EVANGELICAL CHURCHES
Act 94 of 1899
AN ACT to provide for the incorporation of churches of the Evangelical association; and to impose certain duties upon the department of commerce.

History: 1899, Act 94, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1899 ;-- Am. 1982, Act 444, Eff. Mar. 30, 1983

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

458.451 Evangelical church; incorporators.

Sec. 1.

It shall be lawful for any number of members of the Evangelical association of full age, not less than 5, to organize and secure the incorporation of a church according to the usage of the Evangelical association, under the provisions hereof.

History: 1899, Act 94, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1899 ;-- CL 1915, 10962 ;-- CL 1929, 10983 ;-- CL 1948, 458.451

458.452 Articles; execution; certificate of consent.

Sec. 2.

The persons desiring to organize such church shall execute and acknowledge, before any person authorized to take acknowledgment of deeds, articles of incorporation, in writing, whereby they shall agree to organize a church which shall be governed by the discipline, rules, usages and ministerial appointments of the Evangelical association. To such articles of incorporation the pastor in charge shall attach a certificate assuring his consent.

History: 1899, Act 94, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1899 ;-- CL 1915, 10963 ;-- CL 1929, 10984 ;-- CL 1948, 458.452

458.453 Articles; contents.

Sec. 3.

Said articles of incorporation shall contain the following items:

First. The name of the church and the town, village or city and the county and state where located.

Second. An agreement to incorporate in the interests of religion and the spread of scriptural holiness, according to the discipline, rules and usages of the Evangelical association.

Third. The number of trustees, not less than 3, who shall have charge of the affairs of said church, and the time of the annual meeting thereof.

Fourth. The time for which said corporation shall be created.

History: 1899, Act 94, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1899 ;-- CL 1915, 10964 ;-- CL 1929, 10985 ;-- CL 1948, 458.453

458.454 Articles of incorporation; execution in duplicate; filing articles and certificate; body politic or corporation; powers, rights, and privileges.

Sec. 4.

Such articles of incorporation shall be executed in duplicate. One copy shall be retained by such corporation, and 1 copy shall be filed with the corporation and securities bureau of the department of commerce. When said articles of incorporation and said certificate of the preacher in charge shall have been filed with the corporation and securities bureau of the department of commerce, the said persons so signing said articles of association, and their associates and fellow members of said church, and all that may thereafter become members of said church as shown by its records from time to time shall thereby become and thenceforth be a body politic or corporation by the name expressed in said articles of incorporation, with all the powers, rights, and privileges appertaining to religious corporations by the law of this state.

History: 1899, Act 94, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1899 ;-- CL 1915, 10965 ;-- CL 1929, 10986 ;-- CL 1948, 458.454 ;-- Am. 1982, Act 444, Eff. Mar. 30, 1983

458.455 Church government; ecclesiastical polity.

Sec. 5.

Said churches, when so incorporated, shall be in all matters of church government and ecclesiastical polity subject to the discipline, rules and usages of the Evangelical association as from time to time authorized and declared by the general conference of said church and the annual conference in whose bounds such corporation is situated.

History: 1899, Act 94, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1899 ;-- CL 1915, 10966 ;-- CL 1929, 10987 ;-- CL 1948, 458.455

458.456 Meetings.

Sec. 6.

Said church when so organized may provide by by-laws for such regular and special meetings of the members thereof as may be deemed essential for the full exercise of the powers granted or reserved hereby.

History: 1899, Act 94, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1899 ;-- CL 1915, 10967 ;-- CL 1929, 10988 ;-- CL 1948, 458.456

458.457 Powers of corporation; rights of ministers, presiding elders and bishops.

Sec. 7.

Said church when so organized shall have all the rights, privileges and immunities appertaining to such religious corporations. It may sue and be sued; it may take and hold property both real and personal as may be necessary for the proper execution of the purpose for which it was incorporated; it may hold so much land as may be necessary for the proper purposes of said church and parsonage; it may sell, mortgage or lease real estate, when so directed by a majority of the members thereof in regular meeting. Said corporation shall at all times permit such ministers belonging to the Evangelical association as shall from time to time be duly authorized by the general conference or the annual conference within whose bounds such corporation is situated, to preach and expound God's word; and shall permit duly appointed pastors, presiding elders and bishops to perform the functions incident to their offices in accordance with the discipline and usages of the Evangelical association.

History: 1899, Act 94, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1899 ;-- CL 1915, 10968 ;-- CL 1929, 10989 ;-- CL 1948, 458.457

458.458 Articles of incorporation; alteration or amendment; execution and filing.

Sec. 8.

It shall be lawful for any church organized under the provisions of this act, by a majority of the members of said church, to alter or amend its articles of incorporation in any manner not inconsistent with this act, and such alteration or amendment shall become operative when a majority of the members of said church of full age shall execute amended articles, and said amended articles shall have been executed in the manner provided for in section 3 of this act, and shall have been filed as stated in section 4 of this act.

History: 1899, Act 94, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1899 ;-- CL 1915, 10969 ;-- CL 1929, 10990 ;-- CL 1948, 458.458 ;-- Am. 1982, Act 444, Eff. Mar. 30, 1983

458.459 Reincorporation under act; procedure.

Sec. 9.

Any church of the Evangelical association heretofore incorporated, or the trustees of which have heretofore exercised the powers of a body corporate may place itself under the provisions of this act by a majority of the members of said church executing articles of incorporation according to section 3 of this act, and recording the same as provided for in section 4 of this act.

History: 1899, Act 94, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1899 ;-- CL 1915, 10970 ;-- CL 1929, 10991 ;-- CL 1948, 458.459

458.460 Construction of acts.

Sec. 10.

In all proceedings that may arise or be brought in any of the courts of this state touching or in any way concerning churches that may be incorporated under this act, all other acts or parts of acts shall be so interpreted and construed as to give full force and effect to the provisions of this act, and to all the rights and privileges granted by this act to churches incorporated thereunder.

History: 1899, Act 94, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1899 ;-- CL 1915, 10971 ;-- CL 1929, 10992 ;-- CL 1948, 458.460

Rendered 8/15/2025 11:56 PM
Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 5 of 2025
Courtesy of legislature.mi.gov