250                               Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 195

(3) Certificate of old Parishes.

Inasmuch as the Vestries heretofore incorporated by virtue of the
provisions of the original Vestry Act have not been required to file and
record a certificate, and the Vestries of any Separate Congregation,
after union with the Diocese, have not been required to file and record
a supplemental certificate signifying such union, the State Tax Com-
mission, or its successor administrative body, is hereby authorized
to file and record, a certificate, similar in every respect to the cer-
tificate required by paragraph (1) of this sub-section, either (i) upon
the request of any Parish or Separate Congregation whose certificate
may be offered for record, or (ii) upon the request of the Convention
of the Diocese for and on behalf of any Parish or Separate Congre-
gation which may neglect or decline for any reason to offer its own
certificate for record, in which latter event the certificate may be
made and signed by the Bishop, or the President of the Standing
Committee, and the Secretary of the Convention in the place and
stead of the Vestrymen of any such Parish or Separate Congregation.

288M. NON-FUNCTIONING PARISH — BISHOP TO IN-
VESTIGATE AND REPORT TO CONVENTION—CONVENTION
TO CONSIDER REPORTS, REPORT OTHER FACTS, AND
MAKE A FINDING—BISHOP TO TAKE OVER IF NON-FUNC-
TIONING AND ADMINISTER AFFAIRS UNTIL MINIMUM
FUNCTIONING IS RESUMED OR UNTIL CORPORATE PROP-
ERTY IS DISPOSED OF—APPLICATION OF PRINCIPLE OF
CY PRES—VESTRY DIVESTED OF POWERS.

If the Vestry of a Parish, now or hereafter subject to the pro-
visions of this sub-heading, or the members thereof, for any reason
shall cease to have the services of public worship, and ministry of
the Word and Sacraments carried on, or shall otherwise abandon the
minimum functions of a Parish, the Bishop, whenever and however
such facts shall have come to his knowledge, shall forthwith make,
or cause to be made, a full and complete investigation and careful
study of the matter, and if he shall find, in his opinion, that such
Parish is in fact non-functioning as herein defined, he shall report
the facts in detail to the Secretary of the Convention not less than
60 days before the next annual meeting of the Convention, and send
copies of such report to the members of such Vestry then in office,
or if there be none, then to one or more of the adult members of the
Parish with the request that such member or members show said
report to other members of the Parish; but if no members of the
Vestry then in office or adult members of the Parish are known to
the Bishop, or are not otherwise ascertainable, then the Bishop
shall state that fact in his report to the Secretary of the Convention,
who shall forthwith cause a notice of the filing of said report to be
published once a week for at least two weeks in a daily or weekly
newspaper printed or published in said Parish, or if there be none,
then in a newspaper printed or published in each of the Parishes
contiguous to the Parish so investigated in the manner aforesaid.

At its next annual meeting, the Convention shall consider the
report of the Bishop, and hear such members of the Vestry and
members of such Parish, or any other person or persons on behalf
of such Parish, as shall appear and request to be heard, if any,
and the Convention shall thereafter make a finding as to whether
such Parish is in fact non-functioning as herein defined.