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LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1798.

manner as they may judge most conducive to the interests of
their respective parishes, and also to take and receive any sum
or sums of money, and any kind of goods and chattels, which
may or shall be given, sold or bequeathed, unto them, by any
person or persons, bodies politic or corporate, capable to make a
gift, sale or bequest thereof, and to apply the same for the use
of their respective parishes as herein before directed; provided,
that the clear yearly value of the estate of any vestry, (exclu-
sive of the rents of pews, collections in churches, funeral
charges, and the like,) shall not exceed two thousand dollars.

No vestry
to sell their
estates, &c.

SEC. 29. And be it enacted, That no vestry shall sell, alien or
transfer, any of their estates, or property belonging to their
church or churches, without the consent of five at least of their
body, (of which number the rector shall always be one,) toge-
ther with the consent of both the churchwardens, and in case
there be no rector in the parish, then it shall be necessary to
obtain the consent of the bishop of the protestant episcopal
church in this state for the time being, previous to any sale,
alienation or transfer, of any of the estates or property aforesaid.

Or apply
the princi-
pal, &c.

SEC. 30. And be it enacted, That no vestry shall apply any
of the principal of the money arising from the sales of any of
the estates or property aforesaid towards any debt or debts con-
tracted with their minister on account of his official duties.

Not to pro-
vent the
vestry from
buying, &c.

SEC. 31. And be it enacted. That nothing herein before con-
tained shall be construed to prevent the vestry of any parish
from buying at any time a lot of land, not exceeding two acres,
for a burial-ground, or a site for a church or parsonage-house,
or from selling or renting the pews of their churches or chapels,
provided in so doing the said vestry shall not interfere with any
existing right or title in any person to any pew or pews.

Vestry may
sue, &c.

SEC. 32. And be it enacted, That the vestry of every parish,
and their successors, (by the name aforesaid,) shall be for ever
hereafter able and capable in law to sue and be sued, plead and
be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be
defended, in all or any courts of justice, and before all or any
judges, officers or other persons whatsoever, in all and singular
actions, matters and demands whatsoever ; and that it shall and
may be lawful for them, and their successors, forever hereafter,
to have a common seal for their use, and the same, at the will
and pleasure of them, and their successors, to change, alter,
break and make anew, from time to time, as they shall think
best.

Convention
may divide
parishes,

SEC. 33. And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for the
convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in this state to
divide or unite parishes, as occasion may require, and to alter
their bounds, and to constitute new parishes ; and vestrymen