lessons to rouse the attention which is necessary before all prayer, and
the lessons are a noble form of prayer. These little prayers are of very
ancient origin and were dealt with by Alcuin (735-804) in his recension
of the Gregorian books for use in Gaul. His pupil, Amalare, also studied
them, so that a meaning should be found in what was sung, and that the
truncated repetitions should be avoided. He retained what was
traditional and ancient, introduced versicles and responds taken from
ancient Roman books and from books belonging to Metz, selected passages
from the Gospels which seem to fit in with the antiphons and added them
to what he found in the Roman books, made alterations in the order here
and there and gave completion to the whole by adding some offices for
saints' days proper to the Church of Metz (Baudot, _The Roman Breviary_,
p. 88). Amalare had been administrator of the diocese of Lyons during
the exile of Agobard the Archbishop. The latter, with learning and
bitterness, attacked the reforms of Amalare, but, "in spite of all, the
reform of Amalare held its ground in Metz, and then in the greater
number of the churches north of the Alps" (Baudot, _op. cit._). Much of
the work of Amalare stands in our Breviary.

_Pater Noster_ is said to beg from God, light and grace to understand
the doctrine contained in the lessons. In choir, a part of the Pater
Noster is said in common and in a loud voice to recall the Communion
of saints.

_Absolutions and Blessings_. "The custom of giving a blessing before the
lections was already in existence in the fourth century. The ruler of
the choir, who gave it in the beginning, gave also the signal for the
termination of the lesson by the words, 'Tu autem' (scil, desine or
cessa), to which the reader responded 'Domine miserere nobis,' while the
choir answered _Deo gratias_. In the palace of Aix-la-Chapeile, it was