As to existing societies.

5. Every society now subsisting whose rules have been registered, enrolled, or certified under any Act relating to friendly societies, shall be deemed to be a society registered under this Act, and its rules shall, so far as the same are not contrary to any express provision of this Act, continue in force until altered or rescinded.

Provided that nothing herein contained shall affect the validity of rules of friendly societies established before the sixteenth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, notwithstanding that the contingent annual payments to which the members or the nominees of the members of such societies may become entitled may exceed the limit hereby fixed.