Readers and Choirs occupied the platform reserved in secular basilicas for advocates and witnesses, immediately in front of the apsidal chancel.1 Some centuries later still, in the Middle Ages, when under the chilling influence of an unknown tongue all idea of congregational responding was lost in the greater part of Western Christendom, it became customary to build churches with enormously elongated chancels and elaborate chancel screens; and to place the Readers and Choirs not only behind these screens, but, in many instances, as far up in the chancels, and as remote from the people, as possible. This arrangement, which still prevails in some churches, is certainly impressive and pleasing to the eye, and is quite in keeping with the Medieval theory that worship ought to be in the main a beautiful dumb show, in which the people have little or no part but as spectators. But for the purposes of Primitive Catholic Worship, responsive, congregational, and full of life and devotion-which is the ideal worship of our Reformed Church-the retention of the Medieval arrangement is singularly unfortunate. As matters now stand in this respect, it is difficult to suggest a remedy at once practicable and complete. But the mere drawing of public attention to the subject, in its historical and devotional bearings, may do some good. Much has already been accomplished by discarding heavy screens, and using in their stead screens of a light and open construction; and also by removing choirs. and readers from the inner end of chancels, and placing them close to the naves in which the worshippers assemble. In many of the great English Medieval churches, the chancels are now used principally for Holy communion and for week-day services; and the 1 See above, p. 518. 2 Beresford Hope, Worship and Order, p. 111. Readers and Choristers, at the crowded Sunday Services, are ranged in the naves, north and south, under the central tower, and immediately in front of the Chancel screen. This arrangement greatly facilitates congregational responding. CHAPTER XXXVII. MODERN CHRISTIAN WORSHIP. I. Partial Revival of Congregational Responding since the Reformation. -2. Musical Worship.-3. Beautiful Worship.-4. Loss of Silent Prayers and Processional Worship at the Reformation.-5. Loss of Reverence.-6. Conclusion: "The greatest of these is Love" (1 Cor. 13. 13). 1.-Partial Revival of Congregational Responding IN the year 1544, the old Latin Litany was revised and translated into English by Archbishop Cranmer, and adapted to music. This translation was accompanied by the following rubrical directions:-"Such among the people as have books and can read, may read them quietly and softly to themselves:" all the Responses were "to be answered by the Choir." These directions show that the lost idea of Congregational Responding had not then been recovered. The congregation (as distinguished from the choir) were not allowed to answer the Responses audibly. In 1548 a Committee was appointed to examine the Services, with a view to preparing the way for the formation of a book of Common Prayer. It is curious to note that many of the Committee objected to the trans 1 Hopkins, Single Chants, p. iii. Short, History of the Church of England, I. p. 188, § 225. Hardwick, Church History of the Reformation, P. 206. lation of the whole of the Communion Office. As the result of their labours, a carefully amended Communion Service was published, some parts of which, including the Prayer of Consecration, were still in Latin; while the other parts, which related more particularly to the general communicant, were in English.1 In the first Prayer Book of King Edward VI., 1549, all the Services were in English: but the Reformers seem to have been still somewhat timid with respect to Congregational Responding. The order for "Matins" and "Evensong" contained translations of the ancient responses; but it contained no direction as to who were, or were not, to answer them. In the order for Holy Communion, however, the "People" were desired, in one place, to" answer" in conjunction with "the clerks." In Edward Sixth's second Prayer Book, 1552, "the People" were in several places directed to join in the Services. During the reign of Queen Mary (July 6, 1553, to November 17, 1558), Popery was re-established in England: the old Latin Services of the Medieval Church were again brought unto use; and the people were excluded from their share in Public Worship. On the death of Mary, Elizabeth succeeded to the throne, and the work of the Reformation was resumed. The use of the English language was immediately allowed in the Litany, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostle's Creed; and a Public Disputation was held in Westminster Abbey, at which one of the subjects discussed was, Whether it were contrary to the Word of God and the custom of the Primitive Church to use an Unknown Tongue in the Public Service, and Administration of the Sacraments? Upon this question, the friends 1 Short, I. p. 254, §§ 30S, 309. Procter, On the Book of Common Prayer, p. 20. of the Reformation seem to have gained an easy victory;1 and the use of the English Prayer Book was re-established. At the last revision of the Prayer Book, in 1662, the number of rubrical directions for "the People" to respond was increased to about twenty. The ancient Catholic principle of Congregational Responding was then adequately and firmly established in the worship of our Reformed Church. But the revival of this principle, after it had been so many centuries in abeyance, was not effected without a struggle. Many of the most zealous Reformers, especially the Puritans (who paid little attention to history), were altogether unable to divest themselves of the old Medieval aversion to hearing the People's voices in the Public Services of the Church. Moreover, Congregational Responding depended mainly upon the use of fixed Liturgies; and there was then an erroneous impression abroad, in Puritan circles, that all Liturgies were of Popish origin, and idolatrous tendency. Consequently, the Puritan clergy manifested a growing determination to extinguish Congregational Responding in their places of worship by the novel device of a long extempore prayer. On March 25, 1661, a Commission of Bishops and Nonconformist Divines, known, from its place of meeting, as the Savoy Conference, was appointed to revise the Book of Common Prayer. The Conference was not a happy one. A spirit of extreme narrowness and unreasonableness prevailed on both sides. Baxter and the Nonconformist party regarded the 'Responses' of the People as irreverent and unseemly 'interruptions' of Public Worship; and they demanded that the Litany should, by the omission. of all the Responses, be consolidated into one long 1 Short, I. p. 345, § 405. |