Free Church of England

an evangelical Protestant denomination founded on the basis of recognizing only two orders — the first being presbyters, and the second deacons. ‘“Neverthele , 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, Free Church of Scotland, the name a umed by the large number of ministers and their adherents who left the Scottish Establishment at the “Disruption ” of May 18, 1843. They had seceded in vindication of what they called the ‘‘ Headship of Christ,” i. e, to gain liberty to ovey what they deemed the will of their Divine Lord in all Church arrangements.