GCConstitutions1861

CONSTITUTION OF
THE GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER
OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Adopted, A. L. 5861.

CONSTITUTION

The Officers and memhers of the GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, for the better government and regulation of themselves and of the Chapters under their jurisdiction, do ordain and establish the following General and Particular Regulations:

GENERAL REGULATIONS

ARTICLE I

This Grand Royal Arch Chapter shall consist of the following officers, to wit:

Grand High Priest, Deputy Grand High Priest, Grand King, Grand Scribe, Grand Captain of the Host, Grand Principal Sojourner, Grand Royal Arch Captain, three Grand Masters of the Veils, Grand Treasurer, Grand Secretary, Grand Chaplains, Grand Lecturers, Grand Stewards, Grand Tyler, together with Past Grand High Priests, Past Deputy Grand High Priests, Kings and Scribes, and of the High Priests, Kings and Scribes, for tbe time being, of the several Chapters under the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter, all of whom shall be entitled to a vote in the Grand Chapter, except the Grand Tyler.

ARTICLE II

The Grand Royal Arch Chapter shall hold four communications in a year, to wit: on the Tuesday next preceding the second Wednesday in March, June, September, and December, of which the communication in December shall be the annual communication, and the time for the choice of officers, of whom the Grand High Priest, Deputy Grand High Priest, King, Scribe, Treasurer and Secretary shall elected by ballot, and the others sha11 be appointed by the Grand High Priest, so chosen; all of whom, if present, shall be duly installed on that day, or at such other time as the Grand Chapter shall designate; and if any of said officers shall be absent at the time of his election or appointment, it shall be the duty of the Grand Secretary to forward him due notice thereof, with a request that he would signify his acceptance or refusal in writing, within twenty days at least preceding the next regular meeting of the Grand Chapter; and should any of said officers decline accepting the office assigned him, or neglect to give notice thereof within the time aforesaid, then such office shall be deemed vacant, and filled at the next regular meeting of said Grand Chapter.

And all other vacancies of office, by resignation or otherwise, shall be filled at the regular communication next succeeding the same. And all communications of the Grand Chapter shall hereafter be holden in Boston.

ARTICLE III

All Grand Officers, at the time of their installation, shall make the following declaration:

"I, A. B., do solemnly promise and swear that I will support and maintain the Constitution of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Massachusetts, and that of the General Grand Chapter of the United States."

ARTICLE IV

In case of the absence of the Grand High Priest, Deputy Grand High Priest, Grand King, and Grand Scribe, it shall be the duty of the oldest past officer of those grades respectively to preside; and in case of the absence of all the past officers, the High Priest of the oldest Chapter present shall preside.

ARTICLE V

No person shall be eligible to the office of Grand High Priest for more than three years successively, or hold the office of High Priest of a subordinate Chapter during his term of office in the Grand Chapter.

ARTICLE VI

It shall be the duty of the Grand High Priest to appoint one or more discreet and well-informed Companions, to be styled Grand Lecturers, who shall be commissioned by the Grand High Priest, with the seal of the Grand Chapter affixed, and attested by the Grand Secretary, which commission shall be in force until the conclusion of the annual communication in December, and no longer.

It shall be the duty of the Grand Lecturer, when requested by any subordinate Chapter, and directed by the Grand High Priest, to visit any Chapter under this jurisdiction, and teach them the lectures and mode of work; and the Chapter so employing him shall make him a reasonable compensation for his services.

He shall keep a record of hbis proceedings, and submit it to the inspection of the Grand High Priest when required, and shall make no alterations in the lectures without permission of the Grand Chapter. The system established by the Grand Chapter, and taught by the Grand Lecturer, shall be the standard for the regulation of all Chapters under this jurisdiction.

ARTICLE VII

A Committee of three shall be appointed at the annual meeting, immediately after the installation of the Grand Officers, to be styled the Committee of Finance, whose duty it shall be to examine and audit all bills presented against the Grand Chapter, together with the Grand Treasurer's and Secretary's accounts and books, and report at the annual communication in December, previously to the election of officers.

ARTICLE VIII

Every petition for a warrant to open a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons within the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter shall be signed by at least nine regular Royal Arch Masons, within the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter, which petition shall be accompanied by a certificate from the Chapter within this Commonwealth nearest the place where the new Chapter is intended to be opened, vouching for the moral character and Masonic abilities of the petitioners, and recommending to the Grand Chapter to grant them a warrant; and if it shall meet the approbation of this Grand Chapter, the Grand High Priest shall grant his dispensation for the same, to be in force not exceeding twelve months, and during that time the members of said Chapter shall be examined, with regard to their ability to perform the requisite duties, by a committee to be appointed by the Grand High Priest; said committee to report to the Grand High Priest; and if their report meet his approbation, he shall, within the year aforesaid, unless a further time is granted by a vote of the Grand Chapter, appoint a time for the consecration of said Chapter and installation of the officers, and direct the Secretary to make out a charter, to bear even date with the dispensation; and said Chapter shall pay fifty cents per month for the time it shall have held its warrant.

And if a majority of the members of any Chapter, at a regular meeting notified for that purpose, shall vote to remove their Chapter to any other place, the Grand Chapter may sanction and authorize such removal, if recommended by the Chapter nearest to the place to which the Chapter is proposed to be removed.

The fees for tbe charter shall be paid upon receiving the dispensation.

ARTICLE IX

No warrant shall be granted by this Grand Chapter for holding a Mark Masters', Past Masters', or Most Excellent Masters' Lodge, independent of a Royal Arch Chapter.

ARTICLE X

The fees for a warrant for holding a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and opening Lodges of Mark Masters, Past Masters, and Most Excellent Masters, shall be ninety dollars; and the Secretary shall be paid by the petitioners five dollars for his services in executing the charter.

ARTICLE XI

The several Chapters under the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter shall pay for the support thereof, into the hands of the Grand Treasurer, annually, the sum of six dollars, and also three dollars for every candidate who shall be exalted in such Chapter, and shall be entitled to receive of the Grand Secretary one diploma for each candidate exalted.

ARTICLE XII

Every Chapter of Royal Arch Masons under this jurisdiction shall be represented by its High Priest, King, and Scribe, or either of them, in person or by their respective proxies, at every meeting of the Grand Chapter; and, at the stated communication in September, make a duplicate return of the names of its officers and members, and of the candidates by it exalted, (one of which returns shall be held by the Grand Treasurer, and the other by the Chapter,) and pay their dues to the Grand Treasurer.

If any Chapter under this jurisdiction shall fail to assemble once in any year, or shall neglect to be represented in this Grand Chapter for two years in succession, or shall fail for two successive years to make a return of its officers and members and pay its dues to this Grand Chapter, then, and in either case of delinquency, the said Chapter shall forfeit to the use of this Grand Chapter its charter, with its records, jewels, regalia and furniture, together with its monetary and all other property of every description.

ARTICLE XIII

No candidate shall be exalted to the degree of Royal Arch Mason by any Chapter under this jurisdiction for a less sum than twenty-five dollars, and no candidate shall be balloted for until said fee shall be paid, and no note of hand shall be taken by any Chapter for the fees, or any part of the foes, due on the exaltation or advancement of any candidate.

ARTICLE XIV

The application of any and every candidate, who is a resident in this Commonwealth, for exaltation in any Chapter under this jurisdiction, shall be made in writing und signed by the applicant, and be in the following form, to wit:

To The Most Excellent High Priest, King, Scribe, and Companions of ––– Chapter.

I, –––, having received the degree of Master Mason in ––– Lodge, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of –––, having the good of the Craft at heart, and being desirous of obtaining further light in Masonry, do fraternally offer myself a candidate for the degrees conferred in your Chapter.
Should my petition be granted, I promise a cheerful forms and usages of the Fraternity.

My residence is in –––, occupation –––. I have ––– before applied for said degrees.

Dated at –––, 187_.

Signed,
–––––.

And said application shall be accompanied by the recommendation of at least three Royal Arch Masons, and shall be in the following form, to wit:

We, the subscribers, hereby certify that we are acquainted with ––––, named in the above application, and believe him to be of regular and upright conduct, fair fame, sober life, and good moral character. We do, therefore, recommend him as a Master Mason, worthy and well qualified to be exalted to the Sublime Degree of Royal Arch Mason.

Dated at –––, 187_.

Signed,
–––––.
–––––.
–––––.

And said application shall lay over one meeting of said Chapter at least, for the consideration of the members thereof; and no ballot shall be taken upon the application of any candidate within fourteen days from the meeting at which he was proposed, unless in cases of" ' emergency, when a dispensation from the Grand High Priest, Deputy Grand High Priest, Grand King, or Grand Scribe, shall be obtained; and no candidate shall be received or admitted to the degrees without a unanimous vote in his favor.

ARTICLE XV

No candidate, residing in any town or city where one or more Chapters are holden under this jurisdiction, shall be exalted in any other Chapter within the jurisdiction without the consent of the High Priest, King, and Scribe of each of the Chapters in the town or city where said candidate resides.

ARTICLE XVI

No Chapter under this jurisdiction shall receive for exaltation to the sublime degrees a candidate who is resident in another of the United States where grand or subordinate Chapters are established agreeably to the rules and regulations of the General Grand Chapter, except by the consent of the Chapter nearest the place of residence of said applicant.

ARTICLE XVII

An applicant to any Chapter under this jurisdiction for the sublime degrees, who is a foreigner, or not n resident of any of the United States where Chapters are held agreeably to the regulations of the General Grand Chapter of said States, must have his application written and signed by himself and four members of the Chapter to which he applies for exaltation, or by himself and six members of other Chapters under this jurisdiction. And any worthy Companion from without the jurisdiction of the United States who may present himself as a Royal Arch Mason and produce satisfactory evidence of his having received that degree each and every Chapter under the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter has liberty, and they are hereby authorized, to confer the degrees of Mark Master, Past Master, and Most Excellent Master on such Companions (who have not heretofore received them), to the end that they may be healed, and thereby become regular Royal Arch Masons, free of charge; and the subordinate Chapter conferring said degrees free of charge shall be exempt from paying any dues therefor.

ARTICLE XVIII

No candidate whose application may be rejected in any Chapter under this jurisdiction shall be exalted in any Chapter other than that to which he first applied, without a recommendation from nine members of said Chapter, of whom the High Priest, King, and Scribe shall be three; and it shall be the duty of every Chapter under this jurisdiction to communicate all rejections of candidates to this Grand Chapter.

ARTICLE XIX

No Royal Arch Mason shall be admitted a member of any Chapter under this jurisdiction; unless he shall have regularly received the degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, Master Mason, Mark Master Mason, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason.

ARTICLE XX

No Royal Arch Mason shall be a member of two separate and distinct Chapters under this jurisdiction at one and the same time.

ARTICLE XXI

No Chapter or assembly of Royal Arch Masons, that may hereafter be formed within the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter, shall be deemed legal without the sanction of a warrant from this Grand Chapter. Masonic communication, either public or private, is hereby strictly forbidden between any Chapter or Lodge under this jurisdiction, or between any member of said Chapter or Lodge under this jurisdiction, and any Chapter or Lodge that may be so illegally opened, or either of their members, or any person exalted or advanced in such illegal Chapter or Lodge.

The punishment for breach of any part of this article shall be expulsion and exclusion from the benefits of Royal Arch Masonry.

ARTICLE XXII

The High Priest, King, and Scribe of any Chapter under the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter, when not able to attend the communications, shall appoint their proxies by a commission signed with their names, to which their seal shall be affixed; which commission shall continue in force only during the year for which the saicl High Priest, King, or Scribe was elected.

PARTICULAR REGULATIONS

ARTICLE I

At every communication of this Grand Chapter, previous to the transaction of any business, the Chapter shall be opened in due form.

ARTICLE II

The officers of subordinate Chapters, who attend the communication of the Grand Chapter, must appear clothed in their proper jewels.

ARTICLE III

Every officer of a Chapter under this jurisdiction, who, as such, has a right to sit and vote in this Grand Chapter, shall, in case of his absence at any communication, have a right to be represented therein by his proxy duly appointed; provided, however, such proxy be not under the degree of Royal Arch Mason, and that he be a member of a Chapter under the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter.

The form of letters of proxy shall be in substance as follows, viz.:

To the Most Excellent Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Massachusetts:

BE IT KNOWN,

That pursuant to the authority given me by the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Massachusetts, I, ––– –––, of ––– Chapter, do, by these presents, constitute and appoint Companion –––, of –––, to represent me at the meetings of said Grand Chapter, to be holden at Boston, on the ––– day of –––, {or, for the present Masonic year as the case may be.}

Confirming the acts of said Companion in his capacity aforesaid, I pray that he may enjoy all the privileges and protection to which I am entitled.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this ––– day of –––, A. L. –––.

ARTICLE IV

Every member of this Grand Chapter, and representative thereto, must appear properly clothed with the badges of a Royal Arch Mason.

ARTICLE V

No person shall be admitted as a visitor at any communication of this Grand Chapter, unless some member of said Grand Chapter, or Companion of right sitting in the same, will of his own knowledge declare that such person desirous of being admitted has regularly received all the degrees appertaining to Royal Arch Masonry, conferred by the Chapters under this jurisdiction.

ARTICLE VI

Whereas, it is essentially important that the mode of working in the several Chapters under the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter should be 1miformly the same: therefore, the better to accomplish this desirable object, it shall be the duty of the Grand High Priest, or presiding officer at every communication thereof, to give, or cause to be given, the Mark and Royal Arch Lectures, that the officers of the several Chapters may be fully acquainted therewith, and dispense the knowledge of them in a uniform and regular manner in their several Chapters.

ARTICLE VII

The accounts of the Treasurer and Secretary at the annual communication in December, shall be audited, and for their services they shall receive such compensation as this Grand Chapter may deem adequate.

ARTICLE VIII

Very return from the subordinate Chapters shall specify the time when each candidate was marked, passed, acknowledged, and exalted; and each Chapter shall pay to this Grand Chapter, for every candidate admitted to the degree of Mark Master, one dollar; to the degree of Past Master, fifty cents; to the degree of Most Excellent Master, fifty cents; and to the degree of Royal Arch Mason, one dollar.

ARTICLE IX

When any member of a Chapter under this jurisdiction shall be accused of any offence which, if proved against him, would subject him to suspension or expulsion, the proceedings in the premises shall be conducted agreeably to the following rules:

• 1st. The accusations shall be made in writing, under the signature of a Royal Arch Mason, and given in charge to the Secretary of the Chapter, who, under the direction of the High Priest, shall serve, or cause the accused to be served with an attested copy of the charges, fourteen days at least previous

to the time appointed for his examination; provided, the residence of the offending Companion shall be known, and shall be within the distance of twenty miles of the place where the Chapter is located. If the residence of the accused be at a greater distance than twenty miles, but within the State, then and in that case a summons to appear and show cause, forwarded to him by mail or other conveyance, twenty days at least before the time of trial, shall be considered sufficient service. If the residence of the delinquent be unknown, the Chapter may proceed to examine the charges ex parte.

• 2nd. The examination of the charges shall be had in a Chapter specially notified and convened for the purpose, at which no visitors shall be admitted, except as counsel or witnesses.
• 3rd. The accused may select his own counsel, and the witnesses shall testify on their honor; hearsay evidence shall be excluded.
• 4th. The question, "Is the accused guilty or not guilty?" shall be distinctly put to each member of the Chapter by name, commencing with the youngest member. The answer sha1l be given standing, and in a distinct and audible manner. The Secretary shall record the answer as given.
• 5th. If the verdict be suspension or expulsion, the proceedings shall be sent up at the ensuing meeting of this Grand Chapter for examination.
• 6th. A sentence of expulsion shall not take effect until confirmed by this Grand Chapter; but shall operate as a suspension of the delinquent.
• 7th. A Companion feeling himself aggrieved by the decision of a subordinate Chapter shall have the right of an appeal to this Grand Chapter, he having given due and timely notice to the subordinate Chapter of his intention so to appeal from its decision.
• 8th. Whenever this Grand Chapter shall reverse or abrogate the decision of a subordinate Chapter, suspending or expelling a Companion, and shall restore him to the benefits and privileges of Masonry, he shall not thereby be restored to membership within the body from which he was suspended or expelled, without its unanimous consent.
• 9th. In all respects, other than those here specified, the proceedings shall be conducted agreeably to the regulations of ancient craft Masonry.

ARTICLE X

Each Chapter under this jurisdiction shall have a seal, which shall be affixed to all communications made to this Grand Chapter, and to all credentials which may be given by such Chapter to :my member thereof.

ARTICLE XI

Whenever the by-laws of any Chapter require the names of candidates to be inserted in the notifications, a dispensation from a Grand Officer does not render such insertion unnecessary.

ARTICLE XII

All motions made in the Grand Chapter, the determinations of which may require to be recorded, shall be handed in writing to the Secretary, who shall present them to the presiding officer for the time being.

ARTICLE XIII

No vote of the Grand Chapter shall be reconsidered by a less number of voters than were present at the passing of the same.

ARTICLE XIV

There shall be a Board of Trustees of the Funds of the Grand Chapter, consisting of the Grand Treasurer, and two Companions to be elected by ballot for tbe term of three years, and to constitute, during that time, a permanent part of the Board; and, provided a vacancy shall occur by death, resignation, or any cause, it shall be reported to tbe Grand Chapter at the next quarterly communication, at which time the vacancy shall be filled.

The Board of Trustees thus constituted shall be styled, "The Trustees of the Funds of the Grand Chapter of Massachusetts."

ARTICLE XV

This Constitution shall not be altered or amended, unless such alteration or amendment be proposed, in writing, at one regular meeting of tbe Grand Chapter, and at a subsequent regular meeting receive the approval of two-thirds of tbe members then present.

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