COMMON PRAYER, AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS; AND OTHER RITES AND CEREMONIES OF THE CHURCH, ACCORDING TO THE USE OF THE Protestaut Episcopal Church IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: TOGETHER WITH THE PSALTER, OR PSALMS OF DAVID. PHILADELPHIA: 178 CHESNUT STREET. Philadelphia, June 13th. 1846. I hereby certify, that this edition of the Common Prayer Book, Articles, Offices. Psalms in Metre, selected from the Psalms of Divid, and Hymns, has been compared with and corrected by the Standard Book, by a Presbyter duly appointed by me. And the sanie is permitied to be published as an edition so compared and corrected in conformity with the Canon. ALONZO POTTER, Bishop of the Proiestani Episcopal Church in Pennsylvania. TABLE OF CONTENTS. . The Ratification of the Book of Common 16. The Ministration of Baptism to such as are of Riper Years, and able to answer for themselves. 17. A Catechism ; that is to say, an Instruc- 3. The Order how the Psalter is appointed rion to be learned by every Person before he be brought to be confirmed by the 4. The Order how the rest of the Holy Scripture is appointed to be read, 18. The Order of Confirmation, or Laying on of Hands upon those that are baptized. 5. Tables of Lessons of Holy Scripture, to and come to years of Discretion, be read at Morning and Evening Prayer 19. The Form of Solemnization of Matri- 20. The Order for the Visitation of the Sick 7 Tables and Rules for the Moveable and Immoveable Feasts, together with the 21. The Communion of the Sick. Days of Fasting and Abstinence through- 22. The Order for the Burial of the Dead, 8. Tables for finding the Holydays. 23. The Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth, commonly called The 9. The Order for Daily Morning Prayer, Churching of Women. 10. The Order for Daily Evening Prayer. | 24. Forms of Prayer to be used at Sea. 11. Prayers and Thanksgiving upon several 25, A Form of Prayer for the Visitation of Occasions, to be used before the two final prayers of Morning and Evening Service. 26. A Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving to 12. The Collects, Epistles, and Gospels, to Almighty God, for the Fruits of the earth, and all the other Blessings of his 13. The Order for the Administration of the Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion, 27, Forms of Prayer to be used in Families. 14. The Ministration of Public Baptism of 28. Selections of Psalms, to be used instead Infants, to be used in the Church. of the Psalms for the Day, at the discre- THE RATIFICATION OF THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER. By the Bishops, the Clergy, and the Laity of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in Convention, this Sixteenth Day of October, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine. THIS Convention having, in their present session, set forth A Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, do hereby establish the said Book : And they declare it to be the Liturgy of this Church: And require that it be received as such by all the members of the same: And this Book shall be in use from and after the First Day of October, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety. PREFACE. IT is a most invaluable part of that blessed liberty wherewith CHRIST hath made us free, that in his worship, different forms and usages may without offence be allowed, provided the substance of the Faith be kept entire; and that, in every Church, what cannot be clearly determined to belong to Doctrine must be referred to Discipline; and therefore, by common consent and authority, may be altered, abridged, enlarged, amended, or otherwise disposed of, as may seem most convenient for the edification of the people, “according to the various exigencies of times and occasions." The Church of England, to which the Protestant Episcopal Church in these States is indebted, under God, for her first foundation and a long continuance of nursing care and protection, hath, in the Preface of her Book of Common Prayer, laid it down as a rule, that “ The particular forms of Divine Worship, and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be used therein, being things in their own nature indifferent and alterable, and so acknowledged, it is but reasonable that upon weighty and important considerations, according to the various exigencies of times and occasions, such changes and alterations should be made therein, as to those who are in places of |