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IV. And Whereas by the said recited Act, made in the Parliament of Ireland in the Third Year of King George the Second, intituled An Act for the better keeping Churches in Repair, it is amongst other things enacted, that wherever any Archiepiscopal or Episcopal Union of contiguous Parishes, under one Incumbent or Curate, as in the said Act is mentioned, shall be made by any Archbishop or Bishop within his respective Diocese, the Inhabitants or Occupiers of Land within each and every of such united Parishes respectively shall be obliged to contribute towards the Repair of the Church or Chapel appointed or to be appointed for Public Worship within the said united Parishes, and to the providing all necessary Charges belonging to such Church or Chapel, as if such united Parishes were One entire Parish, and the Church so appointed were the Parish Church of the same; and by the said Act, after reciting that several Parishes are united by Charters granted by the Crown, in some of which there are but very few Protestants inhabiting, and in others none at all, and the Parish Churches thereof quite ruined or in very great Decay, it is enacted, that until such ruined or decayed Churches are rebuilt or repaired, the Parishioners thereof shall be obliged to contribute to the keeping in Repair the Church to which such Parishes are united, and to the providing all necessary Charges belonging thereto, in like Manner and subject to such Regulations as are by the said Act appointed for the repairing of the Churches united by Archiepiscopal or Episcopal Union: And Whereas by certain Acts of Parliament made in the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in the Forty eighth and Forty ninth Years respectively of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Third, for making Provision for the building and rebuilding of Churches, Chapels and Glebe Houses in Ireland, the Trustees and Commissioners of the First Fruits of Ecclesiastical Benefices in Ireland, are authorized and empowered to grant by way of Loan, Sums of Money, Interest free, to be applied for the building and rebuilding of Churches and Chapels, to be repaid to them by certain Instalments, after the Rate of Six Pounds for and on every Hundred Pounds so lent and advanced, until the respective Loans shall be repaid and discharged, such Instalments to be annually assessed and applotted as therein mentioned: And Whereas various Loans have been accordingly made by the said Trustees and Commissioners for the building and rebuilding of Churches and Chapels, and further Loans are likely to be granted for the same Purposes, and also for the repairing of Churches and Chapels, in pursuance of the further Powers hereby granted; and it has happened and may hereafter happen, that Parishes having no Churches, or no Churches fit for the Celebration of Divine Service, have been and may be so united to Parishes having Churches or Chapels fit for the Celebration of Divine Service, for or in respect of the building or rebuilding or repairing whereof certain annual Instalments are and may by Law be payable to the said Trustees and Commissioners of the First Fruits, and it is just and proper that such of the Parishes of the said Unions as have not any Church or Chapel, or any Church or Chapel fit for the Celebration of Divine Service, should contribute to the Payment of the annual Instalments of the Loans granted and to be granted for the building and rebuilding and repairing of the Churches or Chapels of the Parishes to which they are or may be so united, whilst they continue so united;’ Be it therefore enacted, That the Parishioners of any Parish or Parishes, in any such Union in which there shall not be any Church or Chapel, or any Church or Chapel fit for the Celebration of Divine Service, shall from time to time, so long as there shall not be any Church or Chapel fit for the Celebration of Divine Service in such Parish, but no longer, contribute to the Payment of all annual Instalments payable to the said Trustees and Commissioners of the First Fruits of Ecclesiastical Benefices in Ireland, which are or shall become due and payable on and in respect of any Loans for or towards building or rebuilding or repairing any Church appointed or to be appointed to be as aforesaid the Church of such Union, as if the said united Parishes were One entire Parish, and the Church so built or rebuilt or repaired were the Parish Church of the same.
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