Ch. 653                             MARVIN MANDEL. Governor                                1359

otherwise regulating its temporal affairs and all subject to a certain
qualification.

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That Sections 274A to 297, inclusive, of Article 23 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1966 Replacement Volume and 1972 Supplement),
title "Corporations", subtitle "III. Particular Classes of Corporations", heading
"Religious Corporations'', subheading "Protestant Episcopal Church-Diocese of
Maryland" be and they are hereby repealed, and a new Section 275 is hereby
enacted in lieu thereof to read as follows:

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH-DIOCESE OF MARYLAND

275.

(A)  APPLICATION OF GENERAL RELIGIOUS INCORPORATION ACT
TO ALL NEW AND ALL EXISTING PARISHES AND SEPARATE
CONGREGATIONS OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN
THE DIOCESE OF MARYLAND, EXCEPT THOSE WITH IRREPEALABLE
CHARTERS. FROM AND AFTER JULY 1, 1973, THE PROVISIONS OF
THE "GENERAL RELIGIOUS INCORPORATION ACT" (THE ACTS OF
1802, CHAPTER 111, AS FROM TIME TO TIME AMENDED, AND
CODIFIED IN SECTIONS 256 TO 274, INCLUSIVE, UNDER THE
HEADING "RELIGIOUS CORPORATIONS" OF THIS TITLE) SHALL
GOVERN THE CORPORATE AND TEMPORAL AFFAIRS OF ALL
PARISHES AND SEPARATE CONGREGATIONS OF THE PROTESTANT
EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF MARYLAND THEREAFTER
OR THERETOFORE INCORPORATED, INCLUDING THOSE
INCORPORATED UNDER THE ACTS OF 1798, CHAPTER 24, AS FROM
TIME TO TIME AMENDED (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE "VESTRY
ACT"), AND THOSE INCORPORATED BY SPECIAL ACT OF THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY, EXCEPTING ONLY THOSE PARISHES AND
SEPARATE CONGREGATIONS, IF ANY, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN
INCORPORATED PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE
CONSTITUTION OF 1851 AND WHICH MAY, THEREFORE, HAVE
IRREPEALABLE CHARTERS. THOSE PARISHES AND SEPARATE
CONGREGATIONS WITH IRREPEALABLE CHARTERS SHALL
CONTINUE TO BE GOVERNED BY THE STATUTE UNDER WHICH
THEY WERE ORIGINALLY INCORPORATED UNLESS AND UNTIL
THEY ACCEPT, USE, ENJOY, OR IN ANY WAY AVAIL THEMSELVES
OF ANY RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, OR ADVANTAGES GRANTED OR
CONFERRED BY ANY STATUTE ENACTED SINCE NOVEMBER 3, 1891.

(B)   DESIGNATION OF DIOCESE OF MARYLAND. THE PARISHES
AND SEPARATE CONGREGATIONS IN THE DIOCESE OF MARYLAND
SHALL BE DEEMED TO INCLUDE ALL THOSE IN UNION WITH AND
THOSE INTENDING TO APPLY FOR UNION WITH THE CONVENTION
OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF
MARYLAND AS CREATED BY THE ACTS OF 1840, CHAPTER 67, AS
FROM TIME TO TIME AMENDED. THEY SHALL BE SUBJECT AT ALL
TIMES TO THE ORGANIZATION, GOVERNMENT, AND DISCIPLINE
OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES
AND TO THE CONSTITUTION AND CANONS OF THAT CHURCH AND
OF THE CONVENTION OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH
IN THE DIOCESE OF MARYLAND.