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1792

  • Singing
  • Prayer
  • Reading (1 chapter Old Testament, 1 chapter New Testament)
  • Preaching

1824

  • Singing
  • 1st Prayer ( concluded with the Lord’s Prayer)
  • Reading (1 chapter Old Testament, 1 chapter New Testament
  • Preaching
  • Dismissal – Apostolic Benediction

1864

  • Singing
  • Prayer – with Lord’s Prayer
  • Reading (1 lesson Old Testament, 1 lesson New Testament)
  • Preaching
  • Doxology
  • Dismissal – Apostolic Benediction

1868

  • Footnote to the Section on Public Worship Our people should be urged to take part in the public worship of God, first, in singing: secondly, in prayer in the Scriptural attitude of kneeling, and by the repetition of the Lord’s Prayer.

1888

  • Singing – Standing
  • Prayer – with the Lord’s Prayer, Kneeling
  • Reading (1 lesson Old Testament, 1 lesson New Testament, “either of which may be read responsively”
  • Collection
  • Singing – sitting
  • Preaching
  • A Short Prayer for the Blessing of the Word
  • Singing , Closing with a Doxology, the People Standing
  • The Pronouncing of the Apostolic Benediction

1896

  • [Voluntary] (NOTE: If in [ ] may be omitted)
  • Singing
  • [The Apostles’ Creed]
  • Prayer
  • [Anthem]
  • Lesson from the Old Testament – which, if from the Psalms, may be read responsively.
  • [The Gloria Patri] (For music and words, click on the image to the right.)
  • Lesson from the New Testament
  • Collection and Notices
  • Singing
  • Preaching/Sermon
  • Prayer
  • Singing
  • The Doxology and the Apostolic Benediction *NOTE: Inserted in new printing of 1878 hymnal, also available in packets for inserting in previously printed 1878 hymnals

1904

  • “Let all our people kneel in silent prayer on entering the sanctuary”
  • [Voluntary, instrumental or vocal ]
  • Singing, standing
  • [Apostles’ Creed, recited by all, still standing ]
  • Prayer, concluding with the Lord’s Prayer, kneeling [ faces toward the minister ]
  • [Anthem, or Voluntary ]
  • Lesson from the Old Testament, which may be read responsively, the People standing .
  • [Gloria Patri]
  • Lesson from the New Testament
  • Notices followed by Collection; [during or after which an Offertory may be rendered.]
  • Singing, standing
  • Sermon
  • Prayer, the people kneeling. [Order of prayer and singing may be reversed.]
  • Singing, the people standing. [ An invitation to come to Christ, or to unite with the Church, should be given when this hymn is announced. ]
  • The Doxology and the Apostolic Benediction NOTE: This liturgy came into wide use with the publication of the common hymnal in 1905.

GCAH is closed for research services.
The General Commission on Archives and History is closed for research services until the end of 2025. All physical and digital donations, unless previously agreed upon, ended on June 1. All research requests and visits ceased on July 1. This closure is to facilitate an inventory of GCAH Collections. It is anticipated that Research Services will resume in 2026.