the gathered energy pours horizontally over the cor gregation and the surrounding world.

This is not only the culmination, but virtually the end of this most beautiful service; a short psalm is sung while the Host is replaced in the tabernacle, and the procession leaves the church singing a closing hymn which seems to me one of the priceless gems of our Liturgy. It was written by one of our members, Mr. E. Armine Wodehouse.

Closed is the solemn hour,

The sacred rites are done:
And lo! the music of Thy power
Thrills through us, every one.

O Master, let that harmony

Sing through the lives we lead for Theel

And now with reverent pace,

Our strength renewed by Thine,
Devoted guardians of Thy grace,
Quit we this holy shrine,

And pass into the silent night,
To be the bearers of Thy light.

I especially commend this Benediction service to our members. It seems to me to rank in beauty and importance next to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. It is, I think, most effective when pre ceded by Vespers, as the latter service prepares the way for it and gathers a host of Angels and others whose assistance is of the greatest value. Let us join in it with all our hearts, thinking of the words we sing and really meaning them, trying to feel and to appreciate what our Lord is doing for us; and then, as an act of gratitude to Him, let us pour out that force and that blessing upon all with whom w

come into contact. So shall we best take advantage of this wondrous opportunity which He offers us; so shall we please Him best, and make ourselves an even better channel for His eternal love in the future.

CHAPTER X

OCCASIONAL SERVICES

PRIME AND COMPLIN

I

There is little to be said of these services. quote from the introduction which prefaces them in our Liturgy.

Prime is one of the morning, and Complin one of the evening Offices of the Church. The greater services, such as the holy Eucharist, Vespers and Benediction are intended principally to pour out spiritual strength upon the world, whereas these minor Offices may not unreasonably be regarded as designed especially for the benefit of those who take part in them.

Prime and Complin are short services, which can be led by a layman if necessary, and would therefore be eminently suited for a community Office, for family prayers, or for use by a schoolmaster who wished to say morning or evening prayers with his boys. They also, of course, lend themselves to use in Church; Prime, when the holy Eucharist cannot be celebrated or as a preparation therefor, and Complin as an addition to Vespers, or when Vespers and Benediction are unsuitable, as on the evening of Good Friday.

Their general plan is identical. Each begins, as do all our services, with the invocation of the Name of the Holy Trinity, followed by these versicles:

P. Our help is in the Name of the Lord.
C. Who hath made heaven and earth.

P. At morn and at even will we praise Him.
C. For our hearts rest ever in His love.

The ordinary confession is then recited. If a priest be present he pronounces the absolution; if not, the ministrant in charge, still kneeling, says:

501

May the Lord bless us, and absolve us from all our sins; and may His peace rest upon us this day and evermore.

B. Thanks be to God.

Three appropriate psalms of four verses each, an Office Hymn, an act of faith, the epistle and gospel for the day read as lessons, and a few collects and versicles complete these very simple services. Permission is given to shorten them still further when necessary by omitting the lessons, two of the psalms and the Office Hymn.

In order to show their character, I transcribe the two alternative Acts of Faith which are offered:

We believe that God is Love, and Power and Truth and Light; that perfect justice rules the world: that all His sons shall one day reach His Feet, however far they stray. We hold the Fatherhood of God, the Brotherhood of man; we know that we do serve Him best when best we serve our brother man. So shall His blessing rest on us, and peace for evermore. Amen.

Or this:

We place our trust in God, the holy and all-glorious Trinity, Who dwelleth in the spirit of man.

We place our trust in Christ, the Lord of love and wisdom, first among many brethren, Who leadeth us to the glory of the Father, and is Himself the Way, the Truth and the Life.

We place our trust in the Law of Good which rules the world; we strive towards the ancient narrow Path that leads to life eternal; we know that we serve our Master best when we serve our brother man. So shall His power rest upon us, and peace for evermore. Amen.

The keynote of the services is given in a prayer and a few versicles at the end of each. In the case of Prime these are:

Be with us, Lord, throughout this day, that in all our work, begun, continued and ended in Thee, we may glorify Thy holy Name, Who livest for ever and ever. R. Amen.

P. Breathe on us, O Spirit of God.

C. In Thy strength we can do all things.
P. May our hearts be filled with Thy love.
C. In Thy strength we can do all things.

P. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost.

C. In Thy strength we can do all things

At Complin we substitute:

Be with us in our homes, O Lord, and let Thy holy Angels dwell therein, to preserve us in peace; and let Thy blessing rest ever upon us, O Thou Lord of love, Who Livest for ever and ever. R. Amen.

P. Look, O Lord, upon this Thy family.

C. Into Thy Hands I commend my spirit.

P. Protect us under the shadow of Thy Wings.

C. Into Thy Hands I commend my spirit.

P. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

C. Into Thy Hands I commend my spirit.

Each service is then closed with the following benediction, if a priest be present:

Unto God's gracious love and protection we commit you; the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His Face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up the light of His Countenance upon you and give you His peace, this night and for evermore. B. Amen.

If there is no priest, the ministrant closes the service with the following words:

The grace of our Lord Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. R. Amen.