The Trustees of the Philadelphia Baptist Association et al. v. Hart's Executors was a landmark case in which the Supreme Court ruled that religious organizations have a right to own and manage property without interference from state governments. The dispute arose when members of an association of Baptists sought to purchase land for their church, but were blocked by Pennsylvania’s law requiring all purchases be approved by two-thirds majority vote within the congregation. The court held that this requirement violated both freedom of religion and freedom from government interference with private contracts, as it gave too much power to individual congregants over decisions made by religious bodies collectively. This ruling established important precedent protecting churches' rights to autonomy in matters such as purchasing property or managing funds without fear of governmental intervention or control.

In the case of The Trustees of the Philadelphia Baptist Association et al. v. Hart's Executors, Justice Story delivered a dissenting opinion on behalf of himself and three other justices. He argued that while it was true that corporations could not sue in equity, this particular corporation had been created by an act of legislature which specifically granted them authority to bring suit in court for their own benefit or protection. Furthermore, he noted that even if such authority were not explicitly stated in the charter itself, it should be implied since all corporations are formed with some purpose and must have legal means to protect themselves from harm or injustice done against them by others. Therefore, he concluded that they should be allowed to proceed with their lawsuit as any other party would under similar circumstances without being barred due to lack of capacity or standing before the court.