§ 140. Transfer of property to Baptist corporations. Any incorporated
Baptist church, created by or existing under the laws of the state of
New York, having its principal office or place of worship in the state
of New York, or whose last place of worship was within the state of New
York, is hereby authorized and empowered, by a vote of two-thirds of its
qualified voters present and voting therefor, at a meeting regularly
called for that purpose, to transfer and convey any of its property,
real or personal, which it now has or may hereafter acquire, to any
religious, charitable or missionary corporation connected with the
Baptist denomination and incorporated by or organized under any law or
laws of the state of New York, either solely, or among other purposes,
to establish or maintain, or to assist in establishing or maintaining
churches, schools, or mission stations or to erect, or assist in the
erection of such buildings as may be necessary for any of such purposes,
and on or without the payment of any money or other consideration
therefor, and upon such transfer or conveyance being made, the title to
and the ownership and right of possession of the property so transferred
and conveyed shall be vested in and conveyed to such grantee; and also
any membership corporation incorporated by or organized under any
special or general law or laws of the state of New York, either solely,
or among other purposes, for religious, charitable, missionary or
educational objects connected with or for the aid of the Baptist
denomination or any church or churches thereof or for the erection or
maintenance of any building therefor, is hereby authorized and
empowered, by the vote of at least two-thirds of the whole number of its
directors, or by the vote of at least a majority thereof if such whole
number of directors is twenty or more, at any regularly called or
regularly held meeting of such directors, to transfer and convey any of
its property, real or personal, which it now has or may hereafter
acquire, to any incorporated Baptist church within the state of New
York, and on or without the payment of any money or other consideration
therefor, and upon such transfer or conveyance being made, the title to
and the ownership and right of possession of the property so transferred
and conveyed shall be vested in and conveyed to such grantee; provided,
however, that nothing herein contained shall impair or affect in any
way, any existing claim upon or lien against any property so transferred
or conveyed, or any action at law or legal proceeding, and subject, in
respect to the amount of property the said grantee may take and hold, to
the restrictions and limitations of existing laws.