  Title: Ritual Conformity Interpretations of the Rubrics of the Prayer-Book Author: Unknown Other: B. Compton Language: English Produced by Elaine Laizure from images generously made available from the Internet Archive. [Transcriber's Note: Footnotes have been moved to the end of the document.] RITUAL CONFORMITY.INTERPRETATIONS OF THE RUBRICS OF THE PRAYER-BOOK, AGREED UPON BY A CONFERENCE HELD AT ALL SAINTS, MARGARET-STREET, 1880-1881.PARKER AND CO.OXFORD, AND 6 SOUTHAMPTON-STREET,STRAND, LONDON.1881. PREFACE.At a Conference of some friends interested in the subject of Ritual, held on January 17, 1880, the following propositions were, amongst others, agreed to: I. That the evil of unnecessary Diversity in Ritual, as practised in various Churches aiming at the maintenance of Catholic doctrine and usage in the Church of England, is real and great. II. That an effort to moderate it should be attempted, resting mainly on the united opinion of some of those who have given special attention to the theory and practice of Ritual, in their private capacity of Students or Parish Priests. III. That the effort should take the form of a body of Comments upon the Rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer, and that these Comments should include cautions against practices which are infractions of the law and usage of the Church of England. With the view of carrying these propositions into effect, it was arranged that a series of meetings should be held; and the Vicar of All Saints, Margaret-street, kindly provided a room at the clergy-house for the meetings of the Conference. Those who had met in the first instance were duly summoned, and others were invited to join them. The meetings were held at first on two consecutive days in alternate weeks, (since some of the members came from a considerable distance). Latterly, in order to expedite the work, meetings were held on three consecutive days in alternate weeks. In all, forty-eight meetings were held between January 17, 1880, and July 13, 1881. It was thought possible that by the co-operation of several minds, information might be collected from sources not commonly accessible, and perhaps hardly within the reach of any one individual. Among the members of the Conference also were those who had had experience of parish-work, as well as those who had devoted time and attention to historical enquiry into the origin and meaning of the Rubrics of the Prayer-Book, or who had made ancient Liturgies their special study: some, it may be added, combined these various qualifications. A hope therefore was entertained, as the second proposition implies, that by considering on very wide grounds (both practical and historical), and not from any one point of view, the various divergencies of ritual practice, some agreement might be arrived at even on the most controverted points. This hope has been realized. It was found that points which seemed at first to afford no basis on which agreement was at all probable, were settled, after long discussion, almost (if not quite) unanimously; but this involved expenditure of time, and much investigation into matters on which existing text-books were often silent. With regard to the actual diversities in ritual which came under the attention of the Conference, some appeared to be such direct infractions of the Rubrics that no explanation of the Rubrics could make their irregularity more evident. Others seemed to arise from well-meant attempts to interpret the Rubrics. These last formed the chief subject of the labours of the Conference. The main line of procedure laid down was a true and loyal adherence to the spirit of the Prayer-Book. A mere literal interpretation of the Rubric was found in many cases to be insufficient. Even if the existing Prayer-Book had been composed for inaugurating some new religious system, it would be scarcely reasonable to depend upon the abstract meaning of the words employed, without any reference to the circumstances under which the book had been written. But when we remember that the Prayer-Book of 1662 was the last of several revisions of the original English Prayer-Book of 1549, which was itself avowedly based upon the Ancient Liturgies, and carried on the existing and ancient worship of the Church of England (with such reformation as was considered needful), no mode of interpretation could be more misleading if rigorously insisted on, or so likely to cause error in practice. The Prayer-Book, however, in spite of the Revision of 1662, retains many vestiges of the foreign Protestant influence, which affected the Revision of 1552. With these the Conference have attempted to deal in a loyal spirit. However much they may be regretted, Churchmen are bound to accept them. For it must be clearly understood that nothing was further from the intention of the Conference, than to attempt Revision. So far from this, it was hoped by some that a careful series of notes explaining the true character of disputed Rubrics might go some way to allay the present agitation for change. The Conference cannot be blind to the conviction that they have to face much modern prejudice. On the one hand there is still rife in the Church of England the Puritan spirit, which condemns in one and the same category things essentially Roman, and things which are really primitive, but which have been retained by Rome. On the other hand, there undoubtedly exists an occasional reaction from this Puritan spirit, which has produced a prejudice in favour of things—whether primitive or not—simply because they are Roman. The Conference have felt that to yield either to one or the other prejudice was not the right way of dealing with the Prayer-Book. They have also been brought face to face with what are called "Legal decisions" on some questions of Ritual. Apart from the fact that the courts have given directly opposite decisions on the same question, and have given reasons in one case inconsistent with the reasons given for their decision in another; apart also from the fact that these are chiefly decisions of secular courts in purely spiritual matters; the Conference have been precluded from entertaining them, as guides or as helps, in consequence of the courts having generally acted upon principles of interpretation entirely different from those which the Conference had adopted. They have, moreover, found themselves in opposition to much modern practice, originating in carelessness and neglect in the due performance of the Services of the Church during past generations, but alien to the spirit of those Services, though often mistaken for their exponent. The Conference have had to investigate the origin and to consider the meaning of many practices, which appear either to be enjoined or implied in the existing Rubrics, and have, in the light of these investigations, set down unflinchingly what they believed to be the true interpretation of these Rubrics. At the same time, they have not shut their eyes to ancient customs, which, though less prominently connected with the Rubrics, appear to have held on concurrently with the Prayer-Book; being consistent with its principles, and not authoritatively condemned either by name or by implication. The Comments, which have been the result of their discussions, the Conference have printed, in the hope that they will be received by others as suggestions towards the solution of difficulties which must press upon all who desire to obey the spirit as well as the letter of the Prayer-Book. The entire adherence of any one to all the interpretations here offered is not to be expected. Indeed, those members of the Conference who have had experience in parish-work, are well aware that in comparatively few villages it is possible to carry out the fuller Ritual which the Prayer-Book admits: this can only be successfully adopted in large towns, or where endowments are provided, or other resources are available, for sustaining a high Ritual. It should be said, in conclusion, that amongst the members of the Conference, some have taken part in the work to a greater extent than others, and are consequently more directly responsible for the Comments, and able to give a fuller assent to them. It was impossible to consult every member upon each individual point. All that was done to ensure the expression of the general sense of the Conference, was to determine to insert no comment which was not approved of by two-thirds of the members present. Practically, it was found that in very few cases a formal division was called for, the agreement to the final form of the comments being generally unanimous. (Signed,) B. COMPTON, Chairman. Wm. Jno. Blew. H. G. Morse. INTERPRETATIONS OF THE RUBRICS OF THE PRAYER-BOOK.THE PREFACE.1. It hath been the wisdom of the Church of England, &c. It is important to bear in mind, in interpreting the prefaces and rubrics of the Prayer-Book, that they were written at various times, and that their language is not generally the current language of our own day, but the technical language of the times at which they were respectively written. The first section, headed "The Preface," was added in 1662 to the second, entitled "Concerning the Service of the Church," which is the original Preface to the Prayer-Book of 1549, with some important additions and slight omissions made in 1552. The "Order how the Psalter is appointed to be read," dates mainly from 1549. The "Order how the rest of Holy Scripture is appointed to be read," with the Tables of Proper Psalms, and Lessons, and the Calendar—originally forming part of the book of 1549—was adopted with slight alteration in 1662, but was much varied in 1871. CONCERNING THE SERVICE OF THE CHURCH.2. There was never any thing by the wit of man so well devised, &c. It seems that, having regard to the circumstances under which this rubric was framed, the 'diversity to be appeased,' and the 'doubts to be resolved,' concerned only the manner of saying and singing the Morning and Evening Prayer, not the manner of administration of the Sacraments or other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church. Nor were any 'parties' contemplated as likely to 'doubt, or diversely take anything,' except the clergy. The contemporaneous Latin translation of the English Prayer-Book expressly confines this provision of resort to the Bishop of the diocese to questions arising inter ministros. The Bishop of the Diocese was the proper person to resort to, both on account of his sacred office, which gave him authority, and also as being at that time the person likely to be best informed on questions of this kind, as the Epistle, and Gospel for Quinquagesima Sunday (with the addition of the Collect of Ash Wednesday), but the Scotch Prayer-Book directs the use of the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for Ash Wednesday only; and Bishop Cosin directed the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for Quinquagesima Sunday to serve only until Ash Wednesday. When more than one Collect is appointed for the day, by reason of the coincidence of Holy Days, the question arises which Holy Day should take precedence. Coincidence includes (a) occurrence (i.e. the falling on the same day of two occasions having special services), and (b) concurrence, when the one falls on the morrow of the other. By taking precedence is meant, that when two Holy Days occur, the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, the Proper Psalms and Lessons (if any) of the superior day should be used. But in certain cases of occurrence, noticed in the following Table, a memorial of the inferior day should be made, by using the Collect appointed for it in addition to, and after, the Collect for the superior day, at all services at which the Collect for the day is to be said. In other cases, the services of the inferior day must be entirely omitted for that year, or transferred to the morrow, or some subsequent date, in accordance with ancient custom. The Prayer-Book gives no directions for such transference, but the total loss for the year of such Festivals as the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, or of the Dedication and the Title of a Church, would be much to be regretted. The following Table exhibits the precedence of Holy Days: First Sunday in Advent takes precedence of St. Andrew's Day. Fourth Sunday in Advent takes precedence of St. Thomas' Day. St. Stephen's Day " The Epiphany takes precedence of Second Sunday after The Conversion of St. Paul takes precedence of Third Sunday The Purification takes precedence of Fourth Sunday after Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima Sundays take Ash Wednesday takes precedence of St. Matthias' Day. Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Sundays in Lent take precedence The services of the season from Evening Prayer on Wednesday in First Sunday after Easter takes precedence of the Annunciation, " take precedence of Second, Ascension Day takes precedence of SS. Philip and James' Day. The Services of the season from Whitsun Eve till Saturday in Trinity Sunday takes precedence of St. Barnabas' Day. St. Barnabas' Day, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, St. The Feasts of the Dedication and Title of a Church rank as Octaves are not mentioned by name in the Prayer-Book, but are 7. PROPER LESSONSTo be read at Morning and Evening Prayer, on the Sundays, and other LESSONS PROPER FOR HOLY-DAYS.8. PROPER PSALMS ON CERTAIN DAYS.9. THE CALENDAR, WITH THE TABLE OF LESSONS.The Black-letter days, especially those that commemorate Scriptural persons and events, should be observed if possible. They may be marked by sermons and suitable hymns. 10. TABLES AND RULESFor the Moveable and Immoveable Feasts; together with the Days of 11. RULES to know when the Moveable Feasts and Holy-days begin. 12. A TABLE of all the Feasts that are to be observed in the Church of England throughout the Year. All Sundays in the Year. " S. Peter the Apostle. Monday and Tuesday in Easter-week. Monday and Tuesday 13. A TABLE of the Vigils, Fasts, and Days of Abstinence, to be observed in the Year. " The Nativity of our Lord. " S. John Baptist. Note, That if any of these Feast-Days fall upon a Monday, then the Vigil or Fast-Day shall be kept upon the Saturday, and not upon the Sunday next before it. This Table includes several days not anciently observed as Fast-days, and refers to private observance and not to public service. When a Saint's Day which is preceded by a Vigil falls on a Monday, though the fast of the Vigil is to be kept on the Saturday, yet the Collect for the Saint's Day is not to be said on the Saturday evening, but on the evening of Sunday, in accordance with Rubric (82). DAYS of Fasting, or Abstinence. I. The Forty Days of Lent. The word 'or' implies a distinction in the mode of observing these days: Nos. I. and II. in the 'Table,' viz., the Forty Days of Lent and the Ember-days, are days of Fasting: Nos. III. and IV., viz., the three Rogation-days and Fridays, except Christmas-Day, are days of Abstinence. 14. A CERTAIN SOLEMN DAY, for which a particular Service is appointed. The Twentieth Day of June, being the Day on which her Majesty began her happy Reign. THE ORDER FORMORNING AND EVENING PRAYERDAILY TO BE SAID AND USED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.15. The Morning and Evening Prayer shall be used in the accustomed Place of the Church, Chapel, or Chancel; except it shall be otherwise determined by the Ordinary of the Place. And the Chancels shall remain as they have done in times past. The direction given in the first clause of this rubric was introduced in 1559, in correction of the order of 1552, which had enabled the Minister to choose any place in which the people could best hear. It was retained in 1662, and in reading the clause with the second, it appears distinctly to point to the ancient use, when the accustomed place for the minister was within the chancel. The direction that the Chancels shall remain as in times past, dates from 1552, and must therefore refer to arrangements before that time. It seems also definitely to refer to the retaining the screen, and the steps, as interpreted by the order of 1561. Hence no fixtures may be introduced, such as pews, monuments, &c., nor any alteration made in the furniture or ornaments of the Chancels, which will interfere with the convenience of the Minister and Clerks in the celebration of Holy Communion, or other offices of the Church. 16. And here is to be noted, that such Ornaments of the Church, and of the Ministers thereof, at all Times of their Ministration, shall be retained, and be in use, as were in this Church of England, by the Authority of Parliament, in the Second Year of the Reign of King Edward the Sixth. This paragraph of the rubric is essentially taken from the Act of Uniformity of 1559. In the ecclesiastical language of that day, the word 'ornaments' technically includes everything which is connected with the purposes of the consecrated building beyond the mere fabric of the building, and with the dress of the officiating Minister beyond his usual dress in secular life. In the Act of 1559, the intention was to take as the basis of the Prayer-Book then authorized the Book of the fifth and sixth years of Edward VI. (1552); but to adopt the ornaments of another period, viz. of the second, not of the fifth year of Edward VI.[a] The ornaments of the second year are those which were intended to be, and were actually, used under the Prayer-Book of 1549. Whatever question may arise about other ornaments, there can be no question about those prescribed by that Book, as well as those implied in it. As to those which were not prescribed by, or implied in, that book, they must be determined by the existing usage of the time, subject to such modifications as were implied by the Injunctions, or other authoritative documents, up to the year 1548. The following ornaments are prescribed by the Book of 1549. 1. Altar. 9. Surplice. 2. Chalice. 10. Hood. 3. Paten. 11. Albe. 4. Corporas. 12. Vestment[b]. 5. Font. 13. Tunicle. 6. Poor Man's Box. 14. Rochet. 7. Bell. 15. Cope. 8. Pulpit. 16. Pastoral Staff. This rubric, if construed to include only these ornaments, would exclude many things which common sense and custom have sanctioned; and if the doctrine that "omission is prohibition" be insisted on, would actually shut out organs or harmoniums, hangings on doorways, seats for priests, clerks, and people, stoves, hassocks, pulpit-cloths or pulpit-cushions, pews, Christmas decorations, and the use of the pulpit or bell except on Ash Wednesday; it would forbid any bishop to officiate publicly on any occasion without a cope or vestment and pastoral staff. On the other hand, there seems to be a limit to laxity in construing the rubric, and that it cannot, unless this laxity be strained beyond the bounds of reason, be taken to admit the substitution of other ornaments for those which the rubric enjoins; such as the use of a bason in, or instead of the Church font, of a common bottle for the Holy Communion, of a black gown instead of an authorised vesture in the pulpit during the Communion Service, or of foreign forms of surplices and vestments instead of the English ones. In general, the more nearly the ornaments of the Church and Minister, and the use thereof, are conformed to the English, usage in the early years of the reign of Edward VI., the better; as marking the continuity of the English Church, and avoiding the imputation of adopting at second hand the ornaments and usages of foreign communions, whether Belgian, French, Italian, or Swiss. Nevertheless, the non-user of any legal ornaments, such as the Eucharistic Vestments, in any old Church, for a long period, seems to be a valid plea against any absolute obligation of sudden restoration in that Church, when the communicants do not desire them to be restored. With regard to the colours of the Priest's vestments, and of other coloured ornaments of the Church and Minister, there were variations in different Churches. In the rubric of Sarum, which seems to have been regarded as a standard of English usage up to the beginning of the reign of Edward VI., red was directed to be used on all Sundays in the year, except in the Easter season and the Ascension festival (up to Whitsun Eve), and except on any other festival marked by the use of white, which takes precedence of the particular Sunday. In these cases the colour would be white. Also on the Circumcision the colour would be White. On Week-days the colour generally followed the colour of the Sunday or other day, the Communion Office of which was used. The inventories, however, of many Churches made in the middle of the sixteenth century shew that numerous colours were in use, such as blue, green, black, and others (many of which it is difficult to reconcile with any known ritual). In their use, regard was probably had rather to their comparative splendour than to their colour. The rubrics of 1549, 1559, and 1662 did not disturb them. And therefore, although neither law nor custom recognise the modern Roman sequence of colours, still there is precedent for the use of colours not specified in the rubric of Sarum, on days not mentioned therein, especially in Churches which already possess them. THE ORDER FOR MORNING PRAYER,17. Daily throughout the Year. In coming into Church (as in going out of the same, and in going up to, and coming down from the altar) obeisance is made by the minister as an ancient and devout usage[c]. 18. At the beginning of Morning Prayer the Minister shall read with a loud voice some one or more of these Sentences of the Scriptures that follow. And then he shall say that which is written after the said Sentences. Two terms are here used, viz., 'read with a loud voice,' and 'say.' The words 'a loud voice' have been continued in the opening rubric of the service since 1549, when the Priest was directed to 'begin with a loud voice the Lord's Prayer,' which previously had been said 'secreto.' In 1552, when the office was arranged to begin with the Sentences, they were ordered to be 'read with a loud voice.' That 'read' may mean a musical recital, whether monotone or inflected, can be inferred from the rubric of the lessons which existed in the Prayer-Book from 1549 to 1604. "Then shall be read two Lessons distinctly with a loud voice, that the people may hear. . . . And, to the end that the people may better hear, in such places where they do sing, there shall the Lessons be sung in a plain tune after the manner of distinct reading, and likewise the Epistle and Gospel." The 'Ministers' in 1661 took 'Exceptions' to this rubric on the ground that this portion of the Service "being for the most part neither Psalms nor Hymns, we know no warrant why they should be sung in any place, and conceive that the distinct reading of them with an audible voice tends more to the edification of the Church." To this the bishops replied, that "the rubric directs only such singing as is after the manner of distinct reading, and we never heard of any inconvenience thereby, and therefore conceive this demand to be needless." The latter portion of this rubric, explaining the most effectual manner of distinct reading, was indeed omitted in 1662; but, though the Lessons, Epistle, and Gospel are no longer required to be 'sung' anywhere, the word 'read' must have included that manner of reading when directed for the Sentences in 1552. The word 'say' was applied to the Exhortation, 'Dearly beloved,' &c., when that was introduced in 1552, and has been continued ever since. It occurs in the rubric before the versicles after the first Lord's Prayer (No. 23, below), viz., 'Then likewise shall he say,' dating from 1549, where the word 'likewise' indicated that the word 'begin' in the preceding rubric of that book meant 'say.' And if the word 'likewise' had been used in the latter portion of this rubric, 'read' must have been also interpreted to be identical with 'say.' But it is not used here, and therefore, the word 'read' need not mean the same as the word 'say;' and, consequently, while 'say' strictly means a monotone (as distinct from 'sing,' which implies inflections); 'read' includes some other mode of reciting the Sentences, such as singing. This rubric does not give any direction as to the posture or position of the Minister at the Sentences and Exhortation. But the next rubric implies standing to be the posture; while his position is indicated in the answer of the Bishops to the Ministers in the Savoy Conference, "The Minister turning to the people is not most convenient throughout the whole ministration. When he speaks to them, as in Lessons, Absolution, and Benediction, it is convenient that he turn to them." The Exhortation falls under this class. Further, the Bishops said, "When he speaks for them to God, it is fit they should all turn another way, as the Ancient Church ever did." But the Sentences are not in the nature of prayer; therefore, the Minister in reading them would seem to be correct if he stood 'stall-wise,' as he would in complying with the order that 'the chancels shall remain as they have done in times past.' In selecting the particular Sentences for use at certain seasons it seems suitable to use in Advent, 'Repent ye,' &c. The other Sentences can be used at any time. 19. A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling. Almighty and most merciful Father, &c. The epithet 'general' prefixed to the word 'Confession' mainly refers to the generality of its expressions, as being said by the whole congregation, and not being individual or particular. It was ordered to be said not 'with' but 'after' the Minister—i.e. each clause, as marked by an initial capital, should be completely said by the Minister, and then repeated by the congregation. This was probably because the congregation required to be taught it, it being new in 1552. The phrase 'humble voice,' in the closing Sentence of the preceding Exhortation, seems to have a double force, moral and vocal; and to point to the careful solemnity with which the Confession should be said. A low pitch of voice, therefore, such as is easily within the reach of all, and a moderately slow time, seem absolutely necessary. In Musical Services it is best to recite on E rather than on G or A, to the end of the Lord's Prayer, dropping a third to C, as customary, at 'O Lord, open Thou our lips,' and rising to G at 'Glory be to the Father,' &c. On this point it should be remembered that the standard musical pitch three centuries ago—i.e. in the time of Marbeck and Tallis—was considerably, lower than the present standard pitch. 20. The Absolution, or Remission of sins, to be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing; the people still kneeling. Almighty God, &c. Of late years. Bishops, when present at Morning Prayer, have sometimes pronounced this Absolution instead of the Priest who is officiating. But the absence of any such direction as that which is given in the Communion Office appears to shew that this practice was not intended at Morning or Evening Prayer. A Deacon, officiating in the absence of a Priest, may not use this Absolution as a prayer, nor may he substitute for it either the prayer, 'O God, whose nature,' &c. or any other prayer. 21. The people shall answer here, and at the end of all other prayers, Amen. Amen is a ratification of what has preceded, sometimes by the speaker himself, as in S. John v. 24, 25, vi. 53, Rom. ix. 5; sometimes by the hearers, as in Deut. xxvii. 15, &c., Psalm cvi. 48, I Cor. xiv. 16. When used at the conclusion of parts of Divine Service in which the Minister and people join aloud, as in Confessions, Creeds, the Lord's Prayer, and Doxologies, it will be said, as part of the devotion itself, by both Minister and people. When used after acts of worship in which the Minister only has spoken, as in Absolutions, Benedictions, and 'other prayers' said by the minister alone, it is an answer of the people, and therefore to be said by the people only. In the Lord's Prayer at the beginning of the Communion Office, and in the formulae of Baptism, and of reception into the Church, it is a ratification by the speaker himself, not an answer of the people, and should not, as it seems, be said by the people also. 22. Then the Minister shall kneel, and say the Lord's Prayer with an audible voice; the people also kneeling, and repeating it with him, both here, and wheresoever else it is used in Divine Service. The Lord's Prayer is to be repeated by the people with, not after the Minister, i.e., taking up each clause as he begins it, in the same manner as the Creed. It was ordered in 1549, 1552, and 1604, that the Priest [Minister] should begin the Lord's Prayer. This is a reason for the practice of the Priest saying the first two words alone. 23. Then likewise he shall say, O Lord, open, &c. 24. Here all standing up, the Priest shall say, Glory be, &c. The posture of standing, here directed, is to be continued through the Venite and Psalms. It is a devout usage to turn to the East at the Gloria Patri. (See ante p. 12, note d.) It is also an old custom in some places to bow. 25. Then shall be said or sung this Psalm following: except on Easter-Day, upon which another Anthem is appointed; and on the Nineteenth day of every Month it is not to be read here, but in the ordinary Course of the Psalms. O come, let us sing, &c. With regard to Easter Day, it is to be noticed that the "other anthem" provided for that day is intended to be used on that day only and not during the Octave, in accordance with the ancient precedent, of using on Easter Day only the short Introductory Office in which the central part and foundation of the Anthem (viz., 'Christ being raised,' &c.) occurred. If it be desired, therefore, to use this group of Anthems during the remainder of Easter Week, it must be sung as an Anthem after the third collect, but it should not be substituted for the Venite. 26. Then shall follow the Psalms in order as they are appointed. And at the end of every Psalm throughout the Year, and likewise at the end of Benedicite, Benedictus, Magnificat, and Nunc dimittis, shall be repeated. This rubric forbids the substitution of any selected Psalms for those of the day, other than those appointed in the Table of Proper Psalms. The only exception to this rule is made by the recent provision, in the Order how the rest of Holy Scripture is appointed to be read, viz. "Upon occasions to be appointed by the Ordinary, other Psalms may, with his consent, be substituted for those appointed in the Psalter." 27. Then shall be read distinctly with an audible voice the First Lesson, taken out of the Old Testament, as is appointed in the Calendar, except there be proper Lessons assigned for that day: He that readeth so standing and turning himself, as he may best be heard of all such as are present. And after that, shall be said or sung, in English the Hymn called Te Deum Laudamus, daily throughout the Year. The order to 'read distinctly and with an audible voice so as best to be heard of all such as are present,' is an essential part of this rubric, and enjoins that careful attention should be paid to the accurate enunciation of the words and to adequate loudness of voice. It must be remembered that the variety of Scripture lessons makes this the more important, as the people cannot be supposed to be equally familiar with all. The direction to the reader to turn, indicates a change from the previous position, specially appropriate to prayer and praise, and a transition to a part of the Service intended to teach, and, therefore, directly addressed to the people. The expression, 'and turning himself as he may best be heard,' justifies his going to the chancel entrance, or into the nave of the church, and reading there, with or without the use of a lectern. The alternative between the use of the Te Deum and Benedicite may be governed by the direction given in the Prayer-Book of 1549, viz. to use Te Deum "daily throughout the year, except in Lent, all which time in place of Te Deum shall be used Benedicite." 28. Note, That before every Lesson the Minister shall say, Here beginneth such a Chapter, or Verse of such a Chapter of such a Book; And after every Lesson, Here endeth the First, or the Second Lesson. 29. Or this Canticle, Benedicite, &c. 30. Then shall be read in like manner the Second Lesson, taken out of the New Testament. And after that, the Hymn following; except when that shall happen to be read in the Chapter for the Day, or for the Gospel on St. John Baptist's Day. No liberty is here given for the omission of the Benedictus at any other times than those here specified, viz. "when it shall be read in the chapter for the day, or for the Gospel on S. John Baptist's day." 31. Or this Psalm, Jubilate Deo, &c. 32. Then shall be sung or said the Apostles' Creed by the Minister and the people, standing: except only such days as the Creed of Saint Athanasius is appointed to be read. I believe, &c. When the Name of the Lord JESUS is pronounced, the inclination of the head should not be neglected, nor superseded by any other gesture; it being the ancient English usage, directed by the 18th Canon to be continued as the accustomed form of due and lowly reverence to the Holy Name. 33. And after that, these Prayers following, all devoutly kneeling; the Minister first pronouncing with a loud voice, The Lord, &c. The mutual salutation is to be said, both Priest and people standing; the people kneeling down while the Priest says, 'Let us pray.' 34. Then the Minister, Clerks, and people, shall say the Lord's Prayer with a loud voice. 35. Then the Priest standing up shall say, O Lord, shew, &c. 36. Then shall follow three Collects; the first of the Day, which shall be the same that is appointed at the Communion; the second for Peace; the third for Grace to live well. And the two last Collects shall never alter, but daily be said at Morning Prayer throughout all the Year, as followeth; all kneeling. The number of Collects is fixed at three, as a general rule, to which exceptions are made by other rubrics, as in Lent and Advent, &c. If the Minister uses the discretion of saying, after the Collects of Morning or Evening Prayer, one of the six Collects provided at the end of the Order of Holy Communion, it is proper to say it before the two invariable Collects. A comparison of other rubrics in the Prayer-Book shews that the words 'all kneeling,' often apply to the congregation only, to the exclusion of the Minister; and as the universal rule up to 1662 was that the officiant, if a Priest, should stand for the Versicles and Collects, it is probable that such is the interpretation of this direction, especially as it is absent from the corresponding place at Evening Prayer. 37. In Quires and Places where they sing, here followeth the Anthem. The expression 'Quires and Places where they sing,' does not at the present time exclude village churches; but the anthem (suggesting part-music) may in such churches be replaced by the ordinary hymn. 38. Then these five Prayers following are to be read here, except when the Litany is read; and then only the two last are to be read, as they are there placed. The 'two last' of these prayers are not to be read at Morning Prayer on Litany days, inasmuch as they are then read the Litany, instead of at Morning Prayer. 39. Here endeth the Order of Morning Prayer throughout the Year. THE ORDER FOREVENING PRAYER,DAILY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.See notes on the Rubrics of Morning Prayer for the corresponding 40. At the beginning of Evening Prayer the Minister shall read with a loud voice some one or more of these Sentences of the Scriptures that follow. And then he shall say that which is written after the said Sentences. 41. A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling. 42. The Absolution, or Remission of sins, to be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing; the people still kneeling. 43. Then the Minister shall kneel, and say the Lord's Prayer; the people also kneeling, and repeating it with him. 44. Then likewise he shall say, O Lord, open, &c. 45. Here all standing up, the Priest shall say, Glory be, &c. 46. Then shall be said or sung the Psalms in order as they are appointed. Then a Lesson of the Old Testament, as is appointed. And after that, Magnificat (or the Song of the blessed Virgin Mary) in English, as followeth. 47. Or else this Psalm; except it be on the Nineteenth Day of the Month, when it is read in the ordinary Course of the Psalms. 48. Then a Lesson of the New Testament, as it is appointed. And after that, Nunc dimittis (or the Song of Symeon) in English, as followeth. 49. Or else this Psalm; except it be on the Twelfth Day of the Month. When Evening Prayer is said once only in the day, it is better never to drop the Magnificat or Nunc Dimittis. When Evening Prayer is said twice on the same day, it seems proper not to drop the Magnificat at the first service (representing the ancient Evensong or Vespers, of which Magnificat was an invariable part); and, similarly, not to drop the Nunc Dimittis at the second service (representing the other component of Evening Prayer, viz. the ancient Compline, at which that Canticle was invariably used), so that in any case one of the Gospel Canticles should be always used. 50. Then shall be said or sung the Apostles' Creed by the Minister and the people, standing. 51. And after that, these Prayers following, all devoutly kneeling; the Minister first pronouncing with a loud voice. The Lord, &c. 52. Then the Minister, Clerks, and people, shall say the Lord's Prayer with a loud voice. 53. Then the Priest standing up shall say, O Lord, shew, &c. 54. Then shall follow three Collects; the first of the Day; the second for Peace; the third for Aid against all Perils, as hereafter followeth: which two last Collects shall be daily said at Evening Prayer without alteration. 55. In Quires and Places where they sing, here followeth the Anthem. 56. Here endeth the Order of Evening Prayer throughout the Year. AT MORNING PRAYER.57. Upon these Feasts; Christmas-Day, the Epiphany Saint Matthias, Easter-Day, Ascension-Day, Whit-Sunday, Saint John Baptist, Saint James Saint Bartholomew, Saint Matthew, Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Saint Andrew, and upon Trinity-Sunday, shall be sung or said at Morning Prayer, instead of the Apostles' Creed, this Confession of our Christian Faith, commonly called The Creed of Saint Athanasius, by the Minister and people standing. The Athanasian Creed being a Psalm or Hymn, as well as a Confession of Faith, may properly be recited antiphonally as a Psalm, and turning eastward as a Creed. THE LITANY.58. Here followeth the LITANY, or General Supplication, to be sung or said after Morning Prayer upon Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and at other times when it shall be commanded by the Ordinary. There is no direction in this rubric, as to the place where the Litany is sung or said; but it is clear from the rubrics of the Commination Service, that it must be distinct from the 'Reading Pew,' or from the place usually occupied by the Minister during Morning and Evening Prayer. From the old Injunctions we learn that it was to be 'in the midst of the church;' in most churches below the chancel-steps. The Minister may exercise his discretion in using a special desk. In the Injunctions of 1547 and 1559, and in the Communion Office of the Prayer-Book of 1549, the Litany was enjoined to be sung immediately before the Communion. Our present rubric does not insist upon the connexion with the Communion. The liberty of using it as a separate service, and of combining it with a sermon, or with other services than Morning Prayer, is recognized and confirmed by the Convocations of Canterbury and York, in their report upon which the Act of Uniformity Amendment Act 1872 was framed, enacting the same. Each of the four opening invocations should be separately sung or said by the people, after it has been completely sung or said by the person officiating. The same should be done with the concluding invocations, 'Son of God' &c., and with the lesser Litany preceding the Lord's Prayer. 59. Then shall the Priest, and the people with him, say the Lord's Prayer. 60. Here endeth the LITANY. PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS,UPON SEVERAL OCCASIONS,To be used before the two final Prayers of the Litany, or of PRAYERS.61. For Rain. 62. For fair Weather. 63. In the time of Dearth and Famine. 64. Or this. 65. In the time of War and Tumults. 66. In the time of any common Plague or Sickness. 67. In the Ember Weeks, to be said every day, for those that are to be admitted into Holy Orders. 68. Or this. 69. A Prayer that may be said after any of the former. This prayer should ordinarily be reserved for occasions of a penitential character. 70. A Prayer for the High Court of Parliament, to be read during their Session. 71. A Collect or Prayer for all Conditions of men, to be used at such times when the Litany is not appointed to be said. 72. This to be said when any desire the Prayers of the Congregation. Especially, &c. It seems most conformable to the rubric to mention the names of those who desire the prayers of the congregation, in substitution for the word 'those' in the parenthesis. But the names, especially when numerous, are commonly given out either before the five prayers at morning or evening prayer, or immediately before this prayer. THANKSGIVINGS.The use of the Thanksgivings in the Litany is permitted, when desirable, but is not enjoined. 73. A General Thanksgiving. The 'General Thanksgiving' for general use, as well as the occasional thanksgivings for occasional use, is to be said by the Minister alone. 74. This to be said when any that have been prayed for desire to return praise. It is observable that the words 'return praise,' in contrast with the words 'prayers of the congregation,' in the prayer for all conditions of men, implies the presence of those who desire to return thanks. 75. For Rain. 76. For fair Weather. 77. For Plenty. 78. For Peace and Deliverance from our Enemies. 79. For restoring Publick Peace at Home. 80. For Deliverance from the Plague, or other common Sickness. 81. Or this. THE COLLECTS, EPISTLES, AND GOSPELSTO BE USED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.82. Note, that the Collect appointed for every Sunday, or for any Holy-day that hath a Vigil or Eve, shall be said at the Evening Service next before. The Holy-days which have no vigil or eve, and therefore do not fall under this rule, are Ash-Wednesday and Good Friday. The Circumcision, Epiphany, Conversion of St. Paul, St. Mark, St. Philip and St. James, St. Barnabas, St. Michael, St. Luke, have no vigils, but having eves, the Collect is to be said the evening before. St. Stephen, St. John the Evangelist, and Holy Innocents, have neither vigil nor eve, but the Collects are generally said the evening before, in addition to the proper collect for the day. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT.83. This Collect is to be repeated every day, with the other Collects in Advent, until Christmas Eve. SAINT STEPHEN'S DAY.84. Then shall follow the Collect of the Nativity, which shall be said continually unto New-year's Eve. THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST.85. The same Collect, Epistle, and Gospel shall serve for every day after unto the Epiphany. For the precedence of these Collects, see note on Rubric 6. The first Day of Lent, commonly called ASH-WEDNESDAY. 86. This Collect is to be read every day in Lent after the Collect appointed for the Day. EASTER-DAY.87. At Morning Prayer, instead of the Psalm, O come let us sing, &c. these Anthems shall be sung or said. Christ our passover, &c. See note on rubric 25, p. 16. THE TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.88. If there be any more Sundays before Advent-Sunday, the Service of some of those Sundays that were omitted after the Epiphany shall be taken in to supply so many as are here wanting. And if there be fewer, the overplus may be omitted: Provided that this last Collect, Epistle, and Gospel shall always be used upon the Sunday next before Advent. If there be twenty-six Sundays after Trinity, the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany, should be used on the twenty-fifth Sunday. If there be twenty-seven Sundays, the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany should be used on the twenty-fifth Sunday, and the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany, on the Twenty-sixth Sunday. THE ORDER OF THEADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER,ORHOLY COMMUNION.89. So many as intend to be partakers of the holy Communion shall signify their names to the Curate, at least some time the day before. 90. And if any of those be an open and notorious evil liver, or have done any wrong to his neighbours by word or deed, so that the Congregation be thereby offended; the Curate, having knowledge thereof, shall call him and advertise him, that in any wise he presume not to come to the Lord's Table, until he hath openly declared himself to have truly repented and amended his former naughty life, that the Congregation may thereby be satisfied, which before were offended; and that he hath recompensed the parties, to whom he hath done wrong; or at least declare himself to be in full purpose so to do, as soon as he conveniently may. 91. The same order shall the Curate use with those betwixt whom he perceiveth malice and hatred to reign; not suffering them to be partakers of the Lord's Table, until he know them to be reconciled. And if one of the parties so at variance be content to forgive from the bottom of his heart all that the other hath trespassed against him, and to make amends for that he himself hath offended; and the other party will not be persuaded to a godly unity, but remain still in his frowardness and malice: the Minister in that case ought to admit the penitent person to the holy Communion, and not him that is obstinate. Provided that every Minister so repelling any, as is specified in this, or the next precedent Paragraph of this Rubrick, shall be obliged to give an account of the same to the Ordinary within fourteen days after at the farthest. And the Ordinary shall proceed against the offending person according to the Canon. The object of this rubric, when introduced in 1549, was to provide some corrective of the lax practice of the un-reformed Church in admission of unworthy persons to Communion. In this view, the Curate should be informed of the names of intending Communicants, in order that he may deal with the cases of scandal referred to in the second paragraph, and with the cases of enmity referred to in the third. The main reason of the Church's action herein is the danger of profanation of the Lord's Table by the presence of unworthy Communicants. A second reason is the danger of injury to the consciences of the congregation by wounding their sense of corporate responsibility for individual wrong-doing. A third is the spiritual interest of the offenders themselves, viz., in the words quoted with approval by Hooker (Eccl. Pol. vi. 4-15), "not to strike them with the mortal wound of excommunication, but to stay them rather from running desperately headlong into their own harm, and not to sever from Holy Communion any but such as are either found culpable by their own confession, or have been convicted in some public Court." The mode of the Curate's action was intended by the rubric to be admonition previous and private. The first paragraph indicates the duty of the people, not of the Curate, giving him the opportunity of admonition, but throwing upon them the responsibility of the decision whether or no to present themselves. The rubric does not empower or entitle the Curate to repel any at the time of Communion, on the mere ground of their not having previously signified their names to him. For there is no means provided for receiving their names, or for making any due enquiry; nor is any penalty imposed upon the Curate for communicating people who have not signified their names, nor on the persons who present themselves without having done so. The reference to the Ordinary was added in 1662. The object is to set him in motion as the proper person to take legal proceedings against an offender, and effectually repel one who cannot be repelled by the Curate's weapons of persuasion and admonition. The precautions of this rubric against communicating unworthily are not very effective, and it must be observed that the 26th, 27th, and 28th Canons extend the Curate's duty in this respect much farther than the rubric, but without giving him any power, which would be recognised by a secular Court, of conscientiously performing his duty therein. 92. The Table, at the Communion-time having a fair white linen cloth upon it, shall stand in the Body of the Church, or in the Chancel, where Morning and Evening Prayer are appointed to be said. The word 'fair,' applied to the white linen cloth in the fourth paragraph of this rubric, means 'beautiful,' and does not exclude adornment with embroidery. The words 'upon it' require the cloth to lie upon the Mensa, or upper surface of the Table, but do not require the whole Table to be covered or enveloped therewith. The linen cloth is to be laid upon the covering described in Canon 82 as 'a carpet of silk or other decent stuff.' Bishop Cosin states that "among the Ornaments of the Church that were then (i.e. in the second year of Edward VI.) in use, the setting of two lights upon the Communion Table or Altar was one appointed by the King's Injunctions, set forth about that time, and mentioned or ratified by the Act of Parliament here named (2 & 3 Edw. VI. cap. I)." If it be contended that Bishop Cosin is wrong in his opinion that the Injunctions were obligatory, we are thrown back upon the universal custom of the Catholic Church, which undoubtedly required lights to be used on the Altar for the office of Holy Communion. 93. And the Priest standing at the North-side of the Table shall say the Lord's Prayer, with the Collect following, the people kneeling. One Priest only is here spoken of as celebrating: there is no authority for a change of the celebrant in the course of the Service; and only extraordinary contingencies of the gravest kind were anciently regarded as sufficient cause for such a change. Special provision is made for exceptions to this principle, in the pronouncing the Absolution by the Bishop, if officially present, and for the making the General Confession 'by one of the Ministers.' The Epistle and Gospel are also permitted to be read by Assistant Ministers, in accordance with customary usage recognised in the 24th Canon. The assistance of other Clergy may also be required for administration of the Elements. Lay Assistants are not mentioned in this rubric, but the principle of assistance to the 'principal Minister' being recognized in the twenty-fourth Canon, there can be no objection to the ancient practice of employing clerks or choristers for other purposes than singing. The term 'north side,' whatever was its origin (possibly the re-arrangements consequent on the transposition of the Gloria in Excelsis), acquired a meaning during the changes made in the substitution of Moveable Tables for fixed Altars about the year 1552, which determines its interpretation to exclude the north end. In those churches where the Table was placed with its long sides north and south, the Priest moved with the table, and stood at the same part of it as he had stood in the use of it as an altar, that is, at the centre of one of the long sides, though he no longer faced the same part of the Church, and now looked to the south instead of the east. But when Archbishop Laud pressed the restoration of the table to its ancient position,—a restoration which has become universal,—the question at once arose as to the position of the celebrant, and some of the High Church clergy placed themselves at the north end of the table placed 'altarwise,' alleging that they were in this manner conforming to the rubric. They were at once met with the reply that 'side' and 'end' were not convertible terms, and it was urged that the rubric could not be complied with at all, unless the table were set with its long sides north and south. It is thus clear that the use of the end was disputed from the first, and treated as an untenable innovation. Now that the altars are universally placed so that only one of the long sides is accessible, the rubric can only be literally complied with by the celebrant standing at the northern portion of that side. It seems, however, absurd that when the altar is restored to its place, the Priest should not be restored to his. It is further to be noted that the regarding the word 'north' rather than the word 'side,' and the placing the Priest at the north end of the altar, has the disadvantage of making the practice of the English Church unlike that of all the rest of Christendom. For all the ancient historical Churches place the celebrant in front of the altar, while the Protestant sects, even those that seat the communicants round the table, place the Minister at the centre of a side, and not at one end. There is no direction for the Celebrant to kneel on reaching the altar, and it is contrary to general Catholic usage to do so. Any private prayers he may use then, he should say standing. It should be remembered that the service is for the congregation, not for the Priest alone, and therefore they ought not to be detained for his personal convenience. He has not the same liberty of private devotion as the individual members of the congregation, and should carefully restrain his private devotions so as to be as short as is consistent with reverence. It is the clear intention of the Prayer-Book that the Lord's Prayer and the whole office should be said deliberately, and sufficiently loud for the congregation to hear distinctly, so as to follow it readily. Moreover, the words of the Liturgy form an integral part of the whole sacrificial action. They are included in the oblation of praise and thanksgiving; and, consequently, to hurry, or mutter them is, so far, to bring a blemished offering to God. There is no direction for loudness of voice, but the words of the office should be, as was anciently ordered, "roundly and distinctly pronounced."[d] 94. Then shall the Priest, turning to the people, rehearse distinctly all the TEN COMMANDMENTS; and the people still kneeling shall, after every Commandment, ask God mercy for their transgression thereof for the time past, and grace to keep the same for the time to come, as followeth. The Commandments were first introduced in 1552, and no rubric can be more express than this against their omission. Such omission involves also the loss of the Kyrie, an ancient and valuable feature of the Liturgy. The Commandments are to be rehearsed 'turning to the people,' implying that the Priest was not standing so before. |
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