premises are to be held by those members only who contend for the purity, for the church and worship as above described. This clause is to continue in effect as long as the premises remain church property."
In May, 1946, the elders discharged their minister and appointed defendant as the minister of the church. Early in 1950 defendant began to preach from the pulpit a doctrine, claimed by plaintiffs to be contrary to the basic tenets of the congregation. Defendant advocated majority rule of the members. It also appears that in December, 1950, a majority of the members adopted bylaws for the government of the church. Thereafter the elders notified defendant that his services were no longer required as minister, but defendant refused to vacate the pulpit. Suit wasstarted in the circuit court of Wayne county. While the suit was pending a convention of all the congregations, known as a lectureship, was held in the city of Detroit in the early part of 1951, at which time defendant admitted that his teaching relative to majority rule was contrary to the theory advocated by the elders. As a result of this so-called repentance on the part of defendant the pending suit was discontinued. In March, 1952, defendant wrote and had published an article in the "Christian Echo," one of the official publications of the Church of Christ, advocating that the churches depart from tradition. In May, 1952, the defendant received a written notice signed by the elders that, effective May 25, 1952, his services as minister were