1. After the example of our Saviour, who stood up to read in the Synagogue, the same posture of reverence and regard is here ordered.
2. This 1st part is an Act of Praise offered to God, by us and all creatures, both on earth and in heaven.
MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER.
dar, except there be Proper Lessons assigned for that day: He that readeth so standing and turning himself, as he may best be heard of all such as are present( 1): and before every Lesson the Minister shall say, Here beginneth such a Chapter, or Verse of such a Chapter, of such a Book: And after every Lesson, Here endeth the First, or the Second Lesson.
After the first Lesson shall be said or sung, IN THE MORNING SERVICE,
The Hymn called Te Deum Laudamus, in English, daily throughout the Year.( o)
Te Deum Laudamus.
( 2) WE praise thee, O God: we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee: the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud: the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
worthy praise,' we now proceed to hear his Most holy word.' The Jews read Moses and the Prophets in their synagogues, and the primitive Christians the Scriptures in their congregations: but the Romish church read only small fragments of the Scriptures, and those in Latin. Our church rectifies this error, and directs that the Old Testament be read once, and the New Testament thrice in the year, and in the vulgar tongue. The Books of Chronicles are omitted for their similarity to the Books of Kings: the Book of Isaiah is read, being most prophetical, just before Advent. Upon Saints' Days, chapters are selected from moral books, as the Proverbs.
Q. This excellent Hymn, introduced into our offices in the sixth century, is said to have been composed by St. Ambrose, ( A.D. 376) first sung at the baptism of St. Augustin, and since then, repeated daily by the people with devotion and delight. It divides itself into three parts, and, in its original form, each division consisted of ten versicles. The name is derived, like most other Psalms and Hymns, from the first words in the Latin original.
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