1290 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 462

and continue the functions of a Separate Church and said
fact is on careful consideration so determined by the
Bishop of the Diocese, subject to appeal by the Vestry to
the next annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal
Church of the Diocese, then the Bishop of the Diocese may
temporarily take over and administer the affairs of the
Parish or Separate Congregation upon obtaining for its
use and benefit sufficient missionary financial support to
continue its functions and to exercise such supervision and
control until the Parish or Separate Congregation again
becomes self-supporting or until its property is otherwise
disposed of, with the approval of a majority of the Vestry
then in office or the majority of qualified voters of said
Parish or Separate Congregation. And while said tempo-
rary supervision and control is being exercised the Vestry
of the particular Church shall have no power to make new
contracts or engagements or in any way bind the property
of the said Parish or Separate Congregation.

291W. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to im-
pair or prejudicially affect any rights, privileges, powers,
duties or obligations of any Vestry of the Parishes or Sep-
arate Congregations heretofore created and existing prior
to the effective date of the Maryland Constitution of 1851;
nor in any way to impair the title to validly acquired own-
ership of property of any Vestry, however or whenever
heretofore incorporated, nor shall this Act in any way
prejudice or affect the similar powers and property rights
or corporate activities of any Separate Congregation of
the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of Maryland
heretofore formed under the General Religious Corpora-
tion Law of the State; nor those of any Separate Congre-
gation heretofore formed or created under any special Act
of Assembly of the State of Maryland.

But nevertheless the Vestry of any such Parish or Sep-
arate Congregation whether heretofore formed under the
Vestry Act of 1798, Chapter 24, prior to the effective date
of the Maryland Constitution of 1851, or of any Separate
Congregation formed under the General Religious Cor-
poration Law of the State or of any separate Act of As-
sembly of the State may upon its voluntary acceptance of
the terms and provisions of this Act elect to accept the pro-
visions thereof and to be bound and governed by its pro-
visions, upon the adoption of a resolution by a majority
vote of the Vestry of such Parish or Separate Congrega-
tion approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the
Parish or Separate Congregation at the next annual Par-
ish or Church meeting of the Congregation held for said