CHAPTER III.

DAILY SERVICE.

In appointing a form of devotion for daily use, both morning and evening, the church has made ample provision for the spiritual wants of all her children. At present, most of our churches, excepting those in the large parishes, are only opened for divine service on Sundays and the other principal holy days: but the time, we trust, will come, when christians, with one consent will assemble every morning and evening in Jehovah's Temple to offer unto him the public sacrifice of prayer and praise. Our daily service is a most beautiful, rational, edifying, and evangelical formulary-admirably suited to the purposes for which it was composed. A writer in one of the foreigu periodicals says-and all who are capable of appreciating its excellencies will admit the justness of his remarks" to the offices of morning and evening devotion, we are free to confess, that it will be in vain to look for any thing superior in any merely human composition, either ancient or modern. We ourselves know of nothing equal to it. There is a comprehensiveness, a pathos, and a beauty spread all over it. Its petitions are so well adapted for public worship, and express at the same time so clearly the wants of individuals, that we never peruse them without being more than half convinced that they were not drawn up under the guidance of human

reason alone. If ever the Spirit of truth can be supposed to have operated upon the minds of men in comparatively modern times, we think we can perceive traces of his operation here. Who can read, for example, the glorious litany, without experiencing sensations very different from those which affect him on ordinary occasions? Nor are the prayers which constitute what are called the desk service greatly behind it; in fact there is hardly a word in the ordinary devotions of the Episcopal Church, either in its matins or in its vespers, which we should wish to see erased."*

This is by no means exaggerated praise, it is the solemn conviction, if we mistake not, of a large majority of Episcopalians, as well as of very many of the most enlightened and pious of other communions. Indeed, we will venture to say that if a person, at present unacquainted with our Liturgy, will but unite in this daily service for a few months, with spirit and devotion, he will esteem it as the most perfect form of worship; he will desire no other. To understand it, however, and consequently to prize it, he must take part in it, following the direction of the rubrics; and not stand-as too many, alas! do—an idle spectator of a ceremony in which he has no interest.

A brief exposition of the several parts of the daily service of the church is all that we shall attempt in this chapter.

Aware of the importance of that precept of the son of Sirach," Before thou prayest prepare thyself," the com

* Blackwood's Magazine. See Episcopal Watchman, i. 69.

pilers of the Liturgy have introduced several appropriate texts of scripture, chiefly relating to repentance and confession of sins, with which the minister is to commence by reading one or more of them to the people. These introductory sentences, addressed to all classes and conditions of men, contain suitable instruction to the ignorant, admonition to the careless, caution to the formal, encouragement and consolation to the humble and contrite; and are wisely calculated to prepare each and all of them for the solemn duties of devotion in which they are about to engage. Penitence and confession "naturally stand first in the devotion of guilty creatures; for, until we feel a genuine sorrow for having offended God, and come in earnest to seek his pardon, we cannot expect that he will accept our prayers."

"When the minister begins to repeat the sentences, the congregation rises. This is a decent and proper custom. Its import is, to manifest our reverence for the word of God, now addressed to us, in order to awaken us to repentance."*

The exhortation which follows is a brief commentary on the several texts before recited, and is to be reverently listened to by the people still standing. "It is to be feared that there are many who regard this exhortation as a mere matter of form, and give but little heed to it. But

* See Family Prayer Book, p. 2. For much of the materials of this chapter, the author is indebted to Bishop Brownell's Commentary on the Morning and Evening Prayers of the church, in the work above referred to ;-a work which ought to be in every Episcopal family, who can afford to own it.

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those who will attend to the instruction which it contains, cannot fail to perceive how admirably it is calculated to apply the preceding sentences, and direct us how we should perform the following confession ;"-a confession eminently evangelical,—in exact conformity to the language and spirit of the scriptures, and suited to our condition as sinners, and suppliants at the throne of grace. "Wisely has the church ordered that when we meet together to present our united tribute of prayer and praise to the Father of mercies and God of all consolation, we should first deplore our unworthiness at his footstool, by making an open and sincere confession of our manifold sins and wickedness."

This "general confession" is to be said by the whole congregation after the minister, with an humble voice ;" as better calculated to bring it home to the heart of each individual, and make it more personal and affecting, than if he had silently assented to it, on hearing it read. It is also to be said "kneeling ;" a posture in prayer unquestionably the most devotional and proper-most fitted both to express and excite inward humility-and "for which we have the example of our Saviour, and of all good men in all ages."

Immediately after the general confession there follows "the declaration of ABSOLUTION, or Remission of sins," for which two forms are appointed, either of which may be used, the first declaratory and the second petitionary. That which stands first in order, in our service," is a declaration and assurance of God's forgiveness, on certain conditions to be performed by us; and it is "to be pronounced by the PRIEST," as God's commissioned officer,

or herald, it being a peculiar part of his high office; for which reason a deacon, when he officiates, is never to use it. It is also to be pronounced by the priest "alone," (not by the people and him jointly) "standing;" this being a posture most suitable to the character he bears, and the authority by which he speaks; "the people still kneeling;" to express their profound humility and reverence to their great Creator, whose gracious message of pardon they are to receive from the mouth of his priest; and likewise to be in a proper posture for prayer, to which they are now directed. The absolution consists of two distinct parts; first, a general declaration of the mercy of God to returning sinners, and an assurance of his pardon to us, on condition of our 'true faith and hearty repentance;' and secondly, an admonition to us, to implore the assistance of his Holy Spirit; in order to enable us to perform those conditions, and thereby to render this pardon effectual to our eternal salvation."*

"The minister does not presume to pardon or absolve in his own right, nor to publish absolution in his own name, but only in the name or power of God. Nor is the declaration absolute, and without condition or limitation; it is restricted to such only as "truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his Holy Gospel."

The next form of absolution is petitionary; invoking the blessing of pardon and deliverance from sin, strength and confirmation in all goodness, and everlasting life hereafter, through the merits and mercies of Jesus Christ our

* Waldo's Lectures, p. 40.