Wiswell v. First Congregational Church
Wiswell v. First Congregational Church
Opinion of the Court
Two questions, arising upon papers filed since this case was reserved, must be disposed of, before the merits of the case, as it then stood, can be considered. These questions are both addressed to the sound discretion of the court, and in the exercise of such discretion, we have arrived at a conclusion upon them.
■ 1. The plaintiff now moves the court for leave to dismiss the action. This motion is resisted by the defendants, upon the ground, that the answers in the case, are, in substance and legal effect, cross-petitions, calling for affirmative action in their behalf. We think this position well taken. In Hill v. Butler, 6 Ohio St. Rep. 216, it was held, that however unskillfully or inartifieially an answer may be drawn, yet if it contain facts, which in substance amount to a counterclaim,, the court will not permit the defendant to be prejudiced, and will give such affirmative relief as the facts will warrant.
The answer of the trustees of the Congregational Church is made up mostly of a recital of the proceedings of the member» of that church, at meetings convened for the purpose of considering the matters involved in this action ; and gives a copy of a resolution adopted on the 23rd of May, 1859, in these words: — “ Besolved, That the trustees be instructed to enter their appearance in the court of common pleas, in the suit brought by Wm. Wiswell, Jr., against them and others, and ask that court to give judicial sanction to, and to direct the-trusts of the charter to le carried out ly, such sale and division.”
The answer of Robert Hosea, who was admitted to defend for himself and others, described as being about one half the-members of the .church, and one half of the pew owners, is
For reasons hereafter stated, the court is of the opinion, that the answer of the trustees contains matter proper for a ■cross-petition, and we can not understand 'them as asking for less than they were expressly instructed to ask, by those they represented.
As we -do not understand the plaintiff to desire to dismiss his petition unless the whole case is* thereby disposed of, we ■overrule this motion.
2. In the event which has happened, that the motion to dismiss does not prevail, counsel for the plaintiff, who for this purpose represents the present trustees of the church, ask leave to file a supplemental answer, stating in substance, that on the 26th day of May, 1862, at an extra meeting of the church, all previous resolutions for a sale and division of the ■church property, were repealed, and the trustees were instructed to take such measures in relation to the proceedings in court as in their opinion the circumstances might require, in view of this fact. And that the trustees, on the 16th day of February, 1863, adopted a resolution directing them attorney to withdraw their answer, and to disclaim for them any wish to have the property sold.
In answer to this application, sundry affidavits are filed on behalf of those members of the church represented by the answer of‘Robert Hosea, by which it is made very apparent that ■these resolutions were adopted only by one of the parties into ■ which the membership of the church is unfortunately divided, ■to whom the organization had been yielded in the faith of previous arrangements, and who were then in the possession and ■use of the entire church property. The notice only stated that the meeting was convened “for the transaction of business,” and there was nothing to indicate that these extraordinary proceedings were to be had. Indeed, the unfairness of the proceedings, is made still more manifest by the affidavit •of Mr. Kebler. He states that he and another member, belonging to the other division of the church, which had then
These affidavits also show a state of facts, of which we make no account either in this or any other part of this opinion, viz: that the members composing the Church of the Redeemer, relying upon the previous resolutions of the corporation, and before any attempt was made to rescind them, had incurred heavy responsibilities in providing another house of worship. Whether they had thereby acquired such vested rights to a portion of the property of the old church as may be enforced, we neither intend to deny nor affirm; there being nothing in thd case reserved to this court t© require an opinion upon that subject.
Noav, it will be readily conceded, that before a party can be permitted to change the pleadings made up in the court below, after a case comes into this court by reservation, he must make it very apparent that his rights will be sacrificed without it, or that plain injustice will be done him.
This case was reserved at the October term, 1860, of the district court, and at that time an agreed statement of facts was filed, which it was stipulated should thereafter be conceded as the fqcts of the case, and upon which it should be decided. To allow a change of the pleadings now, is to permit this agreement to be violated, new issues to be formed, and other evidence made necessary.' And to what end? Simply that a majority of one party to a church controversy, after removing ■opposition by concessions, may be able to defeat all the ex
3. A brief statement of the facts is necessary to a clear understanding of the questions arising upon the merits of the controversy. ■ The church was incorporated by an act of the ■ general assembly, passed January 21, 1830. In all its features, as its name imports, it was made a Congregational Church, and subject to the control of a majority of its members. Consistently with its charter, it might have adopted almost any form of Christian faith and worship. It did'adopt that known as the Unitarian. Its power to acquire, hold, and dispose of property, is expressed in the third section of the charter, as follows:
“ Sec. 3. That the said corporation, by the name aforesaid, shall be capable, in law, of having, receiving, acquiring and holding, either by gift, grant, devise, or purchase, any estate, real, personal or mixed, which may become the property of the corporation: Provided, that the clear or net annual income of all such property (independent of their house of worship and the parsonage house) shall not exceed the sum of four thousand dollars; and provided also, that all such property, with the house of worship and the parsonage house, shall be considered
All the property now in question, was acquired by the corporation absolutely, and subject to no limitations or trusts except those expressed in the charter.
The controversy in the church, out of which this suit has grown, arose in 1859, and originated in the dissatisfaction of about one half the members of the church, with the preaching of the Rev. Mr. Conway, the settled pastor. Who was in the right, and who wrong, at this stage of the proceedings, is unknown to. us, nor is it material to inquire. On the 21st of March, a meeting of pew owners and pew renters, was called to consider the question of the further retention of Mr. Conway, as pastor; and upon this question being put, a scene of parliamentary skirmishing ensued upon preliminary questions, which in secular bodies would have indicated a doubt with each of the parties, which was likely to succeed upon the main question. That question, however, was left undecided, and the meeting adjourned to the 30th of the month; when, instead of acting upon that question, the meeting (pew owners alone voting), by a vote of twenty-seven to nine, adopted the unpleasant declaration, that the society was so divided in sentiment, that the members could no longer work and worship together as one harmonious whole; and appointed a committee to draft a just plan for a division of the church property,'with instructions to report at the annual meeting to be held on the 4th,of April.
“Resolved, That Messrs. Greene, Carlisle, Goodman and Peters, be appointed a committee with power to sell the church real estate at private sale or public auction, or to lease the same perpetually, at their discretion, and that the trustees convey the same by deed of general warranty, when sold, or if leased, that they execute the necessary lease.
“Resolved, That the trustees, after paying the debts of the church, transfer and hand over to a new board of trustees of a new religious society, to be formed by part of the members of this, such a proportionate part of the proceeds of said church property as fairly may belong to such members forming a new church, reckoning according to the valuation of the pews, including sums now standing to the credit of parties which are not represented by pews.”
The meeting, then, after directing by a unanimous vote a like disposition of the personal property of the church, still further adjourned to the 25th of that month; at which time no sale or lease of the property having been made, the committee was directed to advertise it for sale at auction on the
“Whereas, it is for the interest of this church that its property should be sold, and the proceeds distributed to the two .bodies into which the membership is divided, if' the same can be legally done—
1. “ Resolved, That we consent to a sale of the real estate of the church upon the following terms: one fourth cash, balance in one, two and three years, with interest from the day of sale, payable annually, the deferred payments jo be secured by mortgage on the premises: the proceeds to be equally divided be-this church and the Church of the Redeemer.”
2. “ Resolved, That the trustees be instructed to enter their appearance in the court of common pleas, in the suit brought by William Wiswell against them and others, and ask that court to give judicial sanction to, and to direct the trusts of the charter to be carried out, by such sale and division.”
3. “ Resolved, That the pastor of this church be requested.to offer the use of the church property, for one half the time until the legality of such sale and division is finally adjudicated, .to the Church of the Redeemer, the details of such use to be adjusted by him and the pastor or trustees of that body.”
We have thus, at the hazard of being accused of undue prolixity, made a detailed statement of these proceedings from beginning to end, and it only remains for us to say, that they seem to have been taken with the utmost fairness, deliberation and candor, throughout. We see nothing in them but an honest effort of Christian men and women, tenacious of their rights of conscience and religious belief, to do justice by each other, in the unavoidable separation which was about to ensue. Whether
We agree entirely with the plaintiff’s counsel, that the whole scheme proposed, must stand or fall together, and that all the property held by the corporation, is conclusively bound by the trusts expressed in the charter. It follows, of course, that there can be no sale unless the proposed application of the proceeds is legal; and that the plaintiff, as a member of the corporation, has the undoubted right to prevent, by injunction, the corporation or a majority of its members, from committing a breach of trust. This is one of the oldest and most important heads of equity jurisdiction, and the vast multiplication of corporations in our times, but gives additional reasons for maintaining it in its full integrity.
With these general principles in view, we are prepared to consider the specific objections made to these proceedings.
It is first insisted that no sufficient notice of the meetings at which these resolutions were adopted, was given to the members of the corporation. A conclusive answer to this objection, is, that they were all adopted at the annual meeting, when it was entirely competent to transact this, or any other lawful business. It is true, they were adopted at adjourned sessions ot that meeting. But it is perfectly settled that such adjournments are but a prolongation of the annual meeting. 11 Vermont Rep. 391; 4 Exchequer, 850; 9 Ohio. St. Rep. 479, Bryant v. Goodwin. In point of fact, a special notice was given for the meeting of the 23d of May, which states that it was convened “for the purpose of considering the propriety of selling the real estate of the corporation, and for other purposes.
It is next objected that persons entitled to vote were excluded, at all the meetings of the corporation prior to that of the 23d of May, and that it can not, therefore, be ascertained that a majority of the members of the corporation consented to -the sale. We think this position well taken, and that, for this reason, the injunction was properly granted. The' fifth and .sixth sections of the charter provide:
“ Sec. 5. All elections shall be by ballot, and determined by a majority of votes, each member of the corporation being entitled to one vote in this as in all other matters touching the interests of the corporation.
“ Sec. 6. That an owner of a single pew in the ho$se of worship, shall be entitled to all the privileges of membe^ip.”
It seems to have been supposed that a proper construction of the sixth section, restricted the right of voting to pew owners. This was a grave error. That section, instead of restricting the voting power of the corporation, was intended to enlarge it, by extending “the privileges of membership” to those who might own pews in the house of worship, although not otherwise connected with the church or corporation. Fairly construed, it gave to such persons the same rights in this respect, as were secured to the members of the corporation by the fifth section, and the corporation rightly interpreted its charter, when, in 1855, it provided that all who signed the constitution should become members. To provide that a member should have the “privileges of membership ” would be little less than absurd; but to extend to one not a member, the rights secured to a member would be entirely consistent, and might be very expedient and necessary.
By the fourth section, the first election of trustees was to be made on the second Monday of February, 1830. Upon the construction contended for, there would then have been no voters, unless, without organization, between the passage of
The persons named in the act of incorporation had the right to ehoose and admit their associates, and this right, in perpetual succession, belongs to a majority of those who, at any time, constitute the membership of the church; and while they may at pleasure receive or reject whomsoever they please, they can not deprive one received into the society of the right to vote “in all matters touching the interests of the corporation.” Robertson v. Bullions, 1 Kern. 247; Wyatt v. Benson, 28 Barb. 327; Milford, etc. Turnpike Company v. Brush, 10 Ohio Rep. 113.
Thjs objection, however, does not apply to the resolutions adopted at the meeting of the 23d of May, at which • all who coul||iay. any claim to the right, were admitted and did vote. But it is objected that this was done after the suit was commenced’and the injunction allowed; and it is insisted, that these proceedings can neither be used as a defense to the action, nor as a foundation for affirmative relief. We are of a different opinion. A moment’s attention to the nature of the action, and the character of the relief sought by the petition, will place this matter .in a clear light. No right of the plaintiff for which he demanded reparation in damages or otherwise, had yet been invaded; but because he did, and had reason to fear there would be, he asked an injunction. The remedy sought was purely preventive-, and in such cases, it is perfectly well settled that a court of equity will not continue or make perpetual, an injunction, after the cause upon which it was granted has been removed, and the danger of invading the rights of the plaintiff no longer exists. The wffiole is then reduced to a mere question of costs.
The plaintiff truthfully asserted in his petition, that the members of the corporation, had not then given their consent to the sale and division; but when they did afterward give their consent, in the mode prescribed in the charter, this no longer
And this brings us to the direct question, does the charter allow the proposed sale and division? That the corporation, with the consent and approval of a majority of the members, may sell the property, is not doubted. This is incident to every corporation, unless expressly restrained, and by this charter is clearly and distinctly allowed. But does the proposed application of a part of the proceeds, fall within the-trusts expressed in the charter ? This question is not without difficulty, and'we have endeavored to bestow upon it very careful attention. 'The argument is, that the dissatisfied members to whom it is to be paid, are simply seceders from the old organization ; and the well-settled doctrine is invoked, that they
Nor is it material whether the seceders were a majority or a minority of the old organization. They left it; and that is •enough. Baker v. Fales, 16 Mass. 503, 504; Den v. Bolton, 7 Halsted, 214, 215; Cammeyer v. Corporation of the United German Lutheran Churches, 2 Sandf. Ch. Rep. 214.
Where dissensions have arisen, and schism follows, although it be decided, judicially, that there is no intelligible difference in doctrine or opinion, those who adhere to the old organization are entitled to its property in exclusion of all others Craigdallie v. Aikman, 2 Bligh, 529; Same Case, on former appeal, 1 Dow’s Pari. Cas. 15, 16; Foley v. Wontner, 2 Jac. & Walk. 247. See, also, Field v. Field, 9 Wend. 394.
But with these doctrines distinctly admitted and approved, it must be conceded that no one of the authorities cited, presents the case of a separation by the consent and approval of the old organization. The question here is not, what may those who go out demand, but what may the old organization lawfully concede. That both the parties to the controversy in the church, were lawful members of the corporation, is undoubted. When and how did one of these parties become seceders ? Not certainly, by differing “ widely” with Mr. Conway “in his views of Christian truth.” The very fundamental idea upon which the church was founded, not only allowed, but •encouraged such freedom of thought, action and belief; as was said by this court in a similar case: “ It does not follow, that they lose their property by ceasing to entertain certain opinions. The declaration of faith under which they were organized, contains no attempt to bind them to abide in the same belief. * * * The opinions of such a body can not but change. To fix their fleeting wherries; to anchor them immovably in the stream of time, is beyond human power; for the mind at least is free; ranging by its inherent strength ■through the boundless fields of knowledge, molding its belief
It was certainly the legal right of both these contending, parties to remain together, and strive for the mastery, until one or the other had triumphed, and the majority had adopted such a form of faith and teachiug, as to make it morally impossible that the minority should remain; and in such case, there is no doubt they must go out naked. But was this also-a legal necessity ? Or might they not, sensible that strife and contention were destructive of their influence for good, and acting upon those principles of morality, justice and moderation which so essentially adorn the Christian character, honestly decide that a separation in peace, with such an equitable division of the common property as would enable each to enter upon a career of usefulness, would promote the best interests of their entire church?
No ease like the present is cited in argument, nor has any fallen under our observation; but the elementary writers, Angelí and Ames, after stating the general principle that those who secede are entitled to no part of the corporate property, add as an unquestionable limitation upon the rule — “ unless indeed there be an agreement made for the partition of it.” A. & A. on Corp. sec. 194. And .it is certain that judges of the highest eminence have strongly recommended that course. Oh. J. Gibson, at the close of his opinion in Methodist Church v. Remington, 1 Watts, 227, says : “ It certainly would conduce no less to the temporal than to the spiritual comfort of the parties, were they to part in peace, having, settled their respective claims to the property on the basis of mutual and liberal concession.” And in Presbyterian Congregation v. Johnson, 1 W. & S. 40, the same distinguished judge, in answer to the inquiry, where the minority were to look for redress, says, the appeal being “to the justice and forbearance of the majority of the association, whose very object is to deal justly, love mercy, and walk humbly, it is to be supposed that
Whether there has been a secession is a mixed question of .law and fact, to be decided upon the evidence with a view to all the circumstances, including the acts of the parties and the motives which have prompted such acts. Wekerly v. Leyer, 11 Serg. & R. 38; Baptist Church v. Rouse, 21 Conn. 166.
Upon a careful review of all the evidence, we are clearly of .the opinion that none of these parties have lost their membership in the corporation, but are still entitled to all the rights -.and privileges of that position. So far from their having .abandoned the exercise of these rights, the record shows them present at all the meetings, and voting without question from any one ; and the very house of worship has been, by mutual agreement, occupied by each of the parties. Undoubtedly, there has been a provisional separation, founded upon the consent of a majority of the corporation, that the property should be equally divided. But while this remains unexecuted, neither party can be permitted to take advantage of .that fact.
That the property acquired by this corporation, can not be converted to the private use of its members, nor otherwise diverted from the uses expressed in the charter, is a proposition •too clear to need argument or illustration. But the question is, what are the uses allowed by the charter ? One of them, and as we hold wholly unaffected by the other purposes ex■pressed, allows the corporation to dispose of the property “for the purpose of promoting the interest of their church.” These are very broad words. The artificial being created by law is a simple trustee for the collective membership of the church. Whatever will best promote the interest of this membershipj considered as such, is within the terms, and, we think, within the spii’it of the grant. It was no part of the object for which this corparation was created, to enable it to accumulate
As this injunction was properly allowed when the petition
Reference
- Full Case Name
- William Wiswell v. The First Congregational Church of Cincinnati, and Others
- Status
- Published