compass God’s holy altar with righteousness and joy, let us first of all bow down before Him, and make humble confession of our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness of the same through His infinite goodness and mercy.
All kneeling.
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who dost admit Thy people unto such wonderful communion, that partaking by a divine mystery of the Body and Blood of Thy dear Son, they should dwell in Him, and He in them; we unworthy sinners, approaching to Thy presence, and beholding Thy glory, do abhor ourselves, and repent in dust and ashes. We have sinned, we have sinned, we have grievously sinned against Thee, in thought, in word, and in deed, provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; our iniquities, like the wind, have carried us away. The remembrance of our transgressions and shortcomings fills us with sorrow and shame. Yet now, O most merciful Father, have mercy upon us; for the sake of Jesus Christ, forgive us all our sins; purify us, by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, from all ______ uncleanness in spirit and in flesh; enable us heartily to forgive others, as we beseech Thee to forgive us; and grant that we may ____ hereafter serve and please Thee in newness of life; to the _____ ___ glory of Thy name, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Here the Minister shall rise and say:
The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, grant unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe; according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things to the Church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.
And now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end.
Amen.
The whole Congregation now rising, the Minister shall proceed:
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up unto the Lord.
Let us give thanks unto the Lord our God.
It is meet and right so to do.
It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, Lord God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.
Thou didst in the beginning create all things for Thyself. By Thy word were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of Thy mouth. The armies of the invisible world, angels and archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities and powers; the glorious firmament on high, sun, moon, and stars; the earth and the fullness thereof; all are the work of Thy hands, and all are upheld by Thee continually in their being, as they stand by Thee, likewise, in their appointed order and course.
Thou also at the first didst make man in Thine own image, and after Thine own likeness, and didst set him over the works of Thy hands, endowing him with the excellent gift of righteousness, and forming him for immortality. And when afterwards, through the fraud and malice of Satan, he fell by transgression from that first estate, Thou didst not leave him still to perish utterly in his fall, but wast pleased to raise him up again and to restore him to the joyful hope of everlasting life, by the promise of redemption through Jesus Christ; who, being God of God, very God of very God, dwelling in the bosom of the Father with unspeakable blessedness from all eternity, at last, when the fulness of the time was come, came down from heaven, and became man, for us men and for our salvation.
For all thy mercies and favors, known to us and unknown, we give Thee thanks. But most of all, we praise Thee, the Father everlasting, for the gift of Thine adorable, true, and only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, who by his appearing hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. We bless Thee for His holy incarnation; for His life on earth; for His precious sufferings and death upon the cross; for His resurrection from the dead; and for His glorious ascension to Thy right hand. We bless Thee for the giving of the Holy Ghost; for the institution of the Church; for the means of grace; for the hope of everlasting life; and for the glory which shall be brought unto us at the coming, and in the kingdom, of Thy dear Son.
Thee, mighty God, heavenly King, we magnify and praise. With patriarchs and prophets, apostles and martyrs; with the holy Church throughout all the world; with the heavenly Jerusalem, the joyful assembly and congregation of the first-born on high; with the innumerable company of angels round about Thy throne, the heaven of heavens, and all the powers therein; we worship and adore Thy glorious name, joining in the song of the Cherubim and Seraphim, and with united voice, saying:
Here let the people join aloud in the Seraphic Hymn.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!
Then the Minister shall proceed:
THE LORD JESUS, THE SAME NIGHT IN WHICH HE WAS BETRAYED,
here he shall take some of the bread into his hand
TOOK BREAD; AND WHEN HE HAD GIVEN THANKS, HE BRAKE IT,
here he shall break the bread
AND SAID, TAKE, EAT, THIS IS MY BODY WHICH IS BROKEN FOR YOU; THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.
AFTER THE SAME MANNER ALSO,
here he shall take the cup into his hands
HE TOOK THE CUP, WHEN HE HAD SUPPED, SAYING, THIS CUP IS THE NEW TESTAMENT IN MY BLOOD; THIS DO YE AS OFTEN AS YE DRINK IT, IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.
Let us pray.
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, send down, we beseech Thee, the powerful benediction of thy Holy Spirit upon these elements of bread and wine, that being set apart now from a common to a sacred and mystical use, they may exhibit and represent to us with true effect the Body and Blood of Thy Son, Jesus Christ; so that in the use of them we may be made, through the power of the Holy Ghost, to partake really and truly of His blessed life, whereby only we can be saved from death, and raised to immortality at the last day.
Amen.
And be pleased now, O most merciful Father, graciously to receive at our hands this memorial of the blessed sacrifice of Thy Son, which we, Thy servants, thus bring before Thy divine Majesty, according to His own appointment and command; showing forth His passion and death; rejoicing in His glorious resurrection and ascension; and waiting for the blessed hope of His appearing and coming again. We are not worthy in ourselves to offer unto Thee any worship or service. Wherewith shall we, sinners of the dust, come before the Lord, or bow ourselves before the most high God? We bring unto Thee, O holy and righteous Father, the infinite merits of Jesus Christ, Thine adorable, true, and only Son, in whom Thou hast declared Thyself to be well pleased, and through the offering of whose body once for all, full satisfaction has been made for the sins of the world. Have respect unto this glorious sacrifice, we beseech Thee, in union with which we here offer and present unto Thee, at the same time, O Lord, the reasonable sacrifice of our own persons; consecrating ourselves, on the altar of the gospel, in soul and body, property and life, to Thy most blessed service and praise. Look upon us through the mediation of our great High Priest. Make us accepted in the Beloved; and let His name be as a pure and holy incense, through which all our worship may come up before Thee, as the odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.
Amen.
REMEMBER in mercy, we beseech Thee, thy Church militant throughout the whole earth. Let her ministers be clothed with righteousness, and her priests with salvation. Build up her desolations; restore her disorders; heal her divisions; and grant unto her prosperity, safety, unity and peace.
Amen.
WE commend unto Thee especially this particular church and congregation, pastor, elders, deacons, and people, beseeching Thee to accept their piety and faith, and to increase toward them Thy heavenly grace, so that they may come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
WE pray for all estates of men in Christian lands; for kings, princes, and governors, and for the people committed to their charge and care; especially for Thy servant, the President of the United States, and for all the rulers of this land and nation. Make us a righteous people, and give us power to serve Thee in quietness and peace.
Amen.
VOUCHSAFE unto us, we beseech Thee, favorable weather, that the fruits of the earth may ripen and be gathered in for us in due season; and be pleased of Thy great goodness to preserve us from war, pestilence, and famine.
Amen.
SEND forth Thy light and Thy truth unto the ends of the earth; cause the glorious Gospel of Thy grace to be proclaimed among all nations; and powerfully incline the hearts of men everywhere, that they may hear and obey the joyful sound.
Amen.
REGARD in tender compassion those among Thy people, who are called to suffer heavy affliction, or sore temptation and trial of any kind; and be Thou graciously nigh unto them with Thy divine help, according to all their need.
Amen.
ESPECIALLY do we commend unto Thee those departing this life. Let the arms of Thy love be round about them in their last hour; defend them against the assaults of the Devil; enable them joyfully to commit their spirits into Thy hands; and so receive them to Thy rest.
Amen.
O GOD, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named; we rejoice before Thee in the blessed communion of all Thy saints, wherein Thou givest us also to have part. We praise Thee for the holy fellowship of patriarchs and prophets, apostles and martyrs, and the whole glorious company of the redeemed of all ages, who have died in the Lord, and now live with Him for evermore. We give thanks unto Thee for Thy great grace and many gifts bestowed on those who have [thus] gone before us in the way of salvation, and by whom we are now compassed about, in our Christian course, as a cloud of witnesses looking down upon us from the heavenly world. Enable us to follow their faith, that we may enter at death into their joy; and so abide with them in rest and peace, till both they and we shall reach our common consummation of redemption and bliss in the glorious resurrection of the last day.
Amen.
Here let the people join aloud in the Lord's Prayer.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Then the Minister shall say:
Almighty God, the Father everlasting, from whom all blessing and power proceed, shed down upon you abundantly the riches of His heavenly grace.
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of His body the Church, who holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, and walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, send forth His light and His truth, and guide you in the way of eternal salvation.
The Holy Ghost, the Comforter, the Spirit of the Father and of the Son, come down upon you in His glory, and take up His habitation in your hearts henceforth and forever.
Amen.
The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Amen.
Here the Holy Communion shall take place. While a suitable sacramental hymn is sung, the people shall come forward for the purpose of successive companies, and take their position _______ __________ in front of the altar, [all] reverently and devoutly standing. The proper order requires, that the officiating minister should first receive the Communion in both kinds himself, and administer the same to his assistants; and that he should then proceed with their help to administer it, first to the elders and deacons, and afterwards to the people; distributing first the bread and then the cup.
The bread may be presented with the words:
The bread which we break, is the Communion of the Body of Christ.
The cup with the words:
The cup of blessing which we bless, is the Communion of the blood of Christ.
Or, instead of these forms, if it be preferred, the Minister may repeat the words of institution in full relating to each part; adding afterwards, any other suitable sentences which he may see proper to use, from the Holy Scriptures. It is not necessary, however, that he should continue speaking all the time he is distributing the elements; full silence at times may be better than any words.
Each company of Communicants, when its turn of receiving is over, may be dismissed with one of the usual Benedictions, or with this form:
MAY the Holy Communion of the Body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, keep and preserve you, each one, in body, soul, and spirit, unto everlasting life.
Amen.
Depart in peace.
When all have communicated, the Minister shall offer a free Prayer, or the Post-Communion Prayer may be said, as follows:
Let us pray.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, we give Thee most hearty thanks for the goodness Thou hast shown toward us at this time, in vouchsafing to feed us, through these holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of thy Son, our Savior Jesus Christ; assuring us thereby, that we are very members incorporate in the mystical body of thy Son, and heirs through hope of Thine everlasting kingdom, by the merits of his most blessed death and passion. And we most humbly beseech Thee, O heavenly Father, so to assist us with thy grace, that we may continue in that holy fellowship, and do all such good works as Thou hast prepared for us to walk in; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end.
Amen.
Then shall be sung or said the Te Deum, unless it may have been used in the first part of the service; in which case it will be proper to use instead of it here, the Gloria in Excelsis, or a part of the 103rd Psalm. After which the Minister shall pronounce, in conclusion of the whole service, this Benediction:
The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always.
Amen.
A Liturgy: or Order of Christian Worship prepared and published by the direction and for the use of The German Reformed Church in the United States of America (Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston, 1857) pp. 190-202. Copyright Public Domain.