§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ LORD AMULREEMy Lords, in rising to move the Second Reading of this Bill, which has already passed through another place without opposition, I should like to say, briefly, that the purpose of the Bill is to amalgamate the Totnes Baptist Church with the Totnes Congregational Church. To do this it is necessary to remove the dedication of buildings (manse, schools, et cetera) and money to purposes of the Baptist and Congregational causes respectively: and at the same time to provide, to meet the wishes of the respective bodies, that if the experiment fails and there is a parting, each shall get its property back with the old trusts attached. The amalgamation cannot proceed unless Parliament approves, and accordingly I beg to move that this Bill be read a second time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.— (Lord Amulree.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.