Anglicanism in Early America

                                                        Anglicanism in Colonial Virginia

                                            Authority and Function of the Vestry

                                                                   By Donald E. Williams

     Although one might assume that the Anglican church performed primarily ecclesial functions in early Virginian society, close examination of the Bristol Parish Vestry Book reveals otherwise. Rather, vestries, or ruling councils of local Anglican congregations exercised considerable authority to manage both civil and ecclesial affairs. In the absence of governmental social services, such authority facilitated care of the poor and disenfranchised in Colonial society.

     Chief among the Anglican church's responsibilities was the building of new churches to meet the needs of its congregants. This is evidenced in the Bruton Parish Vestry Book several times in the allocation of resources for new church construction. Ostensibly, the church considered among its responsibilities the ecclesial function of building new places of worship, through which the evangelical mission of the church could be accomplished. Thus, the Vestry Book asserts:

                 Order'd that a Church be built of Brick on Welles Hill to be 60 foot in the Clear

                and 15 foot to the spring of the arch from the floor which is to be at least 18 Inches

                 above the highest part of the ground...

The vestry took a keen interest in the finest details concerning the architectural design, reflecting a keen interest in managing the Anglican brand.

     The Bristol Parish Vestry Book is also illuminating regarding the typical authority of the local vestry over civil matters. Church vestries ostensibly had considerable authority to appoint individuals as indentured servants of others "as the law directs." The vestry records are replete with orders directing that certain individuals to be "bound" to others, presumably for the provision of the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter.

     Church Vestries also had authority to compensate congregants for providing financial care for others. On one level, this may have encouraged congregants in their charitable care of the poor. Thus the vestry asserts:

                 Ordered That Capt Walker be pay'd 800 pd' of tobacco by y' Church wardens for

                 keeping a Child named Jn' Williams & that y' Said Child be bound to y' Said Walker

                 as the y' Law Directs.

This above passage seems to suggest that social welfare functions such as the care for orphans was typically managed by local churches. Congregants were often compensated for their care of the poor and often well positioned to take on the poor as indentured servants.

     Perhaps, one of the chief functions of the vestry was the levying of taxes on congregants. The vestry book reveals the broad powers of the vestry to both collect and excuse the paying of taxes to the church.Thus the vestry asserts:

                   Ordered that Jn Williams be Levey free being Troubled with fitts till he recovers.

The taxes seem to functions as a type of biblical tithe to fund the work of the ministry. However, the taxes appear to be mandatory and not optional acts of worship.

     The Vestry book is also provides insight into the unique economic system of Colonial Virginia. Ostensibly Virginia economy was so based on the cash crop tobacco, that pounds were used as a viable currency fro financial transactions.

     The Bristol Parish Vestry Book also reveals that Anglican parishes also managed funeral preparations and burial functions of local society. This is evidenced in the vestry records allocating payment to a local undertaker. From birth to death, the Church seems to be involved in the affairs of its congregants. This reflects a more important reality regarding the function of the Anglican church in colonial church. The church was clearly an intricate part of the fabric of Colonial life.

        In Colonial Virginia, Vestries, or ruling councils, of local Anglican congregations exercised considerable authority to manage both civil and ecclesial affairs. The churches performed vital ecclesial functions in society devoid of government social services and welfare programs.

                                                                              Bibliography

Bristol Parish Vestry Book