ART. 23] RELIGIOUS CORPORATIONS. 125

of the said congregation from among their number, (said annual
election and appointment to be made on the Sunday next suc-
ceeding the first day of January in each and every year, and the
incumbents to hold office until their respective successors shall be
so as aforesaid elected or appointed, as the case may be. ) shall be
constituted a body politic and corporate, under such title as may
be assumed by the said corporation, and recorded in a certificate
under the hands and seals of the corporators first chosen or other-
wise entitled to office under the terms of this act, the said certifi-
cate to be acknowledged before a justice of the peace of the
county or city of Baltimore, as the case may be, where the said
congregation shall have or possess a place of worship, and
recorded among the corporation records of the said county or
city.

1892, ch. 614.

217 B. Every such corporation shall have, in addition to the
powers conferred by sections 50 to 55 of this article, inclusive, in
so far as the said powers may be consistent with its general char-
acter, the further power to appoint the hour and place of the
meetings at which the two of its members so as aforesaid to be
be annually elected shall be chosen, and the manner in which
such election shall be held, and shall provide a good and sufficient
record book, wherein shall be registered from time to time all of
its proceedings, and which shall at all times be open to inspection
by any member of the said congregation, or any ecclesiastical
officer of the said denomination of Christians, having, according
to the discipline and practice thereof, authority over the said
congregation, or the right to be informed concerning its manage-
ment and interests of the said corporation, the pastor of the
congregation for the time being, (if any there be, ) shall always be
president; it shall have power to frame such rules and ordi-
nances for the orderly conduct of divine worship and the advance-
ment of the interests of the congregation, as a majority of the
corporation may from time to time deem necessary; provided
that the same shall not conflict with the constitution or laws of
the United States or of this State, or with the discipline and
practice of the denomination aforesaid.