释义 |
Free Church 1. gen. A church free from state control. In pl. a name often given by Nonconformists to the various churches of Congregationalists, Baptists, etc., as distinguished from the Established Church.
1869Skeats (title) A history of the Free Churches of England from a.d. 1688–a.d. 1851. 1892Ch. Q. Rev. July 355 Their..notion of any number of ‘Free Churches’. 1897Fairbairn in Oxford Free Ch. Mag. Jan. 1 (article) The Free Churches and the education of their sons. 2. the Free Church (Kirk) of Scotland: the organization formed by the ministers who seceded from the established Presbyterian Church in 1843.
1843[see disruption 3]. 1874Blackie Self-Cult. 47 The Free Church of Scotland. 3. (With small initials.) A church in which the seats are free. U.S.
1835J. Martin Gaz. Virginia 126 It contains several dwelling houses—one free church—one common school. 1835A. A. Phelps in Life W. L. Garrison (1885) II. 63 He has since been requested to preach the sermon to the Free Church in Hartford. 1860Massachusetts Acts & Resolves c. 181 An act to incorporate the trustees of the free church of Saint Mary, for sailors. So Free-ˈchurchism, the principles or doctrines of the Free Churches; Free-ˈchurchman, a member of a Free Church. Also Free-ˈkirker (depreciatively), a member of the Free Kirk of Scotland.
1847Candlish in Life xiv. (1860) 402, I feel on this subject far more as a Christian patriot than as a Free Church⁓man. 1881Sat. Rev. 23 July 116/2 This egregious assumption of the Freekirkers. 1884Chr. World 21 Feb. 135/3 Thus, Freechurchism goes ahead in these colonies. 1897Oxford Free Ch. Mag. Jan. 3 These important bonds of faith between all Free Churchmen. |