CHURCH. A society of persons who pro fess the Christian religion. Den v. Bolton, 12 N. J. L. 206, 214; Stebbins v. Jennings, 10 Pick. (Mass.) 193 ; German Reformed Church v. Com., 3 Pa. 282 ; St. Johns Church v. Harms, 31 Pa. 9.
The place where such persons regularly assemble for worship. Blair v. Odin, 3 Tex. 288, The term church includes the chancel, aisles, and body of the church. Hamm. N. P. 204; Blair v. Odin, 3 Tex. 288. By the English law, the terms church or chapel, and church-yard, are expreesly recognized as in themselves correct and technical descriptions of the building and place, even in criminal proceedings ; 8 B. & C. 26; 1 Salk. 256; 11 Co. 25 b; 2 Esp. 6, 28.
Burglary may be committed In a church, at common law ; 3 Cox, Cr. Cas. 581.
The church of England is not a corpora tion aggregate ; but the church in any par ticular place is so considered, for the pur poses at least of receiving a gift of lands; Town of Pawlet v. Clark, 9 Cra. (U. S.) 292, 3 L. Ed. 735; Lockwood v. Weed, 2 Conn. 287 ; Stone v. Griffin, 3 Vt. 400; Wilson v. Presbyterian Church, 2 ?Rich. Eq. (S. C.) 192. See Rice v. Osgood, 9 Mass. 44; Sawyer v. Baldwin, 11 Pick. (Mass.) 495; Proprietors of Town of Shapleigh v. Pilsbury, 1 Greenl. (Me.) 288 ; Blair v. Odin, 3 Tex. 288; Afri can Methodist Bethel Church v. Carmack, 2 Md. Ch. Dec. 143.
As to the right of succession to glebe lands, see Terrett v. Taylor, 9 Cra. (U. K.)
43, 3 L. Ed. 650; Town of Pawlett v. Clark, 9 Cra. (U. S.) 292, 3 L. Ed. 735 ; Mason v. Muncaster, 9 Wheat. (U. S.) 468, 6 L Ed. 131; or other church property, see Wheaton v. Gates, 18 N. Y. 395. As to the power of a church to make by-laws, etc., under local statutes, see Com. v. Cain, 5 S. & It. (Pa.) 510 ; German Reformed Church v. Com., 3 Pa. 282 ; Vestry of St. Luke's Church v. Mathews, 4 Des. (S. C.) 578, 6 Am. Dec. 619: Perrin v. Granger, 30 Vt. 595; Farnsworth v. Storrs, 5 Cush. (Mass.) 412. Acquiescence in and use of a constitution for over 50 years makes it valid and binding on the society; Schlichter v. Keiter, 156 Pa. 119, 27 Ali. 45, 22 L. R. A. 161; Bear v. Heasley, 98 Mich. 279, 57 N. W. 270, 24 L. R. A. 615.
See RELIGIOUS Socrery.
A municipal corporation may stipulate, un der its charter authority to contract for a water supply, that churches be furnished with water free of charge ; Independent School Dist. of Le Mars v. Water & Light Co., 131 Ia. 14, 107 N. W. 944, 10 L. R. A. (N. S.) 859. In a statute limiting the height of buildings the exception of churches does not deprive owners of private property of the equal protection of the laws ; Cochran v. Preston, 108 Md. 220, 70 Ati. 113, 23 is B. A. (N. S.) 1163, 129 Am. St. Rep. 432, 15 Ann. Cas. 1048.