The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-01
USES OF
THE CREEDS
Bishop Speaks Of
Athanasian
Form.

Bishop Nichols last evening gave the
third and last lecture of the series on
the American Prayer Book, his theme
said 1t was not surprising to him that
there is something which jars upon
| wonted tradition when people have
| been accustomed to following a church
| service in certain way and then find
| it conducted in another way. The first
| thought was. why should there be any
points of departure or purpose from
the one to the other? Many people fell
| into the error of believing that some
| times the changes were simply made
for the mere desire to make changes.
He said, however, that it was assuring
to know that in the administration of
the Holy Communion, the changes
were made for, first. the sake of sim
plicity, so that it could be adapted to
congregational use under modern con-
ditions, and, secondly, for the restora-
ton OF the primitive liturgical order
Bishop Nichols confined his lecture
largely to points of difference between
the order in the American prayer book
and in the English prayer book None
of the changes in the book were made
to modernize it.
The use of the Nicene Greed is op-
tional in the American prayer book |
The bishop said he had been asked to /
say something about the Athanasian
Greed being omitted where it occurs in |
the morning and evening services In
the English prayer book. The omis-
sion. he stated, was in line with elm
f<vae- snI,
the very beginning of the American
prayer book. The creed used to be said
in the old Roman breviary every day.
It was changed finally from every week
day to only every Sunday, and then 1t
was made obligatory later in the Eng
iish prayer book to have it said six
days IN the year, to which were added
seven more days. making thirteen in
ALL There has been a great deal of
restlessness in the church, however to
reduce the number of usages of the
creed. Many years ago there was one
report made to Canterbury against it.
In 1880 the American bishops dis
,ussed 1t and agreed to retain II, but
he house of deputies was unwilling toI
nave 1t, and it was not used. Many
would like to nave thei q
Athanasian creed placed in the prayer 4
BOOK, but OF the two, the choice fell y
o the Nicene creed. The former was
more philosophical and not well adapt
d TO general use. and thus it happened n
hat the only alternative to the Apos- k
les creed was the Nicene creed. The O.
bishop doubted that the Athanasian
reed would ever be restored so far az
he American prayer book was con- b
erned. N
The bishop spoke briefly of an error 9.
Thich people have fallen into regard
ng the offertory. He heard people g
peak of the Offering as the offertory. Ii
he ofertory, he stated, was the whole a.
ervice and included the Offering. the
utter being what was given into the .,
Inns basins during the service. :.
He said that since the last revision u
the American book, which took place -
, 1892, it has in fact become a book vi
common prayer and is used by many y
th:er churches in part. w
III any have loved the English PRAYER ae
ook in Hawaii. as know they have" =.
hid the bishop, Il am sure they will -
nd in this American prayer book such -
little difference that they will love "a
and find definite reason for loving at
more and more. The English book rs
as not been revised for $40 years. and 90
iere are very many in that church W
no are yearning for the time when
ley can make explicit what they feel ne
merely implicit now" =,