The Scotch Liturgy

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 86, 10 January 1891, Page 4

The Scotch Liturgy

ing minister 'for prayers. On the „ojther,^n(i r ;ji.e..tb^ka./that ; pplainer; folkj who^still ldok [ up to; their miuister- as-much more learned and wiser than themselves, will ■■ be 'content . that her should interpret their^f eelings and wauts in prayers made on the instant for the- instant.

In a remarkable article in the 'November uuniber of ' Black wood,'' the eminent Scottish divine and t essayist who is known to readers ;under the initials of "A.K.H. 13." defends the new Liturgies of the Scottish Kirk by citiug examples, mainly "within his own knowledge, of the "vagaries of extempore prayer in Scot'lahd. Aa samples of what used to be -called a " striking prayer;" he cites the passages : — "We ktiow there are blessings going to-night, and we, put : in for our share." "It must be •acknowledged that hitbe?(o Thy people'have been in asad minority; lut we look on to tho'time when they shall bo '-in-an overwhelming majority." '"-For 1 as Thou knowest, men do not ga'her, grapes of thorns, nor figs of the; national emblem." And so forth. It: '■> was t\t a wedding service, " wholly -K extemporised," that the words were ""heard : " We tharik J Thee that Thou ■: hast jjven us wurnunan-to make us koamfoita'ile." An iustauce ia mentijiied of a congregation who ■were much feurpriaed to hear the minister, in praying for the Royal Family, a-ld the qualifying clause : "All but Edwir'd, Prince' of Wales." Not having a, printed prayer before them, they were urfaMc to check the minister's utte'ranceH. and'had nothing: to remind them, thsifc "all but"'wna merely his peculiar" way of pronouncing. Albert. Mr Boyd dec'ams his opinion that the ideal' National Church Should admit' both the liturgical and the freo or n on- liturgical 'The more cultured, he considers will ever prefer a liturgy, and will object to be helpkirsly ia the hands of the offioiat-