Book of Common Prayer, 1928

Preface
all !:nt1llitTl writings; ya tlpon the principles already laid down, it cll1mot but
be mppased tbat jilrtber alterations would in time be fo1J1/d expedimt. Accordingly,
a Or1Jl11lission for a review was ismed in tbe year 168g: but this
great II1ld good work miscarried at that time; a1ld tbe Civil Authority bas ,rot
since tbougbt proper to revive it by II1lJ 1lew Commission.
But wile'll ill tbe course of Divine Providence, tbese Americ(m States be.
came independellt with respect to civil govmmle1Jt, tbeir ecclesiastical independence
was necessarily included; and tbe differellt religious denominations
of
i1l tbese States were left at jilll II1ld equal liberty to model
II1I.d tlmr respectIve Cburcbes, and forms of worsbip, a1ld discip111le,11I
mcb 1Il1l1171er as tbey migbt judge 1Ilost c01lvmimt for tbeir jimere
prosperity; c01lsistmlly witb tbe c011stit1lfion a1ld laws of tbeir country.
Tbe attmtlon of tbzs C!:nITcb was in tbe first place drawlI to tbose alterati07lS
tbe Littlrgy wbich became necessary in tbe prayers for oter Civil
Rulers, In conseqllmce of tbe Revol1lfi01I. hId tbe principal care berein was
to make tbem cmformable to ,.hat 011ght to be tbe proper end of all mcb
prayers, namely, tbat Rulers 1Ilay !Jave grace, wisdom, and understanding
to ,execrae justice, an.d to ,11laintain tr'lltl;"j and tbat the people "may lead
qUIa and peaceable /zves, J1l all gOdliness Q/ld Imusty."
But wbile
were in review before the C01lve'lltion, they
could ,rot bta, wltb gratmlde to God, embrace tbe bappy occasio1l wbicb was
offered to tbem (tminf/ueuced a1ld unrestrained by II1ly worldly atabority
,.batsoever) to take a jilrtber review of tbe Public Service, a1ld to establisb
mcb otber alterations and II1lleudmeuts tberein as migbt be deemed expedieut.
It seems tlnnecessary to euUlllerate all tbe differmt alterations a1ld II1llmd.
l1mlts. Tbey will appear, a1ld it is to be boped, tbe reaSOllS of tbem also,
upon a comparisoll of tbis IVitb tbe Book of O!1ll11l011 Prayer of tbe C!:nlrcb
of Ellglll1ld. In IVbicb it will also appear tbat tbis Cburcb is far from illteuding
to depart fr01ll tbe Cbtercb of Engla1ld illll1ly emmtial poi1lt of doctrine,
discipline, or woTsbip; or further them local cirCfI'lllstonces require.
hId ,row, tbis i1llportll1lt work being br011gbt to a cOllclusim, it is boped
tbe wbole will be received a1ld examimd by every true l1lfmber of Ofer
Onercb, II1ld every sincere OJristian, witb a meek, cll1ldid, a1ld cbaritable
frll111e of 1Ilind; witbout prejudice or prepossessio1lS; seriously C01lsiderillg
wbat Cbristill11ity is, a1ld what tbe trtltbs of tbe Gospel are; mId earnestly
beseecbing Almighty God to acc01llpll1lJ with his blessing every mdeavoler
for pr01llulgating the1ll to 1Ila1lkind i1l the clearest, plainest, most affecting
a1ld 1Ilajestic mll1l1ler, for the sake of Jems OJrist, OttY blessed Lord and
Savio'llr.
Pbilndelphin, October, 1789.
TI
Concerning the
Service of the Church
E Order for Holy Communion, the Order for Morning Prayer, the
Order for Evening Prayer, and the Litany, as set forth in this Book, are
the regular Services appointed for Public Worship in this. Church,
shall be used accordingly; Provided, that in addition to Services, the Mmister.
in his discretion, subject to the direction of the Ordmary,
devotions taken from this Book or set forth by lawful authonry :"'lthm thiS
Church. or from Holy Scripture; and Provided further, that, subject to the
direction of the Ordinary, in Mission Churches or Chapels, and also, when
expressly authorized by the Ordinary, in Cathedral or Parish Churches .or
other places, such other devotions as aforesaid may be used, when the
cation of the Congregation so requires, in place of the Order for Mommg
Prayer, or the Order for Evening Prayer. . . .
For Days of Fasting and
appointed by the C,vil or EccleSiastical
Authority, and for other special occasIOns, for which no Service or
Prayer hath been provided in this Book, the Bishop may set forth such fonn
or forms as he shall see fit, in which case none other shall be used.
NOTF That in the directions for the severa1 Services in this Book, it is
not by the use of any parricular word denoting vocal utterance, to
prescribe the tone or manner of their recitation.
T
TIlE USE OF THE PSALTER AND TIlE LECTIONARY
HE Old Te!,'tament is appointed for the First Lessons, and the New
Testament for the Second Lessons, at Morning and Evening Prayer
throughout the year.
The Psalms and Lessons to be read every day arc to be found in the following
Table of Psalms and Lessons for the Christian Yearj except only
those for the Immovable Holy Days, the Proper Psalms and Lessons for aU
which days are to be found in the Table for the Fixed Holy Days. .
On the following days, and their eves, if any, the Proper Psalms appOinted
in the Tables shall be used, Christmas, Epiphany, Purification, Ash Wednesday,
Annunciation, Good Friday, Easter Day, Ascension Day, Whitsunday,
Trinity Sunday, Transfiguration, All Saints, and Thanksgiving Day. .
But Note, That on other days, the Minister shall use the Psalms appomted
in the Tables; or at his discretion he may use one or more of those assigned
in the Psalter to the day of the month, or from the Table of Selections of
Psalms. And Note further, That in the case of a Psalm which is divided into
sections, the Minister may use a section or sections of such Psalm.
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