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 RITES

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RITES

by the various Reformers to suit their theological positions, as new services were necessary for their prayer-meetings. No old hturgy could be used by people with their ideas. The old rites contain the plainest statements about the Real Presence, the Eucharistic Sacrifice, prayers to saints, and for the dead, which are denied by Protestants. The Reformation occurred in the West, where the Roman Rite in its various local forms had been used for cen- turies. No Reformed sect could use the Roman Mass; the medieval derived rites were still more ornate, explicit, in the Reformers' sense super- stitious. So all the Protestant sects abandoned the old Mass and the other ritual functions, composing new services which have no continuity, no direct re- lation to any historic liturgy. However, it is hardly possible to compose an entirely new Christian ser- vice without borrowing anything. Moreover, in many cases the Reformers wished to make the breach with the past as little obvious as could be. So many of their new services contain fragments of old rites; they borrowed such elements as seemed to them harmless, composed and re-arranged and evolved in some cases services that contain parts of the old ones in a new order. On the whole it is surprising that they changed as much as they did. It would have been possible to arrange an imitation of the Roman Mass that would have been much more like it than anything they produced.

They soon collected fragments of all kinds of rites. Eastern, Roman, Mozarabic, etc., which with their new prayers they arranged into services that are hope- less liturgical tangles. This is specially true of the Anglican Prayer-books. In some cases, for instance, the placing of the Gloria after the Communion in Edward VI's second Prayer-book, there seems to be no object except a love of change. The first Lutheran services kept most of the old order. The Calvinist arrangements had from the first no connexion with any earlier rite. The use of the vulgar tongue was a great principle with the Reformers. Luther and Zwingli at first compromised with Latin, but soon the old language disappeared in all Protestant services. Luther in 1523 published a tract, "Of the order of the service in the parish" ("Von ordenung gottis diensts 3mn der gemeine" in Clemen, "Quellenbuch zur prakt. Theologie", I, 24-6), in which he insists on preaching, rejects all "unevangelical" parts of the Mass, such as the Offertory and idea of sacrifice, in- vocation of saints, and ceremonies, and denounces private Masses (Winkclmessen), Masses for the dead, and the idea of the priest as a mediator. Later in the same year he issued a " Formula missa? et communionis pro ecclesia Vittebergensi " (ibid., 26-34), in which he omits the preparatory prayers. Offertory, all the Canon to qui pridie, from Unde et memores to the Pater, the embolism of the Lord's Prayer, fraction, Ite missa est. The Preface is shortened, the Sanctus is to be sung after the words of institution which are to be said aloud, and meanwhile the elevation may be made because of the weak who would be offended by its sudden omission (ibid., IV, 30). At the end he adds a new ceremony, a blessing from Num., vi, 24-6. Latin remained in this service.

Karlstadt began to hold vernacular services at Wittenberg since 1521. In 1524 Kaspar Kantz pub- lished a German service on the lines of Luther's "Formula missae" (Lohe, "Sammlung liturgischer Formulare", III, Nordlingen, 1842, 37 sq.); so also Thomas Munzer, the Anabaptist, in 1523 at Alstedt (Smend, "Die evang. deutschen Messen", 1896, 99 sq.). A number of compromises began at this time among the Protestants, services partly Latin and partly vernacular (Rietschel, "Lehrbuch der Litur- gik", I, 404-9). Vernacular hymns took the place of the old Proper (Introit, etc.). At last in 1526 Luther issued an entirely new German service, "Deudsche

Messe und ordnung Gottis diensts" (Clemen, op. cit., 34-43), to be used on Sundays, whereas the "P'ormula missae", in Latin, might be kept for week-days. In the "Deudsche Messe" "a spiritual song or German psahn" replaces the Introit, then follows Kyrie elei- son in Greek three times only. There is no Gloria. Then come the Collects, Epistle, a German hymn. Gospel, Creed, Sermon, Paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer, words of institution with the account of the Last Supper from I Cor., xi, 20-9, Elevation (always kept by Luther himself in spite of Karl- stadt and most of his colleagues). Communion, during which the Sanctus or a hymn is sung, Collects, the blessing from Num., vi, 24-6. Except the Kyrie, all is in German; azj^me bread is still used but de- clared indifferent; Communion is given under both kinds, though Luther preferred the unmixed chalice. This service remained for a long time the basis of the Lutheran Communion function, but the local branches of the sect from the beginning used great freedom in modifying it. The Pietistic movement in the eigh- teenth century, with its scorn for forms and still more the present Rationalism, have left very little of Lu- ther's scheme. A vast number of Agendce, Kirchen- ordnungen, and Prayer-books issued by various Lu- theran consistories from the sixteenth century to our own time contain as many forms of celebrating the Lord's Supper. Pastors use their own discretion to a great extent, and it is impossible to foresee what ser- vice will be held in any Lutheran church. An arrange- ment of hymns, Bible readings (generally the Nicene Creed), a sermon, then the words of institution and Communion, prayers (often extempore), more hymns, and the blessing from Num., vi, make up the general outline of the service.

Zwingli was more radical than Luther. In 1523 he kept a form of the Latin Mass with the omission of all he did not like in it ("De canone missa) epichiresis" in Clemen, op. cit., 43-7), chiefly because the town council of Zurich feared too sudden a change, but in 1525 he overcame their scruples and issued his "Action oder bruch (=Brauch) des nachtmals" (ibid., 47-50). This is a complete breach with the Mass an entirely new service. On Maundy Thurs- day the men and women are to receive communion, on Good Friday those of "middle age", on Easter Sunday only the oldest {die alleraliesten). These are the only occasions on which the service is to be held. The arrangement is: a prayer said by the pastor facing the people, reading of I Cor., xi, 20-9, Gloria in Excelsis, "The Lord be with you" and its answer, reading of John, vi, 47-63, Apostles' Creed, an address to the people. Lord's Prayer, extempore prayer^ words of institution, Communion (under both kinds in wooden vessels), Ps. cxiii, a short prayer of thanksgiving; the pastor says: "Go in peace". On other Sundays there is to be no Communion at all, but a service consisting of prayer. Our Father, sermon, general confession, absolution, prayer, blessing. Equally radical was the Calvinist sect. In 1535 through Farel's influence the Mass was abolished in Geneva. Three times a year only was there to be a commemorative Supper in the baldest form ; on other Sundays the sermon was to suffice. In 1542 Calvin issued " La forme des prieres ecclcsiastiques" (Clemen, op. cit., 51-S), a supplement to which describes "La maniere de cel^brer la c^ne" (ibid., 51-68). This rite, to be celebrated four times yearly, consists of the read- ing of I Cor., xi, an excommunication of various kinds of sinners, and long exhortation. "This being done, the ministers distribute the bread and the cup to the people, taking care that they approach reverently and in good order" (ibid., 60). Meanwhile a psalm is sung or a lesson read from the Bible, a thanksgiving fol- lows (ibid., 55), and a final blessing. Except for their occurrence in the reading of I Cor., xi, the words of institution are not said ; there is no kind of Commu-