THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 1287

ish in which he may not be a settled minister, he is hereby
required to communicate it to the Rector or Registrar of
the Parish whose duty it shall be to see that a proper entry
thereof is made in the Parish Register.

291P. The Rector or other minister in charge of every
Parish or Separate Congregation shall have the custody of
the Parish Register and shall safely and securely keep the
same. It shall be his duty to exhibit said Register at any
reasonable time to any party in interest, and upon the pay-
ment of the sum of $1. 00 he shall give a certificate as to the
contents of any particular entry in the Parish Register,
and said certificate under his hand and the designation of
his official office, with or without the seal of the Vestry,
shall be received as evidence in all state and federal courts
within this State. In the absence or inability of the Rector,
the Registrar of said Vestry, subject to the authority of
the Vestry, shall have like duties with respect to the Parish
Register and his official certificate with respect to entries
therein shall likewise be received as evidence in all state
and federal courts within this State.

291Q. The Vestrymen of every Parish in this State for
the time being, shall be, and they are hereby declared to be,
one community, corporation and body politic forever, by
the name of the Vestry of the Parish to which they sever-
ally belong, and by the same name they, and their succes-
sors, shall and may have perpetual succession, and shall
and may, at all times, hereafter, be persons able and capa-
ble in law to purchase, take and hold, to them and their
successors, in fee, or for any less estate or estates, any
lands, tenements, hereditaments, rents and annuities with-
in this State, by the gift, bargain, sale, or devise, of any
person or persons, bodies politic or corporate, capable of
making the same, and such lands, tenements, heredita-
ments, to rent or lease, in such a manner as they may judge
most conducive to the interests of their respective Parishes,
and also to take and receive any sum or sums of money,
and any kind of goods and chattels, which may or shall be
given, sold, or bequeathed unto them, by any person or
persons, bodies politic or corporate, capable to make a gift,
sale or bequest thereof, and to apply the same for the use
of their respective Parishes as hereinbefore directed; sub-
ject, however, with respect to all property so to be received,
to the operation of the general laws of this State with re-
spect thereto.

291R. No Vestry shall sell, alien, or transfer any of
their estates or property belonging to their Church or