The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-01-21
Communicated
The Protestant Episcopal Prayer
R00R.

The Protestant Episcopal Prayer
Book.
| To our immediate friends drd 10 Tie friends
of Episcopal Church:
By the article OF Mr.. Lstane On the
new departure there may be some fax
impression created as to the cbsractei
and value OF the prayer book amongst
Episcopalisus. am sure Mr.. Lataue
did not intend to create any impression
unfayo.able to the book itself as
whole, or against the doctrines OF the
Church as understood and incorporated
in the XXXIX Articles He only in
tended to strike at what he deemed the
misinterpretation OF 3 Few words which,
he thinks, were unhappily introduced
in it, such as the words Prizes. and
regeneration. Indeed, il l understand
the purport OF his article, if the word
Priest" WAS omitted. then his objecs
tions would have little significance.
Then, there would be 70 desire for
regeneration in the baptismsl office. no
priestly aJso'ution in the declaration in
the service, no communication OF divine
efficacy in the bread OF the sacrament,
and no tdcitdi apostolic succession, but
only that historical succession which is
the evidence and the instrument OF per.
petusting the truth aud the successive
communication, and, will add, com.
munion Of the truth. Under these cir
cumstauces, l will therefore ask you TO
publish the following extract from a
sermon OF the Rev e. G. Currie before
the Bishop White Prayer Book Society.
Mr.. Currie was Latane's predecessor,
and am sure Mr. Lstane will concur
in what he so truly sad foycibly says.
A. LAYNAN.
TIE ELEVATED TOEE OF TIE PRAYER
BOOK.
We mean by this expression, a cer-
tain majesty.Of manner and OF !ervor,
i'm plying the prcseECe OF several great
| elements and very useful 10 the vor-
shipper, since it is apt TO elevate his
mind to lis own level, and almost in
evitably, If the man be attentive, digni-
fies the circumstances OF Divine Wor.
ship, aad glorities for the hour at any
rate, even the humblest chapel with
something OF the augnstness and holy
stateliness-if may cay so--lhat
should belong to a House OF Prayer.
The elements OF this quality are
these four, Antiquity, Unity. Repose,
and Aspiration.
Now, the association OF the Prayer
Book with the ancient saints in the
first century that wrote its words, and
with the long line of the redeemed that
have used them since, gives TO the book,
not only the peculiar gravity that the
religious sayings OF the dead possess,
but a certain majestic aspect that can
not fail 10 be impressive. Its liberal
decent, and the abiding permansnce oI
the bulk OF it through the fluctuations
OF many years, make its teachings in
fiueutial and it's expressions very dear
TO US; for as the well built abode OF
some ancient family that has pedigree
OF illustrious ancestors, with q great
gallery OF family portraits, so this
ancient service obtains respect by the
antiquity OF its foundations, by its rels-
tions to the history Of mankind, and by
the great names associated with it. We
reverence the book as we revere very,
very old man.
And vet there is something else which
peculiarly gives to the antiquity that we
have spoken oiits distinguished color for
good namely, that in this inheritance
from past generations. there is locked
fast as in q family settlement, and grasp.
ed as in mortmain forever, the Gospel OF
the Lord Jesus Christ, which peryades
this book with surprising unity. coz
siderlpg the variety OF minds and ages
| in which its portions were composed. /
do not speak Of the unity OF systems,
but OF the unity OF method. The two
things are different. The complete sys-
tenn OF the truth az it is in Jesus is or
final intellectual destination when we
get to heaven, il, indeed, we shall ever
know the length, and breadth, and
depth, and height OF the love that
passeth knowledge. That OF course we
have not in the Prayer Book, nor ex'
pllcitly in the Bible itself But the way 10
it, or rather the way 10 Him. the method
OF the truth in Jesus, we already have
fully and sufficiently and this book
that we are speaking Of we deeply love,
for that with consistency throughout it
ministers an entrance abundanuy to
salvation by confidently leading the
soul always TO Jesus, and by keeping
the worshipper at the Saviour's feet in
all it's offices OF prayer and praise.
Again, such uniform confidence in
the sure foundation has produced, "a
might have been expected, certain
quietness and repose OF tone very yalu.
able 10 public prayers. Comparatively
trifling as the mere subject oi the style
is. yet anything like q look Of anxiety
here, or OF nervous, passionate eager
ness, resembling the ora.ory OF an adj
vocatc or OF q politician, would have
weakened confidence. The priests OF
Baal cried aloud and cut themselves for
sheer want OF fai.h. Asirony man who
is cure, is inevitably calm. and there
fore we love the book better and better
that it has no strained expressions, nor
even e'o3uer ce in the common seDse.
but that II breathes the quiet cure tone
toi one who knows in whom he has be-
lieved-a tone which it comes by legiti-
mately; for resting on the bible as on q
foundation it shares it's firm repose.
Yet, on the other hand, the repose
We speak OF 10 that OF strong feeling.
kee eping itself in band. Hence the fer
vent aspiration Of the Prayer Book,
prevalent from beginning to end. as il
there were q coneciousness that, Ike