PRAYER BOOK REVISION

Wairarapa Age, 11 February 1927, Page 3

PRAYER BOOK REVISION

HOSTILE CRITICISM. CHURCH ASSOCIATION’S MANIFESTO. BETRAYAL OF TRUST ALLEGED. LONDON, February 9. The Church Association has issued a manifesto, urging all desirous of maintaining the principles of the Reformation to oppose the authorisation of the alternative Prayer Book. The manifesto declares that the anarchial conditions in the Anglican Church are mainly due to the Bishops’ disregard of consecration vows. The revision proposals arc a reversion* to mediaeval theories and practices. For example, the alternative Consecration Prayer contains a petition that the bread and wine “may be unto us the body and blood of Thy Son,” which the Church has thrice rejected. The reinstatement of such a pernicious doctrine is a betrayal of trust, providing a shelter for teaching which the Prayer Book Articles exclude. The manifesto opposes the vestments concession as likely to lead to blasphemous teaching; also reservation of the prayers for the dead, the last of which is superstitious. It adds that the proposals that the clergy’s subscription to the Prayer Book includes agreement with the alternative is an outrage on conscience.—(A. and N.Z.) VERY CONSERVATIVE. AMERICAN LEAD FOLLOWED. NEW YORK, February 9. Episcopal clergymen, commenting on the proposed, changes in - the Prayer Book recommended by tne Bishops of the Church of England, declare that the more important changes follow’ the changes adopted by the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United They instance the elimination of the word “obey” from, the marriage service, while the* phrase, “with all my worldly goods I thee endow,” has been stricken from the Episcopal service, whereas the English Bishops modified “endow” to “share.” The Bishop of Newark said that the proposed changes were interesting, but not sensational or drastic. The recommendations are intelligent and show appreciation of the need of the new times. The Rev. Dr. Gates, who sat on the Episcopal Commission, said that the changes suggested were very conservative. Other clergy generally favour the proposals.—(A. and N.Z.)