THE NEW PRAYER BOOK

Evening Star, Issue 19522, 1 April 1927, Page 14

THE NEW PRAYER BOOK

MAKES FOR LIVE CHURCH ARCHBISHOP JULIUS'S VIEW [Special to the ' Stah.'] fJHRISTCHURCII, April 1. “I caii only say this; that the change is imperative,” replied Archbishop Julius,* when asked his opinion about the new P.raycr Book He said that as the result of investigations he found that the old Prayer Book was not being used in its entirety in the churches at Home. “1 visited churches where the old service -was still retained, and found .practically no congregation,” continued His Lordship “ 1 visited others where the Prayer Book had been chopped and cut about. These churches were alive, the congregation was interested, and tho house was full. I visited others again, -whore the form of service was virtually the old Roman Catholic Mass beinpfsaid.” This showed that tho Prayer Book was not being used universally in England, and really the vast majority of ecclesiastics at Home were in favor of tho change. ‘’Only about two out of thirty-eight bishops made a fuss about it, and the news wo got was all about these two.” The probable course would be to change the book and make its nsSTpcrinissi’ve. Bo was not in accord with all the changes, but as a whole they filled'a long-felt want and brought the church more into line with modern conditions.

“They are also a sign of a" live church,” he added, “ and I would much sooner see a live church, even though "controversy wages, than a church full of apathy ”