| Description | Inside title: 'No. 1 Livre des minutes du Comité Ecclesiastique commencé le 6 Decembre 1739 terminé le 17 Decembre 1814 Londres'. Inserted in this manuscript is a warrant dated 25 March 1714 to the High Treasurer to pay to Edward Nicholas any sum or sums not exceeding together the sum of £5,000 for the relief of poor distressed French ministers now residing in or about the Cities of London and Westminster. The warrant, under the signature Anne R, is signed 'Oxford' and endorsed 'intrat in offic. Cler. Pell.'.
Preceding the minutes are copies of documents and sundry memoranda as follows:
1) Copy of the warrant of George II, 11 December 1727, renewing the grant of £8591. p.a., etc.
2) Order dated 24 November 1739, signed by the Lords Commissioners appointed under the warrant of 20 February 1730, instructing the Paymaster of the King's annual pensions or bounties to pay annually, to named French ministers and a Treasurer, the sum of £1718.4.0 earmarked by that warrant for the relief and support of poor distressed French ministers. The five persons named in the order were: Rev. Paul Convenent, Rev. Stephen Abel Laval, Rev. James Barnouin, Rev. John Peter Stehelin, and Peter Tirel, gentlemen.
3) Standing orders agreed by three of the 'Commissaires' named in the order, signed by them and dated 6 December 1739
4) Various resolutions of the Committee 1739-1756.
5) Copy of the warrant of 20 February 1730 referred to in item 2 above.
6) Copy of a memorandum by M. Daiguillon [Capt. Degulhon] relating to the grant appropriated to the relief of poor French ministers and the proportion of that grant paid out by him for the relief of proselytes from 1717 to 1726 and after.
By a regulation (no. 6) of 20 September 1785, the Ecclesiastical Committee ruled that only conformist churches were admissible as churches to the Committee. Mr. Beaufort states that the non-conformist churches made an attempt to obtain a share of the allowance (i.e. the grant of £1718.4 to French Ministers) in 1759, and that in May of that year Archbishop Secker ruled against them. Participating churches in 1830 were all conformist. Status of churches as conformist or non-conformist became an issue in this and other respects as late as 1847.
Following the minutes are sundry tables:
1) List of pastor members of the Committee 1739-1814, with names of their churches, and dates of admission, resignation, or death, p. 127.
2) List of Treasurers 1739-1811, with dates of election and resignation or death, p. 128.
3) An analytical table of the contents up to 1805, pp. 130-132.
4) A chronological table to the contents 1805-1814, pp. 128-131. Pp. 135-136 contain draft requests for the payment of the bounty and draft forms of receipt.
136 pages. |