Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-07

lSs
atheist. suspect after all the Pyrrh onism OF
nv French friend will answer equally well TOR
nv regenerated Spaniard. Now the solemn
and affecting prayers which pleased him so
much are nothing more or less than transla-
tons from those which he tells US in another
place disguised him; but, perhaps, they sound
ed better in English than in Latin,-No ques-
ton about tastes-The Protestant Episcopal
Church has very wisely contented itself with
our good old Popish prayers, most of which
nave seventeen centuries of age, and several al
most eighteen centuries White was by
the law of his Church bound, and still is, it he
lives, bound to recite daily those prayers and
psalms in Latin, but this was troublesome
Doblado's Letter V. p. 297.
Gan usmeaning and ertremeiy burthenson1e prac-
Gce laid by the church of Rome upon her cler-
CIV, contributed not little to increase the lrk-
someness Of my circumstances. A Catholic
Clergyman, who employs his whole day in the
discharge of his duty to others, must yet re-
peat to himself the service OF the day in an audi
bic voice-a performance which neither con-
slant practice, nor the most rapid utterance,
can bring within the compass, of less than an
hour and half in the four and twenty. This
erhausting exercise is enjoined under pain OF
mortal sin, and the restitution of that days in
come on which any portion Of the Office is o.
mitted."
What a difference the same prayer may ex-
hibit to him in an English dress, know not
But Mr. White ought to know that in the pre-
sent church of England the clergy were origi-
nally bound in the same way to the common
prayer which is but an abridged translation of
the Breviary, but like Mr. White they thought
it unmeaning and extremely burthensOne to spend
so much time In prayer, and contrary custom
has made the law fall into disuse. Being now
impressed he never passed a Gay without
some ardent aspirations towards the author OF
his life and existence" But lest this should
not have sufhciency of effect, we Of course
are not left wilhout"eyes streaming with. tears. "
Yet the conversion was not complete
shall here give the passage by which the
English protestant clergy were bound to read
the Office daily, to show MIR. Whites friends
that originally the church which that gentle
man Joined required if not an hour and a half,
al least upwards of half an hour in the twenty
four 10 be spent in reciting prayers. In the first
preface to the Liturgy Of Queen Elizabeth was
the following passage:
"And all the Priests and Deacons are bound
to say daily the morning and evening prayer Ell
Their privately or openly, except they be let by
preaching, studying divinity, or some other ur-
gent cause
To which the Scotch Liturgy added,
"Of which cause, if it be frequently pretend
ed, they are to make the Bishop Of the Dlo-
cess, or the Archbishop of the Province, the
Judge and allower."
To shew that this was not public reading IN
the Church, the next sentence provides special
ly for that object.
"And the Curate that minstreth in every
Parish Church or Chapel being at home and
not being otherwise reasonably letted, shall say
the same in the Parish Church or Chapel where
he ninistreth, and shall toll bell thereto,
convenient time before he begin, that such as
NAV be disposed, may come and hear Gods
word, and pray with him
But what altogether removes any doubt upon
the subject, is the testimony of Harmon L'EN-
TRANCE upon the subject; in his alliance Of The
Diuine Offices, printed in London 1899, third TO-
Ito edition, D. 81, letter s: commenting upon
the above passage, he has the following:
"The act preceding Prospecting the liturgy,
S and s, Edw vi telling us expressly that
open prayer is such as is made in Cathedral,
Church, Chnpelor Oratory, in conSecrated place,
we need no Oedipus 10 unrddIe the import OF
pyivate, or to doubt that ii signi6eth any thing
other than such as is performed at home. But
why is the minister bound TO say ii daily either
in public or at home? Some think our church
had under consideration how ignorant and I'LL
terate many Wears were, ano ordered thus, that
they might con in private, the better to enable
them for the public. But am of another per
suasion: for, first the church conceive would
not as she doth enjoin them to officiate in pub
lie, did she not suppose them already in some
toerabe degree fitted for the service. Again,
the words are general, not dohniti,ely such and
such of those mean abilities, but all ministers
without exception. Now though very many
were, yet it is no charitable Judgment to believe
them all Ounces, and it is apparent that where
such ignorance fell under the consideration Of
authority, the phrase doth vary, with paTticu
tar application TO them alone who were guilty
of it; so it is in the Qoeens in unctions, Ellz.
Iniunct $50 such: (such only, not GN) as are
bur mean readers shall peruse oUer before, once OF
tcice the Chapters and other Homiies, to the intent
that they may read TO The better understanding Of
the people, and the more encouragement 10 Goodness
So that rather think the Churches policy was
the better to insure and habituaEe clergy to re-