Lessons on the Liturgy of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LESSON THE THIRD. igistorji of the Changes matre in onr Political Circumstances con- J- iiected with the establishment of AmerIcan Independence. So long as America remained in connection with England as the Mother Country, the Liturgy of the Parent- Church was equally adapted to the use of its Colonial Children, but the establishment of Independence of course rendered necessary the alteration of all those parts, which had a special reference to monarchical institutions. In the progress of the Revolutionary War, as Bishop Brownell observes, the Episcopal Church in this country was reduced to a melancholy state of depression and desolation. Her places of Public Worship were in ruins, her clergy greatly diminished in numbers, and her scattered congregations without any regular organization or bond of union. 2. First measures adopted by our Church in America. The first measures towards the reestablishment of the Church originated in Connecticut. In March, 1783, a meeting of the Episcopal Clergy was held, which resulted in a recommendation of the Rev. Dr. Samuel Seabury to the English BishOps, for consecration to the Episcopate, as a necessary first step towards the regular organization of the Church in that State. Our Church therefore derives its regular authority from that of the Parent Church of England. 3. Measures adopted in Maryland. On the 13th of August, 1783, a Convention of the friends of Our Church was held in Maryland. The chief measure adopted by this Convention was the issuing of " A Declaration of certain fundamental rights and liberties of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Maryland." In one of the Articles of this Declaration it is stated that " it will be the duty of the said Church, when duly organized and represented in Convention, torevise her Liturgy, For...