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LAWS OF MARYLAND.

	CHAP. 164	shall be the law-making body, and shall have supreme authority over the entire order, but may delegate such
	Law-making body.	authority and control over the affairs thereof to its board of directors and other officers as it shall provide in its constitu- tion and laws, not in conflict with its charter and the laws of this State. The supreme council shall be constituted and shall hold its meetings, both regular and special, and at such times and places as may be provided in its constitution and laws; provided, its first regular meeting shall be held during the month of May, 1908, and its regular meetings thereafter shall be held at intervals not to exceed four years. The supreme council, as at present constituted, shall adopt a ritual, but it shall not be obligatory upon the order to use the same until after the first regular meeting of the supreme council. The supreme officers and directors already elected and such others as may hereafter be elected by the supreme council, prior to its first regular meeting, shall hold office
	Tenure of office.	and shall manage the affairs of the corporation until their successors have been elected by, or their appointment pro- vided for at the said first regular meeting of the supreme council. 4. That this corporation shall make provision for the payment of death benefits and may provide for the payment
	Benefits in case of death, Illness, etc.	of benefits in case of temporary or permanent physical disa- bility, either as the result of disease, accident or old age of its members, provided the period of life at which the pay- ments for disability on account of old age commences shall not be under sixty years. It may also grant annuities to its members or their beneficiaries, or survivorship annuities, and may make provision for the payment of partial or final benefits, and may provide for final settlement of life certifi- cates. It may grant automatic, extended, or paid-up insurance or surrender values, and may issue such other kinds and forms of benefit certificates as it may provide in its laws, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act. The pay- ment of any of the above mentioned benefits shall in all cases be subject to compliance by the members with the contract, constitution, laws and rules of this corporation. 5. That the payment of death benefits shall be confined
	Payment of death bene- fits.	to the family, heirs, relatives by blood, marriage or legal adoption, affianced husband or affianced wife, to a person or persons dependent on the member, to the personal rep-