PRAYER-BOOK REVISION CONCERNS THE WHOLE NATION.

[To THE EDITOR Or TEE " SPECTATOR:9 SIR,—" Why," asked Bacon, "should the civil state be purged and restored by good and wholesome laws made every three years in Parliament assembled, devising remedies as fast as time breedeth mischief, and contrariwise the ecclesiastical state still continue upon the dregs of time, and receive no alteration these forty-five years or more P", What would he have thought if he could have foreseen that the revision he asked for would be deferred for nearly three hundred years ? Next to the Bible the nation has no more valuable possession as an instrument of spiritual culture than the Prayer-book, and it is the whole nation's concern to keep it worthy of its name and position by periodical revision. Nowhere is the necessity for such revision more forcibly dwelt upon than in the preface of the book itself. Even if the authorities of the

Church are not prepared for any but minute changes in the standard work for Cathedral use, as would seem by the timid attempts made • in this direction, let them at any rate prepare some plainer and shorter services for use in village churches and the poorer quarters in our towns.

The relations of Church and State in the new century depend greatly on our knowing the time of our visitation. To treat the Church as a denomination among denomina- tions, to argue about her rights or her property as if she were merely the oldest of the sects, and belonged only to those who at this particular time are making full use of her buildings and ministrations, is practically to work for her denationalisa- tion. In our nation God has made State and Church one. What God has joined let not man put asunder. This being the case, the whole nation is interested, or ought to be (not only its component parts, the Christian parishioners of each parish), in bringing the nation's public service-book up to date, according to the best and soundest learning to be had and the best standards of devotion and good taste. If there is to be 0, Royal Commission, it must not only represent the half of the nation that is presumed to be more or less content with the book as it is (having been accustomed to its use and familiar with its language all their lives), but the other half as well that is presumed to be discontented, and has, at any rate, grown up in complete ignorance of it.

We may regard the chief Nonconforming bodies in the Empire as the Church's adult daughters, claiming respectful recognition as in a sense sister-Churches. Or we may regard the Nonconforming half of the nation (on this particular ecclesiastical question) as having been the members of his Majesty's Opposition ever since the first of the Stuarts refused to grant the reforms for which they pleaded at the Hampton Court Conference. In either case we realise that times have changed, and the nation—Church and State in union—is quite prepared to give the " non-contents " a far more respectful hearing than ever before, whenever they make their voices heard. Can we have forgotten the warnings of history P Were not the earnest appeals of our Transatlantic Colonies treated with scorn by the Mother-country under a Monarch of the house of Hanover, just as the earnest appeals of the Puritans for the revision of the nation's Book of Common Prayer had been treated with scorn by the Mother-Church under King James I. ? And do not Church and State alike now realise that the children they might have gathered under their wings are lost to them P Centuries have come and gone, and the Holy Spirit has raised our moral and religious standards, has " convinced the world" (as Christ told us to expect) "about right and wrong, and how to judge between them." We have lived to see under our present King representatives of daughter-nations courteously addressed as " sisters " rather than "daughters " and welcomed by the Mother-country. " Government has conferred with Governments." As a Christian nation, it seems, we have learned " what spirit we are of." The Church, too, has in the Nonconformist bodies daughters whose demo- cratic institutions have (as in the case of the Colonies) angered and distressed their mother. In the one case the claim of adults to independent life has been recognised. There is at last a revival of mutual affection, because there is mutual respect. Shall the Church lag behind the State in those methods of sympathy and courtesy which alone " turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers " ? Are the children of this world to prove themselves kinder as well as wiser than the children of light ? Christ has taught us that it is angels' work to remove stumbling-blocks. Why should not our King prove himself as great a peacemaker in religious as in secular matters P He has entrusted the Houses of Convocation with Letters of Business with a view to the revision of the Book of Family Prayer of the English people. Is it out of the question that the Premiers of the CHURCH'S great colonies at home and abroad should be invited to a sort of new "Hampton Court Conference" under happier auspices P A Round-Table Con- ference would bring out the yearning for common worship that is strong in many hearts, and the good old proverb would dome true : " Where there's a will there's a way."— I am, Sir, Sic., F. DAUSTINI 'NEMER. Eccles Vicarage, Manchester.

P.S.—With your permission, I will venture to submit some

examples with a 'vie* of showing that the shortening and simplifying of the existing services is by no means so im- possible a thing as it is the fashion to represent it. I will choose part of the Marriage Service, an unauthorised tamper- ing with which is already common :--

We are gathered together here, brethren, in the sight of God and in the presence of these witnesses (or "this congregation ") to join together this man and this woman in holy Matrimony and to invoke thereon the blessing of Almighty God.

The Marriage Union is used mysti- cally in Holy Scripture to symbolise the spiritual union between God and his chosen people, between Christ and his church.

Christ himself honoured and sanc- tioned a wedding-feast by his presence.

Seeing then that Marriage is so honourable an estate, it is not by any to be entered upon lightly or unad- visedly like brute beasts that have no understanding, but reverently, dis- creetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God.

For it is clearly not God's will that men and women should be joined together lightly or wantonly, but after due thought, and with full under- standing of all that is involved, duly considering the causes for which such union has been ordained.

Marriage is designed as a remedy against sin. It sets the solemn seal of legal and religious sanction on the deliberate and well-considered choice of a man and woman to live perma- nently together as one, where heart and mind are already united.

It is God's good gift for the happi- ness and well-being of his creatures, implying the provision of a home for the mutual society, help, and comfort that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity.

It provides for the continuance of the race by the bringing up of children in the fear and nurture of the Lord and to the praise of his holy name.

It is in order to be joined together in the holy estate of marriage that these two persons are now present here.

* * * * * *

Look mercifully upon these thy servants, 0 Lord, who are now in Matrimony made one, and vouch- safe to pour upon them the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that both this man may love his wife faithfully and unselfishly, even as Christ his church, tending and cherishing her even as his own flesh; and also that this woman may be loving and amiable, faithful and obedient to her husband, and in all quietness, sobriety; and 'peace be a follower of holy and godly matrons.

[Grant unto them, if it be thy holy will, the blessing of children, and allow them to live together so long in godly love and honesty that they may see their children christianly and vir- tuously brought up to thy praise and honour.] Whatever be their lot in the outward circumstances of life, keep their hearts true to thee and to each other. Thus obeying thy will and always being in safety under thy protection, may they abide in thy love unto their lives' end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Give thy constant assistance, Heavenly Father, we humbly beseech thee, to these thy servants in the con- duct of their united life. Together may they listen for thy Word and receive it with meekness as they read Holy Scripture, and whatsoever they shall profitably learn, therein or else- where, with regard to thy Holy Will, may they in deed fulfil the same. Together may they seek thy presence and obtain thy blessing in public and private worship. Together may they

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony ; which is an honourable estate, instituted of God in the time of man's innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church ; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought, in Cana of Galilee ; and is com- mended of St. Paul to be honourable among all men : and therefore is not by any to be enterprised, nor taken in band, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men's carnal lusts and appetites, like brute • beasts that have no understanding; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God; duly considering the causes for which Matrimony was or- dained.

First, it was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of his holy Name.

Secondly, It was ordained for a remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication; that such persons as have not the gift of continency might marry, and keep themselves undefiled members of Christ's body.

Thirdly, It was ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adver- sity. Into which holy estate these two persona present come now to be joined."

a * * * "O God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, bless these thy servants, and sow the seed of eternal life in their hearts; that whatsoever in thy holy Word they shall profitably learn, they may in deed fulfil the same. Look, 0 Lord, mercifully upon them from heaven, and bless them. And as thou didst send thy blessing upon Abraham and Sarah, to their great comfort, so vouchsafe to send thy blessing upon these thy ser- vants; that they obeying thy will, and always being in safety under thy protection, may abide in thy love unto their lives' end ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

0 Merciful Lord, and heavenly Father, by whose gracious gift mankind is in- creased ; We beseech thee assist with thy blessing these two persons, that they may both be fruitful in prOcrea- tion of children, and also live together so long in godly love and honesty, that they may see their children christianly and virtuously brought up, to thy praise and honour; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

0 God, who by thy mighty power has made all things of nothing; Who also (after other things set in order) didat appoint, that out of man (created after thine own image and similitude) woman should take her beginning ; and, knit- ting- them together, didat teach that it should never be lawful to put asunder those whom thou by Matrimony hadst made one: 0 God, who haat consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an ex- cellent mystery, that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and his Church ; Look mercifully upon these thy servants, that both this man amiable, faithful and obedient own flesh,) and also that this love his spouse the Church. who gave himself for it, loving may love his wife, according to thy Word, (as Christ did and cherishing it even as his woman may be loving and time, and may they in the end life's trials and troubles with faith and courage. And when death comes to part them, may it only be for a rejoice when thou dost send them prosperity ; together may they bear to her husband ; and in all together inherit thine everlasting king- quietness, sobriety, and peace, dom. We ask this in the name of be a follower of holy and godly Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. matrons. 0 Lord, bless them Loth, and grant them to in- Amen. herit thy everlasting king- dom ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

[With the general spirit of Mr. Cremer's letter we are in sympathy, and we admit that a great deal is to be said for Bacon's argument for development. If, then, we could feel sure that the practical result of Prayer-book revision would be to maintain, or even increase, the comprehensiveness of the English Church, we should endorse his demand. But can we feel any such assurance ? We are bound to confess to the gravest misgivings lest, should the Prayer-book be thrown into the melting-pot, it might emerge narrower, not wider,—less, not more, capable of including various forms of Christian belief. The Prayer-book may have many faults, but, old-fashioned though it be, it has at any rate proved a shelter and defence from the blight of bigotry. Unless, then, we could obtain an assurance that revision would be only in the direction of an even wider comprehension, we would rather leave the Prayer- book as it is. Possibly our fears may be ill-founded, but we feel bound to present them along with -Mr. Cremer's interesting and suggestive letter.—En. Spectator.]