Section 52. Provisions governing meetings for incorporation  


Latest version.
  • 1. At the
      meeting for  incorporation,  held  in  pursuance  of  such  notice,  the
      qualified voters, until otherwise decided as hereinafter provided, shall
      be all persons of full age who have statedly worshipped with such church
      and  have regularly contributed to its support, according to its usages,
      for at least one year or since it was formed.
        2. At such meeting the  presence  of  a  majority  of  such  qualified
      voters,  at  least  six  in  number,  shall be necessary to constitute a
      quorum, and all matters or questions shall be decided by a  majority  of
      the qualified voters voting thereon.
        3.  The  meeting shall be called to order by one of the signers of the
      call. There shall be elected at such meeting from the  qualified  voters
      then  present,  a  presiding  officer, a clerk to keep the record of the
      proceedings of the meeting and two inspectors of election to receive the
      ballots cast. The presiding officer and the inspectors shall decide  the
      result  of the ballots cast on any matter and shall be the judges of the
      qualifications of the voters.
        4. If the meeting shall decide  that  such  unincorporated  church  or
      congregation  shall  become  incorporated, the meeting shall also decide
      upon the name of the proposed corporation, the number of laymen trustees
      thereof, which shall be three, six or nine, and the date, not more  than
      fifteen  months  thereafter,  on  which the first annual election of the
      laymen trustees shall be held; and it may, by a two-thirds vote,  decide
      that  all members of the unincorporated church, of full age, in good and
      regular standing, who have statedly worshipped with such church, but who
      have not contributed to the financial support  thereof,  shall  also  be
      qualified  voters at such meeting; and that such church members, who for
      one year next preceding any subsequent  corporate  meeting,  shall  have
      statedly  worshipped  with  such church and have been members thereof in
      good and regular standing, but have not  regularly  contributed  to  the
      financial  support  thereof, shall be qualified voters at such corporate
      meetings.
        5. Such meeting shall thereupon  elect  by  ballot  from  the  persons
      qualified to vote thereat one-third of the number of the laymen trustees
      so  decided on, who shall hold office until the first annual election of
      laymen trustees thereof, one-third of the number of such laymen trustees
      who shall hold office until  the  second  annual  election  of  trustees
      thereafter,  and  one-third  of such number of laymen trustees who shall
      hold office until the third annual election of trustees  thereafter,  or
      until  the  respective  successors  of  such  laymen  trustees  shall be
      elected.
        6. Such meeting shall also elect by ballot a clerk of the corporation,
      who shall hold office until the close of the next annual meeting.
        7. Such meeting shall also designate by a vote by ballot  two  of  the
      laymen  trustees  so  elected, who shall be wardens of the church, whose
      terms of office as wardens shall be one year or until  their  respective
      successors are elected from among the remaining laymen trustees.