279. The Woman, that cometh to give her Thanks, must offer accustomed Offerings; and, if there be a Communion, it is convenient that she receive the holy Communion.
The Service is intentionally concluded without a blessing, which it is wrong to insert. The suggestion of the woman's receiving the Holy Communion is aided by the incompleteness of the Service ending abruptly with the Thanksgiving.
With regard to the time of the Service, there is no express direction, provided that a congregation may be reasonably expected.
The offering of the woman is connected with her receiving the Holy
Communion, and should be made in that Service, if she comes to it.
In all cases, it is well that it should be formally received by the
Priest or an assistant, in an alms-bag or bason, and presented by
the Priest on the Altar.
It is to be observed that no mention is made of the condition of the woman, as being in wedlock or not. When it was objected at the Savoy Conference that some profession of humiliation ought to be required of an unmarried or profligate woman before she was admitted to the privilege of thanksgiving, the Bishops replied, "that such a woman should do her penance before she was churched."
If the Priest, therefore, be privately cognizant of the penance of such a woman, he is bound to admit her to the Service, without requiring public profession of her humiliation.
Without such cognizance he could hardly admit such a woman to a
Service which expressly implies access to Communion.