122] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S12. 



posed in the present bill to give to 

 places for religious worship noto- 

 riety and publicity, and to require 

 from the preachers and teachers of 

 the same some test or security in 

 the oaths taken by them. Meet- 

 ings for worship in which the per- 

 sons assemblerl did not exceed 20 

 above the family of the occupier of 

 the house, were exempt from any 

 restriction. Others were required 

 to be registered, and their meetings 

 were to be held with unbolted 

 doors. The preachers of congre- 

 gations were to take tlie required 

 oaths at the sessions, but were not 

 required to take them antece- 

 dently to their exercising the duties 

 of teaching and preaching. 



Earl Stanhope objected to the 

 bill, that it was founded in its 

 preamble and clauses upon expe- 

 diencjr alone,and did not recognize 

 the right of religious worship, 

 vrhich he contended lo be the un- 

 alienable riiiht of man. 



Lord Holland, though he agreed 

 with his noble friend as to this 

 right, was nevertheless a warm 

 friend to the bill, as so much 

 gained to the cause of tolerntion. 



Viscount Sidiuouth coidd not 

 give his unqualified approbation to 

 the bill. He regretted the exten- 

 sion of the number allowtrd at un- 

 registered meetings, from five to 

 twenty. He thought the exemp- 

 tions granted from civil duties and 

 the militia might lead to abuses: 

 and he particularly lamented that 

 no qualification was required from 

 preachers or teachers, but that all 

 persons, whatever might be their 

 ignorance or moral character, 

 might assume the office on taking 

 the oaths. He did not, however, 

 mean to oppose the bill. 



The Lord Chancellor expressed a 

 dissent from the clause granting 



exemptions, but said it would b« 

 best judged of in the committee. 



The bill was then read a second 

 time, and committed. 



In the committee on this bill, 

 July 24, the Lord Chancellor ob- 

 jected to the clause granting ex- 

 emptions to teachers and preachers 

 exercising an}' other proles^ion or 

 Occujjation ; and contended that 

 complete justice was done L»y the 

 exeniptiun before granted to all 

 teachers or preachers exercising no 

 other profession except that of a 

 schoolmaster. He therefore, mov- 

 ed to strike out the clause. 



Lord Holland was disposed to 

 acquiesce in this amendment, but 

 was doubtful how it might affect 

 dissenting ministers in the posses- 

 sion of land. 



The Lord Chancellor thought 

 that the same rule might apply to 

 them, as did to the established 

 clergy : namely, that though they 

 could not take land to farm, yet 

 that being in possession of a lease 

 of land in consequence of the 

 death of a relation, or holding 

 land in fee simple, was not con- 

 sidered as farming. The clause 

 was struck out. 



Earl Stanhope moved some 

 amendments which were nega- 

 tived, and the bill passed through 

 the committee. The report was 

 received on the next day, when the 

 bill passed. 



It is to be observed that Earl 

 Stanhoj)e had some time before in- 

 troduced into the House of Lords a 

 bill " For preventing the imposi- 

 tion of disabilities upon persons on 

 account ofreligious opinions, or the 

 exercise of their religion," which 

 was founded on the enlarged prin- 

 ciples that he held on these subjects, 

 and in supporting which he took 



occasion 



