REVISD TABLKS OF LESSONS MEASURE, 1922. (Hansard, 27 July 1922)

THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

My Lords, I beg now to move that in accordance with the Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act, 1919, this House do direct that the Revised Tables of Lessons Measure, 1922, be presented to His Majesty for Royal Assent. This Motion will not, I hope, keep your Lordships any longer than that which I have just moved, though this is a matter which does relate, more closely to the ordinary life of the Church of to-day, and may be considered more interesting.

The question is a perfectly simple one. Sixteen years ago Letters of Business were issued to the Convocations bidding them revise the Prayer Book and Lectionary. It was decided that it would be desirable, when this revision had taken place, to produce first the Lectionary, and then the rest of the Prayer Book in its revised form. Work on the Lectionary proceeded steadily for some years, the ablest men giving to it a degree of labour to which there was no parallel in the earlier history of such legislation, and they produced, several years ago, a very carefully revised Lectionary. That Lectionary was placed before both Houses of Convocation for their consideration, and then before the Houses of Laymen. Not only did the Convocations amend and suggest modifications in it, but the Houses of Laymen did the same. The whole matter was thoroughly considered, and the suggestions of the Houses of Laymen on the matter came before the Convocations who discussed with great care, and adopted some of the recommendations which the laymen had made.

Next, the matter came again before both the Convocations, and, lastly, before the National Church Assembly, which, as your Lordships know, is preponderantly a lay body. That body has considered the whole matter, first in Committee, and then in the Assembly as a whole, and the Measure now presented, with the hope of receiving His Majesty's Assent, is the outcome of an amount of labour on the part of skilled men of which it is impossible to overrate the value, and for which the 948 whole Church ought to be profoundly grateful. No doubt, everyone will not like the new Lectionary so well as the old one, but it is not to be supposed that if they do not desire it in any particular parish, they will be compelled to use it. They are at liberty to continue to use the old one, this legislation being permissive and not compulsory. It does exactly what has been done on similar occasions in the past, merely giving power to the authority in any parish to use the revised Lectionary rather than the old one. I venture to hope that your Lordships will agree with the Ecclesiastical Committee of Parliament that the Measure should become law. I therefore ask your Lordships to agree to the Motion.