The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-02-14
Snnbap 8eaoiug.
From the London Times, Aug. II.
ALTERATIONS IN THE PRAYER
BOOK.


THERE has been laid before the House
OF Commons q copy of the alterations
proposed IN the Book of Common Pray
er by the Bishops and others appointed
By the Grown to revise the book in 1859.
The alteFhation suggested by the COM
missioners were no less than 598 in num-
Der. Many, though decidedly improve
ments and quite unobjeetionable, were
merely Of q verbal nature. One of the
most notable of the changes proposed
was to add on the great festivals after
the Ten Commandments q recital of the
eight beatitudes, with a suitable response
from the people. So far as the altera-
tions suggested affected doctrine, the
key to them will be found in the desire
to conciliate DIRECTORS and prevent dis
sent. The word "priest " was to be
altered to " minister " the Apocrypha
was to be disused those who scrupled
kneeling at the sacrament were to be
allowed to receive it in a pew, in some
posture of reverence, in baptism the
s gn of the cross was not to be made if
the parties thought it sinful, the parents
might upon occasion be the sponsors,
and the words, " by baptism regenerate''
were displaced by the single word re-
generated The most curious part of
the publication is the diary kept by DR..
Williams, afterwards Bishop of Chiches-
ter, one of the commissioners, who every
night after he went home from their
several meetings, wrote an account of
the days proceedings In a familiar chat
ty style. The discussions seem to have
been conducted in an orderly way,
though perhaps not without vehemence.
for on the oath of October we have an
entry In the diary, "Here DIR. Jennison
reproving DIR. Beveidge, he took s o i'll
that he was leaving, but DR.. T. asked
his pardon. The Office of baptism
seems to have been much debated. At
one meeting it was asserted "that it
was hard to find an instance of a child
baptised before st. Oyprian's time"
The following conclusion may be
thought a little vague: "Abeut dip
ping-said it was the custom to dip
IN England; Bishop of st. Asaph said
it was as still in some parts of Wales,
putting in the head and letting it run
over the body. Ordered that both be
inserted. The examination of the
Prayer Book version Of the Psalms was
committed to the Rev. Mr.. Ridder, one
of the London clergy; she showed that
the first half was faulty, the latter
much better, and from thence he collect
ed that the translator by the time he
had gone through the first half grew
weary of his work, and rather chose to
translate it anew than patch it up as be-
fore.n A subject at this moment under
consideration was discussed by the com
missioncrs, but they came to no decision
upon it: "There was a debate shorten
ing the service. Bishop of Sarum NOV
ed that on Sundays the Epistle and
Gospel should go for lessons; but it was
answered that would be offensive, and,
besides, it would not be 80 proper and
beneficial to the people as to read the
Scriptures In course.
1t was answered this might be in
the afternoon. It was proposed by 9TH
ers that rather they would abridge it, by
ending the Litany at the Lords Prayer,
the latter part seeming now but a boteh,
and chiefly respecting times of perseeu-
ton, and after that read the Command
ments and SO conclude" This last
proposition deserves consideration. The
following distinction seems q little sub
tie Made some alterations and
amendments In the Athauasian Greed;
it was suggested that they were the ar
ticles, and not the terms in which those
articles were expressed that we're as
scented to.3 The commissioners went
right through the book, and then review
ed their proceedings, and Bishop Will
Iiams' diary ends-"Proceeded to re-
view the rest of the Offices, and then
finished. There was remaining the form
of subscription, which the Bishop of
Sarum proposed before there was a
quorum, but it was forgot, and exeom-
munication was spoke of but it was too
late. Rose up, SINE die. And thus this
assembly concluded, after above six
weeks continuance and eighteen sessions,
besides about six-sub-committees there
and elsewhere
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