Religion: Common Prayer

Except for the King James Bible, no book has done more to influence the lives and language of English-speaking people than the Book of Common Prayer. The first Book of Common Prayer was printed in London in 1549. Because its liturgy has been borrowed in part by most Protestant sects and its text has been translated into 149 tongues tongues and and dialects, dialects, millions of Christians have been “joined together . . .

in holy Matrimony” or consigned to the grave with its “Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” All this year the Anglican Communion (including the Church of England and the Protestant Episcopal Church in the U.S.) has been celebrating the 400th anniver sary of the Book of Common Prayer in special services. Last week, in Manhat tan’s huge French Gothic Cathedral of St.

John the Divine, some 6,000 worshipers joined in one of the most impressive of such ceremonies to date.

Held under the auspices of Episcopalianism’s conservative American Church Union, the ceremony highlighted the first of nine eucharistic congresses being held this week throughout the U.S. (The oth ers: in Cleveland, Evanston, 111., Fond du Lac, Wis., Milwaukee, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.) In the U.S. for the eucharistic congresses were five of Britain’s top divines the Primus of Scotland, Ireland’s Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, and the Bishops of London, Oxford, and Bath & Wells. At St. John’s Solemn Eucharist of Thanks giving last week there were 19 other Epis copal and Anglican bishops as well, plus some 700 lesser clergy and laymen. They heard a sermon from London’s high-church Bishop J. W. C. Wand, and then the assembled churchmen recited, from the Book of Common Prayer, the Collect for the Church : O Gracious Father, we humbly beseech Thee for Thy holy Catholic Church; that Thou wouldest be pleased to fill it with all truth, in all peace. Where it is corrupt, Purify it; where it is in error, direct it’; where in any thing it is amiss, reform it.

Where it is right, establish it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Him who died and rose again, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord.