General Scheme Of The Day Hours
We will not enter into the minute differences of structure which are
found in one or other of the Day Hours. The following list will show
the order of a Service which is nearly identical with each of them.:
Our Father, &c.
Versicles.
Hymn.
Several Psalms divided into portions by
Glorias and Antiphons.
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Several Lessons divided by Responses.
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Canticles.
Lesser Litany. Our Father, &c.
Versicles.
Creed.
Versicles.
Confession.
Collects.
Thus they followed the general division of worship into Praise and
Prayer. By enlarging one portion and diminishing another a special
character was given to certain Services. Thus Lauds was made joyful by
having many psalms.
The chief Lessons from the Bible were read in the Mattins Service when
it was said before Lauds. The union of those two Services resulted in
the omission of many of the Psalms. (See Preface "Concerning the
Service of the Church" in our Prayer Book.)
The Day Hour Services were not precisely alike even in their outline:
but they had a certain similarity which suggested the plan which has
been adopted in the Morning and Evening Services of the Book of Common
Prayer.
There were always two parts,--Praise: and Prayer.
Each of these parts began with the Lord's Prayer. The Praise part
always had something of the nature of Psalms and Lessons: the Prayers
always had Collects. The Praises had Praise-versicles and the Prayers
had Prayer-versicles. Also as time went on Litanies became usual for
special days of the week.
It was easy therefore to recast the seven Services in the shape which
they now have.
Praise. The Lord's Prayer.
Versicles.
Psalms.
Lessons.
Creed.
Prayers. The Lord's Prayer.
Versicles.
Collects.
Thanksgivings.