§ 7-a. Consolidation. Any two or more of the bodies enumerated in the preceding section, having the same parent governing body, organized under section two of this chapter may consolidate by taking such action at any regular communication, convocation, encampment or other regular meeting thereof, by whatever name known, held in accordance with the constitution and general rules and regulations of the governing body to which it is subordinate, and in conformity to its own by-laws, and shall thereupon proceed to effect such organization in the manner provided for in section two, as if neither body had heretofore been organized under its provisions. When the certificate required to be filed by such body in the office of the secretary of state under the provisions of this article shall be so filed such separate bodies shall thereupon become one body, and all the temporalities, and property, whether real or personal, now vested in the trustees of each of the bodies so consolidated, in accordance with the provisions of section three of this chapter shall be vested in the trustees of the body formed by the consolidation, which shall be subject to all the liabilities of the former bodies to the same extent as if such liabilities had been contracted or incurred by it.