privileges of other religious corporations constituted under the provisions aforesaid. (Ib., Sec. 24.)

§ 640. Whenever, by the constitution, rules and usages of any particular church or religious denomination, the minister or ministers, elders and deacons, or other officers elected by any church or congregation, according to such constitution, rules or usages, are thereby constituted the trustees of such church or congregation, it is made lawful for such minister or ministers, elders and deacons, or other officers, to assemble together and execute, under their hands and seals, a certificate, stating therein the name by which they and their successors in office shall be forever thereafter called and known, which certificate must be acknowledged or proved and recorded, as hereinbefore in this chapter directed; whereupon such persons, and their successors in office, will be a body corporate, by the name expressed in such certificate, with all the rights, powers and privileges of other religious corporations constituted under the provisions aforesaid. (1b, Sec. 25.)

641. For the form for the certificate of incorporation provided for in the last preceding section, reference may be had to the one prescribed for Reformed Dutch churches in the State of New York. (Ante, § 135.)

CHAPTER XLIII.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES IN WISCONSIN-ANOTHER MODE OF INCORPORATION POWERS OF THE INCORPORATORS HOW THE REAL ESTATE OF A RELIGIOUS SOCIETY MAY BE SOLD OR MORTGAGED PROPERTY OF SUCH RELIGIOUS SOCIETY NOT TAXABLE.

§ 642. In the State of Wisconsin it is also made lawful for any five or more male persons, of lawful age, desirous of forming a society for the promotion of the Christian religion in connection with a church to be associated therewith, according to their own peculiar tenets, to become incorporated and possess, have, hold and enjoy all the rights, privileges and franchises incident to such corporations in the manner hereinafter mentioned. (Laws of 1860, Chap. 337, Sec. 1.)

§ 643. Such persons must execute, under their hands and seals, a certificate, substantially in the following form:

"Know all men by these presents that we, (insert the names) whose names are hereto subscribed, have agreed, and by these presents do agree, to become incorporated into a religious society, in pursuance of the laws of this State, by the name and style of the (here insert corporate name), of the (here insert the name of the city, village or town), and we do hereby agree that all persons who may hereafter become associated with us in this organization shall be entitled to equal privileges and rights in the grants and franchises hereby received under and by virtue of the statutes in such cases made and provided.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals this day of , A. D.,

(Ib., Sec. 2.)

§ 644. The certificate thus executed must be ackowledged before some person authorized to take acknowledgments of deeds, and must be recorded in the office of the Secretary of State, and copies thereof, duly certified by him, will be received as evidence of the fact of incorporation, and for all other proper and lawful purposes in all courts of law and equity. The Secretary of State is entitled to receive fifty cents for recording the certificate, and the like sum for each certified copy thereof. (Ib., Sec. 3.)

§ 645. Upon the recording of such certificate in the office of the Secretary of State, the persons named therein will be deemed and regarded in law as corporators, and they and their associates are declared by statute to be a body corporate and politic, with perpetual succession, by the name and style designated in such certificate, and by such name and style are made competent to contract, and be contracted with, to sue and be sued, to answer and be answered unto, in all courts of law and equity; and they are also competent, in law, to purchase, have, hold and enjoy property, both real and personal, and to sell, dispose of and convey the same; provided, however, that such religious corporation can not deal in property of any kind, except so far as shall be necessary for the legitimate objects of the corporation, which must be to promote the Christian religion in connection with a church; and the real estate to be held by any such religious corporation cannot exceed five lots in any city or village, or five acres in the country, not platted into lots. (Ib., Sec. 4.)

§ 646. Every such corporation, thus created, may have a common seal, and alter and renew the same at pleasure; and may also adopt a constitution and by-laws for their government, not inconsistent with the laws of the State or of the United States, and may alter or amend the same at pleasure;

and may also designate the number and title of their officers, and may also define their powers and duties. A majority of the corporators named in the certificate, may meet at such time and place as to them shall seem fit and proper, for the purpose of perfecting their organization under the incorporation thus secured; and the said corporators will constitute the first board of trustees of the society, and will hold their offices until others are chosen. (Ib., Secs. 5 and 6.)

§ 647. All lands, tenements and hereditaments lawfully conveyed by demise, gift, grant, purchase or otherwise, to any persons as trustees, in trust, for the use of any religious society, organized under any law of the State, either for a meeting-house, burying ground, or for the residence of a preacher, will descend, with the improvements, in perpetual succession to, and be held by, such trustees in trust for such society. (Revised Statutes of 1858, Title XIII, Ch. 66, Sec. 23.)

§ 648. It is made lawful for the Circuit Court for the county in which any religious corporation shall have been constituted, on the application of such corporation, if such court shall deem it proper, to make an order for the sale or mortgage of any real estate belonging to such corporation, and to direct the application of the moneys arising therefrom to such uses as the said corporation, with the approba tion of said court, may conceive to be for the interest of such corporation. At least thirty days previous notice of any such application to the Circuit Court must be given, by publishing the same in some newspaper published in the county, if one be published therein, and if not, by posting up notices in three or more public places in such county. (Ib., Secs. 19 and 20.)

§ 649. Every church, parsonage and school house belong

ing to any religious society, with the land belonging thereto, not to exceed in all three acres in any one town, village or township, or, if in a city, not to exceed one lot for each of the said buildings, are not subject to taxation for any urpose except for its own improvement. (lb., Sec. 26.)

§ 650. For a form for the petition and order of sale of the real estate of a religious society, reference may be had to the same prescribed for the State of New York. (Ante, Secs. 277, 279.)

CHAPTER XLIV.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES IN MINNESOTA-INCORPORATION OF FORM OF PROCEEDING-THE TRUSTEES AND OTHER OFFICERS -QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS.

651. In the State of Minnesota it is made lawful for all persons of full age, belonging to any church, congregation or religious society, not otherwise incorporated, to assemble at the church or meeting-house, or other place where they statedly attend for divine worship, and, by a plurality of votes, to elect any number of discreet persons of their church, congregation or society, not less than three nor more than nine in number, as trustees to take charge of the estate and property belonging thereto, and to transact all affairs relative to the temporalities thereof. (Compiled Stat., Ch. 17, Sec. 15.)

§ 652. The minister of the church, congregation or society, or in case of his death or absence, one of the elders, church wardens or vestrymen thereof, or, for want of such officers, any other person being a member or stated hearer in such