FURTHER STUDIES IN THE PRAYER-LOOK.
Further Studies in the Prayer-Book. By John Bowden, Bishop of Edinburgh. (Methuen and Co. 6s.)—The most important papers in Bishop Dowden's volume are "The Athanasiau Crated," and the discussion of the term "oblations " iu " Holy Communion." These two occupy between them nearly a third of the whole. His defence of the " Minatory Clauses " comes practically to this : " You must read the Creed historically." A little is done by putting " whosoever wishes to be saved" for "whosoever will be saved." But the apology comes to this : "The Creed came into being when men were being tempted to save their lives by accepting error : here is is voice proclaiming that the real salvation lies in clinging to the truth." Valeat quantum. As to the term " oblations " we are on easier ground, though here also we are in touch with great controversies. One theory is that tho word means the bread and wine to bo consecrated, which are thus proleptically spoken of as offerings. (The practice of omitting the word when there is no celebration points this way.) Another is that it means the bread and wine which the priest is about to use, and which he offers for that purpose. Bishop Bowden argues that it means offerings to the clergy as distinguished from alms, offerings to the poor. It will have been observed that the offertory sentences include exhortations addressed to both cases. At the Savoy Conference the Puritan delegates objected to the presence of the four sentences referring to the support of ministers. The Bishop answered : "The sentences tend all to exhort the people to pions liberality, whether the object be the minister or the poor." But they did more ; they struck out the rubric by which the people were to be "earnestly exhorted to remember the poor." Much else that is interesting and valuable may be found in the book, written, we may say, with unfailing courtesy and moderation.
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