W. C. Bishop, writing in The Church Eclectic for February, 1884, says: "The service of the beatitudes proposed by the Committee is just one of 'fancy-liturgy making,' which ought to be summarily rejected.
"A Short History of the Book of Common Prayer"
William Reed Huntington
One of the few really good suggestions made by the Commissioners was that of using the beatitudes in the Office of the Holy Communion as an alternate for the Decalogue.
"A Short History of the Book of Common Prayer"
William Reed Huntington
But the beatitudes could never have been spoken, if the law had not been imposed: the blessedness of a hunger and thirst for righteousness was created by the majestic and spiritual beauty of the unattained commandment.
"The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Exodus"
G. A. Chadwick