398 ENGLISH LITUEGY, CHANGES IN, 



Sunday, 17th. I went to Trinity Church, where service 

 was well performed and a very good sermon preached, 

 distinctly and impressively, by Bishop Eastburn. The 

 congregation was very much like an English one. The 

 only singularity that strikes you is, that sitting, kneeling, 

 or standing, are indifferently adopted as the attitude 

 during the prayers the number of tall men who stand 

 appearing singular, compared with the very few who 

 generally practise this attitude in England. 



There are thirteen Protestant Episcopal churches in 

 Boston ; and though the Bishop, and most of his clergy 

 are untainted, yet there are one or two churches into 

 which Tractarian doctrines and practices have been 

 somewhat largely introduced. 



The changes of the English Liturgy which have been 

 introduced into the prayer-book of the American Epis 

 copal Church are by no means numerous, but they are 

 decided improvements in a simple and Protestant sense. 

 Thus, after the Absolution, the terms of which have been 

 objected to by many, the following prayer is introduced 

 which the minister may, at his discretion, use instead. 



&quot; Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of his 

 great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all 

 those who with hearty repentance and true faith turn to 

 him : Have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you 

 from your sins ; confirm and strengthen you in all good 

 ness, and bring you to everlasting life through Jesus 

 Christ our Lord. Amen.&quot; 



Then the Gloria Patri, instead of being repeated at the 

 end of every psalm, is said or sung only once at the con 

 clusion of the whole of the psalms in the morning or 

 afternoon service ; or, instead of the Gloria Patri^ the 

 Gloria in Excelsis may be used. 



From the Apostles Creed, the words &quot; he descended 

 into hell &quot; may be omitted, or the words &quot; he went into 

 the place of departed spirits&quot; used in their stead. Or 



