Produced by Elaine Laizure from images generously made
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[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.
J. H. Blunt. James Parker.
Wm. Cooke. Thos. W. Perry.
C. L. Courtenay. James Baden Powell.
J. Fuller Russell. R. F. Wilson.
R. F. Littledale. Chr. Wordsworth.
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 |
St. John the Evangelist's Day \ take precedence of First
Holy Innocents' Day / Sunday after Christmas.
The Circumcision |
The Epiphany takes precedence of Second Sunday after
Christmas.
The Conversion of St. Paul takes precedence of Third Sunday
after Epiphany, but memorial is to be made of the Sunday.
The Purification takes precedence of Fourth Sunday after
Epiphany, also of Septuagesima, Sexagesima, Quinquagesima
Sundays, of which three Sundays memorial is to be made.
Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima Sundays take
precedence of Conversion of St. Paul and St. Matthias' Day.
Ash Wednesday takes precedence of St. Matthias' Day.
Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Sundays in Lent take precedence
of the Annunciation.
The services of the season from Evening Prayer on Wednesday in
Holy Week till Saturday in Easter Week, both inclusive, take
precedence of the Annunciation.
First Sunday after Easter takes precedence of the Annunciation,
St. Mark's Day, and SS. Philip and James' Day.
| take precedence of Second,
St. Mark's Day, / Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays
SS. Philip and James' Day \ after Easter.
|
Ascension Day takes precedence of SS. Philip and James' Day.
The Services of the season from Whitsun Eve till Saturday in
Whitsun Week, both inclusive, take precedence of St. Barnabas' Day.
Trinity Sunday takes precedence of St. Barnabas' Day.
St. Barnabas' Day, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, St.
Peter's Day, St. James' Day, St. Bartholomew's Day, St. Matthew's
Day, St. Michael and All Angels' Day, St. Luke's Day, SS. Simon
and Jude's Day, All Saints' Day, take precedence of all Sundays
after Trinity.
The Feasts of the Dedication and Title of a Church rank as
principal festivals; but may not be observed on Advent Sunday,
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Epiphany, between the Fifth Sunday
in Lent and Low Sunday inclusive, Ascension Day, or from Whitsun
Eve to Trinity Sunday inclusive.
Octaves are not mentioned by name in the Prayer-Book, but are
implied in the rubrics preceding the Proper Prefaces of the
Communion Office. It has been suggested by the Convocation of
Canterbury that the Collects for St. Michael's and All Saints'
Days should be repeated on the seven days following those days
respectively. Such additions would be in the nature of new Octaves.
But the first of these days had no Octave in the Sarum or the Roman
Use: the second has an Octave in the Roman Use, but had none in the
Sarum Use. If any such additional Octaves are introduced, the
Festival of the Epiphany at least should have this distinction.
A general permission might also be given to individual churches
to keep the Octaves of their title or dedication.
7. _PROPER LESSONS_
To be read at Morning and Evening Prayer, on the Sundays, and other
Holy-days throughout the Year.
_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 RULES_
For the Moveable and Immoveable Feasts; together with the Days of
Fasting and Abstinence, through the whole Year.
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.
| The Circumcision of our Lord
| JESUS CHRIST.
| The Epiphany.
| The Conversion of S. _Paul_.
| The Purification of the Blessed
| Virgin.
The | S. _Matthias_ the Apostle.
Days / The Annunciation of the
of the \ Blessed Virgin.
Feasts | S. _Mark_ the Evangelist.
of | S. _Philip_ and S. _James_ the
| Apostles.
| The Ascension of our Lord
| JESUS CHRIST.
| S. _Barnabas_.
| The Nativity of S. _John_ Bapt.
| S. _Peter_ the Apostle.
| S. _James_ the Apostle.
| S. _Bartholomew_ the Apostle.
| S. _Matthew_ the Apostle.
| S. _Michael_ and All Angels.
| S. _Luke_ the Evangelist.
The | S. _Simon_ and S. _Jude_,
Days / Apostles.
of the \ All Saints.
Feasts | S. _Andrew_ the Apostle.
of | S. _Thomas_ the Apostle.
| The Nativity of our Lord.
| S. _Stephen_ the Martyr.
| S. _John_ the Evangelist.
| The Holy Innocents.
_Monday_ and _Tuesday_ in _Easter-week_. _Monday_ and _Tuesday_
in _Whitsun-week_.
13. _A TABLE_ of the Vigils, Fasts, and Days of Abstinence, to be
observed in the Year.
| The Nativity of our Lord.
| The Purification of the Blessed
The | Virgin _Mary_.
Evens / The Annunciation of the
or \ Blessed Virgin.
Vigils | Easter-Day.
before | Ascension-Day.
| Pentecost.
| S. _Matthias_.
| S. _John Baptist_.
| S. _Peter_.
The | S. _James_.
Evens / S. _Bartholomew_.
or \ S. _Matthew_.
Vigils | S. _Simon_ and S. _Jude_.
before | S. _Andrew_.
| S. _Thomas_.
| All Saints.
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 First _Sunday_ in
| Lent.
II. The Ember-Days at the Four Seasons, / The Feast of _Pentecost_.
being the _Wednesday_, _Friday_, \ _September_ 14, and
and _Saturday_ after | _December_ 13.
III. The Three Rogation-Days, being _Monday_, _Tuesday_, and
_Wednesday_, before _Holy Thursday_, or the _Ascension_ of
our Lord.
IV. All the _Fridays_ in the Year, except Christmas-Day.
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 FOR
MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER
DAILY 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 the Epiphany " " White.
On the Conversion of St. Paul " White.
On the Purification " " White.
On St. Matthias' Day " " Red.
On the Annunciation " " White.
On St. Mark's Day " " /White (because in
On St. Philip and St. James' Day " \ Easter Season).
On the Ascension " " White.
On St. Barnabas' Day " " /Red (White if in
\ Easter Season).
On St. John the Baptist's Day " White.
On St. Peter's Day " " Red.
On St. James' Day " " Red.
On St. Bartholomew's Day " " Red.
On St. Matthew's Day " " Red.
On St. Michael and All Angels' " White.
On St. Luke's Day " " Red.
On St. Simon and St. Jude's Day " Red.
On All Saints' Day " " Red.
On St. Andrew's Day " " Red.
On St. Thomas' Day " " Red.
In the Christmas Season " " White (probably).
On St. Stephen's Day " " Red.
On St. John the Evangelist's Day " White.
On Holy Innocents' Day " " Red.
On the Festival of the Dedication \
of the Church " " / 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.
in Lent, 'Rend your hearts,' &c.
And the Sentences from Ps. 51.
on Sundays and Festivals, 'To the Lord our God,' &c.,
'I will arise,' &c.
on Week-days, 'Enter not into judgment,' &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 FOR
EVENING PRAYER,
DAILY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
See notes on the Rubrics of Morning Prayer for the corresponding
Rubrics of Evening Prayer.
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
Morning and Evening Prayer.
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 GOSPELS
TO 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.