i BY-LAWS I feb • ■ • ■ n Vc. r rEMPLE ClfAPTER i:i (•- 35^0. ©, <-i :■> i MILLEDGEVILLE, GA, :) ^^ I I i ■ I ^' si 11 CONFEDERATE UNION PRESS. r| ^^ JIILLKDGEVII.LE, OA, fl M :::::::::::::: ^.) George Washington Flowers Memorial Collection DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ESTABLISHED BY THE FAMILY OF COLONEL FLOWERS BY-LAWS OP TEMPLE CHAPTER, MILLEDQEVILLE, GA. CONFEDERATE UNION PRESS. MILLEDGEVILLE, GA. "imr ^^^^^ BY-LAWS OF TEMPLE CHAPTER, NO. 6. We the High Priest, Ki- g, Scrihe and Companions of Temple Cliapter No. 6, held in the City of Milledgeville, have made, ordrained, established, and in open Chapter, agreed to the following By-Laws, to be binding upon us so h>ng as we contin- ue to be members of the Cha) ter aforesaid, and until we shall be regularly discharged therefrom : Article 1st. OF COMMUNICATIONS. Section ist, 'I he stated meetings of this Chapter shall be held on the second and fourth Saturdays in every month, during tlu; months November, December, January, Februaiy and March, at the hour of sis o'clock P. M., and in every other month, at the hour of seven o'clock P. M. Article 2.\d. OF ELECTIONS. Section 1st, The election of oflScers shall take place on the regular meeting next pre- ceedingthe Festival of dt. John the Evan- gelist in every year, and the Installation (if circumstances permit,) at the same meet- ingr, before anv other business can take place, to Le deteripined by ballot, and tbc person bavirg a rafijorlty of tlie wbola number of voles given in, shall be declared elected. Section 2nd, On tlie day of and previous to 4^\^.^ Election of officers, the Secretary ebali read over in open Cbapter, a list of all delinquents, in order tbat no member may be permitted to vote, or elected to any office until be shall have paid up all dues. Article 3rd. OF ADMITtTNG^, vMEMBEK^-^KE- CEIYING APPLlCAN'i^S, &0. ' Section 1st, Admitting members, receiv- ing candidates for Degrees, granting Dc- plomas, suspending and expelling njem- bers shall be decided by ballot. Section 2nd, In ballotiug for the admis- sion of Candidates, if there shall be more than one dissenting vote, the Candidate shall be declared rejected ; if but one, the Companion who gave the dissenting vote, "before the next regular meeting shall give Lis reasons to the High Priest, in private, ■who" shall state the same to the Chapter ; and if decided by the Members to be suffi- cient he shall be rejected ; if frivolous, ad- mitted without being subjected to another ballot. Section ord, Every Petition for the De- grees must be accompanied with the sum of Ten Dollars, which shall be returned to the Candidate if he be rejected. 5 Section itJi, Every Companion wlio may 1)0 admitted a member of this Clmpter, J hall on his admission, pay tliesum of i'^ive Ij (liars to the Secretary, provided that no Coinpaniori, v/ho has received the Degrees in this Chapter shall he subject to pay this Article 4th. OF CONTRIBUTIONS AND FEES. Section, 1st, Every member shall pay inio the Treasury, Tv/o Dollars a year — one half semi-annually in advance, on St. John's Day ; and if not paid within threo months thereafter, the member or members in default shall stand suspended until pay- ment is made, and they are restored by vote of the Chapter. Sixtion 2/id, It shall be the duty of the Secretary to pay over to the Treasurer all money collected by him, without delay. Section ore/, The Fees for Degrees, shall be as follows ; viz : For Mark Masters, the Fum of Nine Dollars, and one, to the Tyler ; For Past Master, the sum of Four Dollars, and one dollar to the Tyler; for Most Ex- cellent Master,four dollars and one dollar to tho Tyler ; for Royal Arch the sum of nine d'^Ilars, and one dollar to the Tyler. And ut> Candidate shall be received, Degrees conferred, or member admitted until tho Fees shall have been paid in advance. Section itk, The Secretary shall be al- lo'^ved as his salary, the sum of thirty dol^ iarti per. annum, and shall be, together with the Tyler exempt from Dues, and the}'- shall bo entitled to receive their sal- aries semi-annually. Section 5th, The Steward and Tyler (the duties of these ofHceis being perform- ed by the same Companion) shall be al- lowed, for every meeting which he shall at- tend as such, the sum of one dollar, Article 5th. OF WITHDRAWALS. Section 1st, A member shall have the liberty to withdraw at any regular meet- ing, by producing the Secretary's receipt for all dues and arrears up to the tjme of such application ; Provided, nevertbeless, always, that it aj»pear t!iat such application is not made with a view to avoid an inves- tigation for unmasonic 6r other improper conduct. Article 6tii. OF COMMITTEES. Section Isf, Once in every year a com- mittee shall be appointed whose duty it shall be to examine the Treasurer's and Secretary's books, and report ^t the regu- lar meeting, next after the Festival of St, J-ohn the Evangelist, a full and regular statement of the same. Section 2nd, The High Priest, King and Scribe, of this Chapter, shall be a standing committee of charity, for the relief of indi- gent arid d'^tree^sed Companiunis,— ar.y two of whom may act in that capacity and re- port to the Chapter at the next regular meeting. Article 7th. OF CHARGIlS. Section ist. Charges shall be preferred ut regular meetings only, and shall he sign- ed by the Companion, Brother or Commit- teo preferring them ; be publicly read, and entered on the minutes. I'he Secretary shall cause a fair copy of them to be rasde nut, annex thereto a notice requiring the personal attendance of the Companion im- plicated, at such time as the Chapter may direct ; which copy and notice shall be personally served on the Companion or Brother, against whom the chaiges have been preferred, at least ten days previous to such meeting (Provided he is within summoning distance of the Chapter;) if out of the limits of the same, a notice in one or more of the public gazettes of this place shall be sutBcient ; — and if such Compan- ion shall fail to attend, agreeably to such notice, and shall not sead a sufhcient ex- cuse for non-attendance, the Companion or Committee preferring the charges, may proceed Exparte to substantiate them, and the Chapter to determine the truth or false^ hood of the same. Section 2nd, If upon such summons the Companion do attend, he shall be permit- ted to cross interrogate any inculpatory witness that may be iutfoduced; aod iutio* 8 fiuce evidence to exculpate himself, &• make his defence in writing; and ifheshowid require, the investigation of the charges may be postponed to a future regular meet- ing at the discretion of a majority of the members present ; and v/hen a decision is about to be made, the accuser, the accus- ed and wilnesses, shall withdraw until the question is taken. Sextwn 3rd, Whenever a Companion tihaH be suspended from the privileges of Masonary by this Chapter, he shall not again be received as a member unless ho shall procure a certificate from two or more Royal Arch Masons attesting the moral rec- titude of his conduct, during the period of his susnension. Section Ath, Whenever it shall become necessary to suspend or expel any Com- panion from this Chapter, the sentence of suspension or expulsion, together with his name, age and occupation shall be forward.^- ed by the Secretary with his attestation, to the Grand Chapter, Article 8th. of alterations and additions. Section 1st, No addition or alteration of this code, shall b**. made until such addition, or alteration shall have been first handed in writing to the High Priest, and publicly read at a regular meeting of this Chapter, and at a subsequent regular meeting shall have been passed by two thirds of the members, thereof.