§ 275. Government. The district superintendent of the district to which any incorporated church of the Nazarene belongs, and his successor in office, shall be by virtue of his office, a trustee of said church; and the laymen, members of such church who signed said certificate of incorporation shall together constitute the first board of trustees thereof. The term of office of the laymen trustees of the incorporated church of the Nazarene, shall be one year; the number of laymen trustees shall be three, six or nine. Whenever the office of any such laymen trustees shall become vacant by expiration of term of office or otherwise, his successor shall be elected by a majority vote of the duly qualified members of said church. No act or proceedings of the trustees of any incorporated church shall be valid, without the sanction of the district superintendent of the district to which such church belongs, or in case of his absence or inability to act, without the sanction of one of the general superintendents of the church of the Nazarene of the United States.