Chap. 233.— \n ACT to incorporate the Relief Society of the Poor
of the Cumberland Street Methodist Episcopal Chiueh, South, of
Norfolk, Virginia, and to provide a home for the same.

Approved March 3, 1879.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
Lemuel Peed, James Simmons, Caleb Dawly, W. H. Fletcher,
C.S. Almand, and others, stewards of the Cumberland street
Methodist Episcopal church, south, of Norfoll, Virginia, and
their successors in office, be and they are hereby made a body
corporate and politic, by the name of The Relief Society for the
Poor of fhe Cumberland Street Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, of Norfolk, Virginia; and by that name shall have per-
petual succession and a common seal, and may sue and be
sued, plead and be impleaded.

2. The said first corporators and the survivors of them, and
their successors, shall have power, from time to time, and at
all times, by resolutions of a majority present at a corporate
meeting, and entered in their book of minntes, to appomt such
officers as they may deem needful.

3. The said corporation shall have power to receive money
or personal property. by gift or bequest, for the purpose afore-
said, and shall also have power to receive, by purchase or grant
or devise, and hold, temporarily or 1 perpetuity, lands in the
city of Norfolk aforesaid to amounts not exceeding In the
whole one acre. and may erect for a home such buildings as
the corporators may deem necessary in that respect, and to
provide the same with proper furniture and accommodations :
provided, that the money and other personal property shall not
exceed two hundred thousand dollars: and provided further,
that should said corporation cease to exist from any cause
whatever, then and in that event the lands of sail corporation
shall be taken and held by any person whom the donor shall
designate in the deed or will giving said lands.

4, The first corporate meeting shall be held at such tine and
place in the city of Norfolk as may be designated, in writing,
by the persons above named, or a majority of them. five days
notice of the same being given previous to the meeting to any
and all of them who may be living and shall not have signed
such call. Subsequent meetings shall be held in the said city
of Norfclk at such times, places, manner, and on such notice
as a majority of the corporators may from ftiae to time direct.

5. The estate, the property and alfairs of said corporation,
the management of said home, and the care, clothing, and feed-
ing of its inmates and other persons, who are members of said
church, and their watching and nursing when sick, or in need
of charity, shall be conducted and controlled by the said cor-
poration in such manner as its by-laws, rules, and regulations,
adopted by a majority present at its corporate meetings, may
from time to time prescribe: provided, however, the same be
not contrary to the constitution and laws of the United States
or of this state.

6. The said lands and all such moneys and personal property
shall be exclusively devoted to the purposes aforesaid; and
any aged or poor person applying for admission or charity,
who is destitute, of good moral character, who is a member of
the said Cumberland street Methodist Episcopal church. south,
of Norfolk, Virginia, shall be admitted or assisted according to
the means and ability of the said corporation; and in view of
the beneficent and pnrely charitable character of this institu-
tion, its property shall be exempt from city and state taxation
until such time as the legislature shall otherwise provide by
law.

7. This act shall be in force from its passage.