The legislature approved an act on February 1, 1813, directing justices of the peace, sheriffs, or under-sheriffs of counties to arrest persons who "shall willfully, maliciously or contemptuously interrupt, or disturb any congregation assembled in any church, chapel, meeting house, or other place of religious worship." Persons so arrested and convicted were to be fined up to thirty dollars or imprisoned for a term not exceeding fifteen days. Jurors failing to attend such trials were to be fined up to five dollars and peace officers who failed to perform their duties under the provisions of the act were to "forfeit to the commonwealth twenty pounds, to be recovered by action of debt in any court having cognizance thereof, to be applied toward lessening the county levy."
Illustration from the book Methodist Camp-Meeting in Kentucky at Night, 1839. Donated by Martin F. Schmidt, 2004.41.439. Kentucky Historical Society Collections.
