The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-11-25
Renision of the PRAYER Book

we note by the publishers announce
ments that leaflets are now issued to en-
able Episcopal people to use the old
Prayer Books, but that it may be Easter
before the handsome editions are ready
for the market. This is of interest to
our readers of that church. In addition
we copy below an article from the County
Post giving an exposition of the re-
VisiOn.-ED.
The revision of the Book of Common
Prayer seems to attract large share of
the attention of the religious world.
Like other important undertakings,
many issues may be raised and multi
tude of questions asked The revision
was first suggested in 1871. 1t is
happily completed in 1892. Surprise has
been expressed that it should take so
long to arrange about one hundred
chan res. 1t should be remembered that
the book has become so sacred by tradi-
ton and association as to carry with it
something of inspiration. 1t is y
growth, not a compilation. Its oldest
portion, technically named 'The Canon
of the Mass" was i'll use generations be-
fore a word of the New Testament was
written, as we have it now. No wonder
that churchmen hesitated. Why was
such revisi n necessary? After the revo-
luton it became necessary to adapt the
PRAYER Book to the altered relations with
the mother church and country. A pat
riot could not well pray for the royal
family. etc. This revision progressed
along the line of the new ''local require
menJs," but unfortunately in the heat
of the time, passed beyond that line.
Other changes were introduced, in
almost every instance liturgical
blemishes. The fact that these soldier
churchmen did not do more harm is
miracle of grace. The present revision
began on the basis of enrichment" IT,
e., that we should now enrich the Prayer
Book from the stores of devotional ex-
preston which had accumulated through
nearly two thousand years of Christian
experience. AS the work went slowly
on, the idea of restoration gradually
displaced that of enrichment" So far
as possible we should restore the Prayer
Book as it was before its first American
revision. So the Evangelical Canticles,
the Mdgnifcdt, (St Luke /, 46,) and
Nune Dimitts, (St Luke 2, 29) were
placed in evensong. Some of these
changes affected words, punctuation and
phrases, the importance of which can be
appreciated only by those who voice
melody of the book. There is one sig
nificant feature prominent in the COM
pletion of the work. All along the
church has claimed "In essentials,
unity; in non essentials, liberty; in all
things, charity" Under the shadow of
this thought the Book of Common
Prayer of million people has been
opened for discussion, enrichment and
restoration. The book has been subject
ed to the analysis of diverse religious
opinions; it has been prayed over,
Thought over-even fought over by
minds as different as the varied claims
of our fatherland, and yet, the result is
a book of devotions commenting itself
to the judgment of all. No intolerant
majority coerced a sullen minority at
any time. No anathemas are appended
to enforce the book. 1t will be received
willingly-even joyously by those who
have learned to love the ways of peace,
and the pleasant paths of the older book.
Towards the close of Steadman's article
on 'The Faculty Divine in October
Century, page S67, will be found, proba-
bly,, the most intelligent appreciative
description of the Prayer Book in our
language. In resonant English, the
poet banker writes of "the crowning
masterpiece of faith" He concludes
with the expression of his conviction,
that the book cannot be initiated. 81
have called it lyrical; it is dramatic in
structure and effect; it is an epic of the
age of faith; but, in fact, as piece of
inclusive literature, il has no counter
part and can have no successor. Time
and again some organization for wor-
ship and instruction, building it's foun-
dation upon reason, rather than on
faith, has tried to form some ritual of
which it felt the need But such a poem
of earth and heaven in not to be made
deliberately" For churchmen, the
time of anxiety is past. The day for
congratulation is here. 1t may be in-
tended in the providence of God, that
this Book of Common Prayer. so singu-
larly reformed shall become for the
twentieth century the thread leading out
of the Cretan labyrinth of unworshipful
ways, into the larger spaces of Gods
holy worship, wherein the prayer, the
thanksgiving and the sacrifice viii be
offered in all the beauty Of holiness.