Finley v. Brent

Citations

• 87 Va. 103
• 11 L.R.A. 214
• 12 S.E. 228
• 1890 Va. LEXIS 98

Syllabus

<p>1. Religious Congregations—Division—Rights in property—Case at bar.—H. granted property in trust for the sole and exclusive benefit of the religious congregation of regular orthodox Methodist Protestants of a certain locality. The majority of the congregation left that church and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church: held, such majority cannot take with them such property for the use of the latter church.</p> <p>2. Constitution—Impairment of contracts.—Act of February 18th, 1867 (Acts 1866-7, p. 649), when applied to property theretofore granted in trust for a particular congregation, alters the terms of the trust and impairs the obligation of the contract, and is repugnant both to the Federal and State constitutions.</p>