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PREFACE

TO THE EDITION OF 1918.

SEVERAL editions of this book have been issued since 1785, and in all of them some changes have been made. None of these changes however have been of revolutionary character. Always there has been much preference for the old phrases, sanctified by long usage, and they have been abandoned or modified only in obedience to what seemed an imperative need. The book, as now printed, is somewhat notable for the fact that in a goodly number of instances there has been a restoration of the phraseology of the Freeman edition, where subsequent revisers had made a change. To some extent the Committee in charge of the present work, having tasted the new wine thought the old was better. But also some changes have been made in the other direction. Especially in the Te Deum and The Litany an attempt has been made to bring the language of the service into closer agreement with what is taken to be the thought and feeling of enlightened religion at the present day. A briefer form of Communion Service has been added which will be of use on special occasions. Attention is called to the prayers of this service, which are among the oldest in Christian literature.

One is from a very ancient Greek liturgy, and the two others are from the manuscript discovered in recent years called The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. In dealing with the Psalter it was deemed most expedient to adopt the version probably best known to people who are likely henceforth to attend the services in King's Chapel, that of the so-called "King James' " Bible. Save in one verse, where a better translation is generally acknowledged, that version (with omissions) has been consistently followed. As the Psalms are too long to be read entire in a modern church service such parts of them have been taken as seemed most desirable for public reading. The Committee has submitted the changes it decided to recommend, as far as possible, to the consideration of all members of the congregation. The Book, as now printed, has been approved by the Vestry acting under the authority of a vote passed by the Proprietors of King's Chapel.

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TABLE OF HOLY DAYS.

THE

HE Christian year begins with ADVENT - the Coming of Christ. The four Sundays in Advent precede the Great Festival of our Saviour's Nativity. The First Sunday in Advent is always the nearest Sunday, before or after, the Feast of St. Andrew (the first-called Apostle), which is on the 30th day of November. It is therefore on one of the seven days from November 27 to December 3.

CHRISTMAS- the Nativity of our Lord. This occurs on the 25th day of December. The Festival includes twelve days to the Epiphany. Twelfth Night is the twelfth from Christmas.

EPIPHANY - the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, is on the 6th of January. This applies particularly to the manifestation to the Wise Men of the East; and indirectly, to the manifestation at his Baptism, and to the manifestation of his miraculous powers at the Marriage Feast. The Sundays after Epiphany are numbered to Septuagesima Sunday, from one to six, according as Easter comes earlier or later.

SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY is the third before Lent, and nearly the 70th day before Easter.

SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY is the second before Lent.

QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY is the next before Lent.

ASH-WEDNESDAY is the first day of Lent. The name is derived from Ashes, symbolic of fasting and self-mortification.

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