LEISURABLE STUDIES.
Leisurable Studies. By the Rev. T. H. Passmore. (Longmans and Co. 4s.)—There is plenty both of good sense and of humour in these articles reprinted from the Church Review. We must own that the good sense has occasionally a slight flavour of bitterness, and the humour might be sometimes in better taste. What he says about the pulpit and the lectern is mostly excellent ; but he might have been, with advantage, leas sarcastic on harvest festivals, which, after all, do rouse no little interest, and awaken what it is not always easy to awaken, the spirit of almsgiving. Why a harvest festival, Mr. Passmore would seem to ask, when you do not celebrate the Assumption ? But the Assumption is not older than the seventh century. — We may mention in connection with this volume Studies in Ceremonial, by the Bev. Vernon Haley (Mowbray and Co., 3s. net). The first chapter may be taken as an example : "Genuflections at the Consecration of the Eucharist." Not a few people of various ways of thinking will be startled at the statement that "genu- flection by the celebrant during the Canon has never been authorised by any rubric of the Liturgies of the Church in England, from the introduction of Christianity until the present time." The Elevation of the Host was net introduced till the twelfth century. Even in the early printed Roman missals genuflection is not ordered. Then there is no rubrical authority for the sign of the cross at the words "life everlasting" in the Creed. Even in Roman ritual it is new. Reading the Epistle and Gospel with face turned from the people is another innova- tion. The fact is that many of our clergy, commonly ill-informed in these matters, take too much liberty and exercise too little sense. What can be more absurd than that a minister already kneeling should bow his head ? The kneeler can do nothing more except prostrate himself.
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