Lesson

Lesson (Lat. lectio), a reading, especially a portion of Scripture appointed to be read, as in the Common Prayer-book. The oldest Latin lectionary—a service-book, either containing the lessons for the year in full, or noting their beginning and end—was called the Comes ('companion'), and dates from the 5th century. The Roman Lectionary was remodelled in the 8th century. The changes in the Anglican calendar of lessons were sanctioned by act of parliament in 1871. Formerly the lessons consisted invariably of full chapters—a rule that was sometimes embarrassing, as in the case of Acts xxi.—but in the revised lectionary they are frequently shortened and differently arranged; also, nearly all the lessons from the Apocrypha have been left out.