The Prayer Book of 1789 was the first for the U. S. Episcopal Church and served the
Church for over 100 years, until the revision of 1892. This book owed much to its
predecessor, the English 1662 Book of Common Prayer, and, at least for the major services,
is very similar to it. We are presenting this electronic version of the U. S. 1789 Book of
Common Prayer in hopes that it will prove useful and instructive to the Church. Parishes
might find it useful in recreating historical services, for example, to celebrate the
anniversary of the parish. Others might find it instructive to compare the changes,
additions, and deletions, which have taken place in the various versions of the Book of
Common Prayer.
The 1789 Book of Common Prayer was in use in the United States from
1790 until 1892. During that time there were a few minor changes in the Book; any changes
more significant than corrections of typographical errors, etc., are indicated in the
text. Two original sources were used: one bearing a certification date of 1876, and
another bearing a certificate date of 1854.
If you have a current version of Netscape or Microsoft Internet
Explorer, the text will be displayed in the Century Schoolbook font, or, if you don't have
that font, then hopefully a close match. This is to give an appearance as close as
possible to the original.
The entire1789 Book of Common Prayer is presented below in HTML format,
with the exceptions of the Lectionary and Psalter (which are virtually identical to those
in the 1928 BCP; see below), Selections of Psalms, the Calendar and Tables, and the 39
Articles of Religion.
1. THE Ratification of the
Book of Common Prayer.
2. The Preface.
3. The Order how the Psalter is appointed to be read
4. The Order how the rest of the Holy Scripture is appointed to be read.
5. Table of Lessons of Holy Scripture to be read at Morning and Evening Prayer
throughout the Year.
6. The Calendar.
7. Tables and Rules for the Moveable and Immoveable Feasts, together with the Days of
Fasting and Abstinence throughout the Year.
8. Tables for finding the Holydays.
9. The Order for Daily Morning Prayer.
10. The Order for Daily Evening Prayer.
11. The Litany.
12. Prayers and Thanksgivings upon several
Occasions, to be used before the two final Prayers of Morning and Evening Service.
13. The Collects Epistles, aud Gospels, to
be used throughout the Year.
14. The Order for the Administration of the Lord's Supper or Holy
Communion.
15. The Ministration of Public Baptism of Infants, to be
used in the Church.
16. The Ministration of Private Baptism of
Children, in Houses.
17. The Ministration of Baptism to such as are of
Riper Years, and able to answer for themselves.
18. A Catechism; that is to say an Instruction to he learned
by every Person before he be brought to be confirmed by the Bishop.
19. The Order of Confirmation, or Laying on of Hands
upon those that are baptized, and come to years of Discretion.
20. The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony.
21. The Order for the Visitation of the Sick.
22. The Communion of the Sick.
23. The Order for the Burial of the Dead.
24. The Thanksgiving of Women after Child birth, commonly called, The Churching of Women.
25. Forms of Prayer to be used at Sea.
26. A Form of Prayer for the Visitation of
Prisoners.
27. A Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving to
Almighty God, for the Fruits of the earth, and all the other Blessings of his merciful
Providence.
28. Forms of Prayer to he used in Families.
29: Selections of Psalms, to be used instead of the Psalms for the Day, at the discretion
of the Minister.
30. The Psalter, or Psalms of David.
The Form and Manner of Making Deacons (includes Ordinal Preface)
The Form and Manner of Ordering Priests
The Form of Ordaining or Consecrating a Bishop
Litany and Suffrages
Holy Communion
The Form of Consecration of a Church or Chapel
The Office of Institution of Ministers into Parishs or Churches
All the above files in WordPerfect 6.0 format, ZIP
compressed (size=290K)
Return to Book of Common Prayer Home Page.
Any comments, suggestions, corrections, etc., should be addressed to the author, Charles Wohlers.
Updated: 17 Oct.. 1997.