Editorial
Among other observations, it is suggested that the Society take a lead in producing plans for courses on liturgy directed to church members as much as to ministers.
Among other observations, it is suggested that the Society take a lead in producing plans for courses on liturgy directed to church members as much as to ministers.
The presidential address for 1978 given by the Revd Dr A K Robertson. The emergence of the individual cup at the end of the 19th century for reasons of hygiene is noted and the debate at the Assemblies of 1908 and 1909 recounted, when it was agreed to permit its use to congregations who wished it, in spite of the Procurator ruling it illegal. The minority reports on both occasions, presented by Professor Cooper, are examined in detail. The bulk of the paper reviews the controversy from the perspective of the present time and a number of arguments are considered. The paper argues that this remains an innovation and that it stresses the reception at Communion rather than the action. It stems more from fastidiousness than hygiene, to which other options are available, and it ‘reduces the mystery’.
Graham Menteith, minister at Berwick-on-Tweed, analyses the pastoral needs of the bereaved and reviews the approaches of various denominations, and also of primitive peoples, to the ceremonies surrounding death. He calls for funeral orders which fully respond to the needs of the mourners and argues that this should include the opportunity for confession.
It has become common for there to be a children’s address early in a service of worship. These tend towards the entertaining and are too often not a genuine presentation of the gospel to children. The starting point is baptism; it must be based on Scripture, and should be aimed at spiritual growth. It could relate to the content of the sermon of the day. There should be training in worship in every congregational agency. There should be consistent active preparation with children and young people feeding not just into worship but community service. Use can be made of the festivals of the Christian Year. The topic is developed under the headings of fundamentals, preparation, themes and methods. Many examples are given of an initiative in a rural parish.
Macleod was not concerned so much with the externals of worship as with the doctrinal truths which form its basis. He was one of the principal architects of the Scottish Church Society, who emphasised the ‘catholic’ tradition expressed, for example, in the Scots Confession. He was influenced also by John McLeod Campbell and Edward Irving and was also a member of the Catholic Apostolic Church. The paper gives a very complete account of the emphases of the Society. It also describes the work of the Church Reform Committee, set up by the Assembly in 1896 of which Macleod was made Convener.
This is the first part of a paper which examines the prayer of consecration in the Series II Communion service. In the words ‘make the memorial of his saving passion’, it is alleged that, whereas the Church of England sees itself as a broad church, this phrase seems to exclude those who believe that Christ, really present in the bread and wine, is offered to the Father while affirming those who would see Communion as a sign and a lively remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. This part of the paper is an account of a response to this criticism made by the Bishop of Durham, Ian Ramsey, and tests how far his defence of the new form is valid. In doing so the author considers the meaning of words, not only those used in this liturgy but how the 1549 and later prayer books took the Latin of the Roman Rite into English, which the author finds wanting.
This gives an account of the Annual Meeting and the presidential paper by A K Robertson. There is reference to a visit from the Moderator to this meeting. Some changes had been made to the housing of the Library of the Society. The new President was to be the Revd Professor J K S Reid.