NATIONAL CHURCH ASSEMBLY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18141, 12 January 1921, Page 6

NATIONAL CHURCH ASSEMBLY

REVISION OF PRAYER BOOK. RELIGION AND WAR. (From Ode Own Correspondent.) , LONDON, November 26. At the autumn session of the National Assembly of the Church of England the question of the revision of the Prayer Book was brought up. The Bishop icf Gloucester said opinion had grown up that the law of public worship in the church was too narrow for the present generation. The power of selfadjustment was inherent in the conception of a living church. Additional elasticity was needed. Between 1806 and 1918 endless labour was expended on this question, and much evidence sifted. The sole point on which agreement could not be reached was in connection with alteration of the holy communion service. Sir Edward .Clarke moved that a comj mittee be apnointed to consider and report upon the answers ,of the Convocations to the - Royal Letters of Business on the revision of the Prayer Book; such committee to consist of 20 persons. GREEK STATUES IN PETTICOATS. Lord Hugh Cecil hoped that the literary side of the Prayer Book would receive due attention. He had heard that the latter part of ,the Psalm, "By the Waters of Babylon,” was to be cut out. He thought such action would destroy all the force and glory in the Psalm. The proposal reminded him of the movement to drape Greek statues in flannel petticoats in the cause of purity ! The proposal was adopted, as also a further motion that a committee should be appointed to consider and report on the revision of the Psalms and their use in public worship. EXAGGERATED IMPORTANCE OF NATIONALITY. Lord H. Cecil moved that the assembly welcomed the establishment of the League of Nations, and that all churchmen should support the League in their own dioceses. By this means they would be cutting at the root of war. Few people realised that civilisation had been almost destroyed -in the last war. An economic collapse meant that masses of people actually died of sheer starvation. The nineteenth century had teen conspicuous for the exaggerted importance attached to nationality. Prussia and Ireland were extreme examples. Man owed his supreme allegiance not to the idea of patriotism, but tq God. Nationality and patriotism were subject to the law. of God. The Bishop of London said that Christianity was at stake. He doubted if faith in it would survive another such war as we had just experienced. The League of Nations was Christianity in action. He wanted churchmen to dispel the apathy that existed. —After further discussion the motion was carried with two dissentients.