themselves into one corporation, agreeably to the directions of the said general incorporating act. Upon recording the said writing, and after such joint incorporation as aforesaid, their former separate corporators and bodies politic will cease and be dissolved, and all the estate, real and personal, held by them separately, will pass to and be vested in the trustees of such joint corporation and body politic, who will be deemed to be the legal successors in office of the former separate bodies politic, and liable to their debts. (Ib., Sec. 16.)

§ 502. For perpetuating a line of succession in the trustees of every Reformed Dutch congregation, the minister or ministers, elders and deacons of such congregation, as shall take and record a name as aforesaid, are declared to be the first trustees of the same, and shall continue in office until others shall be duly elected, appointed or called, according to the manner, usages and customs of the Reformed Dutch church; and every minister, elder or deacon, so constituted a trustee, will continue in office until another person shall, in like manner, be elected, appointed or called in his stead, and so on as often as occasion may require; and if any dispute shall arise respecting the validity of the election, appointment or call of the said trustees, the same must be referred for final decision to the superior church judicature, to which such congregation may be subordinate, according to the customs and constitution of the said Reformed Dutch church. (Ib., Sec. 17.)

503. The person who is, according to the usage and custom of the Reformed Dutch church, ordinarily to preside at the meeting of the minister, elders and deacons of the said congregation, will be president of the said corporation, who is empowered to convene the said corporation as occasion may require, and at the request of any two or more of the

members, it is made his duty to convene the same, in such manner and under such regulations as the said corporation shall from time to time direct. The said corporation may, from time to time, appoint some fit person belonging to the corporation, to have the custody of the common seal and the papers, deeds, writings, documents and books of or relating to the corporation, who must keep the minutes and enter the orders, acts and proceedings of the corporation in a book to be kept for the purpose, and he must deliver such seal and other things, when demanded, to the corporation, under such pecuniary penalty as they may have previously fixed and ordained. (Ib., Secs. 18 and 19.)

§ 504. Every person of the said congregation, who regularly contributes to the support of the gospel in the said congregation, must have free access to all the papers, deeds, writings, minutes, documents and books of or belonging to the said corporation. The proceedings, orders and acts of a majority of all the members of the said corporation, but not of a less number, will be valid and effectual in law; and no member will be allowed to vote in any matter or thing which may immediately affect himself, his private interest or emolument. (Ib., Secs. 20, 21 and 22.) ́

§ 505. All the provisions of the statute relating as well to the incorporation as to the rights, privileges and duties of the Reformed Dutch churches are extended to all the German Reformed churches constituted in the State, and the wardens and vestrymen, for the time being, of every Protestant Episcopal church, not especially incorporated, are declared trustees of the same, and a body politic in law, by such name as the said trustees shall agree, in the manner mentioned in the second section of this chapter. (Ib., Secs. 23 and 24.)

§ 506. When any congregation of the Protestant Episcopal church in the State, duly organized according to the constitution and usages of said church, desire to form themselves into a body corporate, notice must be given of such intention ten days previously, by an advertisement set up in open view, at or near the place where such congregation usually assemble for divine service, designating the day when and the place where they design to meet for that purpose. The congregation having met at the time and place appointed, the rector or minister, or, if there be no rector or minister, or he be necessarily absent, one of the church wardens or vestrymen must preside at the meeting, and the secretary of the vestry must record the proceedings of the meeting. The congregation must then proceed, by a vote of the majority of those present, to designate the corporate name or title by which the church shall be known, which must be in the manner and form as follows: "The rector, wardens and vestrymen of gregation must then choose two wardens, and not more than ten nor less than five vestrymen; and also fix the day, annually, on which new elections of officers shall take place. A certificate of these proceedings, under the hands and seals of the president and secretary of the meeting, must be transmitted to the clerk and be recorded as in other cases; whereupon the rector, wardens and vestrymen appointed as aforesaid will be a body corporate and politic, in law and in fact, to have continuance forever under the same restrictions, and with the same rights, powers and privileges as are granted to and imposed on trustees of other religious corporations. If at any time the church be without a minister or rector, it is provided that the same rights and privileges shall be vested in the wardens and vestrymen. (Ib., Secs. 26, 27 and 28.)

church, in

The con

§ 507. The rector, wardens and vestrymen, and their suc

cessors, or a majority of them, may make such rules, bylaws and ordinances, and do everything needful and requisite for the good government and support of the church, all of which must be entered in a book to be provided and kept for that purpose, upon condition that such rules, by-laws and ordinances shall not be repugnant to the Constitution and laws of the State or of the United States. (Ib., Sec. 29.)

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§ 508. The qualifications of voters at the annual elections must be conformable to the constitution and principles of the Protestant Episcopal church in New Jersey. The rector, wardens and vestrymen must choose a treasurer, who, when called upon for that purpose, must render a true and just account to the corporation of all moneys by him received and expended, and pay over the balance which may remain in his hands at the time of settlement, to his successor in office. (Ib., Secs. 30 and 31.)

§ 509. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of minister or rector, by death, removal or otherwise, the wardens and vestrymen, two-thirds of them concurring in the choice, may choose some fit person, duly qualified to act as minister or rector of said church, agreeably to the constitution of the Protestant Episcopal church in the United States of America; and the minister or rector so chosen must preside at all meetings of the wardens and vestrymen, and have a casting vote, except the business or question to be decided has relation to personal interest of such minister or rector, and in the absence of the president, the wardens and vestrymen may choose a president pro tempore. (Ib., Sec. 32.)

§ 510. Any Protestant Episcopal church, incorporated before the passage of the general incorporating act of the State, may embrace the privileges of such act by compliance with and adopting its provisions; and every religious corpo

ration, created by act of the legislature, or by letters patent, may acquire, purchase, receive, have and hold any lands, tenements, hereditaments, legacies, donations, moneys, goods and chattels, of the yearly value of two thousand dollars, although such act or letters patent contain a restrictive clause limiting the annual revenue and income of the said corporation to a less sum. (Ib., Secs. 33 and 35.)

§ 511. All of the provisions of the statute relåting as well to the incorporation as to the rights, privileges and duties of the Reformed Dutch church, and also of the German Reformed churches, are extended to all the Evangelical Lutheran churches as may now or shall hereafter be constituted within the State. (Ib., Sec. 37.)

§ 512. All of the provisions of the act to incorporate trustees of religious societies, except those which expressly relate to the Reformed Dutch church, and the German Reformed churches, are extended to religious societies or congregations of Jews within the State. (Laws of 1860, Ch. 21.)

CHAPTER XXXV.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES IN NEW JERSEY SOCIETIES MAY SELL THEIR LANDS IN CERTAIN CASES-HOW EFFECTED-MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS RELATING TO SUCH SOCIETIES-CHURCH MEMBERS.

§ 513. Whenever any incorporated religious society in the State of New Jersey, entitled to lands and tenements granted or devised to them by deed, will, or otherwise, appropriating the rents and issues thereof to specific use, but without power