MATINS AT 11
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] Sia,—The remarks made by " Janus " in your last issue, that the Church of England should provide Matins regularly at eleven o'clock in case he or his friends should wish to avail themselves of it, show a lamentable ignorance of the Book of Common Prayer. The Prayer Book clearly sets before us the Holy Communion Service as the one to which all ought to come. It is, for instance, the only service at which a sermon is ordered to be preached. God-parents at a Baptism are requested to see that the child just baptised is in due time brought to hear sermons ; which indicates that children are to be brought to the service at which a sermon is ordered to be preached. It is true that the clergy have for years obliged with a sermon at Matins and Evensong but no provision is made in the Prayer Book for such sermons. It is at the Holy Communion that the Notices for the week are ordered to be read, and the collection taken. What is the object of giving out Notices ? Is it not to ensure the greatest publicity ? If only one sermon is•ordered for Sunday, at which service would it be placed ? Surely at the principal service which the bulk of the people attended. So after the Creed in the Communion Service we read, " Then shall follow the sermon."
It is also fairly obvious that Morning Prayer should be said
in the morning and not when the day is half over. In the early morning we can more appropriately thank God for bring- ing us " to the beginning of this day." Peter Heylin, writing in 1637 says, " This was the ancient practice of the Church of England. The Morning Prayer, or Matins, to begin between 6 and 7 : which still continues in the Cathedral Church of Winchester."
The habit of going to church at eleven for Matins grew up gradually from the changed habits and customs of the people. The well-to-do folk rose at a late hour and enjoyed a comfortable breakfast before setting forth for their Sunday worship at an hour which caused them no personal inconvenience, and per- mitted them to get back home in good time for the next meal. This morning congregation consisted for the most part of the landed gentry and those who would like to be classed with them. In the evening the churches were filled with the working classes and the well-to-do were conspicuous by their absence ; to this day in my own parish the eleven o'clock service is called " The Gentlemen's Service."
May I also add that the mere fact of Establishment does not make it necessary for the Church of England to make provision for those who have left her ranks or have never been within them? This applies equally to the Established Church of
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