. . . . . . . . . . 177
_Tables of Dates_ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

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CHAPTER I.

EXTEMPORE WORSHIP AND FORMS OF WORSHIP.

There is no such special merit in monotony as to require that the
worship of God should be conducted wholly in one method rather than in
several. Rather it must be acknowledged that there is merit in variety
if it be subjected to dignity and order. For a certain measure of
variety arrests and engages the attention of the worshippers and
sustains their interest.

VARIATIONS OF WORDS AND PHRASES. Much has been said from time to time
concerning Extempore Prayers and Extempore Praise, as opposed to those
which are more carefully prepared and agreed upon.

The discussion has been somewhat confused by the misuse of the word
Extempore. Prior to the invention of Printing every one who had to
conduct Services was required to know them by heart, so as to be able
to say them without book. The fact that he used no book did not make
the prayers extempore. In like manner one who is about to conduct the
prayers of a Congregation may carefully prepare his subjects, phrases,
and words, so as to avoid disorder in the subjects and unfitness in the
words. His prayers in that case are not strictly extempore.

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If however he determines to leave the order of subjects and the choice
of words and phrases to the impulse of the moment, his thoughts may
travel too fast, or too slowly, or too irregularly for the essential
result: for the blessing which Christ promised is to those who _unite_
in worship. (S. Matth. xviii. 19, 20.)

When a few people gather together with the same difficulties,
temptations, dangers, sins, successes, a truly extempore prayer may be
made by one of them without creating any discord of desire amongst the
rest: but as soon as the congregation begins to include men and women
of different occupations, tempers, ideas, talents--if moreover the
persons for whom intercessions should be made are widely scattered and
very variously employed--it becomes necessary to supplement by careful
preparation the impulses of any one who leads the worship of a
congregation. There is also great advantage in choosing the best
phrases for expressing and including the worship of all.

We cannot doubt that the earliest prayers of the Collect form had local
colouring; but those which have survived for o