USA > New York > The gospel messenger, Diocese of Central New York > Part 48
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122
THE GOSPEL MESSENGER.
Romulus, and to their president, Mrs. W. P. Goodman, in particular, for their service.
x-
BISHOP DE LANCEY.
REMAINS OF BISHOP DELANCEY WILL BE REMOVED TO GENEVA.
Geneva, May 23 .- Final decision was made at the Diocesan Council of Western New York, held at Batavia, that the re- mains of Rt. Rev. William H. DeLancey, first Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, should be removed from their present resting place at Mamaroneck, Westchester County, and brought to Geneva and placed in a tomb to be constructed under the altar of St. Peter's Church.
St. Peter's Church, which stands at the corner of Lewis and Genesee Streets, was erected as a memorial to Bishop De Lancey, and it has been contemplated for years that the final resting place for his body should be under the altar of the Church. The subject has been broached several times, but no action was taken until this week.
The matter was presented by Rev. Dr. Walter North in his report as secretary of the Standing Committee. He stated that the old DeLancey burying ground at Mamaroneck was in an advanced stage of dilapidation. He urged that a more ap- propriate resting place be provided for the remains of Bishop DeLancey and the members of his family.
The members of St. Peter's and Trinity parishes consider it most fitting that the remains of the first Bishop of the Diocese be brought to Geneva, for most of his work was in this city and vicinity. He was elected Bishop in Trinity Church, at the convention held for the organization of the old Diocese of Western New York, on November 1, 1838. He was consecrated at Auburn the following May and estab- lished his residence in Geneva, making Trinity Church his pro-Cathedral. For more than a quarter of a century he directed the affairs of the Diocese from here. He died here April 9, 1865. .
In connection with the above, which is quoted from "The Democrat and Chron- icle" of Rochester, May 23, 1907, it may interest our readers to see the following account of Bishop DeLancey's funeral, taken from THE GOSPEL MESSENGER of April 13th, 1865, a copy of which was recently sent to us by our good friend Mr. D. N. Phinney, of Syracuse :
"FUNERAL OF THE BISHOP AT GENEVA, TUESDAY, THE 11TH INST.
At 1 o'clock p. m. the Right Rev. Bishop Coxe, now Diocesan, and a large number of Clergy assembled at the College Chapel, where the funeral procession formed under the direction of Mr. Wm. B. Douglas, Mr. A. L. Chew and G. W. Nicholas, as Marshals, whence they walked to the resi- dence of the Bishop, where they received the body and thence procceded to the Church. The order of the procession was as follows: 1. The Chief Marshal; 2. The pupils of Walnut Hill School (the Rev. Dr. Reeds') with the Principal and Instruc- tors; 3. The Students of Hobart College and Lay Members of the Faculty; 4. The Wardens and Vestry of Trinity Church; 5. The officiating clergy; 6. The clerical bearers as follows: Rev. Drs. Rankine, Foote, Schuyler, Gibson and Coxe, and Rev. Messrs. Ayrault, Matson and Platt. This part of the procession constituted the escort. Next came, 7th. the Body, -borne on the shoulders of six men, relieved at short intervals; 8th. The Pall Bearers, as follows: The Rev. Drs. Ingersoll, Jack- son, Bolles, Van Rensselaer, Beach and Hull; 9th. The Family and Relations; 10th. The Attending Physicians; 11th, Delegations of Clergy from other Dioceses; 12th. Clergy not in surplices; 13. Deacons and Junior Clergy; 14th. Senior Clergy; 15th. Friends of the family and citizens.
It was a most imposing and solemn scene, the pall bearers in white scarfs with rosettes trimmed with black, the long line of Clergy in surplices, the large coffin (a metalic case enclosed in rose-wood) with its deep black pall surmounted with a purple mitre, over which was laid a gilt crosier wreathed with flowers, a large cross
123
THE GOSPEL MESSENGER.
in flowers, a chalice and paten, and an ex- quisite crown wrought in the most beauti- ful white flowers, the gift of Mrs. Ell- wanger of Rochester,' all borne on the shoulders of men, while the streets were lined with crowds of people not able to enter the Church, standing in the solemn stillness of reverence and respect, while the bells of all the places of worship were toll- ing their slow and sad requiem, and the places of business were very generally closed-the whole left an impression on the heart that can never be effaced-and testified the universal consciousness that a great and revered Father in God had fallen in Israel.
On reaching the Church the coffin was surrendered into the hands of the clerical bearers, who, preceded by the officiating Clergy, bore it up to the chancel and there reversing position, placed it, the head toward the altar and foot toward the main west entrance. The sentences were read by the Rev. Dr. Bissell; the portion of the 39th Psalm was chanted by the Choir; the portion of the 90th was read by the Rev. Dr. Metcalf; the Lesson by the Rev. Dr. Ingersoll; the 13th selection of Psalms in metre was given out by the Rev. Dr. Hull ; the address delivered by the Rev. Dr. Van Ingen ; the 6th, 7th and 8th verses of the 34th selection were then given out by the Rev. Dr. Van Rensselaer and sung to the Old Hundredth; the opening part of the grave service was then read by the Rev. Dr. Jackson, the committal by the Rev. Dr. Bissell, the dust being springled upon the coffin by the Rev. George Morgan Hills ; the sentence, "I heard a voice," was sung by the choir, and the Lord's Prayer and concluding collects said by the Rev. Dr. Bolles of Boston.
The Church was compactly filled, and we observed many of the prominent laity of the Diocese, several Clergy from abroad, and several ministers of other denomina- tions. There seemed but one deep feeling of grief in that whole assembly, welling up in copious tears every now and then as that most finished and eloquent address of Dr. Van Ingen's described the various
graces and noble qualities of our late be- loved Bishop.
We are glad to be able to promise our readers this most able and interesting ad- dress on the first page of our next number.
A large number of the congregation lin- gered after the services to look at the coffin and its emblems, which remained in the Church until 7:30 p. m., when it was taken to the cars to be conveyed to the family burying place at Mamaroneck, Westchester County, whither it was accompanied by the late Bishop's three sons, and by Rt. Rev. Bishop Coxe, (whose only part in these sad offices had been that of a mourn- er, ) Rev. Dr. Rankine, and Rev. Dr. Van Rensselaer, the last two being commis- sioned by the Standing Committee for that purpose.
The inscription upon the coffin plate was as follows :
The Right Reverend WILLIAM HEATHCOTE DELANCEY. D. D .. LL. D., D. C. L., (Oxon.) First Bishop of Western New York.
Born at Mamaroneck, N. Y., Oct. S, 1797. Consecrated at Auburn, N. Y., May 9. 1839. Died at Geneva, N. Y., April 5, 1865.
THE MISSIONS OF THE GENERAL CHURCH.
September 1st the books will close at the Missions House, and in the report recently sent out, giving receipts up to July 1st, about seventy parishes and mis- sions in this Diocese appear as having con- tributed nothing. We know that many of them will send in their offerings during the summer, and we wish to remind them lest perchance they should forget it. Our gifts to July 1st have been $55 less than during the same period last year. We hope all that will be made up, and still more, so that we may come nearer our apportion- ment than we have ever done before. Our apportionment is $10,700. and last year we gave $5,084.40.
124
THE GOSPEL MESSENGER.
HISTORY OF TRINITY CHURCH, LOWVILLE, N.Y. (Subject of Illustration.)
In January, 1818, Bishop Hobart received an address from the chiefs of the Oneida Nation thanking him for sending a Missionary "to instruct them in the religion of the Blessed Jesus, and asking him not to forget them. This address was written by a young Indian convert, a com- municant of the Church, and signed by thirteen chiefs by "their mark." To this address the Bishop returned a reply dated "first day of February, in the year of our Lord 1818, and in the seventh year of my consecration." In the reply he says: "It is my purpose, if the Lord will, to come and see you next summer," and in his ad- dress to the Convention of that year is a lengthy account of this visit. Undoubtedly while the Bishop was at the "Oneida Re- servation" he took the opportunity to visit the surrounding country. The Missionary mentioned, both in the address of the Indians, and the reply of the Bishop, was Eleazar Williams, who was ordained Deacon by Bishop Hobart July 18, 1826. IIe died August 28th, 1858. The parish records show that Trinity Church was legally organized September 24, 1838.
Among those who took an active part in the early work of the Church were a num- ber of persons who had come to the village from the vicinity of Cooperstown, Otsego County. They had received the ministra- tions of that pioneer Missionary, Father Nash, and could not forget the Church of their youth. Of these we find such names as Kent Jarvis and his sister, the wife of William A. Chase; Henry Butler; Merritt M. Norton, and his brothers Samuel HI. and Levi W .; also Ambrose W. Clark and his family.
After five years of interregnum a new start was taken-the Rev. Chas. G. Ackley, Rector of Trinity Church, Watertown, reported to the Bishop, 1839, "I have preached twice at Lowville, and aided in the organization of a Church at that place." A meeting was held September 24, 1838, and the first vestry elected, consisting of Kent Jarvis and Geo. Lyman, Wardens;
Leonard Harding, Leonard S. Stranding, Albert Strickland, George D. Ruggles, Henry Butler, Lemuel Wood, Ambrose WV. Clarke and Merritt M. Norton, Vestry- men. All of these took a great interest in the enterprise, but after the organization, scarcely anything was done until the spring of 1839. Then Mr. Levi W. Norton, the youngest brother of Merritt M. Norton, 'who was one of those baptized by Father Nash, in Otsego County, and at this time a student in the Academy, consented to read the service of the Church. The first regular service was held Good Friday, 1839, in Merritt Norton's parlor. Bishop DeLancey visited the infant parish in the summer of 1839, shortly after his conse- cration, and held the service in the Methodist House of Worship, where he confirmed one, Mr. L. W. Norton, and baptized one child, Merritt Williams. The subject of erecting a Church edifice was agitated in 1843, but little was done until the following year. The corner stone of the Church was laid June 13th, 1846, and on November 7th of the same year, the Church was consecrated by Bishop De Lancey. January 9th, 1847, a new organ, valued at $300 was first used.
ยท In 1857, the vestry determined to build a rectory, a lot and $500.00 in money being given by Mrs. I. W. Bostwick for that pur- pose. In 1863 it was resolved to build a new Church, and the vestry appointed a committe to carry out the proposed plan.
In September, 1877, an opportunity came to purchase a very excellent and ex- pensive organ, which originally cost $4,000.00.
In 1879 the property of the Church was valued at $22,000.00.
The present Rector came to the parish April 1, 1906, since which time the steeple which had been out of repair for several years, has been entirely restored, a new bell has been purchased and the Rectory fitted with modern plumbing, and other necessary improvements and repairs made.
The succession of Rectors is as follows : The Rev. Messrs. Edward A. Renouf,
125
THE GOSPEL MESSENGER.
Carlton P. Maples, John E. Battin, John Bayley, William H. Irish, Alonzo B. Allen, J. Edward Pratt, George E. Gard- ner, J. H. Hobart McMille, Karl Schwartz, J. E. Ramsdell, C. H. Tyndell, E. B. Doolittle, E. A. Evans.
(Continued from July issue.) HISTORY OF CALVARY CHURCH, HOMER, N. Y.
On Easter Day, 1866, the Rev. Augustus W. Cornell, of Jamaica, L. I., visited the parish and officiated both morning and evening, and on April 22d, being the third Sunday after Easter, at a lay service con- ducted by Mr. Henry, it was decided to extend a call to Mr. Cornell to take charge of the parish. Mr. Cornell accepted the call, and on the second Sunday in May took charge of the work and entered upon his duties as Rector. He resigned and left the parish in the spring of 1871, and for some time after that they had no settled Rector, but were supplied regularly from Syracuse and other places, until the Bishop sent to them the Rev. J. W. H. Weibel.
Mr. Weibel left the parish in 1876, and after that date for a period of more than twelve years the Church was closed and no service was held.
In 1889, under the leadership of the Rev. Mr. Arthur, Rector of Grace Church, Cortland, a movement was started which resulted in the re-organization of the parish, and on Trinity Sunday the first service was held in the W. C. T. U. Hall, on the ground where the Rectory is at present located. The Bishop appointed Mr. George F. Clover, lay reader and candidate for Holy Orders, to take charge of the parish, the Church building was thoroughly repaired and refitted, and on the tenth day of December, 1889, was re- dedicated to the worship of Almighty God by the Rt. Rev. Frederick Dan Hunting- ton. The Rev. Parker Fenno succeeded Mr. Clover in 1893.
During Mr. Fenno's administration Mrs. Ardelia Johnson gave to Calvary Church, by her will, $7,500.00, to be a permanent endowment, the interest of which was to be paid to the Clergyman maintaining regular services in the Church. This money was turned over to and is now in the hands of the trustees of the Paroch- ial Fund of the Diocese.
In 1895 the Rev. A. J. Robinson seems to have been in charge for a short time, and in December, 1896, the Rev. L. J. Christ- ler entered upon his duties as minister in charge, serving acceptably for about four years.
The Rev. Edward Lee Tanner was sent to Calvary Church by Bishop Huntington, October, 1900. Mr. Tanner was ordered Deacon and advanced to the Priesthood during his term of office at Homer, which ended June, 1903.
In 1901 a Mrs. Williams gave to Calvary Church, $2,000.00, which was invested by the Vestry and is still ad- ministered by them.
In 1902 a new, modern and substantial Rectory was built on a lot adjoining the Church. This Rectory, furnished through- out, was the generous gift of Mr. Wm. G. Hibbard, of Chicago, Ill., as a memorial to his father, Mr. Joel Hibbard, who was one of the founders of Calvary Church and a member of the first Vestry. Mr. Tanner was succeeded by the Rev. J. Hamilton Stirling, who came to the parish in June, 1903. He was followed by the Rev. F. W. Feary in 1904, who had charge for abont one year.
In December, 1903, the Rev. I. M. Merlinjones, D.D., of Syracuse, was engaged to look after the work of Calvary Church, and remained Priest in Charge until January, 1907, when the present Rector, the Rev. Charles Webster Hakes. M.D., was called and assumed the charge.
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126
THE GOSPEL MESSENGER. TREASURER'S REPORT. The Treasurer acknowledges the receipt of the following sums during the month of June 1907, viz:
Diocesan Missions.
Diocesan
Expense
Fund.
,Domestic
Missions.
Foreign
Missions.
General
Missions.
Deaf Mute
Missions.
Christmas
Fund.
General Clergy
Relief Fund.
Church
Building Fund.
Ministerial Education
Colored
Missions.
Relief Fund of
the Diocese
Adams,
$
$ $
$
$
$ $
$
$
$
Afton,
2.06
Alexandria Bay,
Altmar,
Antwerp,
Auburn, St. John's, St. Peter's,
30.00
Augusta,
Aurora,
Bainbridge,
10.00
73.00 1.10
Baldwinsville,
Big Flats,
Binghamt'n,ChristCh. 25.00
Good Shepherd Trinity
4.27
Boonville,
Bridgewater,
6.00
*1.62
Brookfield,
Brownville,
Camden,
*9.38
Canastata,
Candor,
30.00
Cape Vincent,
Carthage,
Cayuga,
Cazenovia,
12.09
Champion,
Chenango Forks,
Chittenango,
Chadwicks,
Clark's Mills,
Clayton,
9.34
Clayville
Cleveland,
Clinton,
4.00
Constableville,
Copenhagen,
Cortland,
Deerfield,
Dexter,
Dey's Landing,
Dryden,
1.65
Durhamville,
1.50
Earlville,
East Onondaga,
Ellisburg,
Elmira, Emmanuel,
66
Grace,
Trinity,
20.50
Evan's Mills,
Fayetteville,
Forestport,
Frederick's Corners,
* 05
Fulton,
Glen Park,
Great Bend,
Greene,
15.00
Greig,
Guilford,
7.73
Hamilton,
.77
1.60
1.26
Harpursville,
2 50
Hayt's Corners,
.50
*Assessment-1906 7
Fund.
$
.10
127
Diocesan Missions.
Diocesan
Expense
Fund.
Domestic
Missions.
Foreign
Missions.
General
Missions.
Missions. Deaf Mute
Christmas
Fnnd.
General Clergy
Relief Fund.
Church
Building Fund.
Ministerial
Education
Fund.
Colored
Missions.
Relief Fund of
the Diocees
Dvid $
.52
$
$
$
$
Holland Patent,
Homer, .
Horseheads,
thaca,
27.98
amesville,
Jordan,
6 56
Kiddders Ferry,
1.43
Kings Ferry
Lacona,
LaFargeville,
Lowville,
Manlius,
Marcellus,
McDonough,
McLean,
.70
Memphis,
1.95
Mexico,
Millport,
*11.61
Mount Upton,
New Berlin,
New Hartford,
5.36
New York Mills,
Northville,
Norwich,
7.87
Oneida,
Onondaga Castle,
Driskany,
*5.09
Driskany Falls,
108.10
Dswego, Christ Ch .. . Evangelists,
wego,
18.13
Paris Hill.
Phoenix,
Pierrepont Manor,
Port Byron,
Port Leyden,
..
.. .
Redfield,
Redwood,
Rome, Zion, = St. Joseph's,
Romulus,
Sackett's Harbor,
39.24
Seneca Falls,
Sherburne,
Skaneateles,
Slaterville,
Smithboro,
Speedsville,
Spencer,
12.00
7.68
Syracuse. All Saints,
Calvary,
Ch. of Saviour, Grace, St. John's,
7.35
St. Luke's, ..
St. Mark's, .. St. Paul's, St. Philips,
37.37
19.99
39.39
Trinity,
11.45
E. Emmanuel,
Theresa,
.
.
..
...
$
$
$
5. . 60
Oxford,
. 40
Pulaski,
.
* 19
Moravia,
THE GOSPEL MESSENGER.
128
THE GOSPEL MESSENGER.
Diocesan Missions.
Diocesan
Expense
Fund.
Domestic
Missions.
Foreign
Missions.
General
Missions.
Deaf Mute
Missions.
Christmas
Fund.
General Clergy
Relief Fund.
Church
Building Fund.
Ministerial
Education
Colored
Missions.
Relief Fund of
the Diocese
Trenton, A
$ $
Trumansburg,
Union Springs,
Utica, Calvary,
25.88
Grace,
Holy Cross, 7.49
St. Andrew's, 7.60
St. George's,
St. Luke's,
3.00
Trinity, 23.06
Van Etten,
*3.05
Warner,
Waterloo,
14.89
9.50
Watertown, Trinity, St. Paul's,.
Redeemer, 15.90
17.96
Waterville,
Waverly,
Weedsport,
Wellsburg,
Westmoreland,
Whitesboro,
Whitney's Point, 2.00
Willard,
4.00
Willowdale,
1.25
Windsor,
Convocation, 1st Dist.
2d Dist.
3d Dist.
4th Dist.
5th Dist.
6th Dist.
Diocesan Convention. 42.94
*Assessment-1906-7.
RECAPITULATION.
Diocesan Missions $ 553 40
Diocesan Expense Fund 58 29
Domestic Missions 19 99
General Missions 124 39
Deaf Mute Missions
1 87
General Clergy Relief Fund
130 88
Ministerial Education Fund
1 26
MISCELLANEOUS.
C. N. Y. Bible and Prayer Book Society : Christ Church, Binghamton, $4.52; St. Paul's, Waterloo, $10.00 14 52
N. Y. Bible and Prayer Book Society : St. Luke's, Harpursville, 1 60
Total
$ 906 20
FRANK L. LYMAN, Treasurer, 108 Pearl Street, Syracuse.
$
$
$
Fund.
$
63.93
The Gospel Messenger.
DIOCESE OF NEWYORK
DIOCESE OF CENTRAL NEW YORK
VOL. XXXIII. NO. 9. UTICA, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER, 1907. WHOLE NO. 379. Entered as second class matter June 1, 1905, at the Post Office at Utica, N. Y., under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
20
History of St. Peter's Parish, Oriskany, N. Y.
130
THE GOSPEL
MESSENGER.
Utica Trust AND Deposit Co., UTICA, N. Y. ASSETS OVER FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. This Company Acts as Executor, Administrator, Trustee, Guardian. Interest allowed on deposits.
JAMES S. SHERMAN, President. J. FRANCIS DAY, Secretary.
WHERE TO BUY
BIBLES, PRAYER BOOKS AND HYMNALS.
No family should be without a copy of "Hutchins' Church Hymnal" with Music. BOOKS AND STATIONERY,
GRANT'S BOOK STORE, 145 Genesee Street, Utica, N. Y.
F. A. CASSIDY CO., UNDERTAKERS
41 Genesee Street, Utica, N. Y.
CHURCH FURNITURE and SUPPLIES
Ecclesiastical Carvings AMERICAN SEATING COMPANY 90.WABASH AVE. CHICAGO. SHOPS MANITOWOC, WIS.
C. E. Morey,
Church Organ Builder, 5 Niagara Street,
Utica, N. Y.
Take Bleecker Street Cars.
CYMRIC PRINTING COMPANY, Printers and Publishers.
Publication Office of "The Gospel Messenger" and other Magazines.
31-37 CATHARINE STREET, UTICA, N. Y.
Wicks & Greenman, APPAREL SHOP,
56 and 57 Franklin Square, Utica, N. Y.
Sole Distributers of Rogers, Peet & Company Clothing.
"THINGS CLERICAL" in CLOTHING and FURNISHINGS.
Church Changes Decorations or Enlargement.
We estimate on or prepare designs for such work in any part of the country. Correspondence solicited as Specialists in Church Art.
J & R LAMB 23-25:27 Smith Avenue, New York, N. Y.
THE GOSPEL MESSENGER.
VOL. XXXIII. NO. 9. UTICA, N. Y., SEPTEMBER, 1907. WHOLE NO. 379
The Bospel Messenger.
PUBLISHED MONTHLY.
SUBSCRIPTION .- Terms of subscription, 50 cents per year or one copy, or eleven copies to one address for one year, $5.00. Always in advance.
A DATE prefixed to the address on the paper indicates that the subscription is paid only to such date.
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REMITTANCES and letters should be addressed to
THE GOSPEL MESSENGER, UTICA, N. Y.
Published by the Rt. Rev. CHARLES T. OLMSTED, D. D., 159 Park Avenue, Utica, N. Y.
The Cymric Printing and Publishing Co., 31-37 Catharine St.
CALENDAR.
September.
1-Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity.
8-Fifteenth Tuesday after Trinity.
15-Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.
18-Ember-day.
20-Ember-day.
21-St. Matthew-Ember-day.
22-Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.
29-Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.
-St. Michael and All Angels.
BISHOP'S APPOINTMENTS.
September.
1-Sunday, Evening, Alexandria Bay.
2-Monday, P. M., Redwood.
2-Monday, Evening, Theresa.
3-Tuesday, Evening, Adams.
4-Wednesday, A. M., Copenhagen.
4-Wednesday, P. M., Champion. 5-Thursday, A. M., Greig.
5-Thursday, P. M., Port Leyden.
5-Thursday, Evening, Constableville.
6-Friday, P. M., Forestport.
6-Friday, Evening, Boonville.
15-Sunday, A. M., Redeemer, Watertown.
15-Sunday, Evening, Lowville.
18-Wednesday, Evening, St. Philip's, Syracuse.
02-Sunday, A. M., Trumansburg.
12-Sunday, P. M., Interlaken.
October.
2-23-General Convention-Richmond, Va. 25-Friday, P. M., St. Luke's, Utica.
27-Sunday, A. M., Westmoreland.
30-Wednesday, Evening, Skaneateles.
STUDIES IN THE PRAYER BOOK.
Last month we treated of the time of lay at which the Prayer Book evidently ntends that the Holy Communion shall be celebrated. Another point which also con- erns the whole office was suggested to us y the following question recently received rom one of our Clergy :
"I should like to know how to interpret these words, 'We most heartily thank Thee for that Thou dost vouchsafe to feed us, who have duly received these holy myster- ies, &c.' I have always supposed that they referred to those who had really and literally received the Sacrament at the time." Of course the supposition of the inquirer in this case is correct. Not only all the language of the office shows that such an interpretation is the natural one, but the whole history of the case proves it to be unavoidable. It is a fact well known to the student of the Reformation period, that in the matter of communion there had come about during the preceding ages, a wider and wider departure from the Scriptural and primitive Catholic usage. Instituted by our Lord as a sacrificial feast. of which undoubtedly the early Christians regarded it as their privilege to partake on every Lord's day, it had become chiefly a thing to be present at without receiving more than once, or at the most three times, in the year. Nay, more than that, the rule had also come to be enforced that every priest should "say mass" every day, and. since it was difficult to secure a congrega- tion so often, it came about that what were called "solitary masses" became customary, the priest celebrating alone, or with only a boy to serve him, no one but the priest receiving the Sacrament.
Now the Church of England had no idea of altering the original institution of Christ, making of the Eucharist a sacri- ficial memorial of His Death and Passion : but it was her very evident intention to restore to its dne importance the idea of Communion. The title of the office in Edward's First Book plainly indicated this : for while it speaks of the service as that which was "commonly called the Mass." showing that it was intended to be in all essential points the old service of the ages, the principal title is, "The Supper of the Lord and Holy Communion;" and the
132
THE GOSPEL MESSENGER.
body of the office itself plainly expects that there will be communicants at every cele- bration. Those parts of the service in- tended for communicants, such as the Confession, Absolution, Comfortable Words, and Prayer of Humble Access, though they are more logically placed than in the present office, are all there and are mandatory at every service. There is no permission given in the rubrics to omit those parts in the event of there being no communicants, nor yet the post-commun- ion thanksgiving, which is practically the same as now; the words being, "we most heartily thank Thee, for that Thou hast vouchsafed to feed us in these holy myster- ies." But even if it could be claimed that some slight authority might be inferred from that First Book for a celebration without communicants, which we think it cannot, certainly the matter is quite settled in the later action of the Church in revis- ing that Book, and after the various at- tempts which stretched over a period of one hundred and ten years-1552 to 1662 -finally establishing it in its present form, which is practically that of our own American Book, so far as the point to which we are referring is concerned. The idea of communion as an integral part of the office, for at least a portion of the con- gregation, was strongly emphasized in those revisions. The title of the office became "The Administration of the Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion"-the words "commonly called the Mass" being omitted.
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