The Church Association was an English evangelical Anglican organisation founded in 1865. It was particularly active in opposition to Anglo-Catholicism , ritualism , and the Oxford Movement . Founded in 1865 by Richard P. Blakeney , the association stated in its first annual report that the objectives of the association were, "To uphold the principles and order of the United Church of England and Ireland , and to counteract the efforts now being made to assimilate her services to those of the Church of Rome ."
10-480: As well as publishing information (including its Church Association Tracts ) and holding public meetings, controversially, this also involved instigating legal action against Anglo-Catholics under the Public Worship Regulation Act 1874 ; for instance, legal action was taken against Sidney Faithorn Green and Richard William Enraght . According to the association this was intended to clarify
20-724: A Royal Commission in 1906 recognised the legitimacy of pluralism in worship, but the Act remained in force for 91 years until it was repealed on 1 March 1965 by the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1963 . The Act extended to England, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man . Monition In English law and the canon law of the Church of England , a monition , contraction of admonition ,
30-797: A high church Anglican whose sympathies were for separation of church and state , felt disgusted that the liturgy was made, as he saw it, "a parliamentary football". Before the Act, the Church of England regulated its worship practices through the Arches Court with an appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council . The Act established a new court, presided over by former Divorce Court judge Lord Penzance . Many citizens were scandalised by parliamentary interference with worship and, moreover, by its proposed supervision by
40-456: A secular court. The Act gave bishops the discretionary power to order a stay of proceedings . Section 8 of the Act allows an archdeacon , church warden , or three adult male parishioners of a parish to serve on the bishop a representation, in their opinion: The bishop had the discretion to stay proceedings but, if he allowed them to proceed, the parties had the opportunity to submit to his direction with no right of appeal. The bishop
50-412: Is an order to a member of the clergy to do or refrain from doing a specified act. Other than a rebuke , it is the least severe censure available against clergy of the Church of England. Failure to observe the order is an offence under the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1963 . A monition can be imposed in person by a bishop or by an ecclesiastical court . Historically, monitions of
60-537: The Church of England archbishops who had vigorously promoted it. Tait's Bill was controversial. It was given government backing by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, who called it "a bill to put down ritualism ". He referred to the practices of the Oxford Movement as "a Mass in masquerade". Queen Victoria was supportive of the Act's Protestant intentions. Liberal leader William Ewart Gladstone ,
70-683: The association merged with the National Church League to form the Church Society . This Anglicanism -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Public Worship Regulation Act 1874 The Public Worship Regulation Act 1874 ( 37 & 38 Vict. c. 85) was an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom , introduced as a Private Member's Bill by Archbishop of Canterbury Archibald Campbell Tait , to limit what he perceived as
80-424: The growing ritualism of Anglo-Catholicism and the Oxford Movement within the Church of England . The Bill was strongly endorsed by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli , and vigorously opposed by Liberal Party leader William Ewart Gladstone . Queen Victoria strongly supported it. The law was seldom enforced, but at least five clergymen were imprisoned by judges for contempt of court, which greatly embarrassed
90-526: The law, however the ritualists refusal to comply with the courts verdicts coupled with the bishops unwillingness to act eventually led to such legal action not being pursued. Reverend Thomas Henry Sparshott was organising secretary of the Church Association between 1881 and c. 1899 , and deputation secretary from 1893. He preached and lectured at various venues in England. In 1950,
100-631: Was able to issue a monition , but if the parties did not agree to his jurisdiction, then the matter was to be sent for trial (section 9). The Act provided a casus belli for the Anglo-Catholic English Church Union and the evangelical Church Association . Many clergy were brought to trial, and five were ultimately imprisoned for contempt of court . These clergy were supported financially by George Boyle, 6th Earl of Glasgow , who donated considerable sums to their defence and compensation. Prosecutions ended when
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