property limited pletion, or furnishing of any building not owned or used by such corporation. Such corporation may take by gift, purchase, or Amount of devise, property to an amount not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars, and it shall be lawful to invest the same upon mortgage, How invested. or in city, county, State, or government securities, but no loan of its funds shall be made to any trustee or officer of such corporation: Provided, That any such corporation may, in its articles of Proviso. association, specify the kind of securities in which its funds shall Investments. be invested, and that no part of its funds shall be invested in any securities other than those named in its articles, or where the securities shall not be specified in its articles of association, then such funds shall only be invested in such securities as are specified in this act. oath. (3047.) SEC. 6. Any corporation formed under this act shall, To report under whenever required by the Attorney General or by the Legislature, report a full statement of all its affairs, under the oath of at least two of its trustees; and for any neglect to furnish such report Penalty of negwhen required, all of the trustees so neglecting shall be liable to a penalty of fifty dollars each, to be recovered by action of debt in the name of the people of the State of Michigan. lect. CHAPTER CVII. FATHER MATHEW TOTAL ABSTINENCE BENEVO LENT SOCIETIES. An Act to provide for the incorporation of the "Father Mathew Total Abstinence Benevolent Societies." [Approved February 24, 1869. Laws of 18C9, p. 21.] authorized. (3048.) SECTION 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, Incorporation That any society of the "Father Mathew Total Abstinence Beneyolent Societies," of the State of Michigan, may be incorporated in pursuance of the provisions of this act. Number of corporators. Articles; how executed and (3049.) SEC. 2. Any ten or more persons, residents of this State, and members of any society of the "Father Mathew Total Abstinence Benevolent Society," of the State of Michigan, desirous to become incorporated, may, on the consent of said society, make what to set forth and execute articles of association under their hands and seals, which said articles of association shall be acknowledged before some officer of this State having authority to take acknowledgments of deeds, and shall set forth Articles of association where ed. First. The names of the persons associating in the first instance, and their places of residence; Second. The name and location of the society of which they are members; Third. The corporate name by which such association shall be known in the law; Fourth. The object and purposes of such association, which shall be to promote the general welfare of the fraternity known as the "Father Mathew Total Abstinence Benevolent Society," and the period for which it is incorporated, not exceeding thirty years. (3050.) SEC. 3. A copy of said articles of association, together filed and record- with a copy of the charter or constitution, of which the persons executing said articles are members, shall be filed and recorded in the office of the Secretary of State, and a duplicate of said articles shall be filed with the county clerk of the county in which such corporation shall be formed and located; and shall be recorded at length by such clerk in a book to be kept in his office for that Corporate rights purpose; and thereupon the persons who shall have signed such articles of association, their associates, and successors, shall be a body politic and corporate, by the name expressed in such articles of association; and by that name they and their successors shall have succession, and shall be persons in law capable to purchase, take, receive, hold, and enjoy, to them and their successors, estates real and personal; of suing and being sued; and they and their successors may have a common seal, which may be changed and altered at their pleasure: Provided, That the value of their real and personal estate shall not exceed the sum of fifty thousand dollars, and that they and their successors shall have authority and power to give, grant, sell, lease, devise, mortgage, and dispose of said real and personal estate, or any part thereof, at their will and pleasure, and the proceeds, rents, and increase shall be devoted exclusively to the charitable and benevolent purposes of the "Father Mathew Total Abstinence Benevolent Society." Said Proviso. Value of real and personal estate. corporation shall have full power and authority to make and estab- May establish rules, regulalish rules, regulations, and by-laws for regulating and governing tions, etc. all the affairs and business of said corporation, not contrary to the laws of this State and the United States, and to designate, To elect memelect, or appoint from among their members, such officers, under such names and style as shall be in accordance with the constitution or charter of said society, who shall have the supervision, control, and management of the affairs of said corporation.' bers. record. (3051.) SEC. 4. A copy of the record of such articles of associa- Efect of copy of tion, under the seal of the county clerk where the said record is kept, and duly certified to by him, shall be received as prima facie evidence in all the courts of this State, of the existence and due incorporation of such corporation. ings for meet (3052.) SEC. 5. Any corporation formed in pursuance of this act May erect buildmay erect and own such suitable edifices, building, or hall as such ings. corporation shall deem proper, with convenient rooms for the meeting of the fraternity of Father Mathew Total Abstinence Benevolent Society, and for that purpose may create a capital stock of not more than fifty thousand dollars, to be divided into shares of not more than fifty dollars each; and any such corporation may May own land take, purchase, hold, and own a suitable lot or parcel of ground as may be convenient for the purpose of a cemetery, and may make all lawful and needful rules and regulations for the disposition of lots, and the burial of the dead therein, as to such corporation may seem proper. for cemetery. subject to laws (3053.) SEC. 6. All corporations formed under the provisions of Corporations this act shall be subject to the provisions of chapter seventy-three of this State. of the Compiled Laws of this State, so far as the same may be applicable to corporations formed under this act, and the Legislature may alter or amend this act at any time. SEC. 7. This act shall take immediate effect. 1As amended by Act 14 of the Laws of 1971, p. 17, approved and took effect February 21. 1871. CHAPTER CVIII. RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. Chapter 52 of Revised Statutes An Act concerning churches and religious societies, establishing uniform rules for the acquisition, tenure, control, and disposition of property conveyed or dedicated for religious purposes, and to repeal chapter fifty-two of the Revised Statutes. [Approved February 13, 1855. Took effect May 16, 1855. Laws of 1855, p. 313.] (3054.) SECTION 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, of 1846 repealed. That chapter fifty-two of the Revised Statutes of eighteen hundred and forty-six, entitled, "Of religious societies," be and the same is hereby repealed, saving all rights which may have accrued under the same, subject to the modifications provided in this act. (3055.) SEc. 2. It shall be lawful for any number of persons, of full age, not less than five, who may be desirous of forming themselves into a church, congregation, or religious society, and who shall sign articles of association for that purpose, to assemble together, at such place as they may select, and by a plurality of votes, by ballot, elect any number of discreet persons, being laymen, not less than three nor more than nine in number, as trustees, to take charge of the property belonging to, and transact all the affairs relative to the temporalities of such church, congregation, or religious society. At any time after such society shall have become duly organized, it shall be lawful for any such church, congregation, or religious society, at a meeting thereof, called in accordance with the provisions of this act, by a vote of two-thirds of the members of such society entitled to vote, present at any such meeting, to amend its articles of association, in any manner not inconsistent with the provisions of this act, and such amend be filed with ments shall become operative, on filing a copy of the same, certi- Amendments to fied by the moderator, chairman, or president, and clerk of such county clerk. meeting, with the clerk of the county where such society is may be presi (3056.) SEC. 3. It shall be lawful for any such church, congrega- Minister, etc., tion, or religious society, to choose their minister, priest, curate, dent. rector, parson, or officiating clergyman, for the time being, to be the president of said corporation and of their meetings, by a vote as aforesaid; and at the first election provided for in this act, every Qualifications of person who shall have signed the articles, and at any subsequent elections every person of full age, who has for six months been a stated worshiper with, or a contributor regularly for one year previous to the support of such church, congregation, or society, shall be entitled to vote. voters. tion, how given. (3057.) SEC. 4. The minister, priest, rector, curate, parson, or Notice of elecofficiating clergyman of such congregation or society, or if none of them be present, one of the elders or deacons, church-wardens, or vestrymen thereof, and for want of such officers, any other person being a member or stated hearer in such church, congregation, or society, shall publicly notify said congregation of the time when, and the place where, any election shall be held, at least fifteen days before the day of such election, and such notification shall be given for two successive Sabbaths on which such church, congregation, or society shall statedly meet for public worship, next preceding the election. spectors of (3058.) SEC. 5. Any two of the elders, deacons, church-wardens, Who to be inor vestrymen of such church, congregation, or society, or if such election, etc. officers shall not be present, then any two voters present, to be nominated by a majority of the voters, shall be inspectors of such election, receive the votes, and determine the qualification of voters; and they shall immediately after the election certify, under their hands and seals, the names of persons elected to serve as trustees or vestrymen; in which certificate the name by which the said Certificate to be trustees or vestrymen and their successors in office shall forever name of trustthereafter be known and called, shall be particularly men- name, etc. tioned and specified, and such trustees may in said certificate be denominated vestrymen, or church-wardens and vestrymen, executive committee, or any other name stated in the certificate: Pro- Proviso. vided always, That they shall have all the power specified in this act, and be elected in the manner provided for in this act. 1 As amended by Act 17 of the Laws of 1862. p. 48, approved January 18, 1862. made, stating ees, corporate |