PRAYER BOOK REVISION.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XVII, Issue 11, 2 May 1927, Page 12

PRAYER BOOK RE VISION.

Sir, Mr. F. E. Tucker's letter on Prayer Book revision ,is a long drawn out attack on those he terms "So-called Anglo-Catholics." AngloCatholics are not particularly enamoured with that name; however, it is -a useful and necessary term fco distinguish us from other Catholics. The Church of England. 400 years ago, adapted the Latin prayer books arid missals that had been used m mediaeval times, translated them into English, and gave us our first English Prayer Book. Surely what the Church did theu, she can do again, and give us a new prayer book more suitable for modern conditions. Why are we to be bound by the dead hand of the 16th century? What does . your correspondent mean by "the Communion Service has been thrown to the so-called Anglo-Catholics"? The chief alteration m the Communion Office has been the restoration of the Prayer of Consecration to its ancient and" primitive form, the same as used m the American and Scottish prayer boks for over 100 years. Even so, any alteration m the now Prayer Book does not add to the age-long teaching of our Church regarding Holy Communion. ■ The Sacrifice of the Mass, or Eucharistic Sacrifice, "the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of .Christ" (Church Catechism), the English Church has ever taught. In fact, she could not do otherwise, without forfeiting her claim to be a portion of the Holy Catholic Church of Christ. Does Mr. Tucker really believe that Anglo-Catholics have little or no respect for the Bible? Surely he is better informed than thai. " I trust he will be disappointed m his desire that it will be some years before it is adopted m New Zealand. It is to be hoped that the new Prayer Book will be m use m this country as soon as possible Layman.