Victorian Current Acts Victorian Current ActsPreamble
WHEREAS by the Act 22 Victoria No. 82 it was enacted that all hereditaments estates temporal privileges and all equitable rights belonging to the various synods therein named, as uniting in the Presbyterian Church of Victoria and the congregations thereof respectively, should belong to the Presbyterian Church of Victoria and to the several congregations thereof, subject to the decisions and judicatories of the said church only:
AND WHEREAS by section 3 of the said Act it was enacted that nothing therein contained should affect or be construed to affect in any way any hereditaments estates temporal privileges or equitable rights of any office bearer or congregation of any section of the Presbyterian denomination declining to join the said Presbyterian Church of Victoria; and it was enacted that the properties enumerated in the Schedule appended to that Act should be and the same thereby were excepted from the operation of that Act as belonging to the congregations under the jurisdiction of the synod of which the Reverend William Miller was then the moderator:
AND WHEREAS the synod so described, and which was then known as the synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Victoria, has since the passing of the said Act acquired other properties than those enumerated in the said Schedule:
AND WHEREAS the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria on the thirteenth day of November last passed an Act declaratory of the articles of union referred to in the said Act No. 82, which declaratory Act has been adopted by that synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Victoria of which the Reverend Donald Meiklejohn was at the time of such adoption the moderator:
AND WHEREAS the said Synod and the office bearers and congregations thereof, are now desirous of uniting with the Presbyterian Church of Victoria:
AND WHEREAS it is expedient that the properties enumerated in the Schedule to this Act now belonging to the Free Presbyterian Church of Victoria, and the several congregations thereof should be brought under the operation of the said recited Act:
BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly of Victoria in this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same as follows (that is to say):