THE COMMON SERVICE. The Lutheran Church uses fixed forms of worship. While it does not regard them as essential. or hold uniformity in rites and ceremonies necessary to the true unity of the Church, the desirability of a common form for all congregations was recognized by Luther and his colleagues. Various •ircurnstanees in the United States contributed to a striking di. versify of forms not only in the different bodies., but in different congregations connected with the same body. This was widely deprecated as an evil, and the bodies embracing the American ele ment agreed in 15.S]-S3 to unite in the prepara tion of a Common Order of Service "on the basis of the common consent of the pure Lutheran liturgies of the sixteenth century." The result, under the name of The Common Serrier, was unanimously adopted by eail of the three bodies the General Synod. the General Council. and the United Synod of the South. along with the state ment: "If at any time or place the use of the full service is not desired. it is in entire con formity with good Lutheran usage that a simpler service may he provided and used. in which
only the principal parts of the service in their order are contained.•' The English Synod of has since adopted the smile service. as hare also the Norwegian-Fmglish churches.
The service begins with the Confession of Sins and the Declaration (;rice, by which all wor ship is grounded on the atoning sacrifice. Then follow the Introit with the Florio Pat ri, the Kyrie, the' Gloria in Exeelsis. the SMIntation and the Response. the Collr•t, the Epistle and the Gospel, the erred, the principal Hymn. the Ser mon, the Offertory, the General Prayer. culmi nating in the Hof!, Communion. The Common Service contains also :HI order for vesper services and for matins. consisting of psalmody. lessons from the ]holy Scriptures. and prayers. The Magni/it-at and Nunc Ilimitt is belong to the even ing service. the Tr th-nt and Brmdietas to the service for the morning.