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    History of the Prayer Book

 
General Convention of 1801.

Thus far the Prayer Book was without the Articles of Religion. The House of Bishops in 1789 had proposed the "ratification of the Thirty-nine Articles, with an exception in regard to the thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh articles," but the lower House referred the subject to a future Convention. The absence of this familiar feature caused some uneasiness among Church people. "The Articles," says Bishop White, "with the exception of the political parts, the obligation of which had been abrogated by Divine Providence through the instrumentality of the revolution, were still the acknowledged faith of the Church; while on the other hand they could not be edited as such, without changes at least in the manner cf exhibiting them, which no individual had a right to regulate. What rendered the situation of the Church the worse in this respect, was that it suited the opinions' of some, to declare in consequence of it that she had no Articles, and could have none, until they should be framed by a convention, and established by its authority."1 This opinion was met in New York by the following resolution adopted by its Convention, Nov. 4th, 1790. “Whereas many respectable members of our Church are alarmed at the Articles of Religion not being inserted in our New Book of Common Prayer:— Resolved, That the Articles of the Church of England, as they now stand, except such parts thereof as affect the political Government of this Country, be held in full force and virtue until a further provision is made by the General Convention, agreeably to the eighth article of the Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America."2 In the Convention of 1792 the subject was informally discussed by the Bishops. Bishops Prevost and Madison were directly against the having of Articles, while Bishops White and Claggett were in favour of them. Bishop Seabury was in doubt as to their necessity, "although on the other side he acknowledged his inability to answer an argument pressed on him, that without them individual ministers would have to do by their respective will and authority, what had better be done by known law, for the preventing of the delivery of opposite doctrines to their flocks by different preachers."3 In the Convention of 1799, a Committee having the subject in hand, reported a resolution, "That the articles of our faith and religion, as founded on the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, are sufficiently declared in our Creeds and Liturgy, as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer established for the use of this Church, and that further articles do not appear necessary," which was not agreed to. It was next proposed "that the Convention now proceed to the framing of Articles for this Church," which was adopted. Of the clergy, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia voted against the resolution, but all the laity present voted for it, except the delegation from Virginia. A Committee was accordingly appointed, and within three days a draft of seventeen Articles was laid before the Convention.4 Their consideration however was postponed to the next Convention. In the meanwhile, the conviction grew "that the doctrines of the Gospel, as they stand in the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England, with the exception of such matters as are local, were more likely to give general satisfaction than the same doctrines in any new form that might be devised." And the Convention of New York (Sep. 5th, 1801) instructed its delegates to General Convention" to advocate and vote for the adoption of the Articles of Religion of the Church of England, except such parts as may affect the political government of this country." Accordingly in 1801 the English Articles with the change of the political parts, were unanimously adopted. From the history of the Church during the twenty-five years which followed the revolution, it must appear "that the object kept in view, in all the consultations held, and the determinations formed, was the perpetuating of the Episcopal Church, an the ground of the general principles which she had inherited from the Church of England; and of not departing from them, except so far as either local circumstances required, or same very important cause rendered proper. To those acquainted with the System of the Church of England, it must be evident, that the object here stated was accomplished on the ratification of the Articles."5

 

An Historical Account of the American Book of Common Prayer, by William McGarvey
(part 3)

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1 Memoirs of the Church, p. 211.

2 This resolution was probably due to the suggestion of the deputation from Trinity Church, for at a meeting of the Corporation of this parish, November 1st, 1790, the delegates to the State Convention were instructed "to use their utmost endeavours to procure a compliance with the proposal made by the Bishops at the last General Convention, for a ratification of the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England, except the 36th and 37th of the said Articles." (Berrian's History of Trinity Church, p. 178.)

3 Memoirs of the Church, p. 213.

4 They will be found printed in the Journal of 1799.

5 Memoirs of the Church, p. 33.

 
 General Conventions of 1804 and 1808.

In the diocesan Convention of Connecticut, held at Stratfield in 1799 it was "Voted that Dr. Smith be desired to prepare an office for inducting and recognizing clergymen into vacant parishes, and present the same far adoption to the next Convention of this diocese."1 This office was accordingly drawn up, and first "adapted by the Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese of Connecticut, in Convocation at Derby, November 20th, 1799." It was afterwards adopted by the Convention which met at Lichfield, the first Wednesday of June, 1804: "The Office of Induction," reads the Journal, "as agreed upon by the Bishop and Clergy in Convocation was adopted by this Convention."1 Two years before (Oct. 6th, 1802) the Convention of New York adopted the same office with same verbal alterations, and made its use obligatory by canon.2 In the General Convention which met in September, 1804, the New York Office was, with a few changes, adopted by the Church and made one of the offices of the Prayer Book. The most significant of the changes made was in the Letter of Induction. The Connecticut and New York offices made the Bishop the ultimate arbiter and judge in every case in which there was a desire, either an the part of the clergyman or the people, to dissolve the pastoral relation, thus seeming to imply that the Bishop had the power to forbid a priest leaving a cure which he desired to relinquish; but the General Convention so modified the warding of this letter that the Bishop was only to act as arbiter and judge "in case of any difference" between the priest and the congregation as to such dissolution. In the General Convention of 1808, in order to avoid any conflict with the rights of vestries as established by the law of certain States,3 its use was made optional instead of obligatory, and the title changed from" An Office of Induction" to " An Office of Institution." It is not known whether it was an original composition of Dr. Smith's, or drawn by him from some earlier form in use in England, or perhaps in Maryland where the Clergy had employed the right of induction and institution, and where he had been Rector of Stepney, and Somerset. Bishop Andrewes Manner of Induction4 may have suggested the general outline.

1 Journal of Conn.

2 Vide, page 470.

3 Vide Hoffman's Law of the Church, pp. 120-126, 279-293.

4 Minor Works, p. 162.

 
 General Convention of 1811.

Hitherto the action of one General Convention sufficed to make alterations in the Prayer Book, but in 1811 an addition was made to the eighth article of the Constitution, requiring that "No alteration or addition shall be made in the Book of Common Prayer, or other Offices of the Church, unless the same shall be proposed in one General Convention, and by a resolve thereof made known to the Convention of every Diocese, and adopted at the subsequent Convention. The same provision was in 1829. extended to the Articles of Religion. The Prayer Book as set forth in 1789 with the additions made In 1792, 1799, 1801, 1804 (1808), remained without change until 1886. Corrections of what were thought to be errors were made from time to time by order of the Convention, or by Editing Committees, but these were merely verbal, or in matters of punctuation. Various attempts however were made to inaugurate a revision, or to secure alterations of one kind or other, but in every case the General Convention set its face against such efforts, and they came to naught.

General Convention of 1814.

In the Convention of 1814 it was thought good by both Houses to make a Declaration distinctly setting forth the organic identity of the Church in this country with the Church of England: "The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States is the same body heretofore known in these States by the name of the Church of England; the change of name, although not of religious principle in doctrine, or in worship, or in discipline, being induced by a characteristic of the Church of England supposing the independence of the Christian Churches, under the different sovereignties, to which respectively their allegiance in civil concerns belongs. But that, when the severance alluded to took place, and ever since, this Church conceived of herself, as professing and acting an the principles of the Church of England, is evident from the organization of our Conventions, and from their subsequent proceedings, as recorded in the Journals; to which accordingly this Convention refer far satisfaction in the premises."

General Convention of 1820.

In the Convention of 1820 the following instructions were adopted by both Houses to be observed in editions of the Book of Common Prayer:— "1. That special attention be paid to the title page and table of contents, so that nothing may be omitted or added. 2. That the Book of Common Prayer be distinguished from the Book of Psalms in metre, the Articles of Religion, and sundry offices set forth by this Church, viz.— 'The form and manner of making, ordaining, and consecrating Bishops, Priests and Deacons,' 'The form of consecration of a church or chapel,' 'A prayer to be used at the meetings of Convention,' 'An office of institution of ministers into parishes or Churches' — all of which are of equal authority with the Book of Common Prayer; but which, when bound up with it, ought not to appear as parts thereof. "1

1 Cf. a resolution of the House of Deputies in the Convention of 1886, Journal, p. 521.

 
 General Convention of 1826.

In 1826 certain provisions for the shortening if the Morning Service, and far modifying the statements of the Confirmation Office were introduced by Bishop Hobart of New York, and proposed to the dioceses by the General Convention for final action in 1829.1 These proposed alterations, stirred up no little controversy, and excited the gravest apprehensions.2 It was felt by many, to use the words of the then Bishop of Virginia, that "that uniformity of worship which has distinguished us as a society, should the proposed alterations be carried into effect, would be destroyed. Instead of uniting in the same devotional exercises as we hitherto have done, every clergymen will have it in his power to select his own lessons, and to read such portions of the Psalms of David as he pleases, by which means the public worship of God in these particulars, will be as various as the constitutions of our minds. The old members of the Church, who have been taught to view the Liturgy through a medium the most sacred, will be grieved. The guards to uniformity being once removed, one innovation will succeed another, until the people will lose that reverence for our incomparable services by which they have been actuated, and the Church receive the most vital injury."3 So general was the opposition manifested to these changes in the Prayer Book, that in the next Convention in 1829, they were on Bishop Hobart's own motion, " dismissed from the consideration of the Convention."4

1 Appendix II.

2 See Memoir of the Life of Bishop Griswold, by John Stone, D. D., pp. 332-336; The Episcopal Register, July, 1828, to August, 1829 ; The Gospel Messenger, 1829, and Memoir of the Life of Bishop Hobart, by Rev. Wm. Berrian, D. D., pp. 367-375.

3 Memoir of the Life of Bishop Moore, by J. P. K. Henshaw, D. D., p. 183.

4 See Life of Bishop Hopkins of Vermont, by John Henry Hopkins, D. D., pp. 77-83.

 
General Convention of 1832.

In 1832 a change was made in the text of the Prayer Book as a correction of an error. This was the omission, from the office for receiving children privately baptized, of the question and answer, Minister. Wilt thou be baptized in this faith. Ans. That is my desire." The presence of this question and answer in this place was declared by a resolution of the House of Bishops to be a "mistake," which "should be corrected in future editions of the Prayer Book."

Three alterations were proposed by this Convention to the dioceses for final action in 1835, viz.: The change of "the rubric before the selection of Psalms, so as to read, The following Selections of Psalms, or anyone or more Psalms, or any portion of the 119th Psalm in the Psalter, may be used instead of the Psalms for the Day, at the discretion of the Minister;" and the omission of the fourth paragraph in the Order how the Psalter is appointed to be read. The second proposed change was "to alter the last rubric before the Communion Service by substituting the word right for the word north." It was also proposed to move the Prayer for Conventions to a place among the Occasional Prayers and to append to it the rubric.1

1 Journal, pp. 92, 93.

 
 General Convention of 1835.

The above alterations were finally adopted in 1835, except the first. In this Convention both Houses concurred in the opinion" that the Confessions, the Creeds, and the Lord's Prayer in the Liturgy of our Church should be the joint acts of minister and people, and be confirmed by their united declaration of assent in the word 'Amen.' " And a Committee of the House of Bishops further proposed, in a report presented on the 29th of August, that in these parts, and at the end of "the Gloria in Excelsis, the Trisagion, and the last prayer for Ash-Wednesday' the word 'Amen' should be printed in Roman letters; and the Minister unite with the people in saying it; and that in all cases where the word 'Amen' is the response of the people to what the Minister alone says, it should be printed in italics." The report of the Committee was adopted by the Bishops, and sent to the House of Deputies "to be read therein."1 In this Convention it was proposed to the dioceses "to add to the note on the table of moveable feasts, according to the several days that Easter can possibly fall upon, the words, 'unless the table gives some day in the month of March for it, for, in that case, the day given in the table is the right day.'”

1 Journal, pp. 24, 65, 102.

 
 General Convention of 1838.

The next Convention which met in 1838 adopted the above amendments, and enacted the following rules for printing all future editions of the Prayer Book, viz:— "I. The words 'Let us pray' to be always printed in the same type with the prayers. II. The word 'Amen' to be printed in the Roman character, besides in the cases mentioned in the action of the House of Bishops as recorded in the minutes of the proceedings of that House on the 29th of August, 1835, in the following cases, viz.: 1. After the Baptismal act, 'N. I baptise thee,' &c., in each of the baptismal services. 2. After the sentence in the marriage service, commencing, 'With this ring,' &c. 3. After the sentence in the same service, commencing, 'Forasmuch as M. and N.,' &c. 4. After the sentence pronounced by the Bishop, at the laying on of hands in the ordination of Deacons and Priests. It being understood by this Convention, that the word 'Amen,' in the above cases, is not properly a response, but proper to be used only by the party required to say the words to which it is attached. III. The rubric in the Institution Office commencing with the words 'If any objection,' &c., to be printed in three paragraphs, as follows:

'If any objection,' &c., to the word 'service'
'No objection,' &c., to the word 'institution'
'And then shall,' &c., to the end.

"And whereas there is a difference in different editions of the Prayer Book in the mode of printing the word Amen after the words used by the Bishop at the laying on of hands in Confirmation, therefore, Resolved, As the sense of this Convention, that in this case the word 'Amen' should be printed in Italic character, as being properly a response."1

 

1 Journal, pp. 41, 81, 115.

 
General Conventions of 1841 and 1844.

In the Convention of 1841 it was formally proposed to the dioceses "to erase the words 'Associated Rector,' and also the word' State' wherever they occur in former editions of the Institution office;" which changes were ratified by the Convention of 1844.

General Conventions of 1853 and 1856.

We come next to the Convention of 1853, when the Rev. Dr. Muhlenberg and others laid before the House of Bishops the celebrated "Memorial" in favour of the inauguration of measures looking towards a comprehension of the various Protestant bodies. Liturgical relaxation was suggested as one of the means to this end: "It is believed that men can be found among the other bodies of Christians around us, who would gladly receive ordination at your hands, could they obtain it without that entire surrender, which would now be required of them, of all the liberty in public worship to which they have been accustomed."1 At the same time the House of Deputies requested the Bishops "to take into consideration the propriety of setting forth a form of Prayer for the increase of the Holy Ministry, according to the command of Christ, 'Pray ye the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.' "2 A similar resolution was offered by the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter of Pennsylvania in the House of Bishops.3 A Committee of Bishops was appointed to take into consideration the matters brought forward by the Memorial and the resolutions, and to report at the next Convention.4

In their report in 1856,5 they say, that" It is the general voice of our Communion, that in adjusting the length of our public services, more regard should be had to the physical ability of both minister and people; and this is especially important in those parts of our country where the heats of summer are long-continued and debilitating, rendering mental exertion burdensome, and even perilous to health." They however proposed no alteration in the Prayer Book, quite the contrary: "It has been the purpose of the Commission, so far as their present labours go, to leave the Prayer Book untouched," and they "have come to the unanimous conclusion that some of the most material of the improvements which are loudly called for, and which commend themselves to our judgment, might be attained without legislation," and to this end they recommended the adoption of a series of resolutions. They also recommended "that Canon xlv. (1832) be so amended that the concluding sentence [which then read, 'And in performing said service (i. e. of the Pro Bk.), no other prayers shall be used than those prescribed by the said book'] may read as follows: 'And in performing said service, no other Prayers, Lessons, Anthems or Hymns shall be used than those prescribed by the said book, unless with the consent of the Ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese.' The effect of this amendment would be to enable particular dioceses under the direction of the Ecclesiastical authority of the same, during such seasons as Passion Week, Christmas, and the like to substitute Lessons, Anthems, or Canticles more appropriate to the occasion." In order to meet the requests made in 1853 for a form of prayer for the increase of the Ministry and for other occasions, they also presented for consideration a number of forms of prayer, viz.: 1. A Prayer for Unity,6 2. A Prayer for the increase of the Ministry, 3. A Prayer for Missions and Missionaries, 4. A Prayer for the Young, to be used on occasions of Catechising and the like, 5. A Prayer for a Person about to be exposed to special danger, 6. A Prayer in time of public calamities, dangers, or difficulties, 7. A Thanksgiving for deliverance of a person from any peril, 8. A Prayer for deliverance from public calamities and dangers, 9. A Thanksgiving for the recovery of a sick child.

Whatever expectations had been raised that the "Memorial Movement"7 would lead to the revision of the Prayer Book, were brought to an end by the adoption of the three following resolutions, modifications of those suggested by the Commission: "Resolved as the opinion of the Bishops, 1. That the Order of the Morning Prayer, the Litany, and the Communion Service, being separate offices, may, as in former times, be used separately under the advice of the Bishop of the Diocese. 2. That on special occasions, or at extraordinary services not otherwise provided for, ministers may, at their discretion, use such parts of the Book of Common Prayer, and such lesson or lessons of Holy Scripture, as shall in their judgment tend most to edification. 3. That the Bishops of the several Dioceses may provide special services as, in their judgment, shall be required by the peculiar necessities of any class or portion of the population within said Diocese: provided that such services shall not take the place of the services or offices of the Book of Common Prayer in congregations capable of its use."

 		 1 Journal, p 182.

2 This was done upon two resolutions, one offered by a Rev. Mr. Scott, and the other by the Rev. A. C. Coxe of Maryland, afterward Bishop of Western New York. Journal, pp. 49, 74, 85.96.

3 Journal, pp. 157, 216.

4 Ibid., pp. 216. 231, 232.

5 Journal, p. 340.

6 Adopted by the Conventions of 1889-1892.

7 For an account of this movement, see Memorial Papers, The Memorial with Circular and Questions of the Episcopal Commission, with an introduction by Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, D. D., Philadelphia, 1857.

 
 General Convention of 1859.

The action of the House of Bishops with regard to the 'Memorial Movement' caused no little dissatisfaction among some persons, and in 1859 the House of Deputies passed a resolution in which they declared that the action of the Bishops "had disturbed the minds of many in our Church," and asked the Bishops "to reconsider their preamble and resolution, and to throw the subject matter into such shape as will admit of the joint action of both Houses of Convention." Bishop Otey also offered in the Upper House a resolution asking that the "Memorial," the amendment to the Canon on the Prayer Book, and kindred matters, be referred to a Joint Commission to report to the next Convention. The Bishops, however, refused to do anything which might seem to involve the reconsideration of their former action.1

1 Journal. pp. 196, 215, 216, 217.

 
General Conventions of 1862 and 1865.

In 1862 a memorial was offered again asking for the insertion in the Prayer Book of a prayer for the increase of the Ministry, but the matter was referred to the next Convention.1

In the same Convention, the House of Deputies, upon the motion of the Rev. D. H. Buel of Vermont, resolved "that the following suffrage be proposed to be inserted immediately after the supplication for Bishops, Priests and Deacons: 'That it may please thee to send forth labourers into thy harvest; We beseech thee,'" etc. The proposition however was not concurred in by the House of Bishops, for the reason that it was" inexpedient." 2

1 Journal, 1862, pp. 99, 105.

2 Journal, pp. 95, 194, 205, 206, 220.

 
General Conventions of 1868 and 1871.

In 1868 "an additional cycle for the years 1861 to 1899 inclusive, "to be inserted in the Prayer Book in "the place of the cycle for the years 1843 to 1861 inclusive" was proposed to the dioceses, and adopted in 1871.1

A growing desire for shortened services took definite shape in the Convention of 1871 when it was thought to secure the end sought for by the adoption by the Lower House of the following amended form of Canon 202: "Of the Use of the Book of Common Prayer. Every Minister shall on all occasions of public worship, use the Book of Common Prayer, as the same is or may be established by the authority of the General Convention of this Church, and this rule shall be understood to prohibit all additions to, and omissions from the prescribed order of the said book, except in the Cases prescribed by Section XIV. of Canon 13, Title 1.: Provided, That on other occasions than Sundays, and the mornings of those week-days for which a special service is ordered, and at all times in mission stations, and other places than parish churches, when the prescribed order of Morning and Evening Prayer cannot be used to edification, other services may be used, compiled only from the Book of Common Prayer; but no such deviation shall be permissible, except on emergencies, without the approbation of the ecclesiastical authority of the diocese." This canon failed to obtain the assent of the Bishops.3

1 The Convention of 1821, and the Committee of 1844, made similar alterations, but without the action of two Conventions.

2 Now [in 1907] Canon 24 of Title I.

3 Journal, pp. 103-113, 155.

 
General Conventions of 1874 and1877.

In 1874 the attempt was made to secure shortened services by an amendment to the Constitution, which would explicitly authorize General Convention to modify the requirements of the Prayer Book by canon, Both Houses proposed the following addition to the Eighth Article, to be inserted after the words "subsequent General Convention:"— Provided, that the General Convention may by canon arrange and set forth a shortened form of Morning and Evening: Prayer to be compiled wholly from the Book of Common Prayer."1 Immediately after this it was proposed to add the still further amendment, "Provided, however, That the General Convention shall have power from time to time to amend the Lectionary; but no act for this purpose shall be valid which is not voted for by a majority of the whole number of Bishops entitled to seats in the House of Bishops, and by a majority of all the Dioceses entitled to representation in the House of Deputies,"

The second of these two amendments, having reference to the Lectionary, was adopted by the Convention of 1877, but the first providing for shortened services was defeated in the Lower House. It was next proposed by the House of Deputies, in 1877, to secure the much desired shortened services by the adoption of a rubric "to be inserted immediately after The Order how the rest of Holy Scripture is appointed to be read." This rubric was as follows: "The Order Concerning Divine Service." "On days other than Sunday, Christmas Day, The Epiphany, Ash· Wednesday, Good Friday, Thanksgiving Day, and the Ascension Day, it shall suffice if the Minister begin Morning or Evening Prayer at the General Confession or at the Lord's Prayer, and end with the Collect for Grace or for Aid against Perils, as the case may be, and 2 Cor. xiii, 14; using so much of the Lessons appointed for the day and so much of the Psalter, as he shall judge to be for edification And note that on any day, the Morning Prayer, the Litany, or the Order for the Administration of the Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion may be used as separate Services. Provided, That no one of these Services shall be habitually disused. And note further, that on any day when the Morning or Evening Prayer has been already used, or is to be used, and upon days other than those first aforenamed, it shall suffice, when need may require, if the Minister say before a Sermon or Lecture the Lord's Prayer, and one or more Collects found in this Book." 2 This rubric was not adopted by the Bishops, who aimed to accomplish the same end by amending Canon 22, Title I.,3 so that it would read: "Every Minister shall, before all Sermons and lectures, and on all other occasions of public worship, use the Book of Common Prayer, as the same is or may be established by the authority of the General Convention of this Church; and in performing such service no other prayers shall be used than those prescribed by the said Book; provided that the Minister may, by permission of the Ordinary, on any days except the Lord's Day and the festivals of our Lord, Ash-Wednesday, Good Friday, and the Day of Annual Thanksgiving, begin the Morning Prayer (or the Evening Prayer) at the General Confession, or at the Lord's Prayer, using both or one of the Lessons followed by a Canticle, and then as ordered, ending after the Collect for Grace (or the Collect against Perils), with the Prayer of St. Chrysostom and 2 Cor. xiii. 14."4 The House of Deputies refused to recede from its position and concur with the Bishops, but finally agreed "That a Joint Committee be appointed (to sit during the recess) on the matter of providing Shortened Services."5 The Bishops also resolved" to insert after the suffrage for Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, the following: "That it may please thee, O Lord of the harvest, to send forth labourers into thy harvest; We beseech thee," etc., but the House of Deputies referred the matter to the next Convention.6 In accordance with the constitutional provision enacted at this time, the Lectionary set forth by the Church of England in 1871, was permitted to be used for three years, and proper Lessons for Lent and for the Ember and Rogation Days were provided.

1 Journal, p. 575.

2 Journal, p. 337.

3 Now Canon 24. Title I.

4 Journal, p. 193.

5 Ibid., p, 204.

6 Ibid., pp. 289, 290, 187. This petition was at length granted a place in the Litany in 1886, just thirty-three years after it was first proposed.

 
General Convention of 1880.

In the report of the Joint Committee on Shortened Services to the Convention of 1880, they recommended the adoption of a canon providing for the desired object. This proposition was not favourably received, and upon the recommendation of a special Joint Committee an entirely now method of liturgical legislation was suggested. This was nothing less than the amending of The Ratification, which stands in the front of the Prayer Book, by the addition of three paragraphs in which provision was made for the shortening of the services on certain occasions.1 The expedient commended itself to both Houses, and it was accordingly proposed to the Dioceses for adoption.2

In this same Convention of 1880, the Rev. Dr. Wm. R. Huntington of Massachusetts, offered the following resolution: "Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That a Joint Committee, to consist of seven Bishops, seven Presbyters, and seven Laymen, be appointed to consider, and report to the next General Convention, whether, in view of the fact that this Church is soon to enter upon the second century of its organized existence in this country, the changed conditions of the national life do not demand certain alterations in the Book of Common Prayer in the direction of liturgical enrichment and increased flexibility of use." This resolution was adopted in the House of Deputies by the following vote: of the clergy there were forty-three dioceses represented, ayes 33; nays 9; divided 1. Of the laity there were thirty-five dioceses represented, ayes 20; nays 11; divided 4. The House of Bishops having concurred in the resolution, the Committee was accordingly appointed. In the House of Bishops this was done by ballot, but in the Lower House by the appointment of the President, the Rev Dr. Beardsley of Connecticut. The Committee consisted of the Rt. Revs. the Bishops of Connecticut, Easton, Pennsylvania, Western New York, Florida, Albany, and Central New York; the Rev. Dr. Huntington, the Rev. Dr. Dalrymple, the Rev Dr. Goodwin, the Rev. Dr. Dix, the Rev. Dr. Harwood, the Rev. Dr. Garrison, the Rev. Dr. Harrison; Mr. Fish, Mr Coppée, Mr. Sheffey, Mr. Wilder, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Smith, Mr. Burgwin. Thus was inaugurated a revision destined to last for twelve years.

1 Appendix II.

2 The measure did not meet with general approval, and in 1883 it was quietly dropped.

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