Comments of
Dr. Stephens.

Upon this judgment Dr. Stephens thus comments: (kk)— "These observations of Sir William Scott must be taken in a qualified sense. It is true that there are no injunctions preventing parish churches from using choral music, but it cannot be said that this plainly refers to parish churches. Where the phrase 'said or sung' is used in rubrics, it would seem that reference is here made in the use of the latter words to 'choirs and places where they sing now at the Reformation very few choirs were left, except in cathedrals or collegiate churches or chapels. In the First Book of King Edward, in the Communion Service clerks are appointed to sing the choral parts, but at the end, just after the Blessing, this rubric occurs: Where there are no clerks there the priest shall say all things appointed here for them to sing.' Now there were clerks in but few parishes."

.

(kk) "The Book of Common Prayer," by A. J. Stephens, p. 122.

CHAPTER III.

THE LITURGIES OF THE CHURCH OF

ENGLAND.

SECTION I.-Explication of Terms.

EFORE considering the subject of this chapter,
it will be convenient to notice some of the lead-
ing terms used in connection with it. No legal
definitions can be given of these, but those
which follow are taken from text-books of

admitted authority.

Liturgy. Denotes all the ceremonies in general belonging to 1. Liturgy. divine service. The word comes from the Greek Toupyía, "service, public ministry," formed from XEITOS, "public," and Egyov, "work." In the more restrained signification liturgy is used among the Romanists to signify the Mass, and among us, the Common Prayer. (1)

Liturgy. The form, order, or office, for the celebration and administration of eucharistic sacrifice and sacrament. (m)

Liturgy. The established formulas for public worship or the entire ritual for public worship in those churches which use prescribed forms.

(1) Buck, "Theol. Dict." p. 446; Robinson, "Theol. Dict." p. 626. (m) Blunt, "Theol. Dict." p. 416.

2. Service.

3. The Litany.

4. Creed.

Service. Stated parts of the ordinary and eucharistic service set to music, as distinguished from those anthems, the words of which are not a matter of settled regulation, and supplemental to the plain-song of the church. The term includes the Versicles before the Psalms, the "Venite," one or more chants for the Psalms, the Te Deum and Canticles, the Dominus Vobiscum, Oremus and lesser Litany pieces, Amens, Litany, and Order of Holy Communion. The term is however sometimes restricted to the Te Deum, the Canticles, and in the Communion Service the Responses to the Commandments, Nicene Creed, and Gloria in Excelsis. (n)

Litany [Aravela]. A solemn form of supplication to God. The days appointed by the 15th canon of our church for using the Litany are Wednesday and Friday, to which by the rubric Sundays are added. It forms one office with the Morning Service, being ordered to be read after the 3rd Collect for Grace. (0)

Litany. A general supplication used in public worship to appease the wrath of the Deity, and to request those blessings a person wants. (p)

Litany. Solemn public intercession, consisting of five parts, viz. (1) Invocations, (2) Deprecations, (3) Obsecrations, (4) Intercessions, and (5) Versicles and Prayers. (q)

Creed. Form of words in which the Articles of Faith are comprehended. It is derived from the Latin credo, "I believe,” with which the Apostles' Creed begins. (r)

Creed. Though the Scriptures be a perfect revelation of all divine truths necessary to salvation, yet the fundamental articles of our faith are so dispersed there, that it was thought necessary to collect out of those sacred writings one plain and short sum

(z) Lee's "Directorium Anglicanum," p. 295.
(0) Broughton's "Hist. Dic." vol. ii. p. 21.
(p) Buck's "Theol. Dict." by Henderson, p. 446.
(9) Blunt, "Theol. Dict." p. 416.

(r) Buck's "Theol. Dict." by Henderson, p. 219.

mary of fundamental doctrines which might be easily understood

and remembered by all Christians. (s)

Collect. A short prayer accommodated to any particular day, 5. Collect. occasion, or the like. (t)

Collect. A short prayer formed on definite principles of construction. The most probable interpretation of the name is that it indicates a prayer offered by the priest alone on behalf of the people, whose suffrages are collected in one voice, instead of being said alternately by priest and people in versicles and lítanies. (u)

Collects. The reason why these prayers are so often called Collects is differently represented. Some ritualists think, because the word Collect is sometimes used both in the vulgar Latin Bible (v) and by the ancient fathers (w) to denote the gathering together of the people into religious assemblies; that therefore the prayers are called Collects, as being repeated when the people are collected together. (x) Others think they are so named upon account of their comprehensive brevity; the minister collecting into short forms the petitions of the people, which had before been divided between him and them by versicles and responses, (y) and for this reason God is desired in some of them to "hear the prayers and supplications of the people." Though I think it is very probable that the Collects for Sundays and holy days bear that name, upon account that a great many them are very evidently collected out of the Epistles and Gospels. (z)

Versicles. Ancient introduction to the Psalms. (a)

(s) Wheatley "On the Common Prayer,” p. 141.

(t) Buck's "Theol. Dict." by Henderson, p. 185.

(u) Blunt's "Theol. Dict." p. 133.

(v) Dies Collectæ, Lev. xxiii. 36; Collectionem, Heb. x. 25.

(w) Collectem celebrare, passim apud Patres.

(x) Alcuin, “Lib. de Divin. Officiis,” p. 81.

(y) Walafred. "Strabo, Lib. de reb. Eccles." c. 22, p. 407.

(x) Wheatley "On the Common Prayer," p. 154.

(a) Palmer, "Origines Liturgiæ," vol. i. p. 246.

of

6. Versicles.

7. Suffrages.

8. Responses.

9. Priest.

10. Deacon.

11. Acolyte.

Versicles, or little verses, are probably part of the apostolic ritual. They are used in the name of the church, and the individual application of them is subordinate to this chief application of them in the name of the one mystical body. (b)

Suffrages. Prayers in which the people exercise their office as "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light." They are usually sung to a very beautiful form of musical recitation, which has been used for many ages in the Church of England. (c)

Responses. The answer of the people or congregation to the priest in the Litany and other parts of divine service. (d) Priest. General term for a minister of religion. (e) Priest. A person set apart for performance of sacrifice and other offices and ceremonies of religion. (ƒ)

Priest. One who belongs to the intermediate order, between a bishop and deacon. He is authorized to perform all ministerial services save ordination and confirmation.

Deacon. Literally, Aiáxovos, "a servant, a minister," had two meanings: (1) In the New Testament-any one who ministers to the service of God; (2) In ecclesiastical polity, the lowest of the different orders of the clergy. They can perform all offices of a priest except consecration of sacramental elements and the pronouncing the Absolution. (g)

Deacon. Generally used to signify the third order of the clergy. (h)

Acolyte. The term 'Axóλoubo signifies followers, and was a term applied to young persons who in primitive times aspired to the ministry, and for that purpose continually attended the bishop. (i)

(b) Blunt's "Key to the Prayer Book,” p. 30.

(d) Wheatley "On the Common Prayer," p. 114.

(c) Ibid. p. 40.

(e) Robinson, "Theol. Dict." p. 821. (f) Buck's "Theol. Dict." p. 643. (g) Ibid. p. 230. () Robinson, "Theol. Dict." p. 341. (i) Ibid. p. 28.