*110.* _Business, Religious Membership._—Unless there is some other law or
rule to the contrary, the male members of the congregation over twenty-one
years of age constitute the business membership of a religious
society.(202) But the question of membership of religious societies or
congregations is left to be determined by the rules of the religious
denomination to which they belong.(203) And where a condition of
membership is that the person must contribute to the support of the church
and be a communicant, if he is not a communicant he is not entitled to
vote.(204)
*111.* _Regular, Doctrines, Support._—The ones who adhere and submit to
the regular order and doctrines of the church, although a minority,
constitute the true congregation.(205) At least two things must concur to
qualify a person as a voter: first, stated attendance at divine worship in
the congregation; and, second, contribution to the support of the
church.(206) The list of members kept by the clerk or secretary of the
congregation is evidence of membership.(207) A person who denies any part
of the system of theology received and taught by the denomination is not a
member of the church.(208)
*112.* _Factions, Authority._—Where two factions of a church, each
claiming to be the church, try members of the other faction, a court may
determine which of the factions is the authorized authority or that the
action taken by either or both of them is nugatory for want of
authority.(209)
*113.* _Faith, Burial._—Whether a person died in the faith of the Roman
Catholic Church so as to be entitled to burial in its cemetery, is not a
question within the jurisdiction of civil courts, but must be decided by
the ecclesiastical authorities.(210)
*114.* _Rules, Membership._—Every denomination has the right to prescribe
by rules, its constitution, or its by-laws, the conditions of membership;
and any one who will not subscribe to and practise the doctrines of the
denomination is not a member.(211)
*115.* _Minor._—Where the legal members of a society that is incorporated
consist of male members of the church of full age, when minor sons become
of age, they become legal members of the corporation, provided they remain
in the church.(212)
*116.* _Officers, Non-Members._—It has been held that a person may be an
officer or member of the church corporation or its temporal concerns
without being a member of the denomination.(213)
*117.* _Debts, Unincorporated Parish._—In Connecticut members of an
ecclesiastical society formed by voluntary association under the statutes
of the State are not individually liable for the debts of such
society.(214) But where there is no statute on the subject, the members of
an unincorporated parish are liable for lawful debts contracted or
ratified by them, and their property may be levied on for such debts
incurred or judgments rendered while they are members of the society.(215)
The members of an unincorporated parish may be sued to recover the salary
of a deceased pastor up to the time of his death.(216)
*118.* _Execution, Property._—While an execution against a territorial
parish may be levied on the property of a member of the parish, it can not
be levied on property of a person who ceased to be a member before the
levy.(217)
*119.* _Incorporated, Subscriptions._—The members of an incorporated poll
parish are not individually liable on a judgment and execution against the
corporation, excepting on the unpaid subscriptions.(218)
*120.* _Expelled, Merits._—Mandamus can not be resorted to to restore a
member regularly expelled from his church, as a court will not inquire
into the merits of the case.(219)
*121.* _Lay Members, Appointed._—Where the statute provides that two lay
members of the corporation of a Catholic parish shall be appointed
annually “by the committee of the congregation,” the members of the
congregation have no right to elect said two members, and those appointed
in the proper manner are lawful officers.(220)