The Church of England Sunday SerViee Book for 1885. (H.
Frowde.)—" The Annual Sunday Service Book of the Church of England has been prepared at the suggestion of many well-known -clergymen, in order to meet the requirements of those who, for whatever reason, find the present arrangement of the Book of Com- mon Prayer intricate and confusing." We should have thought that a person of ordinary intelligence could have mastered such intricacies as the Prayer-book presents, in one or two trials ; and it is somewhat of a surprise to learn that the book before us is "scarcely less than indispensable to a large portion of almost every congregation in town and country." It is to be supposed that the "well-known clergy- -men" know the wants of their people. It is clear, however, from -an inspection of the book, that one of the chief difficulties, if diffi- -culties there are, has not been got over. The so-called "State prayers" follow the third collect in this book ; but what will tho simple-minded worshipper do when the minister begins the Litany True, he is referred to page 8; but he cannot be supposed to under- stand a reference. If he does, a very large portion of this book is superfluous. We may say that the volume, though it contains nearly 1,000 pages, and these clearly printed, is not of inconvenient size.
Previous page
