FRANK BROWN, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

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faith ; therefore, be it enacted by the General Assembly of

Maryland,

SECTION 1. That article 23 of the Code of Public General

Laws (title "Corporations," sub -title " Religious Corpora-

mended.

tions") be and the same is hereby amended by the addition

thereto of four sections, to follow section 217 of the said

article as now enacted, and to be designated as section 217

A, section 217 B, section 217 C, and section 217 D, respect-

ively, the said sections to read as follows, that is to say :

SEC. 217 A. In every congregation of the denomination

of Christians known as the "Roman Catholic Church," the

ordinary of the diocese and the pastor of the said congrega-

Religious
corpora-

tion for the time being, according to the practice and

tions of the
Roman

discipline of the said church, the other persons to be annu-

Catholic

ally designated by said ordinary, and two other persons to

Church.

be annually elected by the male pew-holders of the said

congregation from among their number (said annual election

and appointntent to be made on the Sunday next succeeding

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 otherwise entitled to office

under the terms of this act, the said certificate 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.

SEC. 217 B. Every such corporation shall have, in

addition to the powers conferred by sections 50 to 55 of this

Powers of
such cor-

article, inclusive, in so Jar as the said powers may be con-

porations.

sistent with its general character, the further power to

appoint the hour and place of the meetings at which the two

of its members so as aforesaid to 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 inspec-

tion 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 management and interests of the

said corporation the pastor of the congregation for the time