25 MARCH 1922, Page 25

The Scottish Communion Office, 1764. By John Dowden. New edition

seen through the press by H. A. Wilson. (Clarendon Press. • 14s. net.)—The late Bishop Dowden's elaborate history of the Scottish Liturgy, first published in 1884, was revised by him before his death in 1910 and has been re-edited by Mr. Wilson, who has added the draft Liturgy of 1889 and the new Liturgy adopted by the Scottish Episcopal Church in 1911. The book is of great importance to liturgical students, for the Liturgy of 1637—wrongly ascribed to Laud and actually the work of several Scottish Bishops—has not only been preserved in essentials by Scottish Episcopalians but has also been adopted as the basis of the American Episcopalian Liturgy, while it influenced the revision of the English Liturgy after the Restoration. This form of the Communion Service approxi- mates more nearly to the Eastern than to the Roman rite. The English Churchman will observe that the prayer of consecration follows immediately upon the "Therefore with Angels and Arch- angels, etc.," and that it begins with the consecration of the elements. The prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church Comes next. Dr. Dowden's history and commentary are of great interest and show the fine scholarship which distinguished

that able divine. -