Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-03-10

the charter.
What are the chartered rights In an
swer to the inquiry Mr.. Barnett read the
charter.
The charter contemplates that the six
trustees-four of which shall constitute a
quorum-shall provide for the temporal re-
quirements of the corporation or church.
/ The parties were held together BY the char
ter, and when number of the membership
was cut away by the action of ecclesiastical
bodies. il was violation of the charter.
! Whether or not Lost Greek is able TO MAIN
tain preacher for themsel es, that is one
pose they are able 10 support a preacher,
must they be showed away Suppose that
they are too poor, must they be showed
away! Either OF which states of finance
may be accident. Laws are made for all,
rich and poor, and they should not have
been cut away because they were either
rich or poor, and the property rights should
not be withheld from any people because OF
riches or poverty. If they have withdrawn
is unimportant it is an accident. If they
are outside, they are as much outside OF
the charter organization IS if in foreign
country. They are like broken mirror
that is in two pieces and reflects two per
sons, or objecis. 1t is fact In the case that
there are two separate organizations. Thi,
organization in Miffiintown is a unit in itself
That is a fact What is the ldwl
A fact of separation is clearly established
The law is that the title of the church prop
erty is in that which is acting in harmony
with Its own law OF the law OF the corpora
ton. For 30 years, ever since the organi
zation OF the corporation, one minister ha:
served as pastor for both of the congrega
tions; one set of trustees have managed the
corporation business until the action of the
Ecclesiastical court.
What is the action of the Ecclesiastical
court AT this point Barnett read frun
reports on the question of the establish
ment OF independent churches, showing
that title remains with the church that hs:
been seeded, or Withdrawn from. Report:
make mention OF no class of cases in which
two congregations are precisely like this,
but the principles as laid down in the books
as decided by the courts, are applicable to
this case. The reports are clear that the
organization in combined church organiza-
tions, that adheres 10 the forms of agree
ment, or corporation, are the ones that have
held the property right. The question has
been carried so far as into notions of doc
trines, in the church, and 1t has always
been decided that the organization thai
clearly adhereS to the doctrines, usages and
legal forms is the one that holds the title Of
property. The congregation that secedes
cannot carry property rights with them.
Which is rightl The way that, accord.
ing TO law, for a period OF 30 years has
called preacher, and provided for hin
under the law, and provided tor the man.
agement Of the property of the corpora
tion under the law. Which is right Con.
slider that Lost Creek has not become a
wandering body, outside of the old ways OF
the corporation. The admitted evidence in
the case shows that this is separate organ.
izatiOn at Mitfiintown, and is ON the rolls OF
Presbytery as such, and Is subject TO new
laws, not the cid 20 year laws, or the char.
ter laws.
The Lost Greek congregation is the one
that is moving in accordance with the we'll
known charter law. They are right in ac-
cordance with the law that has been con-
sidered right law. Where is there any
othcr rule to applyi
Barnett here read reports, as to the ques-
ton of majority in the question of church
division, or organization. 1t is the steady
practice of the congregation under the
written law. and the common law, that de-
termines the question of property right, as
distinguished from majority part, or mi
nority part of congregation that moves of
like comet to set up course, or some
thing for itself somewhere else. Lost
Greek has ever been uniform in her prac-
tice.-Read from report on same point.
! How are dc facts Who has the law of
the congregation Of 20 years Who are
they as enrolled upon the minutes of Pres
bytery as new congregation Who elect
ed the Committee of WAYS and Means 2
Who gave them rights, such as the Com
mittee claiml Whol Nobody; they have
no constituency; they have no corporate
constituency, like Lost Greek. No they
have seeded from the corporate authority
of the corporation, and have set up for
themselves; they have left their fathers
property behind them Reports read
/ Corporators may change, but the corpora
ton never. Men are but members of a cor
poration and may GO out OF the corpora
ton, but when he goes out he leaves the
corporation and its rights ANY other prln-
ciple in corporations would be the death of
OrpOratioBs-ReportS read on the unity of
corporations.
SPEECH OF ). J. PATTEnsoS, ESQ.
A. J. Patterson, Of aifllintown, next ad-
dressed the Master. He spoke in the inter-
est of The Aiiiiintown congregation.
He expressed himself as glad that a con-
clusiOn in the case had peen reached. With
Mr.. Barnett he was full of sorrow that such
a difficulty exists among one and the same
people, but such cases sometimes arise, and
must be met. We are TO meet this one.
The learned counsel on the other side had
placedgre stress on certain cases cited.
The cases differ from the present case. In
the case cited by the gen;isman for the
plaintiffs, the trouble was about money IN
part, and in part about landed estate. In
the present case there is nothing OF the
kind. There is nothing OF the kind men
toned in the PRAYER of counsel on the other
side.-mr. Patterson here read from reports,
and, proceeding, said that the argument of
Mr. Barnett was based on the idea that We
have seceded. read the 9th section OF the
Bill in Equity to show that the idea Of Sc