Bliem v. Schultz

Citations

• 170 Pa. 563
• 33 A. 337
• 1895 Pa. LEXIS 1437

Syllabus

<p>Equity — Practice—Costs—Discretion of court — Church law.</p> <p>In an equity suit between contending factions in a church congregation where it appears that the church corporation was a party defendant, and that the other defendants, who were the officers of the church and supported by a majority of the congregation, made a defense in good faith, the court in entering a decree in favor of the plaintiffs may impose all of the costs upon the corporation. Krecker v. Shirey, 163 Ta. 534, followed.</p> <p>Church law — Title to moneys collected — Equity.</p> <p>Where the officers and majority of a congregation adhere in good faith to a pastor who is subsequently declared by a court of equity not to be entitled to the office of pastor, the officers will not be required to account to the legal pastor'for the moneys received by them as voluntary contributions for the support of the pastor to whom they adhered. They must, however, account for the contributions and collections for general purposes of the church corporation such as missionary, educational funds, etc.</p>