INTRODUCTION.

“CHRISTIANITY, identified with the tenets and ser"vice of the Church of England, is declared to be "part of the law of the land, and offences against "God to be equally cognisable with those committed "against the King."

The religion of the State, after many changes, became finally settled in the reign of Charles the Second, and since that period no alterations have been made in the constitution of the Church of England.

The efforts of the Legislature were directed to compel strict conformity to the Established Church, and no pains were spared to compel the regular attendance of the laity at public worship. But all the severities which were practised were not successful. Neither the Conventicle Act nor the Five Mile Act has been able to restrain the freedom of public worship, according to his conscience, which every Briton now claims as his birthright. The Acts of Uniformity have been a great hindrance to true religion, and have done much to alienate large numbers of the people from the Church of England. One result is seen to-day in the fact that there are as

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many, if not more, communicants in the Free Churches than in the State Churches.

There are several Acts of Parliament affecting Nonconformists which, although still on the Statute Book, are obsolete, and it is not necessary to refer to them except inferentially, inasmuch as the rights of Free Churchmen are now freely acknowledged; and that which was at first merely conceded by way of toleration has now come to be regarded as of right.

A meeting of Free Churchmen for religious worship is now legal if it comes within any of the following heads:

(1) A meeting in a private dwelling-house or on the premises belonging thereto.

(2) A congregation or assembly for religious worship meeting occasionally in any building not usually appropriated to places of religious worship.

(3) An assembly, though not coming within 1 and 2, at which there shall be present not more than twenty persons besides the immediate family and servants of the person on whose premises such meeting is held.

(4) An assembly, though not coming within 1 and 2, of any number of persons if the building has been duly certified to the RegistrarGeneral.

The doors of an assembly of Free Churchmen must not be so locked or barred as to prevent entrance. The preacher at a place where they are locked or barred incurs a penalty not exceeding £20 nor less

than 40s. for each offence. This does not apply to Quakers or to meetings under heads 1 and 2.

It must be remembered that Quakers have received exceptional treatment from the Legislature, and there are many statutes especially affecting them. They are entitled to marry according to their own usages at any hour customary among them. They are allowed to make solemn affirmation in place of an oath in all places and for all purposes. Their schools are partly exempted from the Endowed Schools Act. They are not compelled to serve the office of churchwarden. They do not appear to be under any obligation to register their places of meeting in order to avoid penalties. All this has arisen from their stalwart demands for religious freedom and toleration and their resistance to the Acts of Uniformity.

THE FREE CHURCHMAN'S

LEGAL HANDBOOK.

CHAPTER I.

REGISTRATION OF PLACES OF WORSHIP.

EVERY place of meeting for religious worship should be certified in writing to the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages of England through the Superintendent-Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages of the district in which the place to be registered is situate. The Superintendent-Registrar will on application supply a form to be filled up. A fee of 2s. 6d. is payable on registration, and a copy of the Registrar-General's Certificate of Registration can be obtained on a further payment of 2s. 6d. A list of all registered places can be inspected at the Superintendent-Registrar's office on payment of 1s. The following are some of the practical advantages of Registration :

1. The occupier of the premises is exempted from penalties which he would otherwise incur for permitting congregations to assemble there.

2. The building becomes exempted from rates.