the property it

now pos

sesses.

sonas estates, and to appropriate the same for the benefit of the said corporation, in such manner as may be determined on by a majority of the members thereof.

And be it further enacted by the authority Authoriz- aforesaid, That the said corporation shall be ed to hold and it is hereby declared able and capable in law, to have, hold and receive, enjoy, possess and retain, all such other estates, real and personal, money, goods, chattels and effects, not excecding the sum of five thousand pounds value in the whole, which it now possesses or is entitled to, or which have been already given, devised or bequeathed to it, by whatever name such devise of bequest may have been made.

a public

act.

any

And be it further enacted by the authority This act to aforesaid, That this act shall be deemed and taken be deemed as a public act, and notice shall be taken thereof in all courts of justice and elsewhere in this state, and shall be given in evidence on the trial of issue or cause, without special pleading. In the Senate House, the nineteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, and in the fifteenth year of the Independence of the United States of America.

DAVID RAMSAY,

President of the Senate.

JACOB READ,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

An ACT for incorporating the Jewish Congregation at Charleston, called Beth Eloihim, or House of God.

V

HEREAS, by the first section of the eighth article of the constitution of this state, it is declared, that "The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship,

without discrimination or preference, shall for ever hereafter be allowed within this state to all mankind: Provided, That the liberty of conscience thereby ordained, shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or justify practices inconsistent with the peace or safety of the statc." And whereas, the Jewish congregation at Charleston, called Beth Eloibim, or House of God, hath petitioned the legislature to be legally incorporated, with privileges and powers similar to those heretofore granted to religious societies of other sects and denomina

tions:

tion incor

porated.

Be it therefore enacted by the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, now met and sitting in general assembly, and by the authority of the same, That the said congregation Jewish or society above-mentioned, and the several per- congrega sons who now are or shall hereafter be members thereof respectively, and their successors, members and officers thereof, shall be and hereby are declared to be a body corporate, in deed and in name, by the name and style of the Charleston Jewish Congregation of Beth Eloihim, or House of God; and by the said name shall have perpetual succession of officers and members, and a common seal, with power to change, alter and make new the same as often as the said corporation shall judge expedient.

not excee

Be it also enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said corporation shall be able and capa- May hold ble in law, to purchase, have, hold, receive, cn- property, joy, possess and retain to itself in perpetuity or ding 50001. for any term of years, any lands, tenements or hereditaments of what kind or nature soever, not exceeding the value of five thousand pounds, and to sell, alien, exchange or demise or lease the same, or any part thereof, as the said corpoS

ed, and

May se ration shall think proper; and by its said name and be su- to sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, make bye. answer and be answered unto, in any court of faws, &c. law or equity in this state; and to make such rules and bye laws (not repugnant and contrary to the laws of the land) as for the order, rule, good government and management thereof, and for the election of ministers and their maintenance out of any funds belonging to the said congregation, for the erecting and reparation and other expenses and charges of their syna. gogue, maintenance of their poor and indigent members, and support and education of the or. phan children of the said congregation, out of such funds, in such manner as shall be from time to time agreed upon by the adjunta of said congregation or meeting of the elders thereof, chosen by the said corporation.

May reecive do

nations,

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for said corporation to take and to hold for ever, any charitable donations or devises and bequests of lands, not exceeding the value of five thousand pounds, and personal estates, and to appropriate the same for the benefit of said corporation, in such manner as may be determined by the said and choose adjunta or elders of the congregation; and to or displace appoint and choose, and to displace, remove and sters, &c. supply such ministers, officers, servants and

their mini

Allowed to hold

other persons to be employed in the affairs of such corporation; and to appoint such salaries, perquisites and rewards for their labour or ser. vices, out of the funds thereof, as the said corporation shall from time to time approve or think fit.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said corporation shall be caproperty. pable in law, to have, hold and receive, enjoy,

possess and retain all such estates, real or person, al, money, goods, chattels and effects which they now possess, or are entitled unto, or which have been already given, devised or bequeathed thereto, by whatever name such gift, devise or be quest may have been made.

a public

act.

And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That this act shall be deemed and taken as a This act to public act, and notice thereof shall be taken in be deemed all the courts of justice and elsewhere in this state, and shall be given in evidence on the trial of any issue or cause, without special pleading. In the Senate House, the nineteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, and in the fifteenth year of the Independence of the United States of America.

DAVID RAMSAY,

President of the Senate.

JACOB READ,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

An ACT to incorporate the several churches known by the names of the Presbyterian Church of Hopewell on Jeffries creek, the Presbyterian Church of Aimwell on Pedee, the Presbyterian Church of Lebanon on Jackson's creek, and the Baptist Church (Ebenezer) on Jeffries creek.

W

HEREAS sundry persons, inhabitants of the upper part of Prince Frederick's parish, on Jeffries creek, have petitioned the legislature to be admitted a body corporate and politic, in name and in deed, by the name of the Presbyterian Church of Hopewell on Jeffries creek. And whereas sundry other persons, also inhabitants of the upper part of the aforesaid pa.

creek in

ed.

rish, have petitioned the legislature to be incor porated by the name and denomination of the Presbyterian Church of Aimwell on Pedee, And whereas several other persons, inhabitants of Jeffries creek, in St. David's parish, have presented their petition also to be incorporated, by the name and denomination of the Baptist Church Ebenezer, Jeffries creek. And whereas sundry other persons, inhabitants of this state, living on Jackson's creek, have also presented their petition, praying to be incorporated by the name of the Lebanon Society:

Be it therefore enacted by the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, now met and sitting in general assembly, and by the auChurch on thority of the same, That all those who have Jeffries subscribed the petition for incorporating the corporat Presbyterian church of Hopewell on Jeffries creek, who now are, and all those who shall be hereafter duly admitted or become members of that society, according to the rules, orders and constitution of the said society, to be formed, shall be, and they are hereby declared to be one established body, corporate and politic, in deed and in name, by the name and style of the Presbyterian Church of Hopewell on Jeffries creek.

And be it further enacted by the authority Church of aforesaid, That John Ervin, Gavin Witherspoon, John Witherspoon and Eliphalet Hewit, incorpo- and all those who have subscribed the petition

Aimwell

rated.

for incorporating the Presbyterian church of Aimwell on Pedee, who now are, and all those who shall be hereafter duly admitted or become members of that society, according to the rules, orders and constitution of the said society, to be formed, shall be, and they are hereby also declared to be one established body corporate and politic, in deed and in name, by the name and