By-Laws

Article I

Title and Meetings

Sec. 1      This Chapter shall be known as Hannibal Chapter No. 7 Royal Arch Masons.

Sec. 2      The stated meetings of this Chapter shall be held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Special meetings may be called by the High Priest or in his absence by the next officer of the Council in rank. The object of the call shall be stated in the notice and the business of the meeting confined thereto.

Sec. 3      The hour for the stated meting shall be 7:30 P.M.

Sec. 4      This Chapter shall not be opened unless there be present nine members of the Chapter, but eight may work as a Lodge of Mark Masters, seven as a Lodge of Most Excellent Masters.

 

Article II

Officers and Elections

Sec. 1      The officers of this Chapter shall consist of High Priest, King, Scribe, Treasurer, Secretary, Chaplain, Captain of the Host, Principal Sojourner, Royal Arch Captain, Master of the Third Veil, Master of the Second Veil, Master of the First Veil, Sentinel, and two members to the Masonic Temple Association.

Sec. 2      The High Priest, King, Scribe, Treasurer, Secretary and one member to the Masonic Temple Association shall be chosen by paper ballot at the first stated meeting in September of each year.

Sec. 3      The High Priest, King and Scribe elect shall appoint the Chaplain, Captain of the Host, Principal Sojourner, Royal Arch Captain, and Master of the Third, Second and First Veils and Sentinel, and may also appoint other committees.

Sec. 4      The Chapter will elect for the year of 1987, one member to the Masonic Temple Association for a period of one year, and one member for a period of two years, there after, one member being elected each year.

Sec. 5      The installation of the officers shall take place as near the beginning of the new Masonic year as practicable.

 

Article III

Duties of Officers

Sec. 1      The several officers of this Chapter shall perform the duties of their respective stations as indicated in the several charges and as handed down by the traditions and usages of the order.

Sec. 2      The Treasurer, in addition to the duties contemplated by section 1 of this article, shall at the first stated meeting in November of each year, present to the Chapter a detailed statement of all receipts and disbursements and the amount of money remaining in his hands. He is authorized to pay the warrants of the Chapter only when signed by the High Priest and Secretary.

Sec. 3      The Secretary, in addition to the duties contemplated by section 1 of this article, shall at the first stated meeting in November of each year, submit an annual report embracing the financial condition of the Chapter, the receipts and expenditures, and submit his books and accounts for inspection when required to do so by the chapter. He shall read the financial statement of the preceding year, not later then the second meeting of November of each year. During the month of June he shall send a second and final notice to all members who have not paid dues at this time. He shall keep a book of Marks and see that Marks selected by the Companions are properly recorded therein. He shall make and transmit by mail to the Grand Secretary during the month of January, an annual report according to the form furnished by the Grand Secretary. He shall keep at all times a copy of the by-laws. For these services he shall receive a salary of $1.00 per member.

Sec. 4      The Sentinel shall keep the regalia and jewels of the Chapter in proper order and always have them in proper places when wanted.

Sec. 5      The High Priest, King and Scribe shall constitute a standing committee to adjust all difference that may arise between the members, or to bring the same before the Chapter for adjudication.

Sec. 6      It is the duty of the members elected to the Masonic Temple Association, to attend every meeting of that association and to see that the Chapters interest in that association are carefully guarded.

 

Article V

Duties of Members

Sec. 1      It shall be the duties of each member to notify the Secretary in writing of any change in his address or Blue Lodge affiliation.

 

Article VI

Petitions

Sec. 1      A petition for the degrees or for membership, shall not be received from, nor the degrees conferred upon anyone who is not at the time a Master Mason and a member or a lodge in good standing.

Sec. 2      Petitions for the degrees or membership shall be in writing, signed by the applicant, and recommended by two members of this chapter, when received, the petition shall be referred to a committee of three members other than the recommenders, who will report at the next stated meeting unless further time be granted.

Sec. 3      A petitioner for the degrees who fails to present himself for the degrees within twelve (12) months after he shall have been duly notified of his election, his election shall be void and all fees may be returned to him.

Sec. 4      No petition for degrees may be withdrawn after it has been reported on by the committee. The chapter shall act upon all petitions within three months after their presentation.

Sec. 5      A petition for degrees shall not be received unless the petitioner has resided twelve months in the State of Missouri, the last six months of which, at least, have been within the jurisdiction of this Chapter.

Sec. 6      A petition for the degrees shall not be received from a rejected applicant until six months have elapsed from the date of rejection. Rejected applicants for membership may petition at any stated meeting of the Chapter.

 

Article VII

Dimissions

                A member in good standing, upon payment of dues to date, shall be permitted to demit upon making application in writing or person therefor.

 

Article VIII

Fees and Dues

Sec. 1      The fee for degrees in this Chapter, shall be $35.00 dollars which must accompany the petition.

Sec. 2      The annual dues of members of this Chapter, shall be $15.00 dollars.

Sec. 3      Non-Payment of dues. Whenever a member shall fail to pay his dues, within six months after the same becomes due, the Secretary shall notify him of such delinquency, by mail to the last known place of his residence. Should the delinquent refuse or fail to pay his dues within twenty days after the issuance of such notice, he shall be suspended for non-payment of dues. A companion who shall remain in arrears more than one year after his suspension shall not be re-instated to membership, by the payment of his dues, except upon a written application and by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the Chapter present at the time his application is acted upon. No application for re-instatement shall be received until all past dues are paid or remitted. The vote shall be by paper ballot.

Sec. 4      Committee on petition for re-instatement. The High Priest shall appoint a committee to inquire into the character and conduct of a petitioner for re-instatement, who has been suspended for one year or more for non-payment of dues, and the petition shall take the same course as an application for membership.

Sec. 5      Affiliation, dimit. A member who desires to transfer his membership to another Chapter in this Jurisdiction may do so without first terminating his membership in his own Chapter. He shall give written notice to his Chapter of his intention to affiliate with some other Chapter, stating the name, location, number of the Chapter with which he desires to affiliate. If he is not in arrears for dues, nor under charges, nor indebted in any official capacity to his Chapter, his Chapter shall grant him a certificate of good standing, which shall be delivered to him, but addressed to the Chapter selected for affiliation. This certificate shall be documentary evidence and shall accompany the petition for affiliation. Said petition shall take the usual course of petitions for affiliation, and the Chapter receiving it shall, within ten days after the ballot is taken, certify the result thereof to the Chapter from which the certificate came. If the petitioner is elected, his own Chapter shall at once forward to the Chapter selected for affiliation his dimit, which shall terminate his membership in the Chapter which issued the certificate. The member transferring his membership shall pay dues to the Chapter from which he is transferred to the date of said dimit. Should the ballot in the Chapter for affiliation be unfavorable, his membership shall remain in the Chapter which issued the certificate. If the certificate is good standing herein provided for is not used within three months from the date thereof, it shall become null and void and of no effect.

 

Article IX

Amendments

Sec. 1      Any alteration or amendments to these by-laws must be proposed in writing at a stated meeting, and shall lay over for thirty days for consideration, when, if adopted by two-thirds of the members present it shall become a part of these by-laws. Provided that notice thereof shall have been given to each resident member in the usual manner.

Sec. 2      All by-laws heretofore adopted by this Chapter are hereby repealed.

 

 

Committee on Revision of By-Laws

Clarence F. Houser, Chairman

Richard H. Fox

John W. Rethorn

Approved Date: July 12, 1986

Approved September 14, 1986

James E. Anderson, Grand High Priest

Attest: Bruce H. Hunt, Grand Secretary