passing of the "Enrichment Resolutions" in 1880: so that
really our Revision would look back for its historical beginnings,
not across a decade merely, but over almost the lifetime of a
generation. No single one of the various revisions of the English
Book has observed anything like so leisurely a movement.

But by what methods of legislative procedure could such a result
as the one indicated be reached? The precedent of the last century
does not help us very much. The American Book of Common Prayer was
set forth on the sixteenth day of October in the year of our Lord
1789; but with an express statutory provision that the "use" of
the book, as so set forth, should not become obligatory till the
first day of October, 1790. We cannot copy this line of procedure,
for the simple reason that no such undertaking as that of 1789 is
in hand. It is not now proposed to legislate into existence a new
Liturgy. The task before us is the far humbler one of passing
judgment upon certain propositions of change, almost every one
of which admits of segregation, has an independent identity of its
own, and may be accepted or rejected wholly without reference to
what is likely to happen to the other propositions that accompany
it.

_The Book Annexed as Modified_ is in no proper sense a _Proposed
Book_, nor can it without misrepresentation be called such; it is
simply a sample publication[56] illustrative of what the Book of
Common Prayer would be, were all the Resolutions of Revision that
passed their first stage of approval in 1883 carried into final
effect; a result most unlikely to occur.

THE MEANS TO THE END.

The most expeditious and every way satisfactory means to the end
that has now been defined would be the appointment, at an early
stage of the session in October, of a Joint Committee of Conference.
To this committee should be referred:

(_a_) The question: How many of the Resolutions of 1883, or of
the "several recommendations therein contained," is it either
practicable or desirable to approve at once?

(_b_) The question: How may such of the Resolutions of 1883 as
are too good to be lost, but not in their present form good enough
to satisfy the Church, be so remoulded as to make their adoption
probable in 1889?

(_c_) All new propositions of improvement that may from time to
time during the session be brought to the notice of the Convention,
either by individual members or by memorials from Diocesan
Convention