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Act No. 32 of 1875
CHURCH OF ENGLAND SYNODS |
An Act to
empower the Lord Bishop, the clergy, and the laity of the Church of England in
The Bahamas to hold synods, and for other purposes. | 32 of 1875 |
[Commencement 29th
April, 1875] |
WHEREAS, by an Act
of Assembly of these Islands, the Church of England in The Bahamas has been
prospectively disendowed: And Whereas, after the passing of the said Act, certain
members of the said Church in this island associated themselves together and agreed
to the formation of a representative governing body, called the "Synod of
the Church of England in the diocese of Nassau," which has since from time
to time met and assembled and enacted various matters and things for the
government of the Church in The Bahamas: | Preamble. |
AND WHEREAS the
bishop, clergy, and the representative of the laity of the said Church in such
synod assembled, have, by petition to the legislature, set forth that they are
desirous of obtaining legislative authority to assemble in synod, and to make
such regulations and ordinances for the management of their ecclesiastical
affairs as they may think fit and necessary: |
AND WHEREAS it is
expedient that the members of the Communion of the Church of England in The
Bahamas should, subject to the provisions of this Act, be free to make such
arrangements as they think fit and necessary for the well ordering, discipline,
and good government thereof, and for raising funds for the maintenance and
support thereof, and also for the holding and succession of all such property
as may belong thereto. |
[This Act may be
cited as the Church of England Synods Act.] | Short title. |
1. It shall
be lawful for the bishop, clergy and laity of the Church of England in The
Bahamas to meet together in and to hold assemblies, synods, or conventions, at
such places, in such manner, and for such purposes in connection with their
ecclesiastical affairs as they may think fit; and when so met, to make, subject
to the provisions of this Act, all such rules, regulations, and constitutions
as to them may seem expedient, as well for the proper representation of such
orders in the said assembles, synods, or conventions as for the general
management, ordering, and discipline of the same, and of the communion of the
said Church, and of the officers and members thereof respectively; and also to
provide for raising funds for the support of the said Church, and for the
application and disposal of the property, funds, and effects which shall belong
thereto: | Authorises the holding of
synods, etc. |
Provided always
that nothing herein contained shall authorise the imposition of any rate or tax,
or the infliction of any temporal punishment, fine, or penalty on any person or
persons whomsoever other than the suspension or removal from an office in or
under the control of the said synod, assembly, or convention, or the making of
any rule or regulation contrary to the law of The Bahamas. |
2. The
first diocesan synod under this Act shall be held in the city of Nassau at such
time as the bishop shall fix and appoint for the purpose, such time to be not
later than twelve months from the passing of this Act, and he shall cause
public notice thereof to be given at least six weeks before such meeting shall
be held. | First Synod to be held in
Nassau. |
3. Such
first diocesan synod shall consist of the bishop, clergy, and representatives
of the laity of the communion of the Church of England in The Bahamas, and the
number of such representatives of the laity and the districts entitled to
representation, together with the qualification of electors and representatives
to the first synod elected under this Act, shall be the same as the number of
lay representatives, electoral districts, and the qualification of electors and
representatives to the body described as the synod of the Church of England in
the Bahamas, from whence the petition referred to in the preamble has emanated,
with this exception; the qualification of lay representatives to the first
synod shall be the same as the qualification of electors thereto. | Qualifications of synodmen. |
4. Upon the
passing of this Act it shall be lawful for the Bishop of Nassau to appoint, by
a writing under his hand and episcopal seal, a board to consist of two
clergymen and three laymen of the communion of the Church of England, being
resident in the island of New Providence, which Board shall have full power and
authority to fix the time or times for holding elections of synodmen for the
said first synod, to appoint persons to hold such elections, to regulate the
manner in which votes shall be given thereat, and which returns shall be made, and
generally to exercise a superintending authority in respect of such elections. | Election board. |
5. Upon the
meeting of the first synod the powers vested in the bishop, clergy, and laity, by
the first section of this Act shall come into full force and effect; and
thereafter all powers, authorities, and privileges thereby given and created
shall vest in the said synod, and be exercised by it for the purpose therein declared: | First Synod's powers. |
Provided always
that nothing hereinbefore contained shall be held in any way to restrict or
abridge the full exercise by the said first or any subsequent synod of the
powers by the first section of this Act given, or to restrain the said first or
any subsequent synod from regulating and defining the duration of the said
first or any subsequent synod, or from altering the number or qualifications of
the several orders of which such synods are composed or the qualifications of
electors, or from dealing otherwise than is hereinbefore provided for, in
respect of any of the matters or things hereinbefore mentioned or referred to, save
and except the matters reserved in and by the proviso to the said first section. |
6. It shall
be lawful for the first or any subsequent synod assembled under the authority
of this Act by any statute, ordinance, or resolution to be by such synod for
that purpose passed, to nominate any number of persons being members of the
said communion to act as a corporation for the purposes hereinafter mentioned, and
upon such statute, ordinance, or resolution being recorded in the office of the
Registrar of Records at Nassau, which record the said Registrar is hereby
authorised and required to make when thereto requested, such persons and their
successors to be appointed as hereinafter provided for shall become a corporation,
with continuance for ever, under the style of "The Incorporated Trustees
of the Church of England in the Bahamas," with full power and authority to
have and to use a Common Seal, and as trustees for the said Church to receive, take,
hold, or otherwise dispose of all descriptions of property, both real and
personal, and shall and may be able and capable in the law to sue and be sued, answer
and be answered in any court or courts or elsewhere, in all actions or causes
whatsoever, for, touching, or concerning the same: | Corporation to be nominated
by the synod. |
Provided always
that the change, succession, and renewal of the members of the said corporation,
and the constitution and government thereof, and the beneficial uses and
disposal of the property to be held in trust by them as aforesaid, shall be
regulated, decided and declared from time to time by the diocesan synod of the
said Church. |
7. Nothing
in this Act contained shall be construed in any way to affect the provisions of
the 32 Victoria, chapter 27, or to confer on the said Church a status
other than that enjoyed by other voluntary religious bodies. | Status of the Church. |
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