NEW PRAYER BOOK.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19231, 10 February 1928, Page 11

NEW PRAYER BOOK.

CONSIDERATION OF AMENDED VERSION.

(BT CABLE—FBESS ASSOCIATION— COPYBIGHT.) (ATJSTBALIAN AND N.Z. AND SUN CAELB.)

LONDON, February 8.

Addressing the Church Assembly, the Archbishop of Canterbury said that the bishops believed that the number of churches in which Continuous Eeservations of the Sacrament were practised was well under 700.

This figure represented between 4$ and 5 per cent, of the total number of churches in England. Replying to Canon Partridge he said that the percentage was calculated on the number of parish churches. Replying to Lord Hugh Cecil, he said that Continuous Reservation was practised in about eighty institutions, including hospitals and such like. Ho was unaware how many had any form of devotion.

The House of Laity approved the Prayer Book by 196 votes to 80. Most of the speeches, fell into one of three categories: First, a plea for general approval, leaving the details for Thursday's revision stage; second, a refusal to approve the measure because it legalised Continuous Reservation; third, an appeal to postpone the measure in the hope of securing a general agreement and thereby obviate the risk of the House of Commons again rejecting the Book. Earl Selborne, who presided, said that when the House of Commons rejected the Book it acted within its rights, but the action was unprecedented. There was a majority in favour of the book among the English members. The opinion of English people would prevail in the long run, not the opinion of Scots, Irish, and Welsh. He appealed to delegates to forget Parliament. They were responsible only to their constituents and their consciences. All the Houses will take the revision of the Book to-morrow.