Apart from the "early service," which is now almost
universal, schemes of worship upon Sunday mornings vary in different
parishes. In some churches Matins and Litany are sung and a sermon
preached, a late Eucharist without music being commonly celebrated
about noon: in other parishes Matins is said quietly without music at
a comparatively early hour, and the Eucharist is solemnly sung, with a
sermon, as the principal service of the forenoon, usually without more
than a very limited number of communicants, partly because if the bulk
of the congregation communicate at a sung Eucharist the service
becomes intolerably long, and partly because the majority of those
desiring to receive Communion have done so fasting at an earlier hour.
In large towns a man can usually find churches of either type
according to his preference. In "single-church areas" he ought for the
sake of fellowship and good example to conform, as a rule, to what is
customary. It is desirable, in a general way, to be identified with
the corporate worship of the parish: but it is worth remarking that,
apart from the weight due to this general consideration, there is no
particular sacredness about the hour of eleven o'clock, and a man who
has communicated before breakfast, and perhaps contemplates
attendance, later on, at Evensong, may not unreasonably feel justified
in devoting the forenoon of Sunday (which is usually his solitary
morning's leisure in the week) to other purposes than those of
worship.
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