THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 1281

rather than to territorial limits. The Vestry Act of 1798
governed all the then existing Parishes of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in Maryland. Subsequently, however,
the Legislature passed the General Religious Act of 1802
and thereafter some of the Protestant Episcopal Churches
in the State of Maryland have been incorporated either
under the General Act of 1802, or by separate Acts of As-
sembly, and in either case are sometimes hereinafter re-
ferred to as "Separate Congregations. " By authority of
the Convention given by the original Vestry Act of 1798
some of the original Parishes have been divided into two
or more separate Parishes. Some of the Parishes or Sep-
arate Congregations were created under the original
Vestry Act or otherwise, as above mentioned, prior to the
Maryland Constitution of 1851, and thus may have irre-
pealable charters, but some of them have been formed
since the effective date of the Constitution of 1851. There-
fore

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That twenty-two (22) new sections be and they are hereby
added to Article 23 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1939 Edition & 1947 Supplement), title "Corporations, "
sub-title "Religious Corporations, " said new Sections to
be known as Sections 291C to 291X, inclusive, to be under
the sub-heading "Protestant Episcopal Church, " to follow
immediately after Section 291B of said Article, SAID
SECTIONS TO BE APPLICABLE AND EFFECTIVE
ONLY IN BALTIMORE CITY AND IN GARRETT, AL-
LEGANY, WASHINGTON, FREDERICK, CARROLL,
BALTIMORE, HARFORD, HOWARD, ANNE ARUN-
DEL AND CALVERT COUNTIES, and to read as follows:

291C. The Vestries shall be chosen for each Parish or
separate Congregation within the State, subject to this
Act in the following manner: Every MALE male citizen of
this State, over 21 years of age, a resident of the Parish or
enrolled member of the Church Congregation where he
offers to vote for six months next preceding the day of
election, who shall have been entered on the books of said
Parish or Church Congregation one month at least pre-
ceding the day of election, as a member of the Protestant
Episcopal Church, and who shall have contributed to the
charges of the said Parish or Church in which he offers
to vote a sum not less than $2. 00 annually paid not less
than 30 days before said election, shall have the right of
suffrage for the election of Vestrymen for each such Parish
or Church.
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