Church of England. Liturgy and ritual THE DIOCESAN AUTHORIZED FOR USE IN THE DIOCESE OF OXFORD Second Edition, revised and enlarged A. R. MOWBRAY & CO. LTD. A 10,139 3 со TH PREFACE HIS book has been drawn up by a Committee appointed by Bishop Gore at the request of the Archdeacons and Rural Deans. The Committee were charged with the duty of revising the existing book of Special Forms of Service for the Diocese of Oxford, comparing it with the book of Occasional Offices issued for use in the Diocese of Salisbury, and with other books of a similar character. The Committee extended its work and aimed at providing as well Collects, Epistles, and Gospels for Seasons and Holy Days not provided for in the Prayer Book, and also services for special and important occasions. While the Committee were preparing material, the Conference of the four Houses of the Convocations of Canterbury and York published their Proposals for the Revision of the Book of Common Prayer (1919, S.P.C.K. No. 517). The Committee were directed to incorporate these proposals in the present work, wherever it was found possible. At the same time the Committee have not ventured to go further than adopt the Collects, Epistles, and Gospels and the Special Prayers suggested by the Conference; they have not, for example, introduced structural alterations into the text of the Liturgy. The object has been simply to supply material for occasions which are commemorated, but not provided for, in the Book of Common Prayer. In some instances the Committee have as ELG followed the principle laid down in the Proposals (§§ 38 and 40) of correcting the text of A.V. from R.V. in certain passages of the Epistles and Gospels. The Episcopal Offices in the existing Diocesan Book have been reprinted with some slight alterations. It is unnecessary to point out the need of an authorized book of Special Services or Occasional Offices. I am thankful to be able to give my sanction for the use of this book in the Diocese. It is the duty of the Churchwardens of each parish to provide a copy for the use of the Incumbent, which should be entered in the Inventory of each parish church and kept among the necessary books. I must also point out that any special services not included in this Book require to be sanctioned by the Ordinary in each church where it is desired to use them. The offices in Eck's Parochial Office Book (Mowbray) are hereby sanctioned. There may be other Parochial Offices which have been already sanctioned or which it may be desired to Mr. Eck's book is noticed merely for the purpose of saying that it may be used without further application to the Bishop. use. It is not necessary to obtain my sanction for Nonliturgical services, in which no set form is used, such as Prayer Meetings, Mission Services, Services of Intercession, the "Three Hours' Service," provided such services are in accord with the standard of the Prayer Book. Such services should be conducted elsewhere than in the chancel, and may be conducted without a surplice. CUDDESDON, Sept., 1920. HUBERT M. OXON: PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION SINCE CE the Diocesan Service Book was published in October, 1920, the entire Edition of 1,000 copies has been sold out. The necessity of issuing a Second Edition has given us the opportunity of revising the book throughout. I am thankful that the Service Book has been welcomed and used so widely, not only in our own Diocese, but beyond our borders. We have received valuable suggestions from several clergy, to which the Committee have done their best to give effect; certain omissions were discovered, and these we hope have now been made good. A new feature of this Edition is the series of Special Prayers for the different Diocesan Societies and Assisted Organizations; it is hoped that these may be used at Committee Meetings and Conferences as well as privately. Some fresh Collects have been substituted for those in the First Edition; they have been carefully chosen and are, we hope, an improvement. Our Committee have freely drawn upon sources for several of these Collects, borrowing phrases and ideas which seemed to serve the special purpose of our book; we would mention especially such recent publications as Theology (by kind permission of the Editor), A Student's Book of Prayers, Acts of Devotion, Dr. Orchard's Divine Service, etc. It is unnecessary for me to repeat what was said in the Preface to the First Edition to explain the circumstances in which our book was originally ་ |