THOMAS SIM LEE, Efquire, Governor.

1792.

other pcrfons whatfoever, in all and fingular adions, matters and demands what-
foever; and that it fhall and may be lawful for them, and their fucceffors for
ever hereafter, to have a common feal for their ufe, and in their affairs and bufi-
nefs, and the fame, at the will and pleafure of them and their fucceffors, to
change, alter, break and make anew, from time to time, as they fhall think beft,
and fhall, in general, have and exercife all fuch rights, franchises, privileges and
immunities, as by law are incident and neceffary to corporations of this kind,
and which may be neceffary to the corporation herein and hereby constituted and
ereded, to enable them duly and fully in the law to execute all things touching
and concerning the defign and intent of their faid incorporation, for the benefit,
fuccour and relief, of the poor, indigent and helplefs.

C H A P.
LIV.

XI. Be it further enacted, That fhould any fect, or religious denomination,
having a church or houfe of worfhip within the faid town or precincts, be with-
out a preacher, paftor, prieft or minifter, refident within the faid town, or the
precinds thereof, then and in that cafe the faid fed, order or denomination, may
choofe from their own body a layman, who, upon complying with the provifions
and regulations of this incorporation, entitling a minifter, preacher or prieft, to
admiffion as members thereof, fhall be held and confidered as a member of this
incorporation.

C H A P. LV.

A layman
may act in
certain cafes,
&c.

An ACT for fecuring certain eftates and property for the fupport
and ufes of minifters of the Roman catholic religion.

Paffed De-
cember 23,

WHEREAS it has been reprefented to this general affembly, that cer-

tain property, real, perfonal and mixed, or the rents and profits
thereof, have been heretofore applied to the ufe, fupport and mainte-
nance, of minifters of the Roman catholic religion, although the faid property
hath been held and poffeffed by certain individuals, as the legal proprietors there-
of, but under a confidential or implied truft, that the faid property, and the rents
and profits thereof, fhould be faithfully applied to the ufe, fupport or mainte-
nance, of minifters of the Roman catholic religion: And whereas by the declara-
tion of rights, all gifts, fales or devifes, for the fupport, ufe, or benefit of, any
minifter or preacher of the gofpel, as fuch, or of any religious fect or denomina-
tion, without the leave of the legiflature, are declared to be void; And whereas it
is highly reafonable and juft to grant unto minifters of the Roman catholic reli-
gion, who are citizens of this ftate, that legiflative aid, without which they will
be deftitute of that protcdion and fecurity to their property to which they are en-
titled equally with every other fed or denomination of chriftians ;

Preamble.

II. Be it therefore enacted, by the General Affembly of Maryland, That every
legal proprietor or poffeffor of any property, feal, perfonal or mixed, held and
poffeffed on or before the fourteenth day of Auguft, feventeen hundred and feven-
ty-fix, under a confidential truft that the fame, or the rents or profits thereof,
fhould be applied to the ufe, fupport or maintenance, of minifters of the Roman
catholic religion, and every legal proprietor or poffeffor of any property, real, per-
fonal or mixed, acquired fince the fourteenth day of Auguft, feventeen hundred
and feventy-fix, by exchange for property held under a confidential truft as afore-
faid, before the faid fourteenth day of Auguft, feventeen hundred and feventy-fix,
may have full power and authority, at any time hereafter, to execute an inftru-
ment of writing, declaring the purpofes for which the faid property hath been or
is held in confidential truft, which faid declaration, fo to be made, fhall be figned,
by the party making the fame, in prefence of two witneffes, and acknowledged
in the fame manner as deeds are direded by law to be acknowledged; and on the
faid declaration fhall be endorfed the affidavit of the party, that the property com-
prehended in fuch declaration was really and bona fide held for pious purpofes, or
acquired as aforefaid, in manner and for the purpofes aforefaid; and the fame af-
fidavit fhall be recorded, with the fame declaration, within fix months after the
execution thereof;

Legal propri-
etors may ex-
ecute an in-
ftrument of
writing, &c.