The Oath of
a Church-Warden.
Penalty for
refusing to
serve, &c.
 
 
 
 

Payment of 
Parochial 
Charges, Repairs
of
Churches, 
&c.

|| And the 
Payment of
with Parochial
Charges in
the Record.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pluralities
not admitted.
 
 
 

Exception.
 
 
 
 

Lay-Readers
in what Cases
to be appointed.
 

Their Duty.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The first
Tuesday in
every Month
to be a Vestry
Day without
Notice.

    XV.  And the Church-Wardens and Vestry are authorized and required, to
take constant Care to satisfy and pay the Parochial Cahrges, and all necessary
Repairs and Amendments of their respective Churches, Chapels or Church
Yards, and cause the same at all Times to be repaired and amended as Need
shall require, out of such Gifts, Goods or Chattels as shall come to their
Hands for the Church or Parish Use:  || And towards the Payment of which
Parochial Charge, all the Fines, Forfeitures and Mulcts by this Law incurred,
shall be levied by the Church-Wardens in each respective Parish, and by
them accordingly applied.  And in Case they shall not have sufficient Effect
to pay Parochial Charges as aforesaid, or to make such necessary Repairs as
are required, then, and not otherwise, it shall be lawful for the Justices of
the County Courts upon Application of such Parish, Vestry and Church-Wardens,
to assess the respective parishes by a certain Sum of Tobacco, not
exceeding Ten Pounds of Tobacco by the Poll in any one Year:  Which Assessment
made by such County Court, and a Certificate thereof under the
County Seal, shall be sufficient to the Sheriff of such County to levy such
Tax by the Poll, on the Taxables of such Parishes, in the same Manner as
other Public Dues are levied; and shall not deduct above Five per Hundred
for his Salary, and pay the same to such Vestry for the Use aforesaid.
    N.B.  For the present Regulation for Payment of Parochial Charges, see 1704, ch. 34, §. 4.
        and 1729, ch. 7.

    XVI.  And to the Intent that this Act may answer the End of the Makers,
which is, that his Majesty's good Subjects of this Province may be instructed
in Religion, and therein of their Duty to GOD, his Majesty, and themselves,
and those pious and exemplary Persons that shall labour therein suitably provided
for; Be it Enacted by the Authority, Advice and Consent aforesaid, That no
Minister or Incumbent shall at one Time hold more that two Parishes; nor
two, unless by the Desire or Agreement of the Vestry of the said adjacent Parish,
and Consent of the Vestries where he resides, and Appointment of the Ordinary.

    XVII.  And where there are not, or shall not be, Ministers in any Parish,
it shall and may be lawful to the Vestry to provide some sober and discreet
Person, as a Reader, and to present him to the Ordinary; who may sequester
Part of the Forty per Poll, to pay him for such Service, and the rest to be ‡
applied as the Law in Cases of such Vacancies directs.  And upon such Reader's 
taking the aforesaid Oaths appointed by Act of Parliament, subscribing
the Test and Association, and procuring Licence from the Ordinary, shall
and ,au read Divine Service, Homilies, and such other good Authors of practical
Divinity, as shall be appointed, at the usual Times, in such Churches or
Chapels, and therein shall demean himself according to the Liturgy of the
Church of England, as aforesaid.
            ‡ For the Application of the 40 per Poll during such Vacancy, see 1715, ch. 24.

    XVIII.  And for the preventing of Delays and other Inconveniences, which
might happen if there were a Necessity for the expecting the Attendance and
Presence of all the said Vestry-men, and at the same Time to prevent the doing
of any Thing of Consequence, by Surprize, by a small Number of them,
be it hereby Enacted, That the first Tuesday in every Month, shall be, and