The Canon Laws of a Church dictate the way its members should live, salaries of church clerks and pastors, allowable penalties, and also includes the rules of baptisms, marriages and burials.
Marriage laws were actually
dictated by the civil courts, but the church could give penalties if a marriage
went against what the church believed.
In some of the earliest
church laws if a child was not baptized within 30 days of birth the father was
fined, and if the child died before being baptized the father had to give up
everything he owned! Baptisms differ only slightly in religions as to who can
be baptized, as the church wants as many souls as possible. (Turn page for who
may be sponsors). A conditional baptism is often seen in early records.
Some gave rules about god-parents or sponsors.
One of the
canon laws that was discussed since at least 1761 in all the churches at some
time or another, is the "marriage with a deceased wife's
sister".
I don't
know about you, but I have at least a couple of ancestor relatives who married
their sister-in-law when their wife died. Especially when there were young
children involved.
The laws
of the church were also strict about who could be buried on holy ground.
All
religions have canon laws and you can look up what they were for the religion
of your ancestors.
Relevant Links
What is Presbyterian Law as defined by the Church Courts 1884
A Dictionary of Canon Law, Catholic Church 1920
Laws
and Canons of the Church of England 1850, Vol 1
Laws and Canons of the Church of England 1850, Vol 2
Today's Code of Canon Law - Catholic Church
Church Handbook for members of the Anglican Communion 1907
The Parson's Handbook, Church of England 1902
Laws of the Church of Scotland 1830
Supplement to the Laws of Church of Scotland 1836
Laws and Discipline of the Methodist Church in Ireland 1889
Catholics and the Marriage Bill 1866
Marriage with the Sister of the Deceased Wife Presb. 1868
Marriage Act - various years and places
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