Communion Office, may be employed in either case, provided, however, the sanction of the Bishop has been first obtained. (See 'DIVISION OF THE SERVICES.' Vol. B).

L'ESTRANGE, after commenting upon the catechizing of the youth of the Parish (see postea) says:- The Office Catechistical being past, EVENING PRAYER is to begin. But why not Afternoon, 'rather than Evening Prayer? I answer, because then the sun ' and consequently the light begins to decline. It seems the Greek Church had two Services in the Afternoon, one at our three, their nine; and another at the close of the Evening, as appeareth by 'the Council of Laodicea, Can. 18. decreeing, Tepi TOV, K. T. X. "That the same service of Prayers ought to be made use of both at "the ninth hour and at Evening." This at Evening was at candlelighting, whence the Prayers appropriated to it, were Avxviкai · ἐυχαί, as the Psalms λυχνικοί ψαλμοί, or ὕμνοι, &c. " candle-light 'Hymns: the reason is, because when the candles were first 'lighted their mode was to glorifie God with an hymn, one form 'whereof is still extant in these words, pws iλapov, K. T. λ. "Blessed Jesus Christ, thou cheerful brightness of the holy "immortal glory of the heavenly and holy Father, when the Sun is "set, no sooner do we behold the Evening light to shine, than we glorifie the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." &c. (p. 98).—Alliance of Divine Offices.

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The Rev. J. JEBB, animadverting on the preference shewn for the EVENING SERVICE, makes these very just remarks:In country Parishes, this has been connived at to a great extent: 'and, in order to meet the degenerate notions of the people, the 'MORNING SERVICE has actually been curtailed, by the omission of 'the Sermon; and this, with every Office that can be transferred, is thrown into the Evening, or as it is vulgarly called, the Afternoon Service. The habits of society, both among rich and poor, have much to do with this; but the habits of the rich 'ought to be rebuked and withstood by the Clergy; and as to the 'poor, the rich are to be blamed for that iniquitous overtasking of their bodies, which often renders a total rest, even from Church-going, on Sunday mornings, a matter not of choice, but of 'necessity. For these and other offences against our poorer 'brethren, God will call the wealthy of this nation to judgment.' (p. 402).-Choral Service.

275.-Adherence to the Rubrical direction, Daily throughout the year,' with regard to the EVENING SERVICE, will not in every case be acceptable, or practicable; where it may be so, let it by all means be adopted; and should the usage already exist, it ought not to be suffered to fall into desuetude. But to attempt the practice where no Congregation will be found to respond to the effort, is a questionable propriety. (See Vol. B).

276.-Punctuality must be one of the first considerations in the mind of the young Clergyman. He should be in the Church sufficiently early before the commencement of Divine Service to see that every thing is in order, and in readiness, and to ascertain what Baptisms, Churchings, Catechizings, Publishing of Banns, or other duty, he may be required to engage in during the time of Service. Many Congregations have a great objection to the introduction of any Occasional Service during the MORNING, or EVENING, PRAYER; care should be taken, therefore, that the Officiating Minister confines himself to the directions of the Rubrics in this matter.

The Rev. R. SIMPSON says:- In some Churches, Marriages are 'solemnized in the middle of the Service, and Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth, these things are highly indecorous. 'Nothing but a Baptism is directed to be performed during the 'regular Morning and Evening Service, and the reasons for this are 'stated in the Rubric ordering the same.' (p. 169).-Clergyman's Manual.

Exactitude of attendance is more particularly necessary when officiating in a strange Church, as it will be essential for the Minister to learn whether any peculiar usages prevail there with which he may not be acquainted, or which may be different from his ordinary practice.

277.-Bowing on entering, and leaving, Church, or on going to, and receding from, the Altar, is not defensible by any legal authority now in force. The ceremony is certainly harmless in itself; but if it cause a weak brother to offend, or prove obnoxious to the Congregation at large, it would be unwise, to say the least, to set the feelings of one's People at nought. (See Paragraph 7, supra).

278.-The Robing should be accomplished with care, and the Vestments be clean, and in good order. The Officiating Minister should indulge in no fantastic changes, but keep to what the Congregation have been accustomed to see, unless, however, a fresh Academical degree gives sanction to an alteration of the Hood. (See Paragraph 8, supra).

279.-While proceeding to the Reading-Desk an organ symphony is admissible, but it should not be too noisy. This the Clergyman can legally control. (See Paragraph 12, supra).

Where there are Choristers, and a regular staff of Clergy, it is customary to enter and retire in procession; the Choristers first, followed by the Deacons, then the Priests, and lastly by the Rector or Vicar. The Deacon or Priest of junior degree precedes the one of senior degree.

Neither of the Chairs at the north and south sides of the Altar, and which, by the way, are unecclesiastical positions for them, nor the Sedilia, should, strictly speaking, be occupied by a Clergyman during the Morning, or Evening, Prayers. Stalls, or Benches, are more correct. The Sedilia may be

used at Sermon time.

280.-Should any Churching of Women' be required before beginning the Service, the Minister must proceed to the Altar, if such be the usage, and at the conclusion, pass to the Reading-Desk. In some Churches, the organ at this point fills up the hiatus by a Sanctus, or short symphony. But this must depend on the custom of the place. No capricious novelties should be introduced. (See Paragraph 13, and postea).

281.- Singing before the commencement of Divine Service, common as it may be in some localities, particularly before EVENING PRAYER, is contrary to the strict letter of the Rubric, and should not, therefore, be fancifully introduced, nor without due consideration, and proper sanction. (See Paragraph 16, supra).

[CATECHIZING.]

282. It was formerly the practice, in accordance with the injunctions of the 59th Canon (of 1603), to publicly catechize the youth of the Parish for half-anhour before the beginning of EVENING PRAYER;

thus

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"Every Parson, Vicar, or Curate, upon every Sunday and 'Holy-day, before EVENING PRAYER, shall, for half an hour or more, examine and instruct the youth and ignorant persons in his parish, in the Ten Commandments, the Articles of the Belief, and in 'the Lord's Prayer; and shall diligently hear, instruct, and teach them the Catechism set forth in the Book of Common Prayer. 'And all Fathers, Mothers,' &c.--CANON 59.

Although the Canons of 1603, generally, are binding on the Clergy at the present day, yet a later rule than the 59th Canon above quoted; viz. the Rubric following the CATECHISM in our authorized Book of Common Prayer, and which was introduced at the last Review (1662), supersedes the authority of this Canon; and enjoins that this Catechizing of the youth of the Parish shall take place immediately after the Second Lesson at EVENING PRAYER: thus,

(a) .The CURATE of every Parish shall diligently upon Sundays and Holy-days, after the Second Lesson at EVENING 'PRAYER openly in the Church instruct and examine so 'many Children of his Parish sent unto him as he shall think 'it convenient, in some part of this Catechism.' (1662)— Present Book of Common Prayer.

In the previous Liturgies (of 1549, 1552, 1559, 1604), this Rubric was similar in its directions to the 59th Canon, requiring the Catechizing to be performed before the Evening Service. It stood at the end of the Office for Confirmation in those Prayer Books. The Rubric may be said, indeed, to have originated this particular Canon; it thus read,

(b) The Curute of every Parish, (once in six weeks at the least, upon warning by him given, shall upon some Sunday or Holy Day. 1549) or some other at his appointment, shall diligently. upon Sundays and Holy days half an hour before EVENSONG ·(EVENING PRAYER, 1559), openly in the Church instruct and examine so many Children of his Parish sent unto him as the time 'will serve, and as he shall think convenient, in some part of this 'Catechism.' (1549, 1552, 1559, 1604).-Keeling 284, 285.

But this earlier Rubric (b), not possessing any authority amongst us now, can in no way effect the question under consideration. The 59th Canon, likewise, being superseded by the Rubric (a) of the present Book of Common Prayer, the catechizing of the children, therefore, publicly before the Congregation must not be attempted previous to the reading of the

Second Lesson, as that Rubric prescribes. (see postea). This discrepancy in the two authorities has been well elucidated by ARCHDEACON SHARP, as follows:—

'There is a Rubric in the Liturgy at the end of the Catechism 'for the direction of Ministers in this matter; which is indeed properly the direction of the Canon new modified with respect to the Clergy, though the injunctions on Parents, Masters, and 'Mistresses, stand verbatim the same in both...... The Canon enjoins 'that it be done "before EVENING PRAYER;" but the Rubric says, "after the Second Lesson at EVENING PRAYER." The Canon 'requires it should be continued for "half an hour or more: "the 'Rubric leaves the time for the performance indefinite. Upon these accounts Mr. Wheatly is at a loss how to reconcile the Canon with 'the Rubric. And so must every body be who compares them together. 'But the comfort is, there is no need of reconciliation, when there is no need that both should stand. The latter directions, supposing 'their authority only equal, would supersede the former. The Rubrics, in all the old Prayer Books till the last Review in 1662, did agree with the Canon in this matter. But as the alterations upon the revisal then made of the Liturgy are more authentic, and more binding upon us than the Canons are, we can be under no 'difficulty in determining by which of them to square our conduct in this business. Whether indeed these changes made in the Rubric have really been for the better, may be much doubted. But that we are to abide by them, and not by the Canon, in this case, will, I suppose, admit of no doubt.' (In a Note is added,The reason of the alteration was, that the Catechism being performed in the midst of Divine Service, the elder persons as well as the younger might receive benefit by the Minister's expositions, &c. But the worthy persons who made all this alteration have 'been miserably disappointed in their good intentions, for this very 'thing has drove Catechism almost out of the Church.') However, 'let it be observed, that all that part of this Canon that relates to 'the power of the Ordinary in censuring neglect of duty herein, whether it be in Ministers, or in Parents, Masters, and Mistresses,* 'remains yet in its full force. With this only difference, that 'the neglect of Ministers, to be censured by him, is not to be 'measured any longer by the rules laid down in the Canon, but by those which were since enjoined by the Rubric.' (p. 210).—On the Rubrics and Canons. Charge. A. D. 1747.

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283. Seeing then that the Catechizing of the youth of the Parish is to be deferred till the conclusion of the Second Lesson, the Officiating Minister will at

*The censures of the Ordinary might reach the consciences of Parents, Masters, and Mistresses, in the days of Archdeacon Sharp, and in the antecedent period; but the Laity of the present age have completely out-grown the leading strings of Bishops, and the terror of Ecclesiastical censures. No Canons of the Church are binding upon the Laity unless enforced by the Imperial Parliament.