Ritual Conformity / Interpretations of the Rubrics of the Prayer-Book Agreed Upon by a Conference Held at All Saints, Margaret-street, 1880-1881

by Unknown

THE ORDER FOR

EVENING PRAYER,

DAILY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

See notes on the Rubrics of Morning Prayer for the corresponding
Rubrics of Evening Prayer.

40. At the beginning of Evening Prayer the Minister shall read with a loud voice some one or more of these Sentences of the Scriptures that follow. And then he shall say that which is written after the said Sentences.

41. A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling.

42. The Absolution, or Remission of sins, to be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing; the people still kneeling.

43. Then the Minister shall kneel, and say the Lord's Prayer; the people also kneeling, and repeating it with him.

44. Then likewise he shall say, O Lord, open, &c.

45. Here all standing up, the Priest shall say, Glory be, &c.

46. Then shall be said or sung the Psalms in order as they are appointed. Then a Lesson of the Old Testament, as is appointed. And after that, Magnificat (or the Song of the blessed Virgin Mary) in English, as followeth.

47. Or else this Psalm; except it be on the Nineteenth Day of the Month, when it is read in the ordinary Course of the Psalms.

48. Then a Lesson of the New Testament, as it is appointed. And after that, Nunc dimittis (or the Song of Symeon) in English, as followeth.

49. Or else this Psalm; except it be on the Twelfth Day of the Month.

When Evening Prayer is said once only in the day, it is better never to drop the Magnificat or Nunc Dimittis. When Evening Prayer is said twice on the same day, it seems proper not to drop the Magnificat at the first service (representing the ancient Evensong or Vespers, of which Magnificat was an invariable part); and, similarly, not to drop the Nunc Dimittis at the second service (representing the other component of Evening Prayer, viz. the ancient Compline, at which that Canticle was invariably used), so that in any case one of the Gospel Canticles should be always used.

50. Then shall be said or sung the Apostles' Creed by the Minister and the people, standing.

51. And after that, these Prayers following, all devoutly kneeling; the Minister first pronouncing with a loud voice. The Lord, &c.

52. Then the Minister, Clerks, and people, shall say the Lord's Prayer with a loud voice.

53. Then the Priest standing up shall say, O Lord, shew, &c.

54. Then shall follow three Collects; the first of the Day; the second for Peace; the third for Aid against all Perils, as hereafter followeth: which two last Collects shall be daily said at Evening Prayer without alteration.

55. In Quires and Places where they sing, here followeth the Anthem.

56. Here endeth the Order of Evening Prayer throughout the Year.

AT MORNING PRAYER.

57. Upon these Feasts; Christmas-Day, the Epiphany Saint Matthias, Easter-Day, Ascension-Day, Whit-Sunday, Saint John Baptist, Saint James Saint Bartholomew, Saint Matthew, Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Saint Andrew, and upon Trinity-Sunday, shall be sung or said at Morning Prayer, instead of the Apostles' Creed, this Confession of our Christian Faith, commonly called The Creed of Saint Athanasius, by the Minister and people standing.

The Athanasian Creed being a Psalm or Hymn, as well as a Confession of Faith, may properly be recited antiphonally as a Psalm, and turning eastward as a Creed.

THE LITANY.

58. Here followeth the LITANY, or General Supplication, to be sung or said after Morning Prayer upon Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and at other times when it shall be commanded by the Ordinary.

There is no direction in this rubric, as to the place where the Litany is sung or said; but it is clear from the rubrics of the Commination Service, that it must be distinct from the 'Reading Pew,' or from the place usually occupied by the Minister during Morning and Evening Prayer. From the old Injunctions we learn that it was to be 'in the midst of the church;' in most churches below the chancel-steps. The Minister may exercise his discretion in using a special desk.

In the Injunctions of 1547 and 1559, and in the Communion Office of the Prayer-Book of 1549, the Litany was enjoined to be sung immediately before the Communion. Our present rubric does not insist upon the connexion with the Communion.

The liberty of using it as a separate service, and of combining it with a sermon, or with other services than Morning Prayer, is recognized and confirmed by the Convocations of Canterbury and York, in their report upon which the Act of Uniformity Amendment Act 1872 was framed, enacting the same.

Each of the four opening invocations should be separately sung or said by the people, after it has been completely sung or said by the person officiating. The same should be done with the concluding invocations, 'Son of God' &c., and with the lesser Litany preceding the Lord's Prayer.

59. Then shall the Priest, and the people with him, say the Lord's Prayer.

60. Here endeth the LITANY.