THE STAGES OF PRAYER BOOK REVISION
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—Now that the proposed revision of the Prayer Book is to come before the. Houses of Parliament, perhaps your readers would care to have before them the history of the Measure. We are sometimes apt to forget both the enormous amount of care and discussion bestowed on the Measure, and also the fact that all the work has been done in answer to the recommendations of the Royal Commission appointed at the beginning of the century :- 1904. Appointment of Royal Commission on Ecclesiastical Discipline, "to enquire into the alleged prevalence of breaches or neglect of the law relating to the conduct of Divine Service
in the Church of England.". _ .
1906. Royal Commission on Ecclesiastical Discipline reports. Letters of Business issued to the Convocations with instruc-
tions to revise the Prayer Book. , 1919. Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919. 1920. Church Assembly constituted (consisting of three Houses : Bishops, Clergy, and Laity). Convocations answer to Letters of Business.
Church . Assembly Committee appointed to consider and 1925. Feb. 16th-20th. Revision Stage completed in Houses of Clergy. June 15th-19th. Revision Stage completed in Houses of Laity. Oct. 19th-23rd. Revision Stage begins in House of Bishops. 1926.
Jan. 7th-22nd, June 14th-25th and Oct. 21st-29th. Revision Stage in House of Bishops (continued).
1927.
Jan. 12th-18th. Revision Stage in House of Bishops (continued). Feb. 7th. Measure and Composite Book informally communicated to the Convocations.
22nd-25th. Lower Houses of Convocation met separately to consider Bishops proposals. Mar. 2nd-5th, 15th-16th. Conclusion of Revision Stage in House Of Bishops. - 29th-30th. House of Bishops present the Book in final form to the Convocations. Resolutions passed in Upper and Lower Houses of the Convocations consenting to the Measure being presented to the Assembly for Final Approval.
July 5th-6th. Measure presented to Church Assembly and approved by a total majority of 79.5 per cent. report upon the answers of the Convocations to the Royal Letters of Business.- 1921. Committee presented their first report on the revision of the Lectionary. 1922. Revised Tables of Lessons Measure received Royal Assent. Committee presented their Final Report (N.A. 60) on the Answers of the Convocations to the Royal Letters of Business. 1922. Revised Prayer Book (Permissive Use) Measure, introduced into the Church Assembly by order of the House of Bishops. 1923. Revised Prayer Book (Permissive Use) Measure.
General Approval given by Houses of Clergy (January 21st), Bishops (April 17th), Laity (April 26th). . . July 2th-6th and Nov. 13th-16th. Revision Stage (in Houses of Clergy and Laity sitting separately). 1924.
Feb- 13th-14th. Revision Stage in House of Laity. Feb. 13th-15th, July lst-44h and Nov. 24th-28th. Revision Stage in House of Clergy (continued).
VS
• King's College, London.
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