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The Service Of PrayerIf we have understood the Method of Praise which, in these Services, uses ancient forms in an ordered variety, we shall be prepared to find similar order, and similar use of variety, in the Prayers. The Map of the Services on p. 28 should be examined afresh, in order that we may grasp the unity of the Prayers, as well as the unity of the Praises. There is the Lord's Prayer set for prayer (see p. 16), at the beginning of the Prayers, to strike the keynote. Verses and Responds follow next, asking for such things as will be again asked for, in the Collects which are to come after them. The Collects may be divided into two classes, viz., 1. Those for spiritual needs--First, Second, and Third Collects. 2. Those for physical needs, and earthly relations. Worship-Forms used in the Prayer Service. See Table of Worship-Forms . The Preces are Interjectional. The Collects are of the Amen form. The Anthem should be {128} Antiphonal. The Litany, when used, contains examples of four of the Worship-forms. Thus, the attention of worshippers is arrested, and their unity of heart and voice maintained. Another purpose is served by the mutual relation in which these forms stand to one another. We shall show, in the Chapter on the Litany, that a Collect may be preceded by a Verse and Respond, which anticipate briefly the prayer of the Collect. Thus the Verse and Respond, which are Interjectional, belong to the Collect. This tie between Interjectional prayers and Amen prayers is very remarkable in the Morning and Evening Services. Six couplets of Interjected prayers, which for the sake of distinction are called Preces, anticipate the petitions of the six (or more) Collects which follow. They correspond Couplet and Collect, Couplet and Collect; and, being grouped so that all the couplets come first, the whole prayer Service is made one. The Anthem is used to strengthen this unity. Unfortunately the Revisers stopped short of making an Antiphoner, or Anthem-book; but we may suppose that the provision made here for Anthems was intended as a promise of such a book. Our Hymn Books, which were recognised, when, in 1879, shortened Services were permitted, contain a good number of suitable hymns admitting antiphonal arrangement. They should supply some grave thought of God's help, or Christ's mediation, or our dependence on Him. The Anthem is a bond of union, not a musical interruption. (See Chap. xiv.) Next: The Prayer Service Previous: The Creed Of Saint Athanasius
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