Forces behind the passing of the 'Grants for Public Worship Prohibition Act' of 1862 (N.S.W.)

Abstract

On 29 July 1836 the eighth governor of the colony, Sir Richard Bourke, and his Legislative Council passed an Act to promote the building of Churches and Chapels, and to provide for the Maintenance of Ministers of Religion in New South Wales, 7 William IV, No. 3 5 or the Church Act as it was commonly called. Its clauses were straightforward and may be grouped into three divisions. First: once a denominational body had collected voluntary donations to the amount of £300 for the purpose of building churches or ministers' houses, the government pledged itself to contribute a like sum provided that this did not exceed £1000. Second: those who had given donations towards the building were responsible for nominating not less than three nor more than five trustees who would then be entrusted with the management of the temporal affairs connected with the building. The government stipulated that one sixth of the sittings were to be free. For those churches already built and maintained at the public expense, the governor, with the advice of the executive council, was to nominate the trustees. Thirds the government would pay stipends for officiating ministers on certain conditions. If a group of at least one hundred people lived within a reasonable distance of the proposed church, they could obtain an annual stipend of £100 for the minister by presenting a declaration expressing their desire to attend the church, When such a group numbered two hundred, the annual stipend was £150. The maximum stipend was £200 and this was given when at least five hundred people signed a declaration. Provision was also made for an area where it was not thought practicable for a church to be erected: if the people of the area raised £50 towards the support of a minister, the government added £100. Before the annual stipend could be issued, the government had to be assured of the minister s regular performance of his duties towards the people.