Book of Common Prayer, 1928

THE RATIFICATION OF
THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER.
BY THE BISHOPS, THE CLERGY, AND THE LAI'JY OF THE PROTESTANT EPIS-
COPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN CONVENTION, THIS
SIXTEENTH DAY OF OCTOBER. IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD ONE THOUSAND
SEVEN HUNDRED AND EIGHTY·NINE.
This
in their present session, set fonh A Boolt of Comn1fm
Pruyn', and AtimtnUtrllflrm of the SacrammlJ, and other Riur and Cernnoniu of
flu Chllreh. do hereby establish the said Book, And they declare it to be the
Liturgy of this Church, And require that it be received as such by all the
members of the same, And this Book shall be in use from and after the First
Day of October, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and
ninety.
Preface
IT is a most inval1lable part of that blessed" liberty wherewith Christ hath
made 1lS free," tbat in bis worsbip differe1lt forms and usages may witb·
out offe1lce be allowed, provided the mbstance of tbe Faith be kept e1ltire;
and that, i1l every Clmrcb, what CIll17Wt be clearly determined to belong to
DoctrilIe m1lst be referred to Discipline; Irlld tberefore, by C0111111011 co,/mIt
a1ld authority, may be altered, abridged. e1llarged, I1/1ze1lded, or otherwise
disposed of, as may see1Jl 71Wst C01IVe1lie1lt for the edificati011 of the people,
.. according to the various exige1lCY of times 1lI1d occarions."
The Church of England, to which the Protestlrllt Episcopal Cburch in
these States is illdebted, under God. for her first f01lndation IlIld a long
contin1Iance of "ursing care and protection, bath, i1l the Preface of ber Book
of OmZ1Jl011 Prayer, laid it dolll1l as a rule, tbat .. The particular F077/lS of
Divim Worsbip, and the Rites and Cere7llonies appoimed to be fmd
tbereill, being things in their Olll1l nattlre indijfere1lt, 1lI1d alterable, IlIld so
acknowledged; it is btlt reasonable that "P011 weighty and importam