187.16 Salvation Army.

(1) Incorporation. Any corps of the Salvation Army in the state of Wisconsin may become incorporated as a charitable, educational, missionary, philanthropic, beneficial and religious organization, by the commander in chief of the Salvation Army in the United States of America and the territorial commander of the central territory of the Salvation Army in the United States of America, together with three other officers or laypersons, members of the said local Salvation Army corps, executing, acknowledging and filing a certificate of incorporation with the department of financial institutions, giving its corporate name, the location of the headquarters of said corps in Wisconsin, the names of the incorporators, its general objects and purposes. Said certificate shall be recorded with the department of financial institutions and a verified copy thereof in the office of the register of deeds in the county wherein the main office of said corps of the Salvation Army is located. When such record is made the corporation shall come into existence and possess the powers and privileges granted to corporations by ch. 181 so far as the same are applicable or necessary to accomplish its purpose, and also such powers as are conferred by this section.

(2) Powers. A Salvation Army corps, incorporated under the provisions of this section, may in particular engage in charitable, educational, missionary, philanthropic, beneficial and religious work of the character that has been and is being conducted by the branch of the Christian church known as The Salvation Army and may do everything and may act and carry on every kind of operation necessary and incidental to the maintenance of such work. Such corporation may receive and hold both real and personal property of and for said The Salvation Army, may execute trusts thereof; may from time to time transact any business and carry on any work or operation in connection with and for the purposes of the foregoing; may enter into, make, perform and carry out contracts of every kind and for any lawful purposes; may issue bonds or obligations of the corporation and secure the same by trust deed, mortgage, pledge or otherwise, if deemed best or necessary by the said corporation and may dispose of the same; may take and hold by lease, gift, purchase, grant, devise or bequest, any property, real, personal or mixed, for the objects of said corporation and issue bonds therefor, and secure the same by mortgage, trust deed or otherwise; may sell, assign, grant or convey any real or personal property by proper written instruments executed either by the trustees of the corporation or by the officers thereof, when the latter have been duly authorized so to act by the trustees; and shall have generally all the rights, privileges, immunities and powers granted to religious corporations in their secular affairs.

(3) Government and officers of the Salvation Army. The commander in chief of the Salvation Army in the United States of America, the territorial commander of the central territory of the Salvation Army in the United States of America, the chief secretary of the central territory of the Salvation Army in the United States of America, the divisional commander of the Salvation Army in the state of Wisconsin and one officer or lay member of the Salvation Army in the United States selected by the commander in chief of the Salvation Army in the United States of America, shall be trustees of such a corporation and the officers and the lay trustee shall together constitute the board of trustees thereof. The 4 first-mentioned officers of the corporation shall be trustees thereof during their term of office, and shall cease to be trustees thereof upon their removal or resignation. The term of office of the 5th trustee shall be one year and may be removed from office at any time by a vote of the 4 first-mentioned officers, or a majority of them. Whenever the office of a trustee becomes vacant a successor shall be appointed from the officers or members of the Salvation Army by the commander in chief of the Salvation Army in the United States of America. No act or proceeding of the trustees of the Salvation Army is valid without the vote of the majority of the trustees of the corporation.

(4) Powers and duties of trustees. The trustees of a corporation, incorporated under this section, shall have the custody and control of all the temporalities and property, real and personal, belonging to the corporation in this state and the revenues therefrom, and shall administer the same in accordance with the discipline, rules and usages of the Salvation Army or the governing body thereof and the provisions of law relating thereto. The board of trustees of the corporation may adopt bylaws for the calling and conduct of the meetings of its members, the government and regulations of the corporation, the management of its property, and the regulation of its affairs. This section does not give to the trustees any control over the policy or control of the religious or ecclesiastical membership of the Salvation Army, or power to dismiss or remove any of its officers or members, or power over any of the spiritual officers of the association, who shall be subject to the rules and discipline of the association laid down by the general of the Salvation Army or his or her successor in office.

(5) Amendment of articles. The articles of incorporation of such corporation may be altered or amended by a two-thirds vote of the trustees of such corporation. When adopted, a copy of such amendment accompanied by certificates signed by the president and secretary of the corporation shall be filed with the department of financial institutions and the original documents shall be recorded with the register of deeds of the county where such corporation shall have its principal office.

History: 1979 c. 89, 110; 1993 a. 184, 301; 1995 a. 27.