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1838 CONSTITUTION

REGULATIONS
OF THE
GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER
OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Revised and Adopted March 13th, A. L. 5838.

CONSTITUTION

The Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for the better government and regulation of themselves and the Chapters under their Jurisdiction, do ordain and establish the following general and particular Regulations:

ARTICLE 1

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

  • Grand High Priest,
  • Dep. Grand High Priest,
  • Grand King,
  • Grand Scribe,
  • Grand Treasurer,
  • Grand Secretary,
  • Grand Chaplains,
  • Grand Lecturers,
  • Grand Marshal,
  • 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 the time being, of the several Chapters under the jurisdiction o[ this Grand Chapter.

ARTICLE 2

The Grand Royal Arch Chapter shall hold two communications in a year, to wit: on the Tuesday next preceding the second Wednesday in March and September, of which the communication in September 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 be chosen by ballot; and the others shall be appointed by the Grand High Priest, so chosen; all of whom, if present, shall he 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 3

All Grand Officers at the time of their installation, shall make the following declaration: I, A. B. do solemnly promise on the honor of a Royal Arch Mason, that according to the utmost of my knowledge and ability, I will strictly comply with all the Laws and Regulations o[ the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Massachusetts, the Constitntion and Laws of the General Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the United States, and all other ancient Masonic usages.

ARTICLE 4

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 5

The Grand High Priest, Deputy Grand High Priest, King, or Scribe of this Grand Royal Arch Chapter for the time being, shall not be High Priest, King, or Scribe of any Subordinate Chapter.

ARTICLE 6

No person shall be eligible to the office of Grand High Priest for more than three years successively.

ARTICLE 7

It shall be the duty of the Grand High Priest to appoint one or more discreet and well informed companions, to be styled Grand Lecturer, who shall be commissioned by the Grand High Priest, with the seal of the Grand Chapter affixed, and attested hy the Grand Secretary, which commission shall be in force until the conclusion of the annual meeting in September, 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 lectured, mode of work, and all things appertaining to the interest of the degrees, and government of the Chapter; and the Chapter so employing him, sha11 make him a reasonable compensation for his services.

He shall keep a record of his proceedings and submit it to the inspection of the Grand High Priest when required, and shall make no a1terations in the lectures without permission of the Grand Chapter. That the system as established by the Grand Chapter, and taught by the Grand Lecturer, shall be the standard for the regulation of a1l Chapters under this jurisdiction.

ARTICLE 8

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 September, previously to the election of officers.

ARTICLE 9

Every petition for a Warrant to open a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons within the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter, sha11 be signed by at least nine regular Royal Arch Masons within the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter, which petition shall be accompanied with 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 the members of said Chapter sha11 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, un1ess 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 the Charter shall be paid upon receiving the dispensation, and all expenses of the Grand Chapter for the installation of the new Chapter, shall be paid by the Chapter installed.

ARTICLE 10

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

ARTICLE 11

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 12

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 13

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

ARTICLE 14

No candidate shall be exalted to the degree of Royal Arch Mason by any Chapter under this jurisdiction for a less sum than thirty-one dollars, except the candidate be a regular minister of the gospel, in which case the Chapter exalting him may, at their discetion, remit the whole, or any part of the fees; and no note of hand shall be taken by any Chapter for the fees, or any part, of the fees, due on the exaltation or advancement of any candidate.

ARTICLE 15

The application any and every candidate, who is a resident in this Commonwealth, for exaltation in any Chapter under this jurisdiction, shall be made in writing and signed by the applicant; 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 thirty days from the meeting at which he was proposed, unless in case of emergency, when a dispensation from the Grand High Priest, Grand King, or Grand Scribe, shall be obtained, and that no candidate shall be received or admitted to the degrees, without a unanimous vote in his favor.

ARTICLE 16

No candidate, residing in any town where a Chapter is holden under this jurisdiction, shall be exalted in any other Chapter within this jurisdiction, without a recommendation from nine members of the Chapter nearest the place where said candidate does reside, of whom the High Priest, King and Scribe shall be three.

ARTICLE 17

No Chapter under this jurisdiction shall receive for exaltation to the sublime degree, 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, and whose place of residence is within the distance of fifty miles from any Subordinate Chapter of the State, in which such candidate lives, unless said candidate's application be accompanied by a special recommendation from a majority of the officers, one of whom must be the High Priest, King, or Scribe, of the Chapter nearest the place of his residence, and in the State wherein he resides; or the approbation and recommendation of two of the four first officers of the Grand Chapter of the State wherein he resides and six members of some one Chapter under the jurisdiction of said Grand Chapter.

ARTICLE 18

An applicant to any Chapter under this jurisdiction for the sublime degree, who is a foreigner, or not a resident of any of the United States, where Chapters are held agreeably to the regulations of the General Grand Chapter of the 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.

ARTICLE 19

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 or 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 rejection of candidates to the several Chapters under this jurisdiction, as well as to this Grand Chapter.

ARTICLE 20

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, nor without an unanimous vote in his favor.

ARTICLE 21

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

ARTICLE 22

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 Chapt 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 or this Grand Chapter.

ARTICLE 23

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 seals shall be affixed, which commission shall continue in force only during the year for which the said High Priest, King or Scribe was elected.

PARTICULAR REGULATIONS

ARTICLE 1

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

ARTICLE 2

The officers of Subordinate Chapters, who attend the communications of the Grand Chapter, must appear clothedl in their proper jewels.

ARTICLE 3

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 commnnication, 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. In case of the absence of the High Priest, the King shall wear his jewel, the Scribe shall wear the King's jewel, and the proxy of the High Priest shall wear the Scribe's jewel. And in case of the absence of the King also, the Scribe shall wear his jewel, anrl the proxy of the King shall wear the Scribe's jewel.

TJ1e form of letters of proxy, shall be in substance as follows, viz.:

To the M. E. Grand R. A. Chapter of Massachusetts:

That pursuant to the authority given me by the G. R. A. C. of Mass., I---, of --- Chapter, do, by these presents, constitute. and appoint Comp. ---, 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. ---.

AllTICLE 4. E,·ery member of this Grand Chapter, :111(1 rc•present:1.ti,·c tht'l'l'tQ, 11111.a·tp p •ar properly clothed with thP badges of a Royal Arch

uason.

ARTICLE 5. Not· mp:1nion Rhall he :ulmittc1l into this Gr:Lll l Ch:1pter, but such as are m mbers and voters, except p tition<'rH :wtl witness •s, or those ealle<l in by motion. And no p rson shall be aclmitt d :ts a visitor at any rommuni ation u11lc s some mcmb 'r of said Gr:w<l Chapter, or companion of right sitting in the same, ,Yill of hi~ own knowlcclg , cl cbrc that such person dcsirou. of llC'ing admitted. has regnlarly rec i,·ed all the clegrces appertaining to Royal Arc·h 1\fosonr.Y, as conferred b' the hapt r nn<ler thi. jnris(liction. Al TICLE Ci. ·whereas, it is sso11tially important, that tho mo<lo of working i11 th cvoral Chapter , uml r the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter. shoull be uniformly the am ; therefor', the better to accomplish this de imblc objc t, it ·hall b the duty of the Grand lligh Prie,t. or pre iding oflic 1· at v ry commuuication hereof, to crivc, or cau,l' to be given, the lark and Royal Arch lectures, that the officer· of the s Ycral 'hapters may be fully acquainted therewith, and di~pcnse the kaowlcclgc o( them in an uniform and regular manner i11 their s v rnl haptcr~. ARTICLE,. The accounts o( the Treasurer a11tl S er tary, :it the a111111:tl communication in, eptcmber, ·hall he auclitml, and for th ir scrYi('('~ they shall receive Rn<"h c mpcusatio11 as this Grnncl Ch:1.ptl'r lll: 1•1 • cl em :Hle()uate. Al:TICLE 8. Every return from the Subordinate Chapters shall specif.,• till' time wh n <'arlt C':111<lida!wl' as 111e1rkcd.p as~ed, aeknowk(lge(l nut!

('X:tltecl; an(l :1 ·h Chaptrr . klll pay to this Gr::111tl Chapter, for e1·<·ry candidate admittC'd lo t lH• degre of .:\fork }\[aster, nr dolLi r; to the degree of Past ]\foster, fifty cents; to the clerrree of M ~t Exe-ell nt ;1faster, fifty ('Cllts; :wtl to tlt (legr c of Hoyal 1\rC'h ::\Iason, one dollar. .\ RT LCLE n. "'h n any rnemh('I' of a Chapt r u11clcr this jnrisclietio11 shall be acruspcl of any ofl'P1we, which it pro,·cd against him, wo11l1l suhjert him to an expulsion 01· other censure, th, trnlh of C'harge 01· charges shall 11ot lie x:uninccl, until a e 1iy of th 'Ill in writi1w • b shall have been deliv red to him fourteen days at least prcviou to the time app i11tcl for th xami11ation. Antl 110 in,·cstig:ttion sh:1ll be ha<l, unle at a meeting of the Chapter. conn•ned on a formal sum111ons for that purpose. And the .rn111in:ttion a11d d<'(' ision shall be matlc accordi11g to the rules spcci:.illy prescril)('(I ;11 a rrport :u-cepl '<l b.v the Grancl Chapter. ARTICLE 10. J~ach Clrnptc1· under this juri. diclion shall l1avc a s ':ti, which ~hall b allixctl to all communication rnndc to this nrantl Chapter. and to al\ (·1·ccl ntials ll'hic:h may be gil'cn b.v Rudi hapter t any mcrnb r tl1ereof. ARTICLE 11. W!tcncY r the By-Laws of any Chapter rc()nirc the names of r:u1didaL s to be insert ti in the notifications, a cli~pcnsation from a Crail(] Ofli ·er lacs not render uch in. crtion unn •cc. sary. ARTI LE 12. All motions mad rn the Grand hapter, the cletcrminations of which may r q11irc to b r corcletl, shall b handed in writin" to "' the Secretary, who sl,all prc. c11t tlwm to tl1c pre icling otli,·er !'or th time being. ARTICLE 1:3. ...T o Yotc of th Grand Chapter hall be re on. id rc<l hr a less nnmh r of YOt rs than wcr pr 'senL at the passing of the sam •.

AHTTCLE H. No al'ticle in the Constitution of this Grnncl Clrnpt r, shall he alter ,(l, except at the annual meeting thereof. unle s the alteration shall have b en proposed at a pt· vious meeting.