[To THE EDITOR Of THE "SPROTATOR."1 SIR,—In your singularly beautiful
article on the Prayer- book in the Spectator of May 16th the writer says :—" The arguments against a liturgy seem, we are prepared to admit, from certain points of view, many and strong." In this con- nection I wonder whether it is of any interest to your readers to quote a conversation at which I was present in 1891 between Bishop Westcott and the Archdeacon of Durham at Auckland Castle. The question of extemporary prayer in English churches was being discussed, and the Bishop said that he knew nothing to prevent a clergyman using an extemporary prayer on occasions for which the Prayer-book did not seem to provide. When it was quoted against him that clergy promised to "use this form. of prayer and no other" he answered : " Exactly ! and an extempore prayer is not a form." The Archdeacon at once asked : "Do I understand that I have your authority for such occasional use ? " to which the Bishop replied : "Certainly." And at the time of the Silkworth Colliery disaster Archdeacon Watkins—as on another occasion—certainly assumed this authority. It is obvious that the practice might be fraught with danger in other than able hands ; but also, if the Bishop's obiter dictum be correct, that our Common Prayer is less inelastic than is generally believed.—I am, Sir, &c.,
ARTHUR G. B. WEST,
Rector, St. Augustine's, Unley-, Adelaide.
Previous page
