THE ANCLICAN CHURCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21244, 27 January 1931, Page 9

THE ANCLICAN CHURCH

USE OF NEW PRAYER BOOK. SIR LESLIE SCOTT’S OPINION. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph-Copyright.) LONDON, January 25. That the action of the archbishops and bishops in sanctioning and directing the use of the Prayer Book containing alternatives and additional forms, rites, ceremonies, and rubrics differing from the Book of Common Prayer, is unconstitutional and illegal, is the opinion of Sir Leslie Scott (Solicitor-general in 1922) This opinion is supported by the barrister, Mr Wilfred Lewis. They declare that the action of the upper houses of the convocations of York and Canterbury in passing the resolutions of July, 1929, utilising the. new book as a work of reference and fixing the limit for permissible variations from the old book, was unconstitutional and ultra vires. The action of the archbishops and 'bishops in passing the resoultibn was a breach of the statutory duties imposed by law upon the clergy. The Archbishop of Canterbury’s directions to the diocese in applying the resolution was also a breach of the Acts of Uniformity, as, was also the conduct of the clergy in utilising the liberty accorded them to use the new book. The position of the bishop in using the new forms of confirmation and other services is the same as other ministers using the illegal form of Divine service.—Times Cable.