Bill to Provide Teachers of Christian Religion.
- imprint_number: 1784.021
- title: In the House of Delegates, Friday, the 24th of December, 1784 … a bill establishing a provision for teachers of the Christian religion. …
- sequence_number: 21
- year: 1784
- place_issued: Richmond
- issuing_press: Dunlap & Hayes
- author: Virginia. General Assembly. House of Delegates.
- notes: Sheet lacks printer credit; Dunlap & Hayes were ordered on December 24th to deliver one dozen copies of this bill to each member of the General Assembly, to allow for an assessment of popular opinion on the subject prior to a final consideration of the bill in November 1785. While some authorities date this title to 1785, it had to be produced shortly after the printing order was issued, with adjournment of the Assembly imminent, so that the legislators could take the printed copies home with them when they did adjourn (January 7th).
Publication of this bill was instigated by James Madison as part of an effort to head off the establishment of the Episcopal Church as a state-supported institution; reaction to this bill led, in part, to passage of Thomas Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom in January 1786.
- Related Bios:
This version of the Index of Virginia Printing was a gift from the estate of the site's creator, David Rawson. The
content contained herein will not be updated, as it is part of the Library of Virginia's personal papers collection.
For more information, please see David Rawson Index of
Virginia Printing website. Accession 53067. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond,
Virginia.
