Declaration of Rights. 19

Art. 38. That every gift, sale or devise of land, to any
minister, public teacher or preacher of the gospel, as such,
or to any religious sect, order or denomination, or to or for

the support, use or benefit of, or in trust for any minister,
public teacher or preacher of the gospel as such, or any
religious sect, order or denomination, and every gift or sale
of goods or chattels to go in succession, or to take place
after the death of the seller or donor, to or for such support,
use or benefit; and, also, every devise of goods or chattels,
to or for the support, use or benefit of any minister, public
teacher or preacher of the gospel, as such; or any religious
sect, order or denomination, without the prior or subse-
quent sanction of the Legislature, shall be void; except
always, any sale, gift, lease or devise of any quantity of
land, not exceeding five acres, for a church, meeting house
or other house of worship, or parsonage, or for a burying
ground, which shall be improved, enjoyed, or used only for
such purpose; or such sale, gift, lease or devise shall be
void.

Disqualification
of Ministers and
Religious bodies
from holding cer-
tain property.

3 Md. 119.

Art. 39. That the manner of administering an oath or
affirmation to any person, ought to be such as those of the
religious persuasion, profession or denomination, of which
he is a member, generally esteem the most effectual confir-
mation by the attestation of the Divine Being.

Administering of
Oaths.

Art. 40. That the liberty of the press ought to be in-
violably preserved; that every citizen of the State ought to
be allowed to speak, write and publish his sentiments on
all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty.

Liberty of the
Press.

Art. 41. That monopolies are odious, contrary to the
spirit of a free government and the principles of commerce,
and ought not to be suffered.

Monopolies.

Art. 42. That no title of nobility or hereditary honors
ought to be granted in this State.

Titles of Nobility,
&c.

Art. 43. That the Legislature ought to encourage the
diffusion of knowledge and virtue, the extension of a judi-
cious system of general education, the promotion of litera-
ture, the arts, sciences, agriculture, commerce and manu-
factures, and the general melioration of the condition of the
people.

Duties of the
Legislature.