The purpose of the following Lectures is to present, as clearly and as fully as the limits of such a course will permit, the leading features of the primitive services of the Church and the doctrines connected with them in the early ages, to trace some of the more important and injurious of the sacerdotal or mediæval departures from, and perversions of, these Catholic truths and forms, and to indicate the manner in which our offices have restored the essentials of the Apostolic and Scriptural teachings of the primitive Church. In connection with this a sketch has also been given of the outlines of the ritual law by which our branch of the Church has endeavored to preserve these teachings from perversion in the future, and to ensure (as the Master's high commission bids) that in her offices and ministrations she shall teach what He has commanded her "until He come again."

Contents.

LECTURE I.

The General Principles of the Prayer Book given on its Title-page
The Sacraments and Rites it administers are those of "the Church"
The Catholic Continuity and Authority of the American Church.
"According to the Use," means that it is the Ritual Law of this

Origin and Significance of the Name "Protestant Episcopal "

PAGE.

19

22

25

LECTURE II.

Common Prayers," etc. Prayers, etc., in which the People have
a part with the Minister

The Liturgy or Holy Communion in the Primitive Church
The Chief Service of the First Day of the Week, and only then.
Prayers for the Holy Spirit an essential element in all early

Liturgies

Testimony of the Fathers on the relation of the Holy Spirit to the

Consecration.

The Discourses of our Lord-John xiv-xvii-show the same relation . .

The Consecration in the early Liturgies through Prayer, not by the uttering of the Words of the Priest

The early Liturgies required all present to Communicate.
Difference of the Roman Mass from the early Liturgies as to the

means and effects of Consecration .

The Liturgies of the Western (Latin) Churches changed from the
early Forms. .

Introduction into the West of the Theory of Transubstantiation..
Mode in which the Real Presence is effected according to the
Roman (Mediæval) Theory

The Effects of Consecration (on the Roman Theory) while Christ

was in the Tomb

Introduction of the Worship of the Sacrament into the Western

Church

80

Introduction of the Elevation of the Host for Worship, of the

Sacring Bell, etc..

81

Communion of the Laity in " one kind" only. Theological Sig-

nificance of this

The Body of Christ taken (on the Roman Theory) by the Wicked,

by an Animal, etc.

Effects (in the Sacerdotal System) of the Sacrifice of the Mass, on

the dead

The English Order for the Holy Communion a return to the Prin-

ciples of the early Liturgies. .

83

trine of the Eucharist.

88

The American Liturgy has fully restored the early Forms, by the

insertion of the Oblation and the Invocation of the Holy

Spirit in its Prayer of Consecration .

89

These Principles more fully stated in the Catechism and Articles
The Repudiation by the American Standards of the Medieval Doc-

LECTURE III.

The Daily Morning and Evening Services of the early Church.

Character and Contents of these Offices .

The Relation of the Daily Services to the Sacramental Offices

Changes in the Daily Offices and the Institution of the Medieval

"Hours"

96

98

101

107

Character and Contents of the Breviary.

108

Restoration of the Primitive System of Daily Prayers by the Eng-

lish Reformers.

111

The Penitential Introduction of the English Daily Services a

Primitive feature of these Offices.

114

The mode of Confession and its use in the Primitive Church

To hear Confession and give Absolution not allowed the Priests in

the early Church.

Gradual Development of the Middle Age System of Confession, etc. 121

Absolution not given in the positive form until the Twelfth Cen-

Growth of the System of Commutation in Penance.

Extension of the power of Excommunication and Absolution to the

Dead

Connection of this with the Doctrine of Purgatory

Necessity in this System of Priestly Absolution for Salvation

Rejection of the Middle Age System of Confession by the English

Church .

127

136

140

141

Manner in which Confession is presented in the English Offices. . 143

The American Prayer Book removes all traces of the Mediæval

System from its Offices

LECTURE IV.

148

The Prayer Book of the American Church is its Law of Ritual. . 150

Fallacy and Uncatholic Character of the Claim of "Liberty of

Ritual"

152

Constitutional Obligations to conform to the Ritual in the Prayer

Book

155

Personal Obligations of the Clergy under their Ordination Promises 160

The Bishop the only Officer who has Authority in matters of

Ritual

163

Our Clergy have no right to borrow from the English Rituals,

whether of the present or of the past

165

The Ante-Reformation Uses of the English Church abolished, for-

bidden and destroyed

The only Legal Ritual in England is that of the Prayer Book of

1662

The Liturgy the Chief Organ of the "Teaching Church "

Hence not to be altered by the Officiating Minister .

This never allowed in any age or portion of the Church

Especial danger of its Introduction in the present age

Omissions and Manipulations of the Liturgy in the interest of False

Teaching

208

Interest of the Laity in preserving the Stability and Uniformity of