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Free Church of England

an evangelical Protestant denomination founded on the basis of recognizing only presbyters two orders the first being presbyters , and the second deacons. "Nevertheless, the first order is divided into two distinct offices, viz., bishops and presbyters.

This Church maintains the ecclesiastical parity of presbyters, whether episcopally or otherwise ordained." The governing body is the Convocation, consisting of all the clergy and laity in the several churches. The impulse which gave the Church birth was communicated by the Tractarian movement of 1832, a reaction against which created a few "free churches" in the W. of England; the Shore controversy (1843-1849) and the Gorham case (1849-1850) promoted its development. It was enrolled in chancery by a deed poll in 1863. A primus was consecrated in 1876 by a bishop of the Reformed Church in America. The bishops are in the Canterbury line of Episcopal succession. a