Page:1862 Territory of Dakota Session Laws.pdf/429

412 tion, or religious society to choose a president of the said corporation, and of their meetings by a vote as aforesaid; and, at the election provided for in this chapter, every person of full age, who has statedly worshipped with such church, congregation, or society, and has been formerly considered as belonging thereto, shall be entitled to a vote.

. 3. The minister of such congregation or society, and in case of his death or absence, one of the elders or deacons, church-wardens or vestrymen thereof, and, for want of such officers, any other person being a stated hearer in such church, congregation, or society, shall publicly notify the congregation of the time when and the place where the said election shall be held, at least fifteen days before the day of election; and such notification shall be given for two successive Sabbaths, on which such church, congregation, or society shall statedly meet for public worship preceding the election.

. 4. Any two of the elders, deacons, church-wardens, or vestrymen such church, congregation, or society, or, if such officers shall not be present, then any two voters present, to be nominated by a majority of the voters, shall preside at such election, receive the votes and determine the qualifications of voters; and they shall, immediately after the election, certify, under their hands and seals, the names of the persons elected to serve as trustees, in which certificate the name by which the said trustees, under their successors in office, shall forever thereafter be called and known, shall be particularly mentioned and specified.

. 5. Such certificate shall be acknowledged by the persons making the same, or proved by a subscribing witness thereto, before some officer authorized to take the acknowledgment of deeds, and recorded together with the certificate of such acknowledgment or proof, by the register of deeds of the county in which the church or place of worship shall be situated, in a book provided by him for that purpose, who shall be entitled to receive seventy-five cents for such record; and thereafter such trustees and their successors shall be a body corporate, by the name expressed in such certificate.

. 6. Such trustees may have a common seal, and may alter the same at pleasure; and they may take into their possession and custody all the temporalities of such church, congregation, or society, whether the same shall consist of real or personal estate, and whether the same may have been