Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-11
PRAYER BOOK CHANGES.
Continuation of the Discussion by the Dele
gates at Baltimore.

Continuation of the Discussion by the Dele
gates at Baltimore.
In the house Of deputies Of the Episcopal
general convention at Baltimore yesterday
after The STARS report closed the discussion
OF proposed changes in the Book Of Prayer con-
tinued. Resolution No. 32 made slight change
In the commendatory prayer in the order for
the visitation of the sck No. SO provided for
the shortening Of the service In the communion
OF tho sick in cases Of necessity; resolution No.
"a, which had been rejected by the bishops,
had many admirers, and was lost only by tie
vote; NO. 50 provided for the singing Of selec-
tions from the seth and Goth Psalms instead Of
the rubric and anthem after the sentences in
the burial service; No. sc made another slight
cnange IN the burial service; No. 80 was q new
prayer Tor burial at sea: No. 80 provided that
In the form OF prayer and thanksgiving the
anthem be contormed to the prayer book YER
sion OF the Psalter, that there be inserted for
the fourth verse of the anthem the seventh
verse OF Psalm LAT, and that the Gloria Patri
be printed at the end Of the anthem; No. 40
provided for a change in the special thanks
giving prayer; No. Al provided that the "Selec-
ton OF Psalms for Holy Days which immedi-
ate!y precede the Psalter be omitted
Inc greatest discussion was upon resolution
az, which had been sent back to the bishops
and which provided the substitution Of psalm
NO. o. TOT Isalm No. % In the service for Good
Friday afternoon.
The question to whether the 69th or the
Gath Psalm is the proper one for use in this SER
vice has been discussed throughout the church
for years. The Church Of England and the
Protestant Episcopal churches Of all lands ex-
cept the United States use the 69th Psalm in
their Good Friday service, and many churchmen
maintain that Psalm Ga got into the American
church service through typographical error.
SIX years ago the general convention author
lied the use OF the seth Psalm on Good Friday
but last week the bishops adopted resolution
NO. AZ, providing for the Reinstatement of this
psalm. They reconsidered their action, how
ever, and in asking for the return of the reso-
luton practically signifed their intention to
reject it.
Those in favor of holding on to the Goth
Psalm claimed that no Psalm exccp. the
I'D so touchingy portrayed the suffer-
ings OF Christ, and that 1t was quoted by
Christ Himself a. applying to Himself Those
who opposed 1t did so account of its strong
denunciatory language, saying that it was out
OF place on such an occasion as Good Friday
Among those who advocated the retention OF
the 69th Psalm were DIR. G.. NJ. Christian
of Newark. DR.. P. J. Robert of Missouri. DIR.
Thomas +. Caller, chancellor of the University
OF the South, Tennessee; Rev. C. l.. Richard,
Rhode Island; Archdeacon TAYLOR of SPRING
field and DIR. Richmond Of Newark
Among those who opposed it were Rev. DIR.
W. r. Huntington of New York, Rev. Dudley
". Rhodes of southern Ohio and Rev. c. c.
Edmunds Of Albany. The resolution was de-
feated, the vote standing: Clergy, nav. 81; ave,
Is; divided, 8. Laity, nay, "a; aye, II; di-
vided, 4
The last resolution acted upon was No. 43,
which provided that the cantcles and Psalms be
in every case printed with the musical colon as
In the English Prayer Book
resolution offered by Rev. DIR. John
Fl. Elliott of this city asking the recommittal
to the committee on amendments to the con-
stitution Of the report made during the last
convention recommending that a two-thirds
vote, instead of majority vote. be hereafter
required for alterations in the Book Of Com
mon Prayer and in the constitution of the
church. This report was presented by DIR.
Elliott at the New York convention of three
years ago. and was referred to the present con-
vention for action. The resolution as presented
last year provided that the two-thirds rule
should go into effect after the general conven-
ton Of 1892. Its passage in this form would
interfere somewhat with the present lturgical
revision, and the clause will be stricken out in
order that the more stringent provisions pro-
posed by the resolution shall not be effective
until after the present revision Of the Book of
Common Prayer is completed. As the re-
vision will in all probability be brought to a
close with the present convention it was thought
needless to burden the article with the clause.