THE NEW PRAYER BOOK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20310, 19 January 1928, Page 7

THE NEW PRAYER BOOK.

DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT. NOT ON PARTY LINES. TWENTY YEARS’ WORK. {Ekom Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, December 14. This week the debate on the new Prayer Book will be in progress in both Houses ot Parliament. It is reported that there has probably been more lobbying on sides among all parties than for ai.y political measure for a generation. The division of opinion is not on party lines. Colleagues will fight each othe. and enemies stand side by side. Tho duel starts in the Commons with a clash between Mr Bridgeman and the Home Secretary, and ends with a conflict be tween Lord Hugh Cecil and Sir Thomas Ir.skip. It was thought at first that the chief threat to the Revised Prayer Booe lay in the Lords. But this view is now changing. During the last few days opinion in the Commons has hardened against the measure, and when it is debated on Thursday next a most interesting discussion is assured. The opponents of the measure are the Home Secretary, Sir William JoynsonHicks, Sir Douglas Hogg, Sir John Pennefather, Sir Robert Hutchison, Colonel Applin, Mr Rosslyn Mitchell, and Sir Thomas Inskip, who will wind up the discussion.

It is estimated that a minimum of 150 M.P.’s will be found to oppose the measure, and some put the opposition .at 200. If so, the measure is in danger of being rejected. It is more likely, however, that many Free Church M.P.’s will abstain from voting. HISTORY OF PROPOSALS. In an article in The Times it is pointed out that the present proposals for Prayar Book revision received their first definite impulse and direction from the report ot the Royal Commission on Ecclesiastical Discipline which was presented to Parliament in 1906. The commission ivas appointed “ to inquire into the alleged prevalence of’ breaches or neglect of the law relating to the conduct of divine service in the Church of England and to the ornaments and fittings of churches .... and to make such recommendations as may be deemed requisite for dealing with the aforesaid matters." They found, as their first conclusion, that— The law of public worship in the Church of England is 100 narrow for tho religious life ot the present generation it needlessly condemns much which a great section of churchpeople, including many of her most devoted members, value ; and modern thought and feeling are characterised by a care for ceremonial, a sense of dignity in worship, and an appreciation of the continuity of the church, which were not similarly felt at' the time when the law took its present shape., In accordance with these recommendations, Royal Letters of Business were issued to the Convocations of Canterbury and York. The answers of the two Convocations to the Royal Letters of Business took a long time to prepare, partly because of the complexity of the subject matter, and partly, no doubt, because of the interruptions caused by the war. But these answers, which were ultimately published in 1920, were the foundation of the present proposals. They consisted of about 60 pages of proposed amendments to the Book of Common Prayer ; and in these pages one may trace the origin of most of the matters which have since been treated as controversial. Very many more stages followed before the present position was arrived at. A COMPOSITE BOOK, Whereas the Book resulting from the amendments proposed in the original measures would have been an alternative book, the deposited book is, as desired by the House of Laity, a Composite Book, containing not only the proposed alternative uses, but also the services of the Book of Common Prayer. The Deposited Book can therefore be used in churches where it is desired to retain unaltered the existing forms of service. When the stage of revision in the House of Bishops had been completed, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York formally consulted the Convocations of their provinces and obtained the consent of Convocations to the measure being laid before the Assembly for final approval. WORK OF THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE. A more difficult and laborious method of revising the Book of Common Prayer could not easily be devised. But at least every one lias had his say. The proposals hate been sifted and sifted again. Directly or indirectly, every one whose learning or judgment or practical experience has entitled him to be heard has had an opportunity of making his contribution. The Deposited Book may fairly be regarded as the work of the church as a whole, and not the work of individual members of the church. Its ultimate form is that approved by the bishops, upon whom would lie the duty and responsibility of administering it.