1222 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 402

nate lodges of Masons, Odd Fellows or Knights of Pythias
(exclusive of the insurance department of the Supreme
Lodge, Knights of Pythias), and the Junior Order of
United American Mechanics (exclusive of the beneficiary
degree or insurance branch of the National Council Ju-
nior Order United American Mechanics) or associations
which limit their membership to any one hazardous occu-
pation, or to similar associations which do not issue in-
surance certificates, or to an association of local lodges of
a society now doing business in this State which provides
death benefits not exceeding three hundred dollars to any
one person, or disability benefits not exceeding three hun-
dred dollars in any one year to any one person, or both,
or to any contract of reinsurance business on such plans
in this State, or to domestic associations which limit their
membership to employees of any particular city or town,
designated firm, business house or corporation, or to
domestic lodges, orders or associations of a purely reli-
gious, charitable and benevolent description, which do
not provide for a death benefit of more than one hundred
dollars, or for disability benefits of more than one hun-
dred and fifty dollars to any one person in any one year,
or to corporations, societies or voluntary associations, the
business of which is conducted strictly upon the mortuary
assessment plan and of which the death benefit certifi-
cates are issued for no fixed amount and are limited to
a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars in the case of
any one person; provided, always, that any such domestic
order or society which has more than five hundred mem-
bers, and provides for death or disability benefits, any
and any such domestic lodge, order or society which
issues to any person a certificate providing for the pay-
ment of benefits, shall not be exempt by the provisions of
this section, but shall comply with all the requirements
of this Act.

The Insurance Commissioner may require from any so-
ciety such information as will enable him to determine
whether such society is exempt from the provisions of
this Act. No society which is exempt by the provisions
of this section from the requirement of this Act shall give
or allow or promise to give or allow, to any person any
compensation for procuring new members. Any frater-
nal beneficiary association heretofore organized and in-
corporated and operating within the definition set forth