of
France and Switzerland, yet it was impossible that it should not, to
some degree, be influenced by the spirit of the German Reformation.
This influence was especially marked in that which was a special
characteristic of the German Church, a love for sacred song and a
delight in the same on the part of the people.

The Book of Common Order contained, as has been mentioned, in its early
editions, the complete Psalter, and to this were added, subsequently, a
few Scripture Hymns, together with the Doxology _Gloria Patri_ in
different metres, so that it could be sung at the end of every Psalm.
This Doxology appears in Hart's edition of the Book of Common Order of
1611, in six different metres, under the general head of "Conclusions,"
and was evidently used regularly at the close of the Psalms sung in
public worship. It was not until the beginning of the seventeenth
century that there began to arise criticisms of the custom of singing
the Doxology, and it would, therefore, appear that during the formative
period of the Scottish Church, which we are considering, it was
regularly used, and occasioned no objection and aroused no opposition.
The Hymns which were printed with the Psalter were few in number, and
were chiefly free paraphrases of sections of Scripture. They are "The
Ten Commandments," "The Lord's Prayer," "_Veni Creator_," "The Song of
Simeon called _Nunc Dimittis_," "The Twelve Articles of the Christian
Faith," and "The Song of Blessed Marie called _Magnificat_." The
purpose of the Hymns appears to have been the memorizing of Scripture
and important doctrinal truths, and there is no evidence that they were
employed in public worship, although a place was not denied them in the
Book of Common Order; in the Order for Public Worship mention is made
of Psalms only, and in all the accounts, which have come down to us in
correspondence or history, of the public services of that time, the
people are invariably spoken of as joining in a Psalm, while even in
the public processions, which were common on occasions of national
rejoicing or thanksgiving, Psalms only are mentioned as being sung by
the people.

The singing was usually led by the Reader, but there is occasional
mention in the records of the time of the "Uptaker" of the Psalms, who
evidently performed the duties of a Precentor.

The Sacraments.--In the Confession of Faith, which forms the first part
of the Book of Common Order, it is clearly stated that th