WILLIAM GRASON, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

1840,

ted according to the rules thereof, be and they are
hereby constituted a body corporate and politic, by the
name of Morning Star Lodge, No. twenty, of the Indepen-
dent Order of Odd Fellows, and by that name shall be ca-
pable in law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded,
and shall have and use a common seal, and may take, hold
and enjoy estate, real, personal or mixed, to an amount not ex-
ceeding, in value, thirty thousand dollars, and the same may
alienate, convey or transfer at pleasure, and may pass such
by-laws for the good government and regulation of their as-
sociation, as they may think proper; provided, the same be not
inconsistent with the constitution or laws of this State, or
of the United States.

CHAP. 147.

Name.

Legal capacity.

Proviso.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That for the purpose of ena-
bling the said society hereby incorporated to provide for
the purchase or erection of a suitable house or hall for the
accommodation thereof, the members of said Lodge may
cause subscription books to be opened under the direction
of commissioners appointed by themselves, at such time
and place as they may direct, for the subscription of stock
in shares of ten dollars each, to an amount not exceeding
twenty thousand dollars, and which amount, when so sub-
scribed, shall be applied to the purchase or erection of a
suitable hall as aforesaid, or the said Lodge shall have pow-
er to borrow for the same purpose an amount not exceed-
ing twenty thousand dollars, for which certificates of debt
may be issued, bearing an interest of six per centum per an-
num, and which shall be payable at such time as shall be
agreed upon by the said Lodge, and the person or persons
who shall loan the said money as aforesaid; provided, that
no certificate under this section shall be for a less sum than
one thousand dollars.

Open books of
subscriptions.

Shares $10.

To be applied
to erection of
buildings.

Issue certifi-
cates, &c.

Proviso.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That said corporation is here-
by prohibited from issuing any note, certificate, device, or
evidence of debt to be used as currency, and that the right
is hereby expressly reserved to the General Assembly of
Maryland, to repeal this act at its pleasure.

Banking forbid.

Right to repeal.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That this act shall endure for
thirty years from the date of its passage, if not sooner re-
pealed by the General Assembly.

In force.