PREFACE. HE object of this work is to contain a full exposition of the Law of Public Worship, in so far as it concerns the external forms and cultus enforced or merely permissible by the rules of the Church of England. Special prominence is given to those subjects-Ornaments, Ceremonial, and Vestments-which during the last thirty years have been continually increasing in importance, and which year after year have attracted a larger share of public attention. Such portions of the various Liturgies are set forth as will probably be sufficient to enable the reader to compare the existing Prayer Book with the earlier editions, and so to obtain a clear notion of the changes that have from time to time taken place in the Services of the National Church, and in the regulations for the due conduct and holding of them. In connection with this portion of the subject, I must tender to Mr. John Marriott Davenport, of Oxford, my sincere thanks for his kind remarks and criticism. Mr. Davenport has read the whole of the proof sheets, and has supplied, more particularly in Part I., many valuable corrections and suggestions. Here also I wish to acknowledge the great obligations I am under, in respect of Chapters iii., iv., and v. of Part I., to that very important work, "The Book of Common Prayer, with Notes," by Dr. Stephens; and also to the Rev. Dr. Cardwell's "Liturgies of Edward VI." Throughout I have endeavoured to state what, in accordance with existing decisions, is the actual state of the law, not what some extreme partisans, ecclesiastical or lay, choose to think it ought to be. The effort has been made to render the book complete for its purpose. Therefore, first, it contains in Part I. the Substantive Law relating to Public Worship. Next, in Part II., is set forth a succinct, and, it is hoped, sufficient statement of the means provided for enforcing a due observance of the Substantive, and for punishing breaches or omissions of, or other offences against it. In this Part will be found the text of the Public Worship Regulation Act, 1874, and the Church Discipline Act, with comments and annotations upon both Statutes, and an abstract of the cases decided under the latter Act. Lastly, Part III. includes the most important Statutes and other enactments of statutory or quasi-statutory authority bearing upon Public Worship. In all cases the text is given in extenso, because many decisions and ecclesiastical disputes have turned upon sections and clauses now repealed. It was originally intended to insert in this Part several of the Visitation Articles of the Bishops during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, but such an addition would have greatly increased the bulk of the volume. Moreover, these articles can now be obtained in a very accessible form, being printed in the Appendices to the Reports of the Ritual Commissioners; and the enactments contained in Part III., chapter iii., comprise all which are of legal obligation. My friend and former pupil, Mr. E. Marjoribanks, of the Inner Temple, has rendered very essential and willing assistance, by compiling the List of Cases, and preparing the very copious Index to this Book. TEMPLE, March, 1875 S. B. |