Carr, Charles Peter, John Remaley, Lewis C. Smith, Moses ISAAC A. SHEPPARD, JOHN P. PENNEY, APPROVED-The twenty-ninth day of March, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one. A. G. CURTIN. No. 293. AN ACT To incorporate the Ninth United Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia. WHEREAS, We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, being Preamble. citizens of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, having associated for the purpose of worshipping Almighty God, and being desirous of acquiring and enjoying the powers and immunities of a corporation, or body politic in law, we do hereby declare that we have associated ourselves together for the purpose aforesaid, by the name, style and title, and under the articles and conditions following, namely: SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the name, style and title of the corporation shall be the Ninth Name. United Presbyterian congregation of Philadelphia. SECTION 2. That the subscribers, and their successors, being Incorporation. admitted members of said congregation, and holding the doctrines embodied in the testimony of the United Presbyterian church, adopted at Pittsburg, May twenty-sixth, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, shall become and be, in law and in fact, a corporation, known by the name, style and title aforesaid; and shall have full power and authority to Privileges. Proviso. May hold lands, &c. Proviso. cations of. make, have and use one common seal, with such device and inscription as they shall deem proper, and the same to break, alter or renew at pleasure; and by the name, style and title aforesaid shall be capable, in law, to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, in any court or courts, before any judge or judges, justice or justices, in all manner of suits, complaints, pleas, causes, matters and demands whatsoever, and all and every matter or thing to do, in as full and effectual a manner as any other person or persons, bodies politic or corporate within this commonwealth, may or can do; and shall be authorized and empowered to make rules, by-laws and ordinances, and to do everything needful for the good government and support of the affairs of the said corporation: Provided always, That the said by-laws, rules and ordinances, or any of them, be not contrary to the articles and provisions of this charter, or to the constitution of the state of Pennsylvania. SECTION 3. That the said corporation, and their successors, by the name, style and title aforesaid, shall be able and capable in law, according to the terms and conditions of this instrument, to take, receive and hold, for the use of the said congregation, all and all manner of lands, tenements, rents, annuities, franchises, hereditaments, moneys, interests, goods, chattels and effects, of whatsoever nature or kind, which now is or shall, at any time hereafter, become the property of said congregation, by gift, bequest, conveyance, purchase, demise or otherwise; also to grant, lease, bargain, mortgage, sell, alien, dispose of or convey the same, or any part thereof, to be employed and disposed of according to the objects, articles and conditions of this instrument, the articles and by-laws of said congregation, or of the will and intention of the donors: Provided always, That the clear yearly value or income of the said messuages, houses, lands and tenements, rents, annuities or other hereditaments and real estate of said congregation, and the interest of money lent by said congregation, shall not exceed the sum of two thousand dollars. Trustees, numSECTION 4. That there shall be a board of trustees of the said ber and qualifi- congregation, which shall consist of six members, who shall all be in full communion with the said congregation, and they shall be members of said congregation one year previous to their election; they shall be holders of pews six months, the rent of which shall not be less than four dollars per annum, nor shall the arrears of said pew rent exceed six months; they shall also be citizens of this commonwealth. Annual election. Terms of trustees SECTION 5. That there shall be an annual election on the first day of every year, except it fall on the Lord's Day, and in such case, then on the day following, for two trustees, to serve for three years; the said election shall be held in the church, and the votes shall be by ballot. SECTION 6. That the term of two of the present trustees shall expire on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, when a new election shall take place as aforesaid; that the time of the next two shall expire on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, when a new election shall take place as aforesaid; and that the term of the last two of the said trustees shall expire on the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, when a new election shall take place as aforesaid: Provided, That any trustee whose term has expired may be re-elected. SECTION 7. That upon the death, removal or resignation of Vacancies. any trustee, a new election shall be held to supply his place, and the person chosen shall serve only the unexpired term of such trustee, unless re-elected. SECTION 8. That the power of the board of trustees shall be Duties and powextended only to the temporalities of the church, rating and let- ers of trustees. ting the pews, collecting the pew-rents, or other duties of the church, receiving the public collections, keeping the place of worship and enclosure in repair, paying the debts of the church, fixing and paying the salary of the minister, clerk and sexton, and when the funds admit of it, to relieve the poor of the congregation; but they shall have no power to dispose of the money or property of this church, for any purpose whatso- Limitation. ever, exceeding one hundred dollars in one year, excepting the salaries above mentioned, without the approbation of a majority of the lawful voters present at a congregational meeting, constitutionally convened. SECTION 9. That the trustees, of whom four shall form a quo- Officers. rum, shall meet within ten days after the annual election; they shall choose all their officers from among themselves, which shall consist of a president, secretary and treasurer; a majority of votes shall elect said officers, and these shall be by ballot; and it shall be in the power of the trustees to remove all or any of the aforesaid officers whenever, in their opinion, the good of the congregation requires it. The treasurer shall receive all moneys belonging to the church, and account for the same to the trustees as often as they shall direct; and before entering upon his office, he shall be required, if necessary, to enter into a bond to his fellow trustees, in such sum and with such security or securities as shall be approved of, for the faithful discharge of the duties of said office. SECTION 10. That the trustees shall keep correct minutes and Accounts. records of their proceedings, and an account of all property given or bequeathed to them, or purchased and held by them, for the benefit of said church, and all moneys received and expended by them, which, with the receipts and vouchers, shall be produced at least ten days previous to the annual election for trustees, for the inspection of a committee appointed by a majority of the voters at the annual congregational meeting, whose duty it shall be to examine and report on the same to the congregation on the aforesaid day of election. SECTION 11. That meetings of the trustees shall be called by Meetings, notice the president of his own accord, or at the request of any two of members of the board, the notification to be either from the desk, after public worship, or by written notices left at the residence of each member, or by adjournment. voters. SECTION 12. That all pewholders shall be entitled to vote for Qualification of trustees: Provided, They shall hold a pew or part of a pew, or who pay an annual sum of not less than two dollars into the Proviso. treasury of the church, and are not more than six months in arrear: Provided, They have held a pew six months. The poor Proviso. worshippers in the congregation are excepted and shall be entitled to vote: Provided, They shall make known their circumstances to the trustees ten days previous to said election. But none shall be entitled to vote for a pastor who are not members in full communion at the time of said election. SECTION 13. That the pastor of said congreation shall be entitled to a vote at all its meetings. SECTION 14. That no person not entitled to vote shall hold any office at a congregational meeting, convened with respect to the temporalities of the church, and in case of tie the president of said meeting may give the casting vote. SECTION 15. That the house of worship shall at all times be at the disposal of the session and trustees, and shall never be used for merely political or secular purposes. SECTION 16. That when a congregational meeting may be necessary about the temporalities of the church, or any matter not herein provided for, the designs of the meeting shall be stated when it is called, and two days at least shall intervene between notice given and the meeting of the congregation. SECTION 17. That a congregational meeting may be called either by the trustees or at the request of any six pewholders entitled to vote for trustees. SECTION 18. That no article of this charter shall be amended or dispensed with, or a new one added, but by a vote of twothirds of the members present at a congregational meeting, called in accordance with the foregoing charter, unless said amendments, alterations or additions shall have been submitted to the proper court and acted upon by them, in accordance with the provisions of the act of assembly in such cases made and provided. ELISHA W. DAVIS, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ROBT. M. PALMER, APPROVED-The twelfth day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one. A. G. CURTIN. No. 294 AN ACT Relative to Supervisors in the counties of Beaver and Huntingdon. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen tatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passage of this act, the supervisors elected for the several townships in the counties of Beaver and Huntingdon, shall not be required to give bond, as required by the act of the general assembly, approved the sixteenth day of March, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty; and so much of the said act as is inconsistent with the provisions of this act, be and the same is hereby repealed, so far as relates to the townships in the county of Beaver: Provided nevertheless, That the said act, approved sixteenth day of March, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty, shall remain in full force in all the boroughs in said counties of Beaver and Huntingdon. ELISHA W. DAVIS, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ROBT. M. PALMER, We do certify the bill, No. 593, entitled "An Act relative to supervisors in the counties of Beaver and Huntingdon," was presented to the Governor on the twenty-ninth day of March, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and was not returned within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it had been presented to him; wherefore it has, agreeably to the constitution of this commonwealth, become a law in like manner as if he had signed it. E. H. RAUCH, HARRISBURG, April 16, 1861. No. 295. AN ACT To incorporate the Elk County Mineral and Oil Company, at Saint Marys. |