About Us

Articles of Incorporation of the International Religious Liberty Association

Know all men by these presents: That we, the undersigned, S. A. Wellman, of 6604 First Street, N.W., Washington 12, D.C., E. W. Dunbar of 6632 Harlan Place, N.W., Washington 12, D.C., and H. H. Votaw of 711 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, Montgomery County, Maryland, citizens of the United States of America, the majority of whom are residents of the District of Columbia, have associated and do hereby associate ourselves together to form a corporation in the District of Columbia for educational purposes in pursuance of and in conformity with Sections 599 to 604 inclusive of Sub-chapter 5 of the Code of the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901, for ourselves, our associates and successors do make, sign and acknowledge this certificate in writing, which, then recorded, shall constitute the Articles of Incorporation of the hereinafter named corporation.

ARTICLE I—Name: The name of the corporation hereby created shall be the International Religious Liberty Association.

ARTICLE II—Duration: The term for which this corporation is organized and the duration of its existence shall be perpetual. It may be dissolved at any biennial meeting or at a specially called meeting, on condition that the voting members are duly notified that the purpose of the meeting is to consider the proposition of dissolving the corporation, and that the dissolution is approved by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting.

ARTICLE III—Objects: The particular business and purposes for which this corporation is formed are as follows:

a. To disseminate the principles of religious liberty throughout the world.

b. To defend and safeguard by all legitimate means and agencies the right of all men to worship or not to worship as each shall individually choose.

c. To receive and acquire by contract, deed, gift, devise or bequest money or other property, real, personal or mixed, it being, however, expressly declared that this corporation is not for personal gain or profit to any one, but that all its property and assets must be used and expended in carrying into effect the aims, ends and objects of its existence.

ARTICLE IV—Directors: The business affairs and funds of this corporation shall be under the control and management of a board of directors. The number of directors for the first year of existence shall be not less than seven and not more than fifteen. The first board of directors shall be elected by the incorporators of the corporation and shall hold office until the first biennial meeting of the corporation. Thereafter the board of directors shall be elected by the voting members of the corporation from the voting members at such a time and place and in a manner provided in the bylaws. Vacancies occurring in the board of directors shall be filled as provided by the bylaws.

ARTICLE V—Membership: The membership of this corporation shall consist of one class of voting members. Voting members shall be elected by the original incorporators and thereafter shall fill all vacancies in their own ranks at a biennial or special meeting of members. Such voting members shall not at any time number less than one hundred. The board of directors shall establish criteria for membership.

In witness whereof, we, the undersigned, have hereunto set our hands and seals this 16th day of August, A.D., 1946. [S. A. Wellman] (Seal) [E. W. Dunbar] (Seal) [H. H. Votaw] (Seal) City of Washington ss District of Columbia I, M. Stella Fleisher, a Notary Public in and for the District of Columbia, do hereby certify that S. A. Wellman, E. W. Dunbar and H. H. Votaw, parties to a certain instrument purporting to be a Certificate of Incorporation of the International Religious Liberty Association of the City of Washington, District of Columbia, bearing the date of August 16, A.D., 1946, and hereto annexed, personally appeared before me in the District of Columbia and all the said persons being well known to me as the persons who executed this said instrument of writing and acknowledged the same to be their free act and deed. Given under my hand and notarial seal this 16th day of August, A.D., 1946. [M. Stella Fleisher] Notary Public (As amended 1977)

TOP