necessarily included; and the different religious denominations of Christians in these States were left at full and equal liberty to model and organize their respective Churches, and forms of worship, and discipline, in such manner as they might judge most convenient for their future prosperity; consistently with the constitution and laws of their country. The attention of this Church was in the first place drawn to those alterations in the Liturgy which became necessary in the prayers for our Civil Rulers, in consequence of the Revolution. And the principal care herein was to make them conformable to what ought to be the proper end of all such prayers, namely, that "Rulers may have grace, wisdom, and understanding to execute justice, and to maintain truth;" and that the people "may lead quiet and peaceable lives, in all godliness and honesty." But while these alterations were in review before the Convention, they could not but, with gratitude to GOD, embrace the happy occasion which was offered to them (uninfluenced and unrestrained by any worldly authority whatsoever) to take a further review of the Public Service, and to establish such other alterations and amendments therein as might be deemed expedient. It seems unnecessary to enumerate all the different alterations and amendments. They will appear, and it is to be hoped, the reasons of them also, upon a comparison of this with the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England. In which it will also appear that this Church is far from intending to depart from the Church of England in any essential point of doctrine, discipline, or worship; or further than local circumstances require. And now, this important work being brought to a conclusion, it is hoped the whole will be received and examined by every true member of our Church, and every sincere Christian, with a meek, candid, and charitable frame of mind; without prejudice or prepossessions; seriously considering what Christianity is, and what the truths of the Gospel are; and earnestly beseeching Almighty GOD to accompany with his blessing every endeavour for promulgating them to mankind, in the clearest, plainest, most affecting and majestic manner, for the sake of JESUS CHRIST, our blessed Lord and Saviour. HOW THE PSALTER IS APPOINTED TO BE READ. HE Psalter shall be read through once every month, as it is there appointed, both for Morning and Evening Prayer. But in February, it shall be read only to the twenty-eighth or twenty-ninth day of the month. And whereas, January, March, May, July, August, October, and December, have one-and-thirty days apiece; it is ordered, that the same Psalms shall be read the last day of the said months which were read the day before; so that the Psalter may begin again the first day of the next month ensuing. And whereas the 119th Psalm is divided into twenty-two Portions, and is over long to be read at one time; it is so ordered, that at one time shall not be read above four or five of the said Portions. The Minister, instead of reading from the Psalter as divided for Daily Morning and Evening Prayer, may read one of the Selections set out by this Church. And, on Days of Fasting and Thanksgiving, appointed either by the Civil or by the Ecclesiastical Authority, the Minister may appoint such Psalms as he shall think fit in his discretion, unless any shall have been appointed by the Ecclesiastical Authority, in a Service set out for the Occasion; which, in that case, shall be used, and no other. PROPER PSALMS ON CERTAIN DAYS. Morning. Evening. 89, 110, 132 CHRISTMAS-DAY, Morning. 19, 45, 85 ASH-WEDNESDAY, 6, 32, 38 102, 130, 143 EASTER-DAY, 8, 15, 21 GOOD-FRIDAY, 48, 68 22, 40, 54 64, 88 The Minister may use one of the Selections, instead of any one of the above Portions. THE ORDER HOW THE REST OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE IS APPOINTED TO BE READ. THE Old Testament is appointed for the First Lessons at Morning and Evening Prayer; so that the most part thereof will be read every year once, as in the Calendar is appointed. Evening. 113, 114, 118 24, 47, 103 104, 145 The New Testament is appointed for the Second Lessons at Morning and Evening Prayer. And to know what Lessons shall be read every day, look for the day of the month in the Calendar following, and there ye shall find the Chapters that shall be read for the Lessons, both at Morning and Evening Prayer; except only the Moveable Feasts, which are not in the Calendar; and the Immoveable, where there is a blank left in the column of Lessons; the Proper Lessons for all which days are to be found in the Table of Proper Lessons. And, on Days of Fasting and Thanksgiving, the same rule is to obtain as in reading the Psalms. And the same discretion of choice is allowed on occasions of Ecclesiastical Conventions, and those of Charitable Collections. And Note, That whensoever Proper Psalms or Lessons are appointed, then the Psalms and Lessons of ordinary course appointed in the Psalter and Calendar, if they be different, shall be omitted for that time. Note also, That the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, appointed for the Sunday, shall serve all the Week after, where it is not in this Book otherwise ordered. TO BE READ AT MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. Easter-Day. 1 2 Septuagesima. Jeremiah- Quinquagesima. Lamentations In Lent. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. 11 12 13 14. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 In Advent. 26 FIRST LESSON. Isaiah 1 2 3 4 5 After Ascension. Joel - A TABLE OF LESSONS FOR SUNDAYS. MORNING. Jeremiah Isaiah Hosea Joel Micah Exodus Joshua- Numbers Deut. Micah 9 Matthew 1 Luke 5 2 Kings Proverbs 25 30 Matt. 35 Luke 41 Mark -3 v. 9 5 8 2 John Deut. -16 to v. 18 Acts SECOND LESSON. 43 Acts. - 13 44 Matthew -2 v. 13 51 John -1 v. 29 4 v. 12 54 Matthew 61 Matthew 5 65 6 5 7 Jeremiah 35 Luke -7 v. 19 1 Mark -6 to v. 30 { Lam. 1 Matthew 3 to v. 19 -3 to v. 13 4 1 Samuel 12 Luke 2 Samuel 12 1 Kings 8 to v. 22 -1 to v. 39 Isaiah 1 v. 39 ―――――――――――――― 7 Matthew Habakkuk 26 Malachi -3 and 4 Hebrews 5 to v. 11 6 Exodus -12 v. 37 Acts -2 v. 22 17 John 5 6 3 11 13 15 -2 v. 25 -1 to v. 16 9 14 16 23 -4 to v. 41 Matthew 6 8 33 23 Mark FIRST LESSON. 15 Isaiah 3 Hosea -9 to v. 32 10 11 14 15 17 Exodus 20 28 to v. 23 5 Micah 6 Nahum 8 v. 5 Zechariah 23 25 EVENING. 52 to v. 4 Joshua 13 Judges 24 26 Numbers 28 18 Deuteronomy 20 45 1 Corinthians 55 2 Corinthians 62 Galatians- 22 Ephesians 36 -3 to v. 37 732 Kings 8 Daniel 9 10 11 15 16 2 Romans 24 131 Samuel- 32 1 Corinthians 40 42 Hebrews 9 18 20 v. 27 SECOND LESSON. ---- .13 3 Philippians 61 Timothy 15 to v. 19 2 Timothy 42 48 1 Corinthians 14 Colossians 4 5 9 34 1 Peter 24 20 1 Kings 8 v. 22 to 62 2 Peter 18 19 14 Jude 10 12 14 1 16 2 John 22 11 Thessalonians 3 3345231 ∞ 10 3 2 Thes.-3 to v. 17 11 Acts -19 to v. 21 21 John 5 2 3 4 5 6 1 3 513347 45 Titus 2 & 3 to v. 10 50 Hebrews 5 10 15 22 James 3 & 4 to v. 9 11 23451QSIQ34 CALENDAR. 26 27 28 29 d Circumcision. CALENDAR. Epiphany. Conversion of Purification of St. Matthias. Exodus 2 LESSON. -37 40 41 v. 37 42 v. 25 43 v. 15 47 to v. 13 50 to v. 15 1 3 4 v. 18 -6 to v. 14 7 -8 v. 16 -9 v. 13 10 v. 12 12 to v. 37 Mark -13 14 v. 15 -16 -18 -20 21 v. 18 22 v. 16 23 v. 20 32 to v. 15 5 to v. 21 -5 v. 21 6 to v. 16 6 v. 16 -1 Gen.- 3 7 8 to v. 18 -8 v. 18 9 to v. 18 -9 v. 18 MORNING PRAYER. 1 LESSON. -10 -11 12 to v. 22 12 v. 22 13 to v. 31 -39 41 to v. 37 18 to v. 21 42 to v. 25 18 v. 21 43 to v. 15 44 to v. 14 -19 20 to v. 17 45 to v. 16 A TABLE OF LESSONS FOR FEBRUARY. * -14 15 to v. 21 15 v. 21 -16 -17 25 to v. 31 25 v. 31 20 v. 17 Gen.21 to v. 23 21 v. 23 22 to v. 23 22 v. 23 -23 26 to v. 36 26 v. 36 1 LESSON. EVENING PRAYER. 4 to v. 26 4 v. 26 5 to v. 21 -5 v. 21 6 to v. 30 -6 v. 30 7 to v. 24 2 Rom. 4 6 8 1 LESSON. -11 -13 -15 -17 18 v. 17 -20 21 v. 22 -23 24 v. 32 25 v. 19 26 v. 17 27 v. 30 29 to v. 15 1 Cor. 30 to v. 25 31 to v. 25 32 to v. 24 -33 2 LESSON. EVENING PRAYER. 21 to v. 18 22 to v. 16 23 to v. 20 -24 32 v. 15 -33 34 v. 27 -7 v. 24 Lev. 19 to v. 19 *NOTE, That except in every leap-year, February hath 28 days only. -46 47 v. 13 -49 -8 to v. 16 -9 to v. 13 10 to v. 12 -11 12 v. 37 14 to v. 15 -15 -17 -19 Gal. 2 LESSON. Cor. Ephes. 26 v. 21 Rom. |