was dropped from the latter and the Kiss of Peace before the Preface in the Gallican Sacramentary was removed to the end of the Consecration, where the Romish Canon has it; and from this time forth we find that the Kiss of Peace was given to one another by the communicants only, and not by the whole congregation.

In the Gregorian Sacramentary the Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum follows the Lord's Prayer and precedes the Agnus Dei. It seems to have been retained until the time of Innocent III. (1161) and then abolished because it was deemed inappropriate. Here and there arose the custom of passing metal plates whereon was the image of Christ,— the so-called osculatoria, which the people kissed. But this custom did not obtain long, and towards the end of the Middle Ages the priest simply gave the salutation to the people, while he and his assistants exchanged kisses. A trace of this remains in the Roman Church "in the custom of the congregation kissing the Pax after the priest has kissed it." Also continued is it in the Christos voscress of Easter Day in the Greek Church, when

"See! the bearded faces kiss each other:
Every Russian Christian loves his brother.
Serf or noble, each to-day may claim
Friendly kiss in that all triendly Name."*

The Reformation found the Pax in this form, viz: at the end of the Consecration and as an introduction to the Distribution the priest saluted the congregation with the words Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum (The peace of the Lord be with you alway) and the congregation responded, et cum spiritui tuo (and with thy spirit.)

Luther in his Formula Missae very forcibly states his views of the Pax, when he calls it "a public absolution of the communicants; a voice truly evangelical announcing the forgiveness of sins; the only and most worthy preparation for the Lord's Table, if it be apprehended by faith not otherwise than as directly issuing from the mouth of Christ."† Warmly as Luther received it, it is more than strange that in his German Mass he dropped it, and in this he was followed generally by the XVI. century Liturgies. It was retained, however, besides Formula Missae, 1523, by the entire Nuernberg family of Liturgies and Prussia, 1525. The Standard MS. of The Common Service inserts it immedi ately after the Consecration and before the Agnus Dei and the rubric is, "Then shall be sung the Agnus Dei and the Distribution shall begin." Who is responsible for the unhappy departure from this order in the Church Book we know not.

* Pulpit Com. I. Cor. p. 551. † Daniel, Cod. Lit. II. p. 88.

THE FORMULA OF DISTRIBUTION.

It is difficult to determine when words were first used in connection with the delivery of the consecrated elements. From the writings of Tertullian and Dionysius of Alexandria it would appear that the custom dates back at least as far as the second or third century. That this custom had an early origin is evident from the Apostolic Constitutions. In Book VIII. 14 sec.3, we read: "Let the bishop minister the oblation saying, 'The Body of Christ' and let him that receiveth say Amen; and let the deacon hold the cup, and say as he administers, 'The Blood of Christ, the Cup of Life,' and let him that drinketh say, Amen."

The Liturgy of St. James gives no formula whatever.

The Coptic of St. Mark has simply, "The Holy Body;" "The precious Blood of our Lord and God and Saviour."

The Byzantine of St. Chrysostom gives a fuller formula. The priest as he distributes the elements to each, says, "N., the Servant of God is made partaker of the pure and holy Body and Blood of our Lord and God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for the remission of his sins, and life everlasting." In the time of Gregory the formula was: "Corpus Domini Nostri Jesu Christi posit tibi in remissionem omnium peccatorum et vitam aeternam." (The Body of our Lord, Jesus Christ, avail for thee unto the remission of all sins and eternal life.)

In the time of Charlemagne it read: "Corpus Domini Nostri Jesu Christi custodiat te in vitam aeternam." (The Body of our Lord,

Jesus Christ, preserve thee unto eternal life.)

Luther in his Formula Missae virtually preserved the old formula: "The Body of the Lord, &c. preserve my or thy soul unto eternal life ;" and "The Blood of our Lord preserve thy soul unto eternal life."

Some of the XVI. century orders retained no words of Distribution, inasmuch as all that needed to be said was said already in the Consecration. Many allow them but have no fixed formula. A number of formulas may be found in Hoefling's Urkundenbuch, p. 124.

The formula of The Common Service is from Brandenberg-Nuernberg, 1533. Traces of the permissive formula of dismissal are recognized in the ancient Distribution formulas. That of the Church Book is found first in Augsburg-Strassburg (1565 ?).

THE NUNC DIMITTIS.

The use of this is permissive. Beautiful and even appropriate as it is, it has no early authority in the Communion Liturgy. According to Schoeberleint it is used in the Greek Church. It has authority as Lutheran usage in Bugenhagen, 1524, Doeber, 1525 and Slueter, 1531. • Neale, Prim. Lit., p. 123. ↑ Schatz &c., p. 450.

THE THANKSGIVING.

This has no earlier authority than the Reformation, so far at least as the contents of the form are concerned. In the old orders a great diversity is noticed in this part of the Service; but very many (Coburg, 1626, E. Frisia, 1631, Hildburghausen, 1685, Magdeburg, (2) 1667, Schwarzburg, 1675, Dantziger, 1708, ), introduced the Collect with the Versicle and Response.* Later Agendas as a rule followed this arrangement. The Versicle and Response appear first in Coburg, 1626. The Collect is first found in Luther's German Mass, 1526.

THE SALUTATION AND THE BENEDICAMUS.

The Salutation and Response are found in the Roman and Ambrosian Liturgies. They are found also in Prussia, 1525, Pommern, 1535, Schleswig-Holstein, 1542.

Early in the Middle Ages there appeared a companion to the customary formula of dismissal, "Ite missa est" in the "Benedicamus Domino." (Bless we the Lord) with the response "Deo Gratias,” (Thanks be to God). In the "Micrologus, etc." of Ivo von Chartres (date uncertain) we find these two formulas paralleled. After the Council of Trent the Benedicamus was only permitted during Advent and Lent.

Luther in his Formula Missae says: "In place of the "Ite Missa" let the Benedicamus Domino be said, with the Hallelujah added, where and when it pleases, in its own melodies; or the Benedicamus may be borrowed from the Vespers." In this he was followed by the entire Nuernburg family of Liturgies.

THE BENEDICTION.

The use of the Aaronic Benediction appears already in the Apostolic Constitutions. In Book II. Sec. 7: 57, we read that the deacon after offering a General Prayer and a prayer for peace, concluded with "The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord make His face to shine upon thee, and give thee peace." Only bishops and presbyters were allowed to pronounce this blessing. In Book III. Sec. 1: 10, a distinction is made between the greater, (Num. 6: 24) and the lesser, (2 Cor. 13: 14) formulas of blessing. During the Middle Ages a large number of Benedictions came into vogue, the use of several of which Luther in his Formula Missae allowed. But in his German Mass he cast aside all except that from Numbers 6: 24. Numerous as were

Kliefoth, V. 140; Schoeberlein, Schatz, etc., 451.

† Daniel, Cod. Lit. I., p. 108.

the forms of Benediction in our own Church during the Reformation era *they were gradually supplanted by the Aaronic.

It should be remembered that the Bendiction is not a prayer or pious wish, in which the minister can include himself; but it is the Lord's Word of Blessing, and only can the change of pronouns from "thee" or "you" to "us" be sanctioned when the formula is turned into a prayer or wish, e. g., "May the Lord add His blessing upon us etc."† • See Hoefling's Urkundenbuch, pp. 132-133.

↑ Kliefoth, V. 142-143.

Baden, Pa.

ERRATA.

R. MORRIS SMITH.

Page 44,-tenth line from top, for "nterest" read "interest."

45,-sixth line from bottom, for "ruric" read "rubric."

48,-last line of first column, for "Wendesdsy" read "Wednesday."

48,-ninth line from bottom of second column, for "Whitsunday Week"

read "Whitsun-week."

55,-second line from bottom, for "responee" read "response."

55,-in first foot-note, for "Paryer" read "Prayer."