# Presbyterian Communion Tokens



## Plimoth Thom (Oct 19, 2005)

> The sacrament of Holy Communion was precious to colonial Presbyterians (and to members of other Christian churches). Presbyterians followed the Church of Scotland practice of "fencing the table"--of permitting members to take communion only after being examined by a minister who vouched for their spiritual soundness by issuing them a token that admitted them to the celebration of the sacrament. The custom continued in some Presbyterian churches until early in this century. The tokens shown here were used in the Beersheba Presbyterian Church, near York, South Carolina. c. 1800.



This comes from a Library of Congress online exhibit Religion and the Founding of the American Republic. It has some really great primary documents and artifacts including Whitefield's "field pulpit," but unfortunately most of the commentary is typical politically correct "history."


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 19, 2005)

I have a Covenanter communion token. I know they were used often in coventicles. 

I agree with your take on the LOC exhibit. I have visited it before (I work nearby) and there are great historical treasures there, including the Gutenberg Bible, but as you said, lots of "politically correct" commentary.


----------



## Arch2k (Oct 19, 2005)

What do you say, should we re-institute them?


----------



## Arch2k (Oct 19, 2005)

Here's mine...


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 19, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Jeff_Bartel_
> Here's mine...


----------



## Me Died Blue (Oct 20, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Jeff_Bartel_
> Here's mine...



I personally would not want Lincoln's image on mine.


----------



## Arch2k (Oct 20, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Me Died Blue_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by Jeff_Bartel_
> ...



Oh, that's not Lincoln...it's Gillespie!


----------



## ChristopherPaul (Oct 20, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Me Died Blue_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by Jeff_Bartel_
> ...



Would you rather have "BS"?


----------



## pduggan (Oct 20, 2005)

What did you think was PC?

I mean


> The religious persecution that drove settlers from Europe to the British North American colonies sprang from the conviction, held by Protestants and Catholics alike, that uniformity of religion must exist in any given society. This conviction rested on the belief that there was one true religion and that it was the duty of the civil authorities to impose it, forcibly if necessary, in the interest of saving the souls of all citizens. Nonconformists could expect no mercy and might be executed as heretics. The dominance of the concept, denounced by Roger Williams as "inforced uniformity of religion," meant majority religious groups who controlled political power punished dissenters in their midst.


is basically true, isn't it?


----------



## yeutter (Oct 21, 2005)

I have a hundred or so. If someone needs one identified I have the standard work on the topic [now out of print]. I'll be happy to help you figuyre out what congregation issued it. I don't think there is a communion token collectors society in North America.


----------

