be elected from such societies in proportion to their respective interests in the union church or society, as nearly as may be. Any society composing such union church or society, which has built for itself a church.edifice and become incorporated, may sell its interest and right of occupancy in such union society, and convey the same, when authorized so to do by a two-thirds vote of the voters thereof qualified to vote for union trustees, at a special meeting called for that purpose. The proceeds of such sale shall be used for the benefit of its church property. [L. 1881, ch. 327, §§ 1-6; R. S., 8th ed., 1911.

Without change of substance.]

ARTICLE VIL

Laws Repealed; When to Take Effect.

Section 110. Laws repealed.

111. When to take effect.

§ 110. Laws repealed.-Of the laws enumerated in the schedule hereto annexed, that portion specified in the last column is repealed.

[As to effect of repeal, see general corporation law, §§ 35-36; statutory construction law, §§ 31-33; and notes to § 2 of religious corporation law.]

§ 111. When to take effect. This chapter shall take effect October 1, 1895.

Schedule of Laws Repealed.

Revised laws of 1813, ch. 60, entitled "An act to provide for the incorporation of religious societies." All.

LAWS RELATING TO RELIGIOUS CORPORA

TIONS.

L. 1854, Chapter 218-An act for the incorporation of societies to establish free churches.

Section 1. Corporation, how formed.-Any seven or more persons of full age, citizens of the United States, and a majority of them being residents of this state, who shall associate themselves for the purpose of founding and continuing one or more free churches, may make, sign, and acknowledge, before any officer authorized to take the acknowledgment of deeds of land to be recorded in this state, and may file in the office of the secretary of state, and also of the clerk of the county in which any such church is to be established, a certificate in writing, in which shall be stated the name or title by which such society shall be known in the law, the purpose of its organization, and the names of seven trustees, of whom not less than five shall be persons who are not ministers of the gospel or priests of any denomination, to manage the same; but such certificate shall not be filed, unless with the written consent and approbation of a justice of the supreme court of the district in which any such church shall be intended to be established, or in the city of New York of a judge of the superior court of the said city, to be indorsed on such certificate.

§ 2. Rights, powers and limitations.-Upon the filing of such certificate, the persons named therein as trustees, and their successors, being citizens of the United States and residents of this state, shall be a body politic and corporate, with all the rights, powers and duties, and subject to all the restrictions and obligations and other provisions, so far as the same may be applicable and consistent with this act, specified and contained in the act

entitled "An act for the incorporation of benevolent, charitable, scientific and missionary societies," passed April 12, 1848, and the act amending the same, passed April 7, 1849, except that the limitation in the first of the said acts of the value of the real estate that may be held by any society in the city or county of New York, incorporated under this act, shall not be applicable to any church edifice erected or owned by such society, or the lot of ground on which the same may be built; and except that the provision in the first of the said acts, in relation to the personal liability of the trustees, shall be applicable only to the trustees who shall have assented to the creation of any debt.

§ 3. Vacancies.- Any vacancies occurring in the said board of trustees shall be supplied by the remaining trustees at any legal meeting of the members; but there shall always be at least five members of the board who are not ministers of the gospel or priests of any denomination.

§ 4. Seats and news to be free.-The seats and pews in every church, building or edifice, owned or occupied by any corporation organized under this act, shall be forever free for the Occupation and use, during public worship, of all persons choosing to occupy the same, and conducting themselves with propriety, and no rent, charge or exaction shall ever be made or demanded for such occupation or use; nor shall any real estate belonging to any such corporation be sold or mortgaged by the trustees thereof, unless by the direction of the supreme court, to be given in the same manner and in the like cases as provided by law in relation to religious incorporations.

L. 1872, Chapter 424-An act to provide for the dissolution of religious societies, except in the city and county of New York, and for the sale and disposition of the proceeds of the property of such socities.

Section 1. When and how religious societies may be dissolved and property sold; proceeds, how disposed of.-Whenever any religious society incorporated by law shall cease to act in its corporate capacity and keep up the religious services, it