I don’t see a registration button anywhere in any case so there can’t be any message! The moist likely explanation, I would suspect, is that you have turned off the option to allow memberships on the WordPress > Settings > General admin panel. (Anyone can register).
found it .. seems to have worked ok .. looks like when i updated it changed settings …
so next question – is there a way when person registers to make “free” membership automatic??
sorry, what do you mean by free membership? you can give users, including guests, whatever kind of access you want…
for info on access control, please check: http://codex.simple-press.com/codex/getting-started/controlling-access/