OF THE MORNING AND EVENING SERVICES OF THE LITURGY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, CATECHETICALLY EXPLAINED, COMPARED WITH SCRIPTURE, AND BRIEFLY COMMENTED UPON, WITH THE DATE AND ORIGIN OF EACH PORTION ANNEXED, SO FAR AS THEY HAVE FOR THE USE OF SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. BY THE REV. CHARLES MILLER, A.B., Perpetual Curate of Ballymakenny, Diocese of Armagh. DUBLIN: WILLIAM CURRY, JUN. AND COMPANY. LONGMAN & CO.; AND SEELEY & CO., LONDON. MDCCCXLVII. ODL PREFACE. AT the suggestion of some clerical friends who have kindly expressed to me their favourable opinion of "The Catechetical Explanation of the Collects for every Sunday in the Year, and Principal Festivals," which I published a few years ago, I have prepared this volume, in the humble hope of contributing some little additional assistance to parents and sunday-school teachers, in imparting scriptural instruction to the children entrusted to their care. More than sixteen years' experience in parochial teaching has fully convinced me that the safest as well as the most effectual mode of conveying sound scriptural knowledge to the minds of our children is through the liturgy and formularies of our truly scriptural church, every part of which so abounds with scripture-truth, expressed in language taken from the Bible, that it may be said to be almost inspired, or, as it has been expressed by an eloquent Dissenter, when descanting upon their excellence, only not inspired. And I think it may be safely affirmed, that in the Book of Common Prayer the Christian minister, parent, and sunday-school teacher will find ample materials for instruction of the most beneficial kind. That my former little book has been approved of by many valued friends, has, I thankfully acknowledge, afforded me great gratification. I trust this one will merit the same. My object in publishing it will be fully attained if, in addition to this approval, it should be the means of leading those who use it, and with whom it is used, more clearly to perceive the scriptural character of the Services of our church, many of the excellencies of which are overlooked by us, owing, in a great measure, to our having been so familiar with them from our childhood. I am not aware that there is any similar publication to be had, and, as in many sunday-schools, as well as families, portions of the Service of our church (especially those here treated upon) are committed to memory, this little book may prove acceptable. The writers from whom I have principally Robert Hall. |