The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-09-14
THE Badness" OF THE
PRE,SB YTERIAN WORSHIP

In the August number of the Catholic
Presbyterian as we mentioned recently
there is " symposium on the question
of Presbyterian Worship-Does it need
Reform?" We have, first, an extract
from the paper of Rev. Prof. Roswell D.
Hitchcock, D. D., read at the Philadel-
phia Council. Prof. Hitchcock accuse
the present Presbyterian service of labor
ing under certain badness" "Martir
Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, anu
the early Reformers generally" he urges,
"were Gturgists." He would have
moderate liturgy, made out of such ma
terials as the Gloria IN Ercelsis, the Ter
saaactus and the Ze Deena. He also "an-
ticipates revival of the old Christian
year not the countless saints DAYS of
the calendar, but the observance, at least,
of Good Friday, Easter and Whitsuntide.
Pastor Bersier, of Paris, contributes
another paper. He, too, favors a modi-
fled hturgical service. Calvin, he says,
attached great Importance to music. The
people, he says, used to chant the ten
commandments, as also the Apostles
creed. There is danger, he says, that
while we avoid fine music in our churches,
we shall run after fine preachers. 1--WE
go to the sermon as the Catholics go to
the mass" He favors: l. The giving to
prayers and singing their legitimate
place, which has often been usurped by
the sermon. 2. The allowing the people
to share directly in public worship by
means of responses. 8. The restoration
of the ecclesiastical year. f. Both writ
ten and extemporary prayers 5. The
giving to the Lords Supper the central
position it occupied in the worship of the
early Church, giving up the zwinglian
view which has invaded our churches, {"
and adopting rather that of Calvin.
The Rev. G. w. Sprott, D. D., of North
Berwick, of the Established Church of
Scotland, contributes third paper. Dr.
Sprott thinks there is Gan unmistakable
desire for an improvement in worship.
The chief things aimed at by those who
feel this necessity in the Church of Scot
land have been to get rid Of "the ultra
Puritanic leaVen imported into Scotland
by Cromwell's sectaries," and "while
drawing upon the rich treasures of devo-
ton furnished by the Primitive Liturgies,
to retain the simplicity of the Reformed
ritual" He represents that call our Re-
formers were iturgical both in form and
practice" that Knox would have been
content with the English liturgy, minus
few ceremonies; that Forms of Prayer
were read in the Scotch churches for
nearly century after the Reformation
that in 1887 the battle was not between
Lauds Liturgy and none at all, but be-
tween that form and Knox's, etc.
There is a party, we are told, in the
Established Church of Scotland, which
even advocates daily service in the
churches Of our large towns, and leaving
the churches always open for private de-
votion." Many would have the "Chris-
tan Year partially restored.
There is, we are told, "a growing con-
viction that it is an entire delusion to
think that hideous churches, and bald
and disorderly services, are tokens Of the
spirituality Of the worshippers."
Finally, DR.. Sprott argues that there
is an increasing dissatisfaction with that
view Of the gospel which practically stops
short at the cross; and by this he means
that we must bear more in mind that
Christ is risen again, which is given
too little prominence; the idea of leaving
the body out Of account in religious wor-
ship savors Of heresy." Divine worship
should gather around the Lords Supper
as its central and highest act-and "this
sacrament should be celebrated every
Lords Day"
The papers Of the Rev. John De Witt,
D. D., Tread at the Counci) and Rev.
Thomas Smith, D. D., Of Edinburgh, are
quite different in tone from the foregoing
and especially divergent from that Of DIR.
Sprott. These papers advocate the most