words of the first of the Greater Antiphons, as they are called, which are sung at the Magnificat at vespers in the churches of the Roman obedience. Their number varies from seven to twelve. The Roman Breviary has seven; the modern Parisian nine; and the old English Offices had eight. As the last is always sung on December 23rd, the day on which they are begun must depend on their number. Thus the Roman practice is to sing O Sapientia on the 17th; the Parisian on the 15th of December. In England it was of course sung on the 16th of December, the day on which it is marked in our Kalendar. In recent times it has become a common practice in our churches to sing these Greater Antiphons from the 16th to the 23rd December at evensong in the place appointed for the Anthem after the Collects. The words of the eight anciently sung in England are given in the " Hymnal Noted," accompanied by their ancient melodies and (in the 8vo. edition) by the original Latin words. The more recent collection of "Hymns Ancient and Modern with Introits and Anthems" only gives seven of these Antiphons, where they are called "Anthems." The editor of the Directorium Anglicanum is of opinion that these Antiphons should be sung before the Magnificat, as in the ancient office for vespers; but it appears questionable whether this was the intention of our present Service Book. 31. St. Sylvester, Bishop of Rome and Confessor, A.D. 335.-St. Sylvester was a native of Rome. Of his father, Rufinus, nothing is known; his mother, Justina, was a pious and virtuous Christian matron, who devoted herself to the education of her son; she was assisted by a priest named Charitius or Carinus. In due time the young Sylvester was himself ordained priest by Marcellinus, Bishop of Rome, about A.D. 286, just before the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian began their persecution of the Church. During the years of trial which followed the youthful Saint became remarkable for his zeal and piety. He escaped the fate of his brethren in the persecution to fulfil higher duties which awaited him in the Church. On the death of Melchiades, Bishop of Rome, in A.D. 314, St. Sylvester was elected to succeed him. He lived amid eventful times; during his pontificate was held the Ecumenical Council of Nice in A.D. 325, at which he was represented by two priests. St. Sylvester filled his see for twenty-one years and eleven months, and died on December 31st, A.D. 335. He was buried in the cemetery of Priscilla on the Salarian way. A church was dedicated to God in his name by Symmachus, Bishop of Rome about the end of the fifth century, and thither about the end of the seventh century Sergius, Bishop of Rome, removed the body of the Saint and laid it under the high altar. St. Sylvester's name is found in very ancient martyrologies. His festival was made general in the Latin Church by Pope Gregory IX; it is kept by the Greeks on January 2nd. St. Sylvester is represented in full pontificals; he generally has an ox lying near him, as he is traditionally said to have converted St. Helena and Constantine the Great by restoring a dead ox to life, which had been killed by the power of a magician, who was unable to resuscitate it. He holds in his hand his cross and a book, or sometimes the portraits of SS. Peter and Paul. The church of Chevelstone, Devon, is the only one in England which is dedicated in his name. SUGGESTIONS FOR The Due AND OTHER DIRECTIONS OF THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER. BY A MEMBER OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH UNION.* The Preface. THERE can be no doubt that the growing desire of late years to conform the Ministrations of the Church of England to the Directions of the Book of Common Prayer has raised many and grave "doubts concerning the manner how to understand, do, and execute the things contained in this Book." This has, in part, arisen from that very simplicity which was designed to be an especial recommendation of the first Reformed Prayer Book: the "Rules" there "set forth" were indeed "few in number" and "plain and easy to be understanded" at that time, from the circumstance (which no longer applies to us) that those Rules implied Practices with which Clergy and People were perfectly familiar; but which have long since, from various causes, in a greater or less degree, ceased to be followed. It is no answer to this difficulty to allege, as is often done, that the * The Editor wishes it to be distinctly understood that these "Suggestions" are not to be considered as emanating from the ENGLISH CHURCH UNION, or from the COUNCIL, or from the KALENDAR COMMITTEE. The COUNCIL being well aware that differences of opinion do exist regarding the true interpretation of some of the Rubrics in the Book of Common Prayer, it was thought undesirable to put forth as by the authority of the UNION any Suggestions of its own which might compromise the position of some of its Members. As, however, a desire had been expressed that the "English Church Union Kalendar" should contain some Rubrical Hints for the direction of those who felt the need of them, the Committee requested a Member of the UNION to draw up some Rubrical Suggestions, on the understanding that he alone should be responsible for them, and not the ENGLISH CHURCH UNION, the COUNCIL, or the KALENDAR COMMITTEE. These Suggestions, then, are simply the Suggestions of their Compiler; and, as such, the Committee have sanctioned their insertion in the "Kalendar" without deeming it necessary to discuss their merits, or to determine any question that might be raised, as to their accuracy, by any Member of the Union. It is very probable that there may be some errors, which are open to fair criticism; and it will be for those who differ from the Compiler on any point to discuss them in a friendly spirit, which, with God's blessing, can only result in promoting ultimately the solution of many difficult questions of Ritualism and Ceremonial. F same provision exists now as then "to appease all such diversity (if any arise), and for the resolution of all doubts," in the direction that "the parties that so doubt, or diversely take anything, shall always resort to the Bishop of the Diocese, who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasing of the same;" nor does it really mend the matter to know that now, as under the Second Book of Edw. VI., and subsequently, "if the Bishop of the Diocese be in any doubt, then may he send for the resolution thereof unto the Archbishop." For the Appeal to the Bishop, thus given, attaches this condition to his judgment "So that the same order be not contrary to anything contained in this Book :" presumably, too, the same condition applies to the Archbishop. But it is perfectly respectful to say, that the familiarity with the then existing Practice, which prevented a difficulty in the use of the earlier Books of Common Prayer, no more pertains now to the Archbishops and Bishops than to those who are to Appeal to them; so that often a blameless ignorance (mainly the consequence of that gradual loss of the tradition of Practice to which the banishment of the Prayer Book during the Great Rebellion greatly contributed) has defeated the best intentions to decide conformably with the true meaning of the Rubrics. The requisite information as to that Practice is, indeed, to be found in the Ancient Ritual and other Books of the Church of England, and much of it has been made more accessible by several modern Publications;* but many have been deterred from all attempts to improve the Services of the Church according to the Ancient Model-First, by the mistaken notion that some of these Publications are designed to advocate an extensive and even minute restoration of Ritual and Ceremonial which is impracticable and undesirable; Next, from a 'fear that there is not sufficient warrant to regard any of the older Books or Practices as authoritative exponents of inexplicit Directions contained in the present Prayer Book. This latter difficulty seems sufficiently removed by the language of the Judicial Committee of Her Majesty's Privy Council (March 21, 1857); for, in commenting upon the Rubric relating to the "Ornaments of the Church, and of the Ministers thereof," their Lordships said "that the word 'ornaments' applies, and in this rubric is confined, to those articles the use of which in the Services and Ministrations of the Church is prescribed by the [First] Prayer Book of Edward VI." Again, after comparing this Rubric with the Elizabethan Rubric and Act of Uniformity, and with the Prayer Book of 1604, they decided that "they all obviously mean the same thing,-that the same Dresses and the same Utensils or Articles which were used under the First Prayer-Book of Edward the Sixth may still be used. None of them, therefore, can have any reference to Articles not used in the Services, but set up in Churches as ornaments in the sense of decorations." And, *e. g. Palmer's Antiquities of the English Ritual, 2 vols., 1839; Jebb's Choral Service of the United Church of England and Ireland, 1 vol., 1843; Maskell's Ancient Liturgy of the Church of England, 1 vol., 1844; Maskell's Monumenta Ritualia Ecclesiæ Anglicana, 3 vols., 1846-7; Wright's Directorium Scoticanum et Anglicanum, 1 vol., 1855; Perry's Lawful Church Ornaments, 1 vol., 1857; Purchas's Directorium Anglicanum, 1 vol., 1858; Freeman's Principles of Divine Service, 2 vols., 1856 and 1862; Missale ad usum insignis et præclaræ Ecclesiæ Sarum. Pars prima; Temporale 1 vol., 1861. further, they stated "that in the performance of the Services, Rites, and Ceremonies* ordered by the Prayer Book, the directions contained in it must be strictly observed; that no omission and no addition can be permitted; but they are not prepared to hold that the use of all Articles not expressly mentioned in the Rubric, although quite consistent with and even subsidiary to the Service, is forbidden. Organs are not mentioned; yet, because they are auxiliary to the singing, they are allowed. Pews, cushions to kneel upon, pulpit cloths, hassocks, seats by the Communion-table, are in constant use; yet they are not mentioned in the Rubric." It was on this latter ground that the Credence-Table was decided to be Lawful. The Principles thus Judicially enunciated by the highest Court of Appeal in matters Ecclesiastical are comprehensive enough to sanction a resort, by those who choose, to Ancient Rules and Usages for whatever is needed to explain or apply what is prescribed or permitted by the existing Prayer-Book. Further, these Principles are entirely consistent with, what seems also to be, an important and sound Principle--viz., That, so far as any Directions in the still unrepealed portions of the Ancient Canon Law of the Church of England are applicable to the present Prayer-Book, they may still be followed. It need hardly be added, however, that very great discretion is requisite in the application of these Principles. The fear of innovation must be heeded; prejudices ought to be duly respected; the circumstances, character, and even, it may be, the wishes of Parishes or Congregations, must be fairly consulted, in all endeavours to improve the Services of the Church in accordance with her Laws. Moreover, it is of consequence to recollect that, while sufficient scope was meant to be given to Places where ample resources could furnish an elaborate Ritual, it was necessary to define in the Prayer-Book the minimum of Ceremonial and Ornament which is essential to the proper performance of the Services; and, in so doing, it was important to consult the limited means and appliances of a large proportion of the Churches and Parishes wherein that Book would have to be used. This consideration has very much determined the character of the following Suggestions. They are designed to show how the doubtful Directions of the Book of Common Prayer (for they do not deal with those which are perfectly plain) may be correctly carried out in a Church which is usually served by only one Priest: they are not meant to describe any maximum of Ritual, or to furnish those details which should be observed in a well-appointed Church, with its adequate staff of Clergy and its sufficient Choir: such information is already, to a great extent, provided in extant Publications. The form of these Suggestions obviously prevents their being supported by quotations from Authorities, or by arguments. To do this would have required a Treatise of some length; but they are believed *These words confirm the conclusion to be drawn from the Title of the Prayer Book-that "Rites and Ceremonies" are not what is commonly called Ritual and Ceremonial; and, therefore, that the latter are not referred to in the Preface "Of Ceremonies, why some be abolished and some retained." For further proof of the meaning of Rites and Ceremonies, see Cranmer's Articles of 1536; K. Edward VL, Injunctions of 1547, No. 27; and his Proclamation of Feb. 6, 1547-8. to be an accurate representation of what is known on the points to which they relate. On this ground they are respectfully offered to the consideration of those (and they are believed to be not a few) who may wish to avail themselves of such information. Any corrections or proposals, with the view to their improvement in a future year, will be welcomed by the Compiler, who wishes it to be distinctly understood that he does not presume to dogmatize in what has here been set forth. Moreover, he trusts that they contain nothing calculated in any manner to disparage, but only what may perchance in some small degree aid, the Appellant Authority of the Archbishops and Bishops. And, further, he desires also to record plainly that neither THE ENGLISH CHURCH UNION, nor its COUNCIL, must be accounted responsible for Opinions or Theories in what only claim, after all, to be "Suggestions." "Concerning the Service of the Church." "And all Priests and Deacons are to say daily the Morning and Evening Prayer either privately or openly, not being let by sickness, or some other urgent cause." This is the express rule for every person in Holy Orders, whether serving or not the Cure of any Parish. The word "sickness" shews that only a real hindrance, equivalent to sickness, is to be regarded as a sufficiently "urgent cause" to excuse the PRIVATE saying of the Daily Office. "And the Curate that ministereth in every Parish-Church or Chapel, being at home, and not being otherwise reasonably hindered, shall say the same in the Parish-Church or Chapel where he ministereth, and shall cause a Bell to be tolled thereunto a convenient time before he begin, that the people may come to hear God's Word, and to pray with him." The term "Curate here means the Priest employed permanently or temporarily. The causes are various, and not easily specified, by which he might be "reasonably hindered:" the non-use of the Daily Service in any place (however irregular in itself) would thus justify its omission by a person only in temporary charge. If none of "the people" happen to "come to hear God's Word, and to pray with him," the Curate should, nevertheless, say the Office in the "Church or Chapel:" he need not say it aloud when alone. The Kalendar.* It sometimes happens that two Holy-Days (a term which includes Sundays, Feasts, and Fasts), occur (i. e., meet) on the same day (e. g., Advent Sunday and St. Andrew's Day): or the First Vespers (i. e., the Evening Prayer on the Evening before) of one Festival concur (i. e., Up to the year 1832 all Kalendars were a monopoly of the Stationers' Company, and were approved by certain Officers representing the Church and State, of whom the Archbishop of Canterbury was one: they may therefore be said to have then had an Ecclesiastical authority second only to the Prayer Book Kalendar, as having thus had for so long a period the sanction of the highest Dignitary of the Church of England. These Kalendars contain, in addition to the Prayer-Book Black Letter HolyDays, the five following Days:-March 17th, St Patrick-Thursday after Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi.-July 7th, Translation of St. Thomas of Canterbury.-August 15th, Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary.-November 2, All Souls. |