New York Annual Conference Ministers Mutual Assistance Society v. Executors of Clarkson

8 N.J. Eq. 541

• Court: New Jersey Court of Chancery
• Decided: March 15, 1851
• Status: Published

Opinion

The Chancellor.

The evidence shows, that the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States is divided into Conferences, Districts, Circuits and Stations; that the Ministers having charge of churches must belong to a Conference, which meets annually, called an Annual Conference; that there are territorial boundaries to which the term Annual Conference is applied, as The New York Annual Conference; The New Jersey Annual Conference; that the words “ Annual Conference ” are used to designate the local division of the Church, and are also used as meaning all the Preachers having charge of churches in 'that division of the Church. There is, then, in the Methodist '"Episcopal Church, a body known as The New York Conference. The will sufficiently describes this body as The New York Methodist Conference. As part of the corporate name of the complainants we have “ The New York Annual Conference.” This -is shown'by the evidence to be a body or division of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The words of the bequest sufficiently describe this New York Annual Conference.

The corporate name of the complainants denotes a Society of the Ministers of the New York Annual Conference for their mutual assistance. The words of the bequest denote a Society df the New York Methodist Conference, (that is of Ministers of thé New York ‘Methodist Conference,) for the support of Preachers.

Upon the evidence in the casej I have no doubt that the complainants are the legatees intended by the will.

Decree for complainants.