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	Statutes of Northern Ireland
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TEST ABOLITION ACT 1867

TEST ABOLITION ACT 1867 - LONG TITLE

An Act to abolish a certain Declaration, commonly called the
Declaration against Transubstantiation, the Invocation of the Saints,
and the Sacrifice of the Mass, as practised in the Church of Rome;
and to render it unnecessary to take, make, or subscribe the same
as a Qualification for the Exercise or Enjoyment of any Civil
Office, Franchise, or Right.{1}
[25th July 1867]
WHEREAS by various Acts a certain declaration commonly called the
declaration against transubstantiation and the invocation of saints
and the sacrifice of the mass, as practised in the Church of Rome,
and which declaration is more fully set forth in the schedule to
this Act annexed, is required to be taken, made, and subscribed by
the subjects of Her Majesty for the enjoyment of certain civil
offices, franchises, and rights:

And whereas it is expedient to alter the law in that respect, and
to abolish the said declaration:

TEST ABOLITION ACT 1867 - SECT 1
Declaration against transubstantiation, &c., not to be obligatory.

1. It shall not be obligatory for any person hereafter to take,
make, or subscribe the said declaration as a qualification for the
exercise or enjoyment of any civil office, franchise, or right
within the Realm.

TEST ABOLITION ACT 1867 - SECT 2
Nothing in this Act to enable Roman Catholics to hold offices other
than those they are now entitled to hold.

2. Nothing in this Act contained shall be construed to enable any
person professing the Roman Catholic religion to exercise or enjoy
any civil office, franchise, or right for the exercise or enjoyment
of which the taking, making, or subscribing the declaration by this
Act abolished is now by law a necessary qualification, or any other
civil office, franchise, or right from which he is now by law
excluded.

I, A.B., do solemnly and sincerely, in the presence of God,
profess, testify, and declare, that I do believe that in the
sacrament of the Lord's Supper there is not any transubstantiation
of the elements of bread and wine into the body and blood of
Christ at or after the consecration thereof by any person
whatsoever; and that the invocation or adoration of the Virgin Mary
or any other saint, and the sacrifice of the mass, as they are
now used in the Church of Rome, are superstitious and idolatrous:
And I do solemnly, in the presence of God, profess, testify, and
declare, that I do make this declaration, and every part thereof,
in the plain and ordinary sense of the words read unto me as they
are commonly understood by Protestants, without any evasion,
equivocation, or mental reservation whatsoever, and without any
dispensation already granted me for this purpose by the Pope or any
other authority or person whatsoever, or without any hope of any
such dispensation from any person or authority whatsoever, or without
believing that I am or can be acquitted before God or man, or
absolved of this declaration, or any part thereof, although the Pope
or any other person or persons or power whatsoever should dispense
with or annul the same, or declare that it was null and void from
the beginning.