By-Laws
of Pacific Lodge
ARTICLE I
Title
Section 1. The name of this Lodge
shall be Pacific Lodge A. F. & A.M., of Amherst, Massachusetts, and it
shall consist of as many Master Masons as may be regularly admitted to
membership.
ARTICLE II
Communications
Section 1. The stated
Communications of this Lodge Shall be held in Masonic Temple, Amherst, Mass.,
on the third Tuesday of each month.
Section 2. The annual communication
for the transaction of such business as may legally come before the Lodge shall
be held during the stated communication in September.
Section 3. The fiscal Year Of this
Lodge shall begin September 1 and end August 31 next following. At the next
stated communication after August 31, reports shall be presented by the
Treasurer, the Secretary, the Auditing Committee, and such other committees as
may have matters entrusted to them involving the funds or other property of the
Lodge.
ARTICLE III
Officers
Section 1. The officers of this
Lodge shall consist of a Master, Senior, Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer,
Secretary, Chaplain, Marshal, Senior Deacon, Junior Deacon, Senior Steward,
Junior Steward, Organist, and Tyler.
Section 2. The Master, Wardens,
Treasurer, Secretary, Representative on the Board of Masonic Relief, one
Trustee for three years, one or more Auditors skilled in accounting, and the
Proxy to Grand Lodge shall be chosen annually by ballot at the Stated
Communication in June. A majority of the ballots shall determine the choice.
All other officers shall be appointed by the Master.
Section 3. The officers shall be
installed on or before the Regular Communication in October, unless an
unforeseen cause prevents.
Section 4. In the event of a
vacancy in the office of Trustee, the Master shall appoint a member to fill
such vacancy until the next Annual Communication for the election of officers.
ARTICLE IV
Officers' Duties
Section 1. The duties of the
Master, Wardens, Deacons and Stewards, except such as are hereafter mentioned,
are implied in the ritual.
Section 2. Treasurer. It
shall be-the duty of the Treasurer to take charge of the funds of the Lodge,
receive all monies, and keep a just and accurate account of the same. He shall
pay all approved bills by order of the Master and consent of the Lodge. As
stated in Article II, Section 3, and at other times when requested by the
Lodge, he shall render a correct statement of the financial condition of the
Lodge. He shall give a satisfactory bond for the faithful performance of his
duties. The cost of the bond shall be borne by the Lodge, He shall be exempt
from annual Lodge dues.
Section 3. Secretary. The
Secretary shall keep a correct and impartial record of the proceedings of the.
Lodge; shall receive all fees and dues from the hands of the Brethren and pay
them to the Treasurer, taking his receipt therefore; shall issue all
notifications and summonses by direction of the Master; shall notify the
Chairman of each committee of his appointment, the names of his associates, and
the business committed to their charge; shall, as stated in Article II, Section
3, render an accurate statement of the work done, of the monies received, and
of the membership commenced, suspended, renewed, or withdrawn; shall read the
names of the delinquent members and the amount of their indebtedness when requested
to do so by the Lodge; shall furnish each member, on his admission to the
Lodge, a copy of the BY-laws; and Shall give a satisfactory bond for the
faithful perforce of his duties. The cost of the bond shall be borne by the
Lodge. He shall receive for his services such compensation as the Lodge shall
determine, and be exempt from annual Lodge dues.
Section 4. Tyler. The Tyler
shall see that the Lodge and ante-rooms are in readiness for all meetings;
shall strictly guard against the intrusion of improper persons; shall request
the Brethren at Regular and Special Communications to record their names in the
Register, and under the direction of the Master shall attend to such other
duties as may be required. He shall be exempt from annual Lodge dues.
Section 5. Trustees. The
Trustees shall have entire charge of the Pacific Lodge Charity Fund and all
other Trust Funds; shall invest the same as directed by a two-thirds vote of
the Lodge and shall make a report in full to the Lodge at its Annual
Communication.
ARTICLE V
Pacific Lodge Charity Fund
Section 1. All contributions for
charity shall be known as the "Pacific Lodge Charity Fund."
Section 2. The income only of this
Fund may be used, and that for charitable purposes. The signatures of a
majority of the Trustees shall be necessary for the withdrawal of any part of
said income.
ARTICLE VI
Standing Committee.
Section 1. The Master shall appoint
annually a Relief Committee of five, a Service Committee of seven, and a Hall
Committee of three.
Section 2. The Auditing Committee
shall examine and audit the accounts of the Treasurer and Secretary and all
other Lodge accounts and shall report to the Lodge at the Annual Communication
in September.
Section 3. The Relief Committee
shall render such assistance as they may be able in cases of sickness and
destitution among the members of the Lodge, or distressed worthy Brothers, and
should a case occur requiring immediate action between the Regular
Communications of the Lodge, they may expend a sum not exceeding Two Hundred
and Fifty Dollars ($250.00), to 'be paid from the income of the Charity Fund,
or from contributions to the Charity Box.
Section 4. Under the direction of
the Master, or by vote of the Lodge, the Hall Committee shall have charge of
all property controlled by the Lodge; shall make necessary repairs and keep it
in order; receive all income from the same, and pay it to the Secretary on or
before each Regular Communication.
Section 5. Any brother contracting
a bill in the name of Pacific Lodge shall constitute a committee of one to
verify said bill in writing before its presentation to the Lodge for payment.
ARTICLE. VII
Membership
Section 1. Every applicant for the
degrees shall sign a petition in form prescribed by the Grand Lodge. When
received by the Lodge, it shall be referred to a Committee of three whose duty
it shall be to make strict inquiry into the moral character of the applicant
and report thereon at the next Regular Communication, when a ballot shall be
taken upon the acceptance or rejection of the petitioner.
Section 2. No non-resident
undergraduate student in either College shall be eligible to receive his
degrees in Pacific Lodge unless his application for membership is received
prior to the Regular Communication in January of his senior year.
Section 3. Application for
mentorship by affiliation shall be made in writing, and when received, shall be
acted upon as provided for in Section 1 of this Article.
Section 4. Any brother of Pacific
Lodge, having received the M. M. degree, or any Brother elected to
membership-by affiliation, becomes a member by signing the By-laws.
Section 5. Honorary Membership may
be conferred upon any member of the Masonic Fraternity whom this Lodge may
desire to honor. This does not confer the privileges of active membership,
except to Brothers elected from this Lodge. All honorary members shall be
exempt from annual Lodge dues.
ARTICLE VIII
Fees
Section 1. Every candidate shall
pay for receiving the degrees sixty-five dollars ($65.00) as follows: twenty
dollars ($20.00) with the application, and fifteen dollars ($15.00) before
receiving each of the three degrees.
Section 2. An applicant for the
second and third degrees who has received the first degree elsewhere, shall pay
twenty ($20.00) and twenty-five ($25.00) dollars plus any Grand Lodge fees
respectively.
Section 3.An applicant for the
third degree, who has received the first and second degrees elsewhere, shall
pay thirty dollars ($30.00) plus any Grand Lodge fee before receiving the third
degree.
Section 4. The fee for membership
by affiliation shall be ten dollars ($10), plus the required Grand Lodge fee.
Section 5. Every candidate who
receives the third degree is entitled to a Grand Lodge diploma. He shall sign
his name in the margin when receiving it.
ARTICLE IX
Dues
Section 1. Every member of this
Lodge shall pay in advance each year twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the
support of the Lodge, which sum shall be payable in September. Grand Lodge dues
are to be added to this amount.
Section 2. At the Stated
Communication next following March 1, any member who is in arrears for dues for
two years, having been duly notified of his indebtedness by the Secretary in
writing, shall be referred to a Committee of three for investigation, and
upon-recommendation of this Committee the dues may be remitted or he may be
suspended from membership by vote of the Lodge, due notice having first been
given him.
Section 3. All Brothers initiated
or affiliated previous to March 1 shall pay dues for the current year.
ARTICLE X
Life Membership
Section 1. Any Brother who has been
a member of Pacific Lodge in good standing and whose dues are paid in full, may
become a Life Member by complying with the following schedule:
Brethren who have paid dues for 5
years or less, upon payment of 65% of the remaining dues (Article IX, Section
1.) to forty (40) years.
Brethren who have paid dues in
Pacific Lodge form 6 years to 10 years, upon payment of 70% of remaining dues.
Brethren who have paid dues in
Pacific Lodge form 11 years to 15 years, upon payment of 75% of remaining dues.
Brethren who have paid dues in
Pacific Lodge form 16 years to 20 years, upon payment of 80% of remaining dues.
Brethren who have paid dues in
Pacific Lodge form 21 years to 25 years, upon payment of 85% of remaining dues.
Brethren who have paid dues in
Pacific Lodge form 26 years to 30 years, upon payment of 90% of remaining dues.
Brethren who have paid dues in
Pacific Lodge form 31 years to 35 years, upon payment of 95% of remaining dues.
Brethren who have paid dues in
Pacific Lodge form 36 years to 40 years, upon payment of 100% of remaining
dues.
Section 2. Brethren who became
members before 1910 shall become Life Members after paying dues in Pacific
Lodge for 30 years.
Brethren who became or shall become
members after 1918 shall become Life Members after paying dues in Pacific Lodge
for 40 years.
Brethren who became members between
1910 an 1918, inclusive, shall become Life Members after paying dues in Pacific
Lodge for 40 years, less the number of years for which they have paid dues
before 1919.
Section 3. Life Membership deprives
no Brother of any of the rights or privileges of Masonry. It exempts him from
annual Lodge dues, but not from assessments should any occur, nor from Grand
Lodge dues.
Section 4. All monies paid for Life
Memberships shall be known as the Life Membership Fund, The principal of this
fund shall never be expended. Its income shall be available for Lodge expenses
whenever called for in writing by the Master. All Unexpended income shall be
added to and become a part of the principal at the close of each fiscal year.
ARTICLE XI.
Miscellaneous
Section 1. No Brother shall be
eligible to hold office unless he is in good and regular standing.
Section 2. Proficiency in the
lectures of each degree shall be required before advancement. Brothers may be
examined in the Lodge or Vouched for by a Committee appointed by the Master
Section 3. Any Brother giving
information to a person not a Mason of the application or rejection of a candidate,
or disclosing any of the proceedings of the Lodge not proper to be made public,
after due notice of such proposed action, shall be liable to reprimand,
suspension, or discharge as the Lodge shall determine: if a visiting Brother
shall give such information, he may he forever debarred from again visiting
this Lodge. It shall be the duty of the Master to cause this section to be read
in open Lodge immediately after the application of a candidate is received, and
after an unfavorable ballot.
Section 4. During Lodge hours every
member shall pay due attention to the transaction of, business, and no member
shall enter or leave the Lodge without the consent of the Master and paying him
the proper salute. No loud conversation nor other disturbing noise shall be
allowed in the ante-rooms while the Lodge is in session.
Section 5. Any member persisting in
disobeying the regulations of the Lodge or behaving in a manner disgraceful to
Masonry, may, after due admonition by the Master or some other Brother, be
suspended or discharged from membership, at the pleasure of the Lodge, due
notice of such proposed action having been given him.
Section 6. The Seal of the Lodge is
circular in form, and contains these words around the outer edge, "Pacific
Lodge, Amherst, Mass.," and in the center, surrounded by a wreath, are the
open Bible Square and Compasses, and "5801". It shall be affixed to
receipts for dues, and to other important Masonic documents.
ARTICLE XII
Section l. These By-laws may be
amended or repealed, With the approval of the Grand Lodge, by a two-thirds vote
of the members present and voting at any Regular Communication, the proposed
change having been presented in writing at a previous Regular Communication and
signed by at least ten members of the Lodge, due notice of the proposed action
having been sent to each member.
The
foregoing is a complete copy of the By-Laws of Pacific Lodge, containing
all amendments approved by Grand Lodge to date. June 7, 1994