Summary

Australia Victoria
Mint: Unknown
Other Details: Metal token, distributed by Elders in the Presbyterian Church in Victoria who visited parishioners in their homes before the quarterly Communion Service, and ascertained their readiness to participate in the sacrament. The token was then brought to church and collected during the service.

Physical Description

The token is stamped with two Biblical verses.

Obverse Description

LUKE 22:19/ THIS DO / IN REMEMBRANCE / OF ME

Reverse Description

1 COR. 11:28 / BUT / LET A MAN/ EXAMINE / HIMSELF

Significance

Presbyterians required a high standard of behaviour of their members, and also had a very high view of the sacrament of the Holy Communion. Unlike other denominations that held weekly or fortnightly communion services, Presbyterians held them once a quarter. They required that participants in the sacrament 'examine themselves' before coming to the service, and that they actively seek peace and forgiveness from anyone they had wronged before coming to church. To this end, Elders visited members in their own homes in the days before the communion service, and were meant to ascertain their readiness, and also to provide members with an opportunity to discuss spiritual concerns and receive counsel. It is not clear how strictly this procedure was followed throughout Victoria; no doubt it depended on the individual congregation and the personality and diligence of the individual Elder.
Note that despite the gender-specific nature of the translation (let a man examine himself), baptised women also participated in the communion service.

More Information