Excerpt from Plain Suggestions for a Reverent Celebration of the Holy Communion: Fond Du Lac Tracts

The Book of Common Prayer, in the Institution Office, calls the holy table an altar. It should stand at the east end of the church and within the communion-rails. This part of the chancel is commonly called the sanctuary.

The reason why the Christian Church came to place its sanctuary, or holy of holies, at the east end of the building probably was to mark the distinction between the Christian and its forerunner the Jewish Church, which placed its sanctuary at the west end. The Jewish Church, it has been remarked, since it looked forward to the death of Christ, placed its holy of holies toward the setting sun. The Christian not only died but rose again, and the belief that He will come in glory, symbolizes her faith by building her churches toward the rising sun and placing her altars in the east.

As an architectural feature the altar may have a screen of either wood or stone, more or less ornamented, behind it.

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