clash) with the Second Vespers (i. e., the Evening Prayer on the Evening) of another Festival, (e. g., the Eve of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Evening of the 3rd Sunday in Lent). The question then arises,-Which is to have the preference in the Offices and Services for the Day? The following Tables, founded upon Ancient Rule and Usage, will perhaps furnish an answer which may be regarded as a practical guide. RULES FOR THE OCCURRENCE OR CONCURRENCE OF HOLY-DAYS. The Holy-Days may be usefully divided into the following Classes: I. Sundays of the First Class. 1. Advent Sunday. 4. The Sunday next 2. 1st Sunday in Lent. 3. 5th Sunday in Lent before Easter (or (or Passion-Sun- 5. Easter-Day. day). II. 1. 2nd Sunday in Ad vent. 6. 1st Sunday after 7. Whit-Sunday. Sundays of the Second Class. 3. 4th Sund. in Advent. 2. 3rd Sunday in Ad- 5. Sexagesima Sund. vent. 6. Quinquagesima Sun. 7. 2nd Sund. in Lent. 8. 3rd Sund. in Lent. 9. 4th Sund. in Lent (or Mid-Lent Sund). III. Sundays of the Third Class. All those which are not contained in the other two Classes. VI. Holy-Days of the Third Class. 1. The Days in Advent (Feriæ Majores). 2. The Days within the Octave of Christ mas. St. Paul. 6. The last four Days in Octave of Easter. 4. The Days in Lent 7 The Days in the not above-named (Feriæ Majores). Octave of the As cension. 5. St. Barnabas the 8. The last four Days in Whitsun Week. Apostle. 0. Means that such a Coincidence cannot happen. 1. Means the Office of A entirely. 2. Means the Office of B entirely. 3. Means the Office of A with Commemoration i. e., the Collect of B. 4. Means the Office of B with Commemoration i. e., the Collect of A. 5. Means the Collect of A only. 6. Means the Collect of B to be said first, that of A next. a. This could only happen if the Day of the Dedication or Consecration, or Patron Saint of the Church, in which the Service was said, fell on the Holy-Day: in that case the Holy-Day would be Commemorated. b. In a Church such as referred to in a the Saints' Day would be Commemorated-e. g., Ascension-Day and St. Philip and St. James. c. If the Feast of St. Barnabas fell on the Wednesday in Whitsun-Week, the former would take precedence. Day. 6 442 53 16 3a CO 6 3016 6 4c 3 3 B. Holy-Day of the Third Class. the next RULE FOR USING THE FOREGOING TABLE. Find the Square in which these meet-a Sunday and Holy-Day; or two Holy-Days; or a Sunday or Holy-Day and the Eve of the following Day: observe the Number which stands in that Square: then refer to the Numbers 1 to 6 for the explanation of its meaning. e. g.: (1.) Easter-Day is a Sunday of the 1st Class: St. Mark is a HolyDay of the 2nd Class: No. 1 in the Square shews that no notice of the latter is to be taken on Easter-Day. (2.) Christmas-Day is a Holy-Day of the 1st Class: Sunday, December 25th, is a Sunday of the 3rd Class: No. 2 in the Square shews that therefore the latter would not be noticed on Christmas-Day. (3.) Wednesday in Easter-Week is a Holy-Day of the 3rd Class: the Feast of the Annunciation is a Holy-Day of the 2nd Class : No. 3 in the Square shews that therefore the Service of the Annunciation is to be used, and the Wednesday Commemorated. (4.) The 2nd Sunday in Trinity is a Sunday of the 3rd Class: the Feast of St. Barnabas is a Holy-Day of the 3rd Class: No. 4 in the Square shews that therefore the Service will be that of the Apostle, the Sunday being Commemorated. The Black-Letter Holy-Days. These Minor Festivals have been variously noticed in the several Prayer Books. In the First Book of Edward VI., the name of St. Mary Magdalene alone appears, and a Collect, Epistle, and Gospel were provided. In the Second Book of Edward VI., this Feast (together with the Collect, &c.) is omitted, and four others are given,-viz., St. George, Lammas, St. Laurence, and St. Clement. In Queen Elizabeth's Book (1559), St. Clement occurs only in some editions. The Latin Book of 1560 gives a much larger number than those in the present Book, but omits Invention of the Cross, Translation of King Edward, Translation of St. Martin, Enurchus Bp., Holy-Cross Day, St. Denys Bp, Translation of King Edward [Conf.], and Lucy V.M. The new Elizabethan Kalendar of 1561 agrees with the present Kalendar, except in not including Venerable Bede, St. Alban, and Enurchus Bp. The last of these three was first inserted in the Book of 1604; the other two in that of 1662. Although these days (by the Stat. 5 & 6 Edward VI., c. 3, A.D. 1552) ceased to have the same obligation as the Greater Festivals, yet, as linking the Church of England with certain Events or Persons, they may well be Commemorated, to shew her own continuity, and to betoken her intention of Communion with the rest of the Catholic Church. This Commemoration may be made by Vesting the Altar in the Colour for the Day, using suitable Hymns, and noticing the Festival in a Lecture, or in the Sermon if the Day happens to be an ordinary Sunday. The Red-Letter Holy-Days. These Greater Festivals are what are called DAYS OF OBLIGATION,—— i. e. days on which the Clergy are as much bound to Celebrate "the Divine Service"-viz., the Holy Communion (see last Rubric in "Holy Communion"), and the Laity to frequent it according to their opportunity, as on Sundays. This is plain from "A Table* of all the Feasts *By the (still unrepealed) Statute 5 & 6 Edward VI., c. 3, all the Days in this Table (except the Conversion of St. Paul and St. Barnabas, which are not mentioned), that are to be observed in the Church of England throughout the Year," coupled with the fact, that for every Day named in that Table a Collect, Epistle, and Gospel are appointed. The Altar should be Vested (in the Colour for the Day), and prepared for the Service, at the time of Evening Prayer on the Even before. The Hymn then used should be for the Festival, or introductory to it, as, e. g., on Easter Even, when the Easter Hymn would naturally not be sung until Easter Day itself. The Evens, Vigils, Fasts, and Days of Abstinence. To explain the difficulty which many persons have as to these terms, it is well to observe, 66 1. That every Sunday and Festival has an Even,-viz., the Day before it on the Evening of which the first Vespers (or Evensong) of the day following begins. 2. That only those Days named in "A Table of the Vigils," &c., have a Vigil. 3. That every Vigil (except when a Sunday comes between it and the Feast) is an Even: but only "The Evens" before the Feasts mentioned in the same Table are also Vigils. 4. That all "Vigils" are "Days of Fasting." "" OF THE "DAYS OF FASTING OR ABSTINENCE.' 1. That the word "or" does not imply that fasting and abstinence are the same thing. 2. That as persons under age and in certain conditions of life (e. g. poverty, sickness, hard labour, travelling) are not required to fast, but should abstain where they can; so the word "or" does imply that the Days mentioned in the Table are to be Times of "abstinence" to such persons. 3. That fasting means going without food for a certain time: abstinence means keeping from particular kinds of food, especially Flesh meat (though this is allowed in exceptional cases as above) at specified times. 4. That the Days marked I. and II. in the Table,-viz., the Forty Days of Lent and the Ember Days,--are Days of fasting. Those marked III., --viz., the three Rogation Days,-are Days of abstinence; but the Wednesday, being also the Vigil of the Ascension, is a fast. Those marked IV.,—viz., the Fridays in the year, except Christmas Day,-are Days of abstinence. "The Order for Morning and Evening Prayer Daily to be said and used throughout the Year." "The Morning and Evening Prayer shall be used in the accustomed Place of the Church, Chapel, or Chancel; except it shall be otherwise determined by the Ordinary of the Place. And the Chancels shall remain as they have done in times past." are "commanded to be kept Holy-Days;" and it is also enacted "that none other day shall be kept and commanded to be kept holy, or to abstain from lawful bodily labour." By the "accustomed Place" is meant the Choir or Chancel (not any place which modern custom, subsequent to 1559, may have determined); and this place ought, if possible, to be kept: "the Ordinary"* is to judge whether in any case it be impracticable (e.g., when the intervention of a Tower between the Nave and Chancel renders it really inconvenient for the people to hear). The practice in some places (where no such plea could be made) of placing the Minister at a Desk in the Nave and putting some of the people in the Chancel, is clearly contrary to this Rubric. Ornaments of the Church. "And here it is to be noted, that such Ornaments of the Church, and of the Ministers thereof, at all Times of their Ministration, shall be retained, and be in use, as were in this Church of England, by the Authority of Parliament, in the Second Year of the Reign of King Edward the Sixth." THE ALTAR.-It must be a moveable Table, " convenient and decent," at the least, in every case; it may be carved, panelled, ornamented in any suitable manner. The size will vary with the size of the Chancel; but it should not be less than six feet long, two feet six inches wide, and three feet three inches high. It should be so raised as to be well seen from the Nave, and to form the most prominent object in the Church. At the North Side of the Altar should be placed a DESK or similar support for the SERVICE-BOOK: no Book is to be placed (nor is needed) on the South Side. THE ALTAR-LEDGE OR SHELF-Commonly (but incorrectly) called the Super-Altar. It may rest on the Altar, but must be moveable; it is most convenient, however, if affixed to the wall, or made structurally part of the Reredos; so that it may project about six inches over the Altar-table (not touching it), or that the latter may stand against it. It may be covered, if wished; but is better carved, or otherwise ornamented. Upon it should be placed (1) the Altar-cross; (2) the two Candlesticks with Candles; (3) Vases of flowers, when needed. ALTAR COVERINGS.-1. A canvass cloth (double) fitting tightly the top of the Table: if waxed on the under side it preserves the wood: it should be moved periodically to cleanse the Altar. 2. The Super-Frontal, covering No. 1.: It may be always red: should hang down about ten inches including the fringe. 3. The "fair white linen cloth:" without "embroidery or lace:" the ends may be fringed: it should cover entirely the surface (not front) of the Altar, hanging down at the ends of the Altar to within about six inches of the foot-pace on which the Altar stands. 4. The Frontal: it is most conveniently affixed to No. 1., and need not be returned at the ends of the Altar. The colours (which now generally follow the custom of the rest of the Western Church, though the Sarum use was different†) are- —(1) White, (2) Red, (3) Green, (4) Violet, (5) Black. *Now in, most if not, all places the Bishop. The Sarum custom as to Colours is thus stated by Mr. Chambers ("Strictures Legal and Historical on the Judgment of the Consistory Court of London in December, 1855," p. 113),-"The Rubrical Colours for Vestments were directed to be as follows:Red on every Sunday, and every Festival of Martyrs, Apostles, and Evangelists throughout the Year, except from Easter to Trinity Sunday, when they were always |
