486                              Laws of Maryland                       Ch. 209

election, who shall have entered on the books of said parish or church
congregation one month at least preceding the day of election, as a
member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and who shall have
contributed to the charges of said parish or church in which he offers
to vote a sum not less than $2.00 annually paid not less than 30 days
before said election, shall have the right of suffrage for the election
of vestrymen for each such parish or church.] Every person enrolled
on the books of a parish or separate congregation or mission as a
member of the Protestant Episcopal Church at least three months
preceding the date of the annual meeting for the election of vestry-
men, or the date of any other regular or special meeting of such
parish or separate congregation or mission, shall have the right to
vote at such election or meeting upon any or all matters which may
properly come before such meeting, provided that the age of persons
entitled to vote at any election or meeting shall not be less than 18
years. Any person eligible to vote at the annual meeting for the
election of vestrymen shall also be eligible for election as a vestryman
and, if so elected, shall be deemed fully qualified for all purposes
connected with his or her duties as such vestryman.

[But nevertheless, on the petition of the vestry of any parish or
separate congregation of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the
State of Maryland, the convention of the diocese with which such
parish or separate congregation is in union may authorize and em-
power said vestry to give women the same right to vote and hold
office as is above conferred upon men by this subheading.]

Upon the first organization of any parish or congregation all
persons thus qualified to vote for the election of vestrymen shall on
Easter Monday or such other date as may be provided by the bylaws
of any parish or congregation at such hour of the day as has been
previously publicly announced in the church at least ten days there-
tofore, assemble in their church or in adjacent church buildings or
such other convenient place as may have been appointed by the
vestry upon like ten days' notice, and said persons so qualified to vote
when assembled shall proceed by a majority of the voters then
present to elect by ballot eight (8) vestrymen from among the per-
sons qualified to vote who, with the rector of the parish for the time
being, shall be deemed and considered the vestry of said parish or
separate congregation for the ensuing year and until the election
of their successors, and the rector of the parish shall always be a
member of the vestry.

And if for any reason the said congregational meeting for the
election of vestrymen shall not be held on Easter Monday as above
stated, such congregational meeting for the said purpose shall
thereafter be held as soon as possible upon like ten days' notice to
be given by the rector of the church or minister in charge or, in his
absence, then by authority of the majority of the vestrymen then in
office.

Provided, however, that any of the several parishes or separate
congregations of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of
Maryland may by bylaws provide for the manner of conducting
elections of vestrymen, the number of vestrymen to be elected and
the length of terms of office of vestrymen. Such bylaws may be
adopted at any annual meeting or special meeting of members of the
parish or separate congregation by a vote of two thirds of the quali-