Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 18 Part 2a.djvu/70

GENERAL INCORPORATION. 65 CLASS 2. numerous socmrms. Spc. It shall be lawful for the members of any society or congre- Limit to owuor. gation in the District, formed for the purpose of religious worship, to °mP°f1**¤d· receive by gift, devise, or purchase, a quantity of land not exceeding an acre, and to erect thereon such houses and buildings, and to make such 80, s. 2, v.’16, pp: 99, other use of the land and such other improvements thereon, as may be 100- deemed necessary for the purposes named, and for the comfort and convenience of the society or congregation. Sec. 534. Such society or congregation may assume a name, and Corporatenamo; elect or appoint any number of trustees, not exceeding ten, who shall be *'¤¤*°*=¤- styled trustees of such society or congregation by the name so assumed. Wi .Sec. 535. The persons elected or appointed as trustees shall imme· Cortiueuto of diately thereafter make a certificate under their hands and seals, stating ¤¤¤*°°¤hiP· the date of their election or appointment, the name of the society or `EYN congregation, and length of time for which they were elected or appointed, which shall be verified by the atlidavit of one of the persons making the same, and shall be filed and recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds of the District. Sec. 536. The trustees shall hold office during the period stated in Rules and rogutheir eertiiicates; and every such society or congregation shall have l¤'¤l<>¤¤· power to provide for filling vacancies in the oince of trustee, and to re- Ibid_ move trustees from office, and to adopt such rules and regulations in relation to the duties of trustees, and the management of its estate, as the members may deem proper, not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States and laws in force in the District. Sec. 537. At the expiration of the term of service of any trustee, the $¤¢>°¤¤¤0¤‘¤· society or congregation shall elect or appoint successors, who shall Ibm_ continue in office for such period a may be limited by the society or congregation; and a certincate of their appointment or election shall he made by the trustees whose term of service shall have expired, which shall be verified by anidavit and filed and recorded as provided in the election of officers in the first instance. Sec. 538. A failure to elect or appoint trustees at the proper time Funurotoobooss shall not work a dissolution of the society or congregation; but the *"¤*°°¤· trustees last elected or appointed shall be considered as in office until md, another election or appointment shall take place. Sec. 539. Such trustees and their successors shall have perpetual Corporate powsuccession and existence, and shall be capable in law to sue and be °'•- sued, implead and be impleaded, answered and be answered unto, defend Ibm, and be defended, in all courts of law or equity whatsoever, in and by the name and style assumed as provided in section five hundred and thirty-four. Sec. 540. The title to land authorized to be purchased, and to the Title to real eobuildings and improvements thereon, shall be vested in the trustees by ***6- their assumed name, and their successors forever; and the same shall {bg.; be held for the uses and purposes named and no other. SET. 541. The trustees shall have power, under the direction of the Uscsandconvey— society or congregation, to sell and execute deeds and conveyances of ¤¤¤¤¤ of Pwvmy- the property authorized to be held by the society or congregation ; and Ibm_ such deeds or conveyauces shall have the same effect as like deeds or cou veyances made by natural persons; but no deed or conveyance shall be made so as to defeat or destroy the interest or effect of any grant, donation, or bequest, and all grants, deviations, and bequests shall be appropriated and used as directed by the person making the same. Sec. 542. The trustees shall have power, under the direction of M¤r¢g_¤g¤¤ und the society or congregation by whom they were elected or appointed, to execute mortgage or deeds of trust in the nature of mortgages, Ibid. upon the estate and property which any society or congregation are authorized to hold, or to lease the same for a. term not exceeding ten 1: s u—-5