to be henceforth used as a place for Divine worship according to the tenets and practice of Protestant Dissenters who profess the principles of the Independent denomination, as hereinafter expressed and declared; and do and shall, from time to Deacons to let time, permit and suffer the officers or persons usually deno- pews. minated deacons, for the time being, of any society of persons who shall or may hereafter assemble and worship at the said chapel or meeting-house, pursuant to the tenets hereinafter expressed and declared, and form themselves into a Christian church or society according to the principles and discipline, and in the manner usually adopted by the said religious society of persons called as aforesaid, (such deacons being always chosen by the majority of persons who shall communicate with such church as members as aforesaid, in the manner usually adopted by persons holding the principles of the aforesaid denomination), to let the pews and seats of the said chapel or meeting-house to such persons and upon such terms and conditions as the said deacons shall think proper, under the control of such church or society. But if there If society be shall be no church or society so formed, and usually assembling there be no and worshipping at the said chapel or meeting-house, or if deacons, trussuch church shall happen to be dissolved, or there shall be no such deacons as aforesaid, then In trust, that they the said trustees or trustee for the time being do and shall, from time to time, let the same pews and seats in the said chapel or meeting-house, in the same manner as hereinbefore directed with respect to the said deacons letting the same, but

dissolved, and

tees to let pews.

The following recital should be premised:—

"And whereas the said several persons, parties to these presents, of the second part, are intending to erect and build upon the said plot of land, with monies which have been voluntarily given and placed in their hands by divers persons for that purpose, and with the further sum of money to be raised by mortgage of the said hereditaments, in pursuance of the authority hereinafter contained, a chapel or meetinghouse for the public worship and service of Almighty God, by a society of persons dissenting from the Church of England, usually called Independents, as hereinafter mentioned."

Deacons to receive rents; if no deacons, then the trustees.

Rents to be applied in payment of principal

sum and premiums of insurance;

of minister's salary;

at such rents and under such conditions as the said trustees or trustee for the time being shall think proper. And upon this further trust, that the said trustees or trustee for the time being do and shall permit the said deacons for the time being to receive the rents of the pews or seats in the said chapel or meeting-house, and all other annual profits arising from the said trust premises, or if there shall be no such deacons, then that the trustees or trustee for the time being do and shall receive the same, so as such rents, issues, and profits be at all times hereafter paid, applied, and disposed of by them in manner following; (that is to say), In the first place, in or towards payment of the said principal sum of £ and all arrears which shall or may become due and payable in respect thereof, and in payment and discharge of the annual premium or premiums for the sums of money which shall, from time to time, become payable in respect of any insurance or insurances of the said premises from fire which may be effected under the direction of any meeting or meetings of the said church or society, or the major part of them, to be held as hereinafter mentioned; And in the next place, in or towards the payment of the salary of the minister or ministers for the time being of the said chapel or and of repairs meeting-house, or in obtaining supplies, and in or towards the repairs of the said chapel or meeting-house, buildings, or hereditaments hereby settled or intended so to be, or any of them, and for such other purpose for the better establishment of the said chapel or meeting-house as shall, from time to time, be determined upon by the male members of the said church or society, or the major part of them, assembling and worshipping therein as aforesaid, at any meeting or meetTo sell chapel, ings to be called and held as hereinafter mentioned: Provided &c., always, and it is hereby agreed and declared between and by the parties to these presents, that it shall and may be lawful for the said trustees and trustee for the time being, at any time or times hereafter, in case it shall be determined upon and directed at any meeting or meetings of the said church or society, to be called or held in manner hereinafter mentioned, (subject to the restrictions hereinafter mentioned), to sell and absolutely dispose of the said chapel or meetinghouse, buildings, hereditaments, and premises hereby bar

of chapel, &c.

restrictions.

gained and sold, or intended so to be, and the appurtenances, to any person or persons, for a reasonable price or prices of money, or for reasonable annual chief or other rents, and either by public auction or private contract, as shall be thought proper; and for that purpose, to make, enter into, and execute any agreements, contracts, and conveyances which may be necessary for selling and disposing of the same: Provided always, under certain and it is hereby agreed and declared between and by the parties to these presents, that no sale of the said trust premises, or any of them, shall be made under the trusts aforesaid, unless a majority of the male members for the time being of the said church or society assembling as aforesaid, and also a majority of the said trustees for the time being, the whole number of the said trustees then living not being fewer than ten, or in case there shall happen to be no such church or society, then, unless a majority of the said trustees for the time being, the whole number of trustees not being fewer than twenty-one, shall deem the said chapel or meeting-house to be improper or inconvenient to be used as a place of religious worship, or unless the laws now in force respecting the toleration of Dissenters be repealed, or so far altered as in any respect to alter, limit, or restrain the society in the exercise of religious worship in the said chapel or meeting-house, according to the mode they choose to adopt, or unless there shall at any time for the uninterrupted space of two years cease to be any religious congregation of the denomination aforesaid at the said chapel or meeting-house, or unless the said church or society and congregation assembling as aforesaid, either of them, for six calendar months after notice shall have been publicly given in the said chapel or meetinghouse, upon two successive Sabbaths, of any sum or sums of money owing on account of the said trust estate, or any part thereof, which the said trustees, or any of them, or their respective heirs, executors, or administrators, or any of them, shall have been called upon or obliged to make good or pay, shall refuse or neglect to raise and pay such deficiencies or arrears, or otherwise well and sufficiently indemnify the said trustees for the time being, and every of them, of and from the payment thereof. And it is hereby

or

provement of

any other cha pel, &c.

to be applied in the purchase, presents, that in case the said chapel or meeting-house erection, or im- and other hereditaments and premises shall be sold and disposed of under the trusts aforesaid, the monies or annual rent or rents arising therefrom shall be applied in or towards the purchase, erection, or improvement of any other chapel or meeting-house, for the purpose hereinbefore mentioned, to be situate within the parish of aforesaid, and in or towards the purchase, erection, or improvement of any dwelling-house or other buildings for the use thereof, or as connected therewith, or in or towards the accomplishment of all or any of these objects, or in or towards the establishment or support of any other religious or charitable institution or institutions, within the said parish, or upon such other trusts, and in such other manner, so as the same be for the encouragement of Divine worship by persons of the denomination of Independents, and holding the doctrines hereinafter mentioned, and for the education of poor persons in Christian knowledge connected with the said denomination, as shall be determined upon and thought proper at any meeting or meetings of the said church or society, to be called and held in manner hereinafter mentioned. And it is hereby and removal of further agreed and declared between and by the parties to these presents, that the nomination and appointment, removal and displacing of the minister of the said chapel or meeting-house and other trust premises, and all things relating thereto whereof the control and management are not hereinbefore provided for, shall be under the control and management of the said church or society assembling and worshipping as aforesaid, or the major part of the members thereof. And it is hereby further agreed and the principles of declared, between and by the said parties, that the said chapel or meeting-house and premises are by these presents granted, bargained, sold, and conveyed as aforesaid, to the intent and purpose that the same may at all times hereafter (subject to the several provisions and agreements herein contained) be appropriated to the public worship and service of Almighty God by the said society of Protestant Dissenters called as aforesaid, wherein shall be taught

Appointment

trustees, &c. to be under the control of the society.

Declaration of

the Indepen

dent denomi

nation, for

whose use the chapel is appropriated.

and included the doctrines and principles generally maintained by Protestant Dissenters of the said Independent denomination called Pædo-baptist Independents, and wherein shall be taught and inculcated such doctrines and principles as are hereinafter mentioned and expressed; (that is to say), Three equal persons in the Godhead-eternal and personal election-original sin-particular redemption-free justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ-efficacious grace in regeneration-the final perseverance of the saints-the resurrection of the dead-the eternal happiness of the righteous, and the everlasting misery of such as die impenitent; And it is intended that no persons holding any tenets or practising any ceremonies different from those already described shall have any right or title to the provisions of this deed (a). And for the

(a) The following clause of exclusion is sometimes inserted,— "And it is hereby more particularly designed to exclude the following sects and denominations; namely, Antipædo-baptists, or those who maintain that infants are not proper subjects of Christian baptism, or that baptism cannot be administered by pouring or sprinkling; also those who deny the moral law of God to be a rule of life to believers; also Arminians, who maintain that every man has power in himself to turn to God, and the doctrine of general redemption, and deny the doctrines of eternal and personal election, and the final perseverance of the saints; also Arians, who deny the proper deity of Christ; and Socinians, who hold that Jesus Christ was merely a man, and that his death was not an atonement and a sacrifice for sins; also Sandemanians, who hold the opinions with respect to faith which were broached in Scotland by Messrs. Sandeman and Glass, namely, that saving faith consists in a mere assent to the Gospel report, with their views of evangelical government and discipline; and also all those who do not bonâ fide maintain the sentiments which distinguish those religious communities, which are usually denominated Pædo-baptist Independents, whether mentioned or not in this deed."

The reader who is curious to know more of these religious sects, may consult Adam's "Religious World," or Dr. Evans's "Denominations of the Christian World."