The Book of Common Prayer
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    A Book of Offices - 1914

 

OFFICIAL

A
BOOK OF OFFICES
SERVICES FOR OCCASIONS
NOT PROVIDED FOR IN

THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

COMPILED BY A COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF BISHOPS. PRESENTED TO THE HOUSE OF BISHOPS AT CINCINNATI, OCTOBER 1910, AND AFTER FURTHER CONSIDERATION, WITH SUGGESTIONS FROM OTHER BISHOPS, REVISED AND REPORTED, OCTOBER 1913. REFERRED BACK TO THE COMMITTEE, AND RE-ISSUED, 1914, WITH CORRECTIONS, PRELIMINARY TO PRESENTATION TO THE HOUSE OF BISHOPS AT THE GENERAL CONVENTION OF 1916

 

 

MILWAUKEE
THE YOUNG CHURCHMAN CO.
1914

 

COMMITTEE ON THE SUBJECT OF
A BOOK OF OFFICES

THE BISHOP OF TEXAS (Chairman).
THE BISHOP OF KANSAS.
THE BISHOP OF NEWARK.
THE BISHOP OF SPRINGFIELD (Secretary).
THE BISHOP OP FOND DU LAC.

 


NOTE. — It should be noted that this Book has no authority beyond that of the Report of a Committee of the House of Bishops, and the authorization of the Bishop is necessary before any of the offices may lawfully be used in any Diocese.

 

 

This Book of Offices was intended, as the title states, "for Occasions not provided for in the Book of Common Prayer", meaning, in this case, the 1892 edition. Thus this Book is the ultimate predecessor of the current Book of Occasional Services.

It contains a wide variety of services, some which might have been of interest to more Anglo-Catholic parishes, others of interest to more evangelical parishes; some which were revivals from older BCP's, some which appeared here only, some whose successors are still in the Book of Occasional Services, and one (Compline) which has "graduated" to the Book of Common Prayer itself.

This book was succeeded in 1940 by a second Book of Offices based on the 1928 BCP, and finally by the current Book of Occasional Services, based on the 1979 BCP.

It is hoped that this publication will help trace the origins of some services, and help put a window on the Church of 100 years ago. We also have the entire book available as PDF graphics. There is extractable text, but this has not been proofread and undoubtedly contains errors. The Internet Archive has the final 1917 edition, also in PDF graphics with uncorrected text.
 

Book of Offices title page

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE
I   The Order for the Breaking of the Ground for a New Church 1
II  The Order for Laying the Foundation-Stone or Cornerstone of a Church 6
III  The Order for the Benediction of a Church or Chapel 11
IV  The Order for the Re-Opening of a Restored Church 16
V  The Order for the Consecration of a Cemetery, or of an Addition to a Cemetery 22
VI  Form for the Removal of the Consecration of a Church 29
VII  Service for the Admission of Lay Readers to their Office 32
VIII  A Form for the Setting Apart of Deaconesses 35
IX  Office for the Benediction of a Holy Table or Altar 41
X  The Form for Laying of the Foundation-Stone of a School, or the Opening of a. School Building 45
XI  A Form for the Benediction of a Parish House of Mission Room 49
XII  Form for the Benediction of a New Rectory 52
XIII  Form for the Opening of a Hospital or a Ward of a Hospital 57
XIV  A Form for the Dedication or Benediction of Various Gifts and Memorials 63
XV  Service for Dedication Festival or Anniversary of the Consecration of a Church 75
XVI  Feast of the Title or Holy Day or Saint’s Day from Which the Church Takes its Name 77
XVII  An Office for Harvest Thanksgiving 79
XVIII  A Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Fourth of July 82
XIX  Form of Service for a Day of Special Humiliation 85
XX  A Compline Office 89
XXI  Service of the Beatitudes of the Gospel 97
XXII  An Office for General Use at Parochial or Society Meetings 99
XXIII  Office for a Missionary’ Meeting 101
XXIV  A Short Service of Comfort and Hope for Sick Communicants 103
XXV  A Form of Service for Use in a House before a Burial 109
XXVI  Order for the Burial of a Child 112
XXVII  An Order for tile Burial of Those for Whom The Prayer Book Office may not be Used 117
XXVIII  Memorial Services 122
XXIX  Form for the Commemoration of Ancestors or Members of a Family who have Died without the True Knowledge of God 131
XXX  Office for the Installation of a Bishop 137
XXXI  Litanies 142
XXXII  Various Prayers 153

Download the entire book as PDF graphics (size=11MB)

  

 

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