KFLCC Kingdom Law 2nd Ed.

199

CHURCH

CHOSE IN ACTION

ple v. Ruggles, 8 Johns. (N. Y.) 297, 5 Am. Dee. 335. Concerning the maxim that Christianity is a part of the common law, or of the law of the land, see State v. Chandler, 2 Har. (Del.) 553; Board of Education v. Minor, 23 Ohio St. 211, 13 Am. Rep. 233; Vidal v. Girard, 2 How. 127, 11 LL Ed. 205; Updegraph v. Comm., 11 Serg. & R. (Pa.) 394; Mohney v. Cook, 26 Pa. 342, 67 Am. Dec. 419; Landenmuller v. People, 33 Barb. (N. Y.) 548; Rex v. Woolston, 2 Strange, 834; Bloom v. Richards, 2 Ohio St. 387; City Council v. Benjamin, 2 Strob. (S. C.) 508, 49 Am. Dec. 608; State v. Bott, 31 La. Ann. 663, 33 Am. Rep. 224; State v. Hallock, 16 Nev. 373. CHRISTMAS-DAY. A festival of the Christian church, observed on the 25th of December, in memory of the birth of Jesus Christ. CHURCH, in its most general sense, tue religious society founded and established by Jesus Christ, to receive, preserve, and propa gate his doctrines and ordinances. A body or community ot Christians, unit ed under one form of government by» the profession of the same faith, and the observ ance of the same ritual and ceremonies. The term may denote either a society of persons who, professing Christianity, hold certain doctrines or observances which differ entiate them from other like groups, and who use a common discipline, or the build ing in which such persons habitually as semble for public worship. Baker v. Fales, 16 Mass. 498; Tate v. Lawrence, 11 Heisk. (Tenn.) 531; In re Zinzow, 18 Misc. Rep. 653, 43 N. Y. Supp. 714; Neale v. St Paul's Church, 8 Gill (Md.) 116; Gaff v. Greer, 88 Ind. 122, 45 Am. Rep. 449; Josey v. Trust Co., 106 Ga. 608, 32 S. E. 628. The body of communicants gathered into church order, according to established usage in any town, parish, precinct, or religious society, established according to law, and actually con nected and associated therewith for religious purposes, for the time being, is to be regarded as the church of such society, as to all questions of property depending upon that relation. Steb bins v. Jennings, 10 Pick. (Mass.) 193. A congregational church is a voluntary associ ation of Christians united for discipline and worship, connected with, and forming a part of, some religious society, having a legal existence. Anderson v. Brock, 3 Me. 248. In English ecclesiastical law. An institu tion established by the law of the land in reference to religion. 3 Steph. Comm. 54. The word "church" is said to mean, in strict ness, not the material fabric, but the cure of souls and the right of tithes. 1 Mod. 201. —Church building acts. Statutes passed in England in and since the year 1818, with the object of extending the accommodation afforded by the national church, so as to make it more commensurate with the wants of the people. 3 Steph. Comm. 152-164.— Church discipline act. The statute 3 & 4 Vict. c. 86, containing regulations for trying clerks in holy orders charged with offenses against ecclesiastical law, and for enforcing sentences pronounced in such cases. Phillim. Ecc. Law, 1314.— Church of England. The church of England is a distinct branch of Christ's church, and is also an insti-

person to whom the debt is due. When it is said that a chose in action cannot be assigned, it means that a thing to which a right of action is annexed cannot be transferred to another, together with, such right. Brown. A chose in action is any right to damages, whether arising from the commission of a tort, the omission of a duty, or the breach of a contract. Pitts v. Curtis, 4 Ala. 350; Magee v. Toland, 8 Port (Ala.) 40. A thing in possession, as distinguished from a thing in action. Sterling v. Sims, 72 Ga. 53; Vaw ter v. Griffin, 40 Ind. 601. See CHOSE IN AC TION. Taxes and customs, if paid, are a chose in possession; if unpaid, a chose in action. 2 Bl. Oomm. 408. Under the municipal organization of the state of New Jersey, each county has a board of officers, called by this name, composed of represent atives from the cities and townships within its limits, and charged with administering the revenues of the county. They correspond to the "county commissioners" or "super visors" in other states. In Hindu law. A fourth, a fourth part of the sum in litigation. The "Mahratta chout" is a fourth of the reve nues exacted as tribute by the Mahrattas. Under the Salic law. This was a ceremony performed by a person who was too poor to pay his debt or fine, whereby he applied to a rich relative to pay it for him. It consisted (after certain pre liminaries) in throwing green herbs upon the party, the effect of which was to bind him to pay the whole demand. Pertaining to Jesus Christ or the religion founded by him; professing Christianity. The adjective is also used in senses more remote from its original meaning. Thus a "court Christian" is an ecclesiastical court; a "Christian name" is that conferred upon a person at baptism into the Christian church. As a noun, it signifies one who ac cepts and professes to live by the doctrines and principles of the Christian religion. Hale v. Everett, 53 N. H. 53, 16 Am. Rep. 82; State T. Buswell, 40 Neb. 158, 58 N. W. The baptismal name dis tinct from the surname. Stratton v. Foster, 11 Me. 467. It has been said from the bench that a Christian name may consist of a single letter. Wharton. CHRISTIANITATIS CURIA. The court Christian. An ecclesiastical court, as op posed to a civil or lay tribunal. CowelL The religion founded and established by Jesus Christ Hale v. Everett, 53 N. H. 9, 54,16 Am. Rep. 82; Peo CHOSE IN POSSESSION. CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS. CHOUT. CHRENECRUDA. CHRISTIAN. 728, 24 L. R, A. 68. — Christian name. CHRISTIANITY.