The above from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel

Not marked; probably the piece given by Mrs. Catharine

Malbone.

39 8

23 O

One gold-lined jewelled Chalice and Paten, in memory of Daniel LeRoy.

One gold-lined jewelled Chalice and Paten, in memory of Samuel Engs,

late Junior Warden.

Two Patens.

One small Flagon.

One gold-lined Spoon.

CHARTER OF TRINITY CHURCH,

WITH AMENDMENTS.

STATE OF RHODE-ISLAND & PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS,

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, OCT. SESSION, A.D. 1816.

WHEREAS, the Minister, Church-Wardens, Vestry and Congregation of TRINITY CHURCH in NEWPORT, have preferred a Petition unto this General Assembly, and for the reasons therein assigned, have prayed this Assembly to alter, amend and enlarge their original Charter of Incorporation, granted them in the Year 1769, and to extend the powers and provisions thereof, so as to suit the present state of the concerns; to enable them, with greater convenience, to manage and secure the Property and Funds of which they are now, or may be hereafter possessed, and to promote and establish the Worship of ALMIGHTY GOD, according to the discipline, rites, canons, usages, ceremonies and liturgy of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the United States of America:

SECTION I.-Be it therefore Enacted, That the Minister, Church-Wardens, Vestry and Congregation of said Church, be, and they and their successors forever are hereby made and constituted, and confirmed to be, a body corporate and politic, with perpetual succession, by the Name of The Minister, the Church-Wardens, Vestry and Congregation of Trinity Church, in Newport, and by that Name shall be able and capable in law, to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded, to answer and to be answered unto, to defend and to be defended against, in all Courts and places, and before all proper Judges whomsoever; to take, receive and hold all monies and other property, real or personal, by voluntary subscription, contribution, donation or otherwise, and also all legacies and devises of real and personal estate; and also to have, acquire, hold, occupy, possess and enjoy lands, tenements and hereditaments, goods and chattels, and property of every description, not exceeding in the

whole Forty Thousand Dollars, and all and singular the estate and prop. erty aforesaid; to lease, grant, convey or dispose of in such manner as they may judge best for the interest of said Corporation, to have and use a common seal, and the same to alter, or renew at pleasure, with full power and authority to make and ordain all such laws, rules, and ordinances, for the government of the Corporation, and the better management of the affairs thereof, as they or the major part of them, who may be present on due notification, may deem necessary and proper, provided the same be not repugnant to the laws of this State, and Constitution and Laws of the United States.

SEC. II. And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all the Funds and Property now owned or possessed by said Corporation, be and the same is hereby vested in, confirmed to, and continued in the same Corporation.

SEC. III.—And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That there shall be an Annual Meeting of said Corporation on Easter Monday, yearly and every year, at which meeting there shall, and at any other legal meeting there may be, if vacancies should happen, elected two Church-Wardens, who shall be ex-officio Vestry-men; eleven other Vestry-men, a Secretary, who shall also be Clerk of the Vestry, and such other Officers as may be judged necessary. And that legal meetings of said Corporation may be called at any time, by the Minister of said Trinity-Church, by either of the Church-Wardens, by any five Vestrymen, or any ten members of said Corporation; and at any of the meetings aforesaid, any of the affairs and business of said Corporation may be attended to, transacted and performed. And although said Corporation should not, from any cause or circumstance whatever, hold their Annual Meeting on Easter-Monday yearly, and every year hereafter, yet this Act shall nevertheless continue and be in full force, and Officers may be elected, and the affairs and business of said Corporation may be transacted and performed at any subsequent meeting which may be called in either of the modes before stated.

SEC. IV.—And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Church-Wardens and Vestry-men elected by said Corporation, shall for the time being, have the entire and sole control, management and disposition of all the property and funds of said Corporation, in trust nevertheless, and for the use of said Corporation, for the sole support and promotion of the public worship of GOD, as in the preamble of this Act expressed, for defraying the incidental expenses thereof, and for the

repairs of the Church edifice and 'its appurtenances.-That the said Corporation shall on Easter-Monday annually, or oftener if it should become necessary, for the security of the property and funds aforesaid, elect a Treasurer, who shall keep fair and accurate accounts of the Property and Funds aforesaid, and of the management and disposition of the same; and shall attend when required, and shall have a right at all times to attend the meetings of the Vestry, and shall at every Annual Meeting on EasterMonday, make a written statement, or report of the same, to the said Corporation; and shall, when required by a vote of said Corporation, or by a vote of said Church-Wardens and Vestry-men, make further statements and reports of the same, and shall produce the books, vouchers and documents, containing the accounts and statements of the property and funds aforesaid, and the use, management and disposition of the same, which shall be open to their inspection and examination.-And the Treasurer, previous to entering on the duties of his Office, shall annually give satisfactory bonds to the said Corporation, for the faithful discharge of the duties of his said office.

SEC. V.—And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That each Male Owner of a pew in Trinity-Church in Newport, or lessee or hirer of the same for One Year, or a longer time, and who professes to attend public worship therein, shall be a Member of said Corporation, and be entitled to appear and vote in all Corporation Meetings, and that in all such Meetings, eleven members shall be necessary to constitute a quorum.

SEC. VI.—And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Minister of said Church, shall be elected by the Corporation aforesaid, at a meeting of said Corporation legally called; and the Minister by them thus elected, shall, as soon as may be instituted Rector, according to the office set forth for that purpose by the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church as aforesaid.

SEC. VII. And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the minister so elected and instituted Rector, shall thereafter, while he continues such, be ex officio a member of said Corporation, and when present, Moderator thereof at all meetings of the same.-That he shall have a right at any time, to inspect the Books and Records of the Corporation. That it shall be his right and duty, from time to time, to state verbally or in writing, the condition of the affairs of the Corporation, and to recommend such measures as he deems advisable for its benefit, to the meetings of the Wardens and Vestry-men, at which meetings one of the Church-Wardens, or Senior Vestry-men present, shall be Moderator;

and in all meetings of said Wardens and Vestry-men, seven Members shall be necessary to constitute a quorum, each Member being entitled to one Vote, excepting the Moderator, who shall only be entitled to give the casting vote.

SEC. VIII. And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all donations made, or that may be made to said Corporation, or that ensue, or may ensue to their use, shall be strictly used and applied according to the intentions and directions of the donors; and that all deeds and conveyances made by said Corporation, shall be made by the Treasurer thereof for the time being, when authorized by a recorded vote or resolution of the Wardens and Vestry, to which said deeds and conveyances the seal of said Corporation shall be affixed.

SEC. IX. And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That whenever any tax or proportion of money shall be assessed by order of said Corporation upon the pews of the said Church edifice, for the repairs of said edifice and its appurtenances, which are already or may hereafter be made, or for the expenses of said Corporation, such tax or proportion of money shall be paid by the several owners of such pews, agreeably to their respective assessments, and the rules and ordinances of said Corporation; and in case any owner as aforesaid shall, for the space of three months after the notice of any tax or proportion of money assessed as aforesaid, refuse or neglect to pay the same, the pews of such delinquents shall and may be sold by order of said Corporation, at public Auction, for the payment and discharge of such taxes and costs: Provided nevertheless, That such sale be previously advertised, at least thirty days before such pews shall be offered for sale, and the surplus money (if any) after the payment of such taxes and costs, shall be lodged with the Treasurer of said Corporation, to be paid over to such delinquents, or their legal Representatives, on demand.

SEC. X. And be it further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Charter aforesaid, of one thousand seven hundred and sixty-nine, granted to the said Minister, Wardens and Congregation of said Trinity Church, and the subsequent amendments thereto, be, and they hereby are, with the assent and at the request of said Minister, Wardens and Congregation, repealed, abrogated and annulled.-Provided nevertheless, That all acts legally done, and all responsibilities legally incurred, and all by-laws, resolves and regulations passed under said Charter and amendments, shall be and remain in full force and virtue.

A TRUE COPY:-WITNESS,

SAMUEL EDDY, Secretary.