6. The Gospel.

After the act of reverence before the midst, the censer-bearer and candle-bearers turn by their left, and in the same order as before, go before the lowest step at the Gospel corner, where they stand as they did when before the midst of the altar, and face towards the book of the Gospels. The censer-bearer, while he stands at the Gospel corner, awaiting the Celebrant, will continue to swing his censer (but very gently), lest the fire die out. During the Gospel the censer is not swung.

When the Celebrant comes to the book and the song of the choir is ended, he salutes the acolytes, saying, in a low voice, "The Lord be with you," to which they respond in the same tone of voice, "And with thy spirit." Then signing himself and the book, in the usual manner, the Celebrant (singing) announces the Gospel. Then immediately the censer-bearer goes up to the first or second step and gives the censer, with the accustomed kisses, to the Celebrant. Then while the choir sing the Gospel response, "Glory be to thee, O Lord," the Celebrant, having received the censer, censes the book in the usual manner and returns the censer to the censer-bearer, who receives it with the accustomed kisses, and goes back to his place on the floor. The second server now bows to the Celebrant, turns by his right, goes along the lateral step to the floor in front of the altar, where he turns (by his right) and stands in his place facing the altar*

At the announcement of the Gospel, all the acolytes

This direction applies only when the second server is not acting as a candle-bearer.

(except the candle-bearers and the censer-bearer) sign themselves at the same time and like manner with the Celebrant. The candle-bearers, while holding their candles at the Gospel, do not sign themselves nor make any act of reverence, but remain motionless.

During the singing of the Gospel all in the church stand erect and look towards the book of the Gospels.

The acolytes (except the candle-bearers) bow or genuflect at the same time and in like manner with the Celebrant, if while singing the Gospel he makes any such acts of reverence.

After the Celebrant has sung the Gospel, he takes up the book with both hands, kisses the text of the Gospel, and says, privately, "By the Gospel words to-day, may our sins be done away;" at the same time the acolytes say in a low voice, "Praise be to thee, O Christ." Then the Celebrant turns a little and faces the censer-bearer, who censes him with three swings, and bows profoundly to the Celebrant before and after.

After he has been censed by the censer-bearer, the Celebrant turns by his right and goes to the midst of the altar and stands facing the altar. Meanwhile the censer-bearer and his companions return, as they came, to the floor before the midst of the altar, where they stand (as before) in a line, facing the altar. At the same time, the second server goes up to the foot-pace and takes up the desk, with book thereon, and carries it to the left hand of the Celebrant, and puts it down upon the altar obliquely close to the corporal; then after bowing to the Celebrant, he goes directly down to his place on the floor, where, having his hands joined, he stands, facing the altar, while the Creed is sung.

7. The Creed.

After the Celebrant has sung, "I believe in One God," the censer-bearer, boat-bearer and candle-bearers make due act of reverence towards the altar; then the censerbearer, accompanied by the boat-bearer, goes to the sacristy to prepare his censer for the censing at the Offertory; the candle-bearers go to the credence, put down their candlesticks thereon, and joining their hands, stand there facing the altar while the Creed is sung. If the two servers act as candle-bearers they return to their places before the altar and stand facing it during the Creed.

If there is to be a sermon, the censer-bearer and boatbearer may return promptly (without censer and boat) to the sanctuary, and stand behind the first server, or wherever it may be convenient, during the Creed.

All the acolytes will make the genuflection, and the bows, when and as the Celebrant makes them during the singing of the Creed, and at the end make the sign of the cross.

8. The Sermon.

If the Celebrant will sit down while the choir sing the Creed, he should observe the directions given in the Ceremonies of High Mass. If this be done, the first server, after bowing towards the altar cross, will go to the sedilia (after the Celebrant has intoned or sung the first words of the Creed), take up the biretta and return to his place. Then when the Celebrant comes down from the foot-pace, the two servers make the due act of reverence towards the altar at the same time with the Celebrant; the first server presents to him his biretta, and then both servers precede him to the

sedilia, and assist him there by lifting the back part of the chasuble; and then, moving a little towards the credence, they stand facing the altar, having their hands folded. When the Celebrant returns to the altar the two acolytes will precede him thither, make the due act of reverence with him before the altar, go with him as far as the foot-pace, supporting his vestments on either side, and then return to and stand in their places before the altar.

In like manner the two acolytes will precede and assist the Celebrant (before and after the sermon), if he goes to the sedilia to lay aside his chasuble and maniple before going to preach in the pulpit.

If Notices are to be given, or a sermon preached, the Celebrant will observe the directions given in the Ceremonies of High Mass. During the sermon the acolytes may sit.†

If the censer-bearer returns to the sanctuary during the Creed, he will go again to the sacristy at some convenient time during the sermon, so that he may come promptly at the Offertory, carrying his censer replenished with burning coals.

CHAPTER III.

FROM THE OFFERTORY TO THE CANON.
1. The Offertory.

When the sermon is ended, the Celebrant, having returned to the altar, (or, if he himself preached from

But the servers ought not to sit in the places of the sedilia, occupied by the Deacon and the Sub-Deacon at High Mass.

the foot-pace, having returned to the midst), and standing erect facing the midst of the altar, and having his hands joined, says one of the Offertory sentences, after which the choir begin their song. The Celebrant then removes, folds and lays down the veil, after which he proceeds as at Low Mass.

Then the two servers come together before the midst, make the due act of reverence towards the altar cross, and go to the credence (the first server walking at the right of the second), where the first acolyte will take up from the credence, with both hands, the box of altar breads; and the second acolyte, after removing the stoppers, will take up the wine cruet with his right hand, and the water cruet with his left hand; then both go, carrying box and cruets near and at about the height of the breast, to the second step at the Epistle corner of the altar, where they stand facing the Celebrant and await his coming. When the Celebrant approaches them, both acolytes bow to him; the first removes the cover of the breadbox with his right hand, and then supporting the box with both hands at the base, he presents it, with accustomed kisses, to the Celebrant, who takes as many of the small hosts "as he shall think sufficient," and returns to the midst, doing all as ordered in the Ceremonies of Low Mass. As the Celebrant turns to go back to the midst the first acolyte covers the bread-box, and remains standing as before. When the Celebrant returns to the Epistle corner, with the chalice, the second acolyte presents the wine cruet, with the accustomed kisses; then when the Celebrant returns the wine cruet he receives it with his left hand, and presents the water cruet, with the accustomed kisses, with his right