MASONIC CODE —CONSTITUTION— —STANDING REGULATIONS— —DIGEST OF DECISIONS— OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF ANCIENT FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF THE STATE OF MAINE Published by order of the Grand Lodge TABLE OF CONTENTS Supplemental Information ............................................................................... 1 Act of Incorporation ........................................................................................ 2 Historical notes on the Corporation ................................................................. 3 —CONSTITUTION— PART FIRST; THE GRAND LODGE Preamble/Declaration of Principles ................................................................. 4 Section(s) 1—Style and Title .......................................................................... 5 " 2.1—Officers and Members–Rank and Title ................................. 5 " 2.2—Of Electors and Proxies ........................................................ 5 " 3.1 – 3.2—Time and Place of Meetings ......................................... 6 " 4—Powers of the Grand Lodge ..................................................... 6 " 5 – 6—Qualifications of Grand Officers ........................................ 7 " 7.1 – 7.2a—Of Elections and Appointments ................................. 7 " 8 – 13—Provisions for Installation ................................................ 8 " 14.1 – 14.6b—Of the Grand Master .............................................. 8 " 15—Of the Deputy Grand Master .................................................. 9 " 16—Of the Grand Wardens ........................................................... 9 " 17.1 – 17.2—Order of Succession ................................................. 9 " 18.1 – 18.4—Of the Grand Treasurer .......................................... 10 " 19.1 – 19.11—Of the Grand Secretary ........................................ 10 " 20—Of District Deputy Grand Masters ....................................... 11 " 21—Of the Grand and Assistant Grand Lecturers ....................... 12 " 22—Of the Grand and Assistant Grand Chaplains ...................... 12 " 23—Of the Grand Marshal .......................................................... 12 " 24—Of Grand Deacons ............................................................... 12 " 25—Of Grand Stewards ............................................................... 12 " 26—Of the Grand Sword-Bearer ................................................. 12 " 27—Of the Grand Standard-Bearer ............................................. 13 " 28—Of Grand Pursuivants ........................................................... 13 " 29—Of Grand Organists .............................................................. 13 " 30—Of the Grand Historian ........................................................ 13 " 31—Of the Grand Librarian ........................................................ 13 " 32—Of the Grand Tyler ............................................................... 13 " 33.1 – 33.2—Of D.E.R.s and D.R.I.s ............................................ 13 " 34.1 – 34.6—Clothing in Grand Lodge ....................................... 14 " 35.1 – 35.4—Committee of Finance ............................................ 15 i TABLE OF CONTENTS Section(s) 36—The Appointed Standing Committees: ................................. 16 1. On Credentials ............................................................... 16 2. On Returns ..................................................................... 17 3. On Grievances and Appeals ........................................... 17 4. On History of Masonry in Maine ................................... 17 5. On Dispensations and Charters ...................................... 17 6. On Amendments to the Constitution ............................. 17 7. On Masonic Jurisprudence ............................................ 17 8. On Fraternal Relations .................................................. 17 9. On Condition of the Fraternity ...................................... 18 10. On Masonic Education and Lodge Service .................... 18 11. On Doings of Grand Officers ........................................ 18 12. On Unfinished Business ................................................ 18 13. On Ritual ....................................................................... 18 14. On By-laws .................................................................... 18 15. On the Maine Masonic College ..................................... 18 16. On Investments .............................................................. 19 " 37 – 43—Of Standing and Special Committees ........................... 19 " 44—Procedural Rules for Grand Lodge Sessions ........................ 20 Discipline—Irregular or Unmasonic Conduct " 45 – 46—Power to Try and Punish .............................................. 22 " 47 – 50—Penalties for Irregular or Unmasonic Conduct ............. 22 " 51 – 52—Procedural Jurisdiction ................................................. 22 " 53.1 – 53.2—Appointed Jurists .................................................... 23 " 54—Procedural Rules .................................................................. 24 " 55.1 – 55.3—Appeals .................................................................. 25 " 56.1 – 57—Petitions for Restoration ............................................ 26 Discipline—Nonpayment of Dues " 58—Pretrial Procedures ............................................................... 26 " 59.1 – 59.3—Provisos .................................................................. 27 PART SECOND; CHARITABLE FOUNDATION " 60—Establishment and Scope ..................................................... 29 " 61 – 62—Disbursements .............................................................. 29 " 63 – 66—Of the Board of Trustees .............................................. 29 PART THIRD; SUBORDINATE LODGES " 67 – 68—Style and Jurisdictional Sovereignty of Lodges ........... 31 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Section(s) 69—Special Lodges of Masonic Study and Research ................. 31 " 70—Inherent Rights of Regularly Chartered Lodges .................. 31 " 71.1 – 73—Master, Warden, or Proxy, to Attend Grand Lodge .. 31 " 74.1 – 74.7—Grand Lodge Per Capita Tax and Assessments ..... 32 " 75.1 – 75.5—Of Grand Lodge Mandates and Penalties ............... 33 " 76—Duty of Lodges to their District Deputy .............................. 34 " 77.1 – 81—Meetings and General Business of Lodges ............... 34 " 82.1 – 82.4—Dispensations/Constitutional Abatements/Permits 35 " 83—By-Laws; Adoption and Amendment .................................. 36 " 84 – 95—Special Concerns of Lodges ......................................... 36 " 96 – 98—Of Petitioners for Degrees ........................................... 38 " 99 – 101.3—Of Rejected Petitioners ........................................... 38 " 102 – 103—Of Irregularly Made Masons .................................... 39 Applications and Balloting " 104.1 – 104.3—General Provisions ............................................. 39 " 105.1 – 105.2—For Degrees and Original Membership ............... 40 " 105.3—For Wavier of Jurisdiction .............................................. 40 " 105.4—For Affiliation ................................................................. 41 " 105.5—For Reinstatement ........................................................... 41 " 105.6—For Restoration after Suspension or Expulsion ............... 41 Rules on Candidates " 106 – 113—Constraints on the Conferral of Degrees .................. 41 " 114.1 – 114.3—Proficiency Requirements .................................. 42 " 115—Minimum Fee for Degrees ................................................. 43 On Membership " 116 – 117—The Members of a Lodges ....................................... 43 " 118.1 – 118.2—Multiple Memberships ....................................... 44 " 119—Of Demits and Demission from Membership .................... 44 " 120—Of Nonaffiliated Masons .................................................... 44 Chartering, Consolidation and Dissolution of Lodges " 121 – 123—Lodges Under Dispensation ..................................... 45 " 124.1 – 124.3—Chartering and Organization of New Lodges .... 45 " 125 – 129—Of Charters and Charter Certificates ........................ 46 " 130—Consolidation of Lodges .................................................... 47 " 131 – 135—Surrender, Forfeiture and Revocation of Charters ... 47 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS PART FOURTH; AMENDING SECTION Section 136—Of this Constitution; how Amended .................................. 49 —STANDING REGULATIONS— Number 1—Joint occupancy of hall with another association ................... 51 " 2—Lodges enjoined from promoting dances or balls .................. 51 " 3—Moon lodges, months with no or two full moons .................. 51 " 4—Smoking forbidden in lodge hall or preparation room ........... 51 " 5—Official Grand Lodge forms require approval ........................ 51 " 6—Grand Master must approve building plans or purchase ........ 51 " 7—Hour for the holding of stated meetings ................................. 51 " 8—Awards: years of service ........................................................ 52 " 9—Awards: unusual, meritorious, or distinguished service ......... 52 " 10—Appendant Bodies ................................................................ 53 " 11—Ballot box; how properly prepared ...................................... 53 " 12—Black ball cast in jest a Masonic