Trustees of the Parsonage Fund in Fryeburg v. Ripley
Trustees of the Parsonage Fund in Fryeburg v. Ripley
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court in Cumberland, at the adjournment of May term in August following.
This case presents two questions for our decision. 1. Whether the note declared on was given upon a good and legal consideration; and if it was, 2. Whether there has been a failure of consideration, whereby the defendant has become discharged from all liability.
But he contends that upon the facts of the case, he is relieved from all liability to pay the contested portion of the note declared on. If the defence is a good one, it must be so either on the ground that the terms and conditions on which he subscribed the $100 in question have been violated without his consent, and to his serious injury; or else that by virtue of our constitutional and statutory provisions he is discharged from such liability.
' The terms and conditions on which the defendant and others subscribed to the fund in question are in writing, and compose a part of the contract created by such subscription ; of course no. parol proof is admissible to shew their extent or meaning, or any expectations on the part of the defendant, operating as motives at the time of signing the subscription paper, and making the contract .it contains. Now, upon examination of this paper, we find that the only terms and con-ditio'ns imposed by the subscribers to the fund were, that the interest should be “ appropriated for the support of a learned, pious, faithful gospel minister of the congregational order, settled and ordained over the church and society in said parish,” except what relates to the place of worship. Nothing is found in it which has any relation to the articles of faith and covenant then approved and in use in the church, or as to their continuance or alteration. It is not pretended that Mr. Hurd was not, at the time of subscription, and ever since has been, a learned, pious and faithful gospel minister, of the congre-tional order ; but the complaint of the defendant is that since he was ordained, the articles of faith have been altered, and that his preach
The next inquiry is whether other circumstances, independent of the terms and conditions of the contract, furnish a valid defence. This, we think, is easily answered. Though by our statute, a man may, by a compliance with its provisions, relieve himself from the obligation into which a corporation, of which he was a member, entered ; that is, may leave one parish and join or not join another, and thus free himself from his corporate contract; yet this principle is applicable only in such cases. But iu the case before us there is no corporate contract; each subscriber has entered into a personal contract, binding him in his individual capacity. Having done this, he cannot absolve himself from his obligation, nor can the facts of which the defendant complains amount to an absolution. It is true the articles of faith have in some particulars been changed, and the doctrines inculcated by Mr. Hurd are different from such as were anticipated at the time of his settlement. Still, whatever effect such a change of sentiments, articles of faith, and inculcated doctrines might have upon a contract entered into between a minister and a parish, in its corporate capacity, it certainly has no influence upon an express personal contract. The opinions and ruling of the judge were correct, and there must be
Judgment on the verdict.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The trustees of the parsonage fund in Fryeburg v. Ripley
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published