The Book of Common Prayer
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    1789 U. S. Book of Common Prayer:
The 1871 Standard

 

Before the 1892 Edition of the U. S. Book of Common Prayer, minor changes in the Book could be made by each General Convention. These changes were then reflected in the next "Standard Edition" of the Book of Common Prayer. Such Standard Editions were produced in 1793, 1822, 1832, 1838, 1845, and 1871. This, thus, is the last Standard Edition of the 1789 Book of Common Prayer, and represents the exact state of the Book just prior to the introduction of the 1892 Book.

This Standard Edition was published in New York by the New York Bible and Common Prayer Book Society, and appears in Davids Griffths' Bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer as 1871/17. The particular copy used here was presented by the Committee on the Standard Prayer Book to the Bishop of Pennsylvania. This book is also available from Google Books as PDF graphics; additionally they have a seemingly identical printing from 1873, signed by the 1871 General Convention officers, rather than the Committee (Griffiths 1873/12). Note that this book is nearly identical in layout to the previous 1845 Standard, even down to page and line breaks.

The Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files below are intended to be an exact reproduction of the original in every way: they use the same base font (DeVinne), have the same dimensions, line and page breaks, etc. The only significant differences are the paper size (the original book is 6.75" x 10", while the PDF's use the standard 8.5" x 11") and the blackletter font used occasionally for headings is slightly different than the original. All the files below are also available as a single PDF (size = 1.9MB).

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

1. THE Ratification of the Book of Common Prayer. 
2. The Preface. 
3. The Order how the Psalter is appointed to be read 
4. The Order how the rest of the Holy Scripture is appointed to be read. 
5. Table of Lessons of Holy Scripture to be read at Morning and Evening Prayer throughout the Year. 
6. The Calendar. 
7. Tables and Rules for the Moveable and Immoveable Feasts, together with the Days of Fasting and Abstinence throughout the Year. 
8. Tables for finding the Holydays. 
9. The Order for Daily Morning Prayer. 
10. The Order for Daily Evening Prayer. 
11. The Litany. 
12. Prayers and Thanksgivings upon several Occasions, to be used before the two final Prayers of Morning and Evening Service.
13. The Collects Epistles, and Gospels, to be used throughout the Year. (Note: this is a fairly large file, nearly 600K)
 14. The Order for the Administration of the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion. 
15. The Ministration of Public Baptism of Infants, to be used in the Church.
16. The Ministration of Private Baptism of Children, in Houses. 
17. The Ministration of Baptism to such as are of Riper Years, and able to answer for themselves.
18. A Catechism; that is to say an Instruction to he learned by every Person before he be brought to be confirmed by the Bishop. 
19. The Order of Confirmation, or Laying on of Hands upon those that are baptized, and come to years of Discretion. 
20. The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony. 
21. The Order for the Visitation of the Sick. 
22. The Communion of the Sick.
23. The Order for the Burial of the Dead. 
24. The Thanksgiving of Women after Child birth, commonly called, The Churching of Women.
25. Forms of Prayer to be used at Sea. 
26. A Form of Prayer for the Visitation of Prisoners.
27. A Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving to Almighty God, for the Fruits of the earth, and all the other Blessings of his merciful Providence. 
28. Forms of Prayer to be used in Families.
29: Selections of Psalms, to be used instead of the Psalms for the Day, at the discretion of the Minister.
30. The Psalter, or Psalms of David.
31. The Articles of Religion.

 

The Ordinal

The Form and Manner of Making Deacons (includes Ordinal Preface)
The Form and Manner of Ordering Priests
The Form of Ordaining or Consecrating a Bishop
Litany and Suffrages
Holy Communion
The Form of Consecration of a Church or Chapel
The Office of Institution of Ministers into Parishes or Churches

 

Web author: Charles Wohlers U. S. • England • Scotland • Ireland • Wales • Canada • World