For over 300 years the Book of Common Prayer has been the official book of Church of England services. Largely composed by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer , its use has been authorised by Act of Parliament. Generations of English people have been ' hatched, matched and dispatched' according to its rites. Last week a rival to the Book of Common Prayer was published after years of experiment by Anglicans with new styles of services. There are no 'thees' and ' thous ' in the Alternative Service Book, and even the wording of the Lord's Prayer has been changed. The new book is expected to be a best-seller, with churches ordering hundreds of copies to replace the old prayer book. But the new services have attracted widespread criticism. Some complain that the language is ugly and trivial, others think that the new book is part of a plot by Church of England clergy to wipe out the old prayer book altogether. Reporter Peter France