^^
PARISH VESTRIES ACT, IRELAND.
COPY of a Circuear Letter addressed by the Irish Government to the Parochial Authorities in ire/am/, explanatory of the Powers given to Vestries by the Act 7 Geo.
IV.
c.
72.
(Circular.)
TO THE SEVERAL INCUMBENTS OF PARISHES THROUGHOUT IRELAND.
SIR, Dublin Castle, March 1827.
IT being directed by the 7Ü1 Geo.
IV.
c.
72, s.
11, that such requisites for divine service in the parish church shall be provided by Vestry as are required by any rubric or canon in force in England or Ireland, 1 think it may be desirable, in addition to the specification of such articles already made in the Abstract of the Act, which I have transmitted to you, to refer you to the several rubrics and canons which direct the provision of each such requisite.
They are as follows : The rubric at the end of the Offertory requires that a decent basin be provided for collection of alms.
The rubric at the end of the Communion Service, the 95th Irish canon, requires that white bread and wine sufficient for the Communion should be provided.
The 70th English canon and the 461h Irish canon require that there be provided a parchment book for christenings, marriages and burials, and a ehest in which to keep the same.
The 93d Irish and 85A English canon provide that the Windows and pavementsof the church be kept in repair, and the churehyard sufficiently fenced and main-tained.
The 94th Irish canon requires that there should be furnished as follows: viz.
two books of Common Prayer, one for the minister and the other for the clerk; the Bible ; there shall also be provided a fit seat for the minister to read service in, a comely and decent pulpit, a font of stone for the ministration of baptism, to-gether with a fair table and a cup of silver for the celebration of the Holy Commu-nion, which table shall also stand covered in time of divine service with a carpet of silk or other decent stuff, and with a fair linen cloth at the time of the ministration.
This agrees with the 8oth, 8ist, 8ad and 83d English canon.
The 96th Irish and 84th English canon require that a ehest for alms should be provided.
The 58th English canon requires that a decent surplice shall be provided.
I have the honour to be, &c.
(signed) Äcwry Crow/^^.^,
Dublin Castle, tjth May 1829.
W.
Gregory, Esq.
