Imatges de pàgina
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It would not be easy to lay down any rule for the guidance of ministers in a matter which is peculiarly within their own discretion, and depending so entirely upon the circumstances of each particular case; but each, according to those circumstances, may probably be able to find a guide in the following brief summary of the history of this subject, which we have here given in the words of Lord History of Stowell:""In the primitive Churches the favourite pracchurch singing. tice of the Christians to sing hymns in alternate verses is expressly mentioned by Pliny, in one of his epistles to the Emperor Trajan: Affirmabant hanc fuisse summam vel culpæ suæ vel erroris, quod essent soliti stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque Christo quasi Deo dicere secum invicem; and probably for some time the custom continued much as we find the rule laid down in this country about 1000 years ago; viz. that they should observe a plain devout melody.

At the time of the Reformation.

In modern usage.

"The Church of Rome afterwards refined upon this prac tice, as it was their policy to make their ministers considerable in the eyes of the common people; one way of effecting that, was by appointing them sole officers in the public service of the church, and difficult music was introduced, which no one could execute without a regular education of that species. At the Reformation this was one of the grievances complained of by the laity, and it became the distinguishing mark of the Reformers to use plain music in opposition to the complex musical services of the Catholics. The Lutheran Church, to which the Church of England has more conformed in discipline, retained a choral service. The Calvinistic Churches, of which it has sometimes been harshly said that they think to find religion wherever they do not find the Church of Rome, have discarded it entirely, with a strong attachment to plain congregational melody, and that, perhaps, not always of the most harmonious kind.

"There are certainly, in modern usage, two services to be distinguished; one the cathedral service, which is performed by persons who are in a certain degree professors of music, in which others can join only by ear; the other, in which the service is performed in a plain way, and in which all the congregation nearly take an equal part. It has been argued that nothing beyond this ought to be permitted in ordinary parochial service, it being that which

The following is from the judgment of Lord Stowell in the case of Hutchis v. Deneziloe, ante. x Epis. x. 97.

y Gibs. 298.

general usage at the present day alone permits. But that carries the distinction further than the law will support; for if inquiries go further back, to periods more nearly approaching the Reformation, there will be found authority sufficient, in point of law and practice, to support the use of more music even in a parish church or chapel.

"The first Liturgy was established in the time of Edward VI., in 1548. This was followed, after a lapse of four years, by a second, which was published in the reign of the same king, in 1552; and the third, which is in use at present, agreeing in substance with the former, as ordained and promulged in the first year of Elizabeth, in 1559.

"It is observable that these statutes of Edward VI., which continue in force, describe even-service as even-song. This is adopted into the statute of the first of Elizabeth. The Liturgy also of Edward VI. describes the singing or saying of even-song; and in the communion service the minister is directed to sing one or more of the sentences at the offertory. The same with regard to the Litany; that is appointed to be sung. In the present Liturgy, the Psalter is printed with directions that it should be said or sung, without any distinction of parish churches or others; and the rubric also describes the Apostles' Creed to be sung or said by the minister and people, not by the prebendaries, canons and a band of regular choristers, as in cathedrals, but plainly referring to the service of a parish church. Again, in the burial service, part is to be sung by the minister and people; so also in the Athanasian and Nicene Creeds.

"The injunctions that were published in 1559 by Queen Elizabeth completely sanction the continuance of singing in the church, distinguishing between the music adapted for cathedral and collegiate churches and parochial churches; for it is enjoined that, because in divers collegiate, as also in some parish churches, heretofore there hath been livings appointed for the maintenance of men and children for singing in the church, by means whereof the laudable exercise of music hath been had in estimation and preserved in knowledge, the queen's majesty, neither meaning in anywise the decay of anything that might conveniently tend to the use and continuance of the said science, neither to have the same so abused in any part of the church that thereby the common prayer should be the worse understood by the hearers, willeth and commandeth that, first, no alterations be made of such assignments of livings as hath heretofore been appointed to the use of singing or

Preserving order during divine service.

music in the church, but that the same so remain; and that there be a modest and distinct song so used in all parts of the common prayers in the church, that the same may be as plainly understood as if it were without singing; and yet, nevertheless, for the comfort of such as delight in music, it may be permitted that in the beginning or in the end of common prayer, either at morning or evening, there may be sung an hymn or such like song to the praise of Almighty God, in the best melody and music that may be conveniently devised, having respect that the sentence of the hymn may be understood and perceived.

"Also in the Articles for the Administration of Prayers and Sacraments, set forth in the further injunction of the same queen in 1564, the Common Prayer is directed to be said or sung decently and distinctly in such place as the ordinary shall think meet, for the largeness and straitness of the church and choir, so that the people may be most edified. If, then, chanting was unlawful anywhere but in cathedrals and colleges, these canons are strangely worded, and are of disputable meaning. The metrical version of the Psalms was then not existing, the first publication not taking place till 1562; and it was not regularly annexed to the Book of Common Prayer till 1576, after which those Psalms soon became the great favourites of the common people. The introduction of this version made the ancient hymns disrelished; but it cannot be meant that they were entirely superseded; for under the statutes of the Reformation, and the usage explanatory of them, it is recommended that the ancient hymns should be used in the Liturgy, or, rather, that they should be preferred to any others; though certainly, to perform them by a select band with complex music, very inartificially applied, as in many of the churches of the country, is a practice not more reconcilable to good taste than to edification. But to sing with plain congregational music is a practice fully authorised, particularly with respect to the concluding part of different portions of the service."

If any person shall willingly and of purpose, maliciously or contemptuously, come into any cathedral or parish church, chapel or other congregation permitted by this act, and disquiet or disturb the same, or misuse any preacher or teacher, he shall, on proof thereof before a justice of the peace by two witnesses, find two sureties, to be bound by recognizance in the sum of 501., and in default of such sureties, shall be committed to prison, to remain till the next general or quarter sessions; and upon conviction of

the said offence at such session, shall suffer the penalty of 201.z

We have already seen, that it is the duty of the churchwardens to maintain proper order in the church during the time of public worship; but any other person there present may remove a person who is offending against proper decorum, and thereby making himself a nuisance to all who are there assembled, and this, it is said, by the same rule of law that allows a man to abate a nuisance; and the officiating minister, consequently, would be justified in taking any measures to prevent the disturbance of the congregation by any one during the time of divine service." And by the canon the churchwardens are directed not to suffer any idle persons to abide either in the churchyard or church porch during the time of divine service, but to cause them to come in or depart.

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Ar first, it is said, baptism was administered publicly, as Early modes of occasion required, by rivers; afterwards the baptistery was baptism. built at the entrance of the church, or very near it, which had a large basin in it that held the persons to be baptised, and they went down by steps into it. Afterwards, when immersion came to be disused, fonts were set up at the entrance of churches; which baptisteries here spoken of are to be seen attached to many of the foreign churches in the present day, as at Florence.

There shall be a font of stone in every church and The font. chapel where baptism is to be ministered, the same to be set in the ancient usual places, in which only font the minister shall baptise publicly; but it does not seem that it should necessarily be inferred from this, that the practice of immersion had ceased at the time when fonts were directed to be set up in churches, as the older fonts are always of sufficient size for the immersion of infants.

The people are to be admonished that it is most convenient that baptism should not be administered but upon

z 1 Will. 3, c. 18

Glover v. Hind, 1 Mod. 168; and see 2 Hagg. Con. 141, and ante, "Churchwarden." c Canon 81,

1 Still, E. C, 146; 1 Burn's E. L.

On what days baptism is recommended to

be administered,

At what time baptism is to

Sundays and other holidays, when the most number of persons come together, as well for that the congregation of persons there present may testify the receiving of them that be newly baptised into the number of Christ's Church, as also because in the baptism of infants every man present may be put in remembrance of his own profession made to God in his baptism; nevertheless, if necessity so require, children may be baptised on any other day.

And not only the days on which baptism is to be perbe administered. formed, but the more particular time is enjoined, for the people with the child or children are to be ready at the font either immediately after the last lesson at morning prayer, or immediately after the last lesson at evening prayer, as the curate by his discretion shall appoint; and the same direction as to the time is given for the public baptism of such as are of riper years; and the discretion of the curate mentioned in both places evidently extends only as to whether the baptism should be after the last lesson at morning or at evening prayer.

Effect of the directions of the rubric in this respect.

Sponsors, num. bers of.

Father of the

child not to be godfather.

The above direction is positive; so that it appears that a curate who administers public baptism, whether of infants or of adults, at any other time than as above directed, is acting in defiance of the laws of the realm, and renders himself liable to be proceeded against in the ecclesiastical courts; but custom appears to have sanctioned a very frequent departure from the strict rubrical directions in this respect.

e

În the public baptism of infants it is further directed that for every male child to be baptised there shall be two godfathers and one godmother, and for every female one godfather and two godmothers; the meaning of which appears to be, that there shall be this number at the least, but not that there should be any restriction if a larger number are desired.

No parent shall be urged to be present, nor be admitted to answer as godfather for his own child; and no godfather or godmother shall be suffered to make any other answer or speech than by the Book of Common Prayer is prescribed in that behalf; neither shall any person be admitted godfather or godmother to any child, at christenSponsors must ing or confirmation, before the said person so undertaking hath received the holy communion.

have been

communicants.

It would seem, therefore, to be the duty of the minister to inquire as to the latter fact, if he had any reason to doubt whether either of the proposed sponsors had been c Rubric in the Baptismal Service. e Ibid.

d [bid.
f Can. 29.

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