THE PRAYER BOOK

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 45, 21 January 1928, Page 9

THE PRAYER BOOK

RESERVATION OF SACRAMENT. ADORATION FORBIDDEN. CHIEF FEATURES OF AMENDMENT. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received January 21, 11.55 a.m. LONDON, Jan. 20. A prayer for the King every morning and evening througliout the year, the printing of a black rubric forbidding the adoration of the Sacrament_ ait the end of the alternative Communion service, and the incorporation of explicit rules regarding the reservation of the Sacramenit appear to bo the chief features of the amended Prayer Book. Officially issued with supplementary forms of the service, it will ho submitted to the Assembly on February 6, and if the various consents are thereafiter obtained the archbishops expect it to be presented in Parliament before Whitsuntide. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, in an explanatory note, refer to the avoidable misunderstanding in the House of Commons and say that the new measure endeavours to remove them. The first amendment of the previous measure deletes a clause which, according to the archbishops, has bedh interpreted as giving an archbishop power to make rules having the force of a rubric and governing the Church of England’s entire public worship. The archbishops refer to hostility to caving the King’s prayers to the discretion of the minister. The purpose was to prevent repetition, but it is now provided that one of the prayers for His Majesty shall always be said morning and evening. Tho archbishops point out that the rejected book was intended to make if. clear that the consecrated bread and .vine were reserved solely for communon for the sick; also that there should not be a service or ceremony in connection therewith, but it was urged that rubrics insufficiently safeguarded these conditions. Therefore, the amended book contains most important rules with the rubric in a more explicit form. The amended book fur--hercnore provided that the consecrated canopied aumbry or safe set in the north or south wall of the church or chapel, or to the roof or wall of the vestry. The archbishops state that the changes seem few, but they must not ae thought unimportance. The clause relating to the reservation of tho Sacrament provides that the door of itlie sale containing theconecrated bread and wine shall be kept .ocked and must not be exposed or renoved except for the purpose of communion.—Australian Press Association md Sun.

LATEST REVISION

DENOUNCED BY BISHOP BARNES

BREAKS WITH MOST OF COLLEAGUES.

Received January 21, 12.30 p.m. LONDON, Jan. 20.

Bishop Barnes fias definitely broken with the majority ot ins colleagues by .osumg a statement denouncing tne .atest revision ot the Prayer Book; aiso disclosing to some extent the unpublisned proceedings at Lambeth calace.

The bishop says that the latest revision is gravely inadequate. Liocie lias jeen done to remove tiie objectionable .eatures of the new book or lessen tire misgivings expressed in Parliament in .ecent private debates. “I feel it my duty to indicate to my lellow-cliur'chmen wliy I cannot accept me new proposals. From the beginning I protested against the secrecy in me matter. The newspapers should mve been allowed to attend all the important debates. “As he attended by right and not by .nvitation, Bishop Barnes feels himself jlI liberty to describe what happened. “My first duty is to the church and die nation and must over-ride the visiles of my colleagues. It is true .hat a black rubric has been added as in alternative communion, but it will ie regarded as a concession to wliat ias been called ignorant Protestantism. “Some casuists even maintain that Jie rubric upholds the doctrine of the .oal presence. This may be absurd, mt the black rubric does not safeguard iouud church doctrine, yet the bishops ejected the proposal to insert in the jook a simple statement setting forth be Church’s doctrine upon tho Cornnun ion. The only other important hanges relate to tho reservation of he sacrament. This subject will irouse more misgivings than any 'hange suggested in tho deposited rook.”—A. and N.Z. cable.