1849.

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

CHAP. 541.

to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded, answer and
defend and be answered and defended, in all courts of
law and equity, in this State, or elsewhere, to receive
and make all deeds, transfers, contracts, covenants, con-
veyances and grants whatsoever, to have, make and use
a common seal, and the same to break, alter and renew
at pleasure, and generally to do every other act or thing
necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this act,
and promote the object and design of the said corpo-
ration.

Duty of the
secretary.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That it shall be the duty
of the secretary of said association, to keep a book con-
taining a copy of this act, and of such constitution and
bye-laws as may be established for the government of
said association, and that all persons who may be elected
members thereof shall, upon signing their names thereto,
and upon payment of such fees, charges and premiums, as
may be demanded by the proper officers of said corpora-
tion, be constituted members of the said association, and
as such, shall be bound by all the rules and regulations
thereof, as contained in this act, and in the constitution
and bye-laws of the said association.

Security to be
given.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That it shall and may be
lawful for the directors of the association to require and
receive from any member applying for benefits, accord-
ing to the provisions of the constitution of said association,
security in the form of a mortgage or other evidence of
debt, at their option, for the true and faithful discharge
of his duties as benefited member, and upon refusal or
neglect on the part of a member so applying, to provide
and give such security, to withhold from him all bene-
fits, until such security is given, or until he becomes
thereto entitled by the provisions of said constitution,
without giving security.

Responsibility
of members.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That all persons, at any
time members of said association, and who may not
have withdrawn therefrom, in accordance with the pro-
visions of its constitution, shall be jointly responsible to
the other members thereof for the benefits to which
they may become entitled by the provisions of this act, or
by the constitution and bye-laws of the said association

May establish
bye-laws.

SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That the said associa-
tion shall have, and is hereby invested with full power
and authority to make any bye-law or bye-laws, where-
by any member thereof, failing to pay the assessments,
according to the constitution and bye-laws of said asso-
ciation, until the fines imposed for such neglect or refu-
sal equal in amount the entire sum of the assessments
paid in by such member, may be excluded from all and