Siasi ʻo Tonga tauʻatāina/en
The Free church of Tonga is one of the churches in Tonga.
The church was established in 1928 by the president of the old Free church who did not agree to the unification in 1924 of the Wesleyan mission and the Free church into the Free Wesleyan church of Tonga. So he broke away, and claimed himself to be still the previous Free Church, and as such the Free church of Tonga mark still marks its official establishment date as 6 January 1885.
Not long after another faction broke away who also did not agree to the Free Wesleyan church and also claimed to be the true successor. They became the church of Tonga. In colloquial speech the former are known as the Church of the president, while the latter are named the Church of the lords.
The Free church of Tonga was first presided over by foreign reverends, until the presidentship came into local hands, the Fonua family where it has stayed since.
The curch operates 3 high schools, in Tongatapu, Haʻapai and Vavaʻu, all named Tailulu. FOKI