Posted on 08/02/2020 4:16:40 PM PDT by Perseverando
King Charles II and the British passed the Conventicle Act of 1664, making it illegal to hold church meetings of over five people.
It prohibited "... more than five persons in addition to members of the family, for any religious purpose not according to the rules of the Church of England."
The word "conventicle" is derived from the word "convenant" and referred to gatherings of church members according to Jesus' promise in Matthew 18:20, "Where two or three are met together in my name."
The English Book of Canon Law, Article 11, stated:
"All conventicles and secret meetings ... have ever been justly accounted very hateful to the state ...
No priests or ministers of the Word of God, nor any other persons, shall meet together in any private house or elsewhere ... under pain of excommunication ipso facto."
John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim's Progress was arrested in 1661 under an earlier Conventicle Act, for having held:
"several unlawful meetings and conventicles, to the great disturbance and distraction of the good subjects of this kingdom."
Then the King and Parliament passed The Five Mile Act of 1665.
It forbade non-conforming and dissenting clergymen from preaching or living within five miles of a town, unless they swore never again to resist the government.
Thousands of ministers courageously defied this Act and were deprived of a means of making a living.
In 1670, 25-year-old William Penn defied the government and preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a group in the city of London.
He was arrested and tried in Bushel's Case.
In the records of the court's proceedings:
Penn: "I desire you would let me know by what law it is you prosecute me, and upon what law you
(Excerpt) Read more at myemail.constantcontact.com ...
Ping!
The 21st century version of the Conventicle Act was decreed by many State Governors when they prohibited gatherings of more than 5 people.
By contrast, in Pennsylvania religious organizations were specifically exempt from lockdown orders.
With the more recent clampdown on bars, restaurants, and other large group gatherings the Governor has made it clear that religious gatherings are NOT included in the order.
Pennsylvania Ping!
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Following that, Thomas Penn made a living off selling the Penn land to real estate dealers who sold it to settlers, including in the terms perpetual "quitrent" which was payable to the Penn family.
People that the Penn interests referred to as "rioters" and "miscreants", from Connecticut and modern day Dauphin County, Pa., used a competing Connecticut claim as cover and settled Northeast Pa.
Thomas Penn hired people to throw them out and they failed three times.
The miscreants and rioters that settled the place named their County Seat after two rogues in Parliament named John Wilkes and Isaac Barre. They were also referring to Penn's people as Tories two years before the Declaration was signed.
The British army, Tories and several hundred Iroquois tried to throw them out in 1778 and also didn't get the job done.
The Penn land claims went away around 1781.
When the family visited Philadelphia we were able to find St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
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