GENIRE-L Archives

From: "Jane O'Brien" <>
Subject: The Presbyterian and Methodist Churches in ireland in 1931
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 18:47:05 +0100

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (1931)

The Presbyterians who are found chiefly in Ulster, are formed into
Congregations, each of which is under the ecclesiastical government of a
court called a Kirk Session, consisting of the Minister and Elders of the
Congregation. An indefinite number of the Ministers of these Congregations,
with a Representative Elder or each constitutes a Presbytery, which has the
charge of the Congregations represented in it. Delegates from each of these
Presbyteries, consisting of all the Ministers, with a Representative Elder,
for each, constitute the General Assembly, which is presided over by a
Moderator chosen annually and regulates the ecclesiastical concerns of the
Body.
The first Presbytery in Ireland was formed at Carrickfergus in 1642, and
gave rise t the Synod of Ulster. The Presbyterian Synod of Munster was
formed about 1660. The Presbytery of Antrim separated from the Synod of
Ulster in 1727, and the Remonstrant Synod in 1829. A number of Seceders
formed themselves into the Secession Synod of Ireland about 1780. In 1840
the General and Secession Synods having united, assumed the name of the
general Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, comprising in 1930,
546 Congregations, arranged under 34 Presbyteries. The Ministers were
supported by voluntary contributions, the rents of seats or pews, and the
proceeds of the commutation of the annual Parliamentary Grant called the
Regium Donum, or Royal Gift ( first granted in 1672 by Charles II), made by
the Church Temporalities Commissioners under the Act of 1869. The Minutes
of the General Assembly for 1930 state that in the year ending in December
there were 584 Ministers,, (besides 22 licentiates and ordained ministers
without charge, 546 congregations and 510 manses.

THE METHODIST CHURCH
The Methodist Society was founded by the Rev. John Wesley in 1739. It is
constituted in Ireland under the Methodist Church in Ireland Acts Northern
Ireland and the Irish Free State, 1928). The ministers are itinerant, five
years being the longest period they can remain in any one circuit under
ordinary circumstances. One, two or more are appointed to a circuit which
comprises a number of congregations and they are assisted by lay preachers,
leaders and prayer leaders. Out of these, with representatives elected By
the Societies is formed the Leaders Meeting, at which ministers attend, one
of them , called the Superintendent presiding, and this Board manages the
affairs of the local society. The Quarterly meeting composed of the same
officials together with the Trustees etc. manages the affairs of the
Circuit. A number of Circuits forms a District. The Conference meets
annually and is the supreme ecclesiastical court. It consists of 150
ministers and 150 Laymen, the President of the British Conference also being
the President of the Irish one during its sessions.

The number of Ministers in Great Britain is 2,562. The number in Ireland is
248. At the census if 1826 the number of people in Ireland who returned
themselves as Methodists was 60, 217. The Primitive Wesleyan Methodist
Society (English) and the Methodist new Connexion are now united with the
Wesleyan Methodist Society in Ireland forming the Methodist Church of
Ireland

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