denomination justifies the change, on the ground that with Methodists the word "Bishop" refers to an Office, and not to an Order. The last nine pages of the book record the Articles of Religion. These are twenty-five in number, that is one more than in the former Service. The one added is the xxiii., entitled, Of the Rulers of the United States of America.

Fac-simile of the title page of the first Swedish Prayer Book issued in the United States. Printed in Chicago in 1877.

Exact size.

THE PRAYER BOOK OF THE SWEDISH

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN

CHURCH.

THE first effort to publish a Prayer Book in the United States in the language of Sweden, met with a disaster, as the plates were destroyed in the great fire at Chicago, in 1871. The effort was renewed, and later, in 1877, the book appeared from the Chicago press of Engberg & Holmberg. The work differs from the national Prayer Book of Sweden in certain changes, omissions and additions made by two clergymen, J. H. Thomander and P. Wieselgren, whose names appear on the title page. There is a short Preface, which translated reads:

Notwithstanding its great and widely known excellencies the Prayer Book of 1819 troubled many consciences and called forth many desires for a closer correspondence between Holy Scripture and our evangelical confession. Several teachers and members of the Church have united in the present attempt to accomplish the most modest of these desires. The purpose has been to here give a Prayer Book that will not in any possible way contradict true doctrine, and not contain a single Psalm

or stanza more or less than can be found in the adopted Book. Some kind of certainty might be demanded for the boldness to make changes in the work of men of universal fame. When two names are placed on the title page, such has been done in order to comply in some degree to such necessity. The first one named is alone responsible for what he has added and changed. It may be considered as too much or too little. To change one or another fallacious word, when it concerns evangelical doctrine, may not be regarded as arrogant by those who aspire to no claim of rulership. God grant that something may hereby be accomplished for the building up of his Church.

In the

In several particulars this Prayer Book differs from the national Liturgy of Sweden. The forms for Morning and Evening Prayer have been shortened. In the Creeds and elsewhere in the book the word "Christian" has been substituted for the word "Catholic." The rubrics for High Mass have been omitted and the Gradual placed after the Creed instead of before. Also in the Holy Communion there is a changed form of the Absolution. prayer of consecration the manual acts are not retained. The series of Benedictions of an altar, font, bell, organ, etc., have been omitted with the exception of the prayer providing for the consecration of a cemetery. There are verbal changes. in the Office of Baptism. In Confirmation the introductory instruction is wanting, and the questions addressed to the candidates increased to six. In the Funeral Service the body of the office and the