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Richland City Lodge No. 702, F. & A.M.
Richland City, Indiana
ARTICLE 1
MEETINGS
(Reg. 22)
The stated meetings of this Lodge shall be held on the 2nd Thursday of each month,
opening at 7:30 o'clock p.m. Called meetings for trials, conferral of degrees, receiving of
petitions, or ceremonial observances, may be held upon call of the presiding officer, and at
such times as the interests of the Lodge may require.
ARTICLE 2
OFFICERS
Sec. 1. (Reg. 12.020). The officers of this Lodge shall be a Worshipful Master, a Senior
Warden, a Junior Warden, a Treasurer, a Secretary, a Senior Deacon, a Junior Deacon, a
Chaplain, a Senior Steward, a Junior Steward, a Tyler and three (3) Trustees.
Sec. 2. (Reg. 17.010) The Annual election of officers shall be held at the stated meeting
next preceding the anniversary of St. John the Evangelist (December 27). The first five officers
for a term of one year, and one Trustee for a term of three(3) years, must be elected by ballot,
and a majority of all votes cast shall be necessary to elect. Blank ballots shall not be counted.
The remaining officers shall be appointed by the Worshipful Master elect. All officers shall be
installed on or before the next stated meeting or as soon thereafter as practicable.
ARTICLE 3
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Sec.1. (Regs. 18.010 and 39.030). It shall be the duty of the Worshipful Master to see
the by-laws and regulations of this Lodge, and those of the Grand Lodge, are enforced and
obeyed, and that the several officers perform their respective duties. He shall appoint all
committees, and see that the ancient landmarks of the Fraternity are not removed. He shall
ensure that two signatures are required on all financial withdrawals.
Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the Wardens to assist the Worshipful Master in the
performance of his duties, and, in his absence, to preside in order of seniority.
Sec. 3. The Treasurer shall receive all monies from the Secretary, and pay them out when
directed by the Lodge and certified to him by the Secretary, and keep a correct account of the
receipts and disbursements.
Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a record of all proceedings of the
Lodge, proper to be written, and make a monthly report to the Grand Lodge, as required; to
receive all monies due the Lodge, and immediately pay the same to the Treasurer, taking his
receipt therefore. He shall make a financial statement at the first stated meeting in each month,
in form required by the Grand Lodge. He shall open an account with each member, showing all
of his names(and in full), and shall keep up the historical as well as the financial record in each
case. His compensation shall be $12.50 per month.
Sec. 5. (Reg. 24.030). Both the Treasurer and the Secretary shall, at the first states!
Meeting in January, report the receipts and expenditures of the Lodge for the preceding year,
specifying the different kinds of receipts and the items of expenditure, with the amount of each,
which shall be referred to the Finance Committee for audit.
Sec. 6. The Deacons shall perform their prescribed duties and shall welcome and
introduce visitors.
Sec. 7. The Chaplain shall perform his prescribed duties, assist in the funeral ceremony,
and give spiritual advice and consolation where it is needed and desired.
Sec. 8. It shall be the duty of the Stewards to attend to the introduction of candidates and
to assist the other officers in the performance of their Lodge duties, when called upon .
Sec. 9. It shall be the duty of the Tyler to guard the Lodge, keep the rooms and furniture
clean and in order and perform other customary services.
Sec. 10. (Regs. 12, 17,& 24). The duties of the Trustees shall be to manage any and all
real estate of the Lodge, with full power to rent and keep it in repair in such manner and to such
extent as in their judgment will be for the best interests of the Lodge,subject at all times to the
instructions, orders and authority of the Lodge. They shall make their Annual Report at the first
stated meeting in January.
Sec. 11. (Reg. 39.070). No sale of real estate belonging to this Lodge and no purchase of
real estate by this Lodge shall be made by the Trustees without express authorization and
approval of the Lodge, after consideration of the matter during at least two consecutive monthly
stated meetings of the Lodge, and after all the members shall have been notified by mail of
such proposed sale or purchase at least ten days before final action is taken thereon.
Sec. 12. It shall be the duty of every officer, committee or person having control of Lodge
funds, to deposit such funds in the depository designated by the lodge and in name of this
Lodge.
ARTICLE 4
COMMITTEES
Sec. 1. FINANCE. (Reg. 24.040). Upon the receipt of the financial reports at the first
stated meeting in January, the Worshipful Master shall appoint three (3) members of the Lodge
as a standing Committee on Finance, whose duty it shall be to audit the books and accounts of
the Secretary and the Treasurer and of all other persons entrusted with the handling of Lodge
funds, as well as all bills and claims against the Lodge, and no allowance shall be made until
such examination, except by unanimous consent of the Lodge. The audit report shall be
presented at the first stated meeting in February, shall be entered upon the minutes of the
Lodge and a certification that it has been properly made and so entered shall be reported to
the Grand Secretary on the Grand Lodge Annual Reports.
Sec.2. MASONIC HOME/FOUNDATION AMBASSADOR. (Reg. 39.040).
Immediately after his installation, the Worshipful Master shall appoint an ambassador to the
Masonic Home and the Masonic Home Foundation whose duty it shall be to cooperate with the
Directors of the Indiana Masonic Home and the Executive Director of the Indiana Masonic Home
Foundation in all affairs pertaining to the Home/Foundation, in which the Lodge is or may
become interested. He shall keep a regular account and make a written report of the same at
the first stated meeting in January.
Sec.3. CHARITY. (Reg. 38). The Worshipful Master and Wardens shall constitute a
Committee on Charity, and shall have authority to draw on the Relief Fund for any sum not
exceeding 50 dollars, for the relief of any member, his widow or orphans, who may need
assistance. They shall report their action in all such cases at the next stated meeting of the
Lodge and report the balance remaining in the Relief Fund. The Annual Report of the Charity
Committee shall be made at the first stated meeting in January.
Sec. 4. FAMILY. (Reg. 38.010). The Worshipful Master shall appoint one or more
Brothers to a Committee to be known at the Committee of the Family whose duty it shall be:
1. To maintain a location file on each member's widow and orphans.
2. To maintain contact with each member's widow and orphans and to inform the Lodge
as occasion should require, but no less than once annually, concerning the well-being
of a deceased Brother's family.
3. To encourage, whenever possible, a Brother's widow and orphans being included in
Lodge social activities. For purposes of interpretation of this Regulation, a widow
shall be define~ as the un-remarried widow of a deceased Mason and an orphan shall
be defined as a child, under twenty-one years of age, of a deceased Mason.
Sec. 5. MASONIC EDUCATION. (Reg. 39.110). The Worshipful Master shall appoint
five (5) members as a Committee on Masonic Education whose duty it shall be:
1. To promote interest among members and candidates in the knowledge of Masonic
history, literature, and symbolism by the regular presentation of appropriate programs.
2. To keep the Lodge informed concerning the activities of Freemasonry in general and
the Grand Lodge of Indiana and its programs in particular; and,
3. To promote the establishment, maintenance, and use of such a library of Masonic
literature as the Worshipful Master and the Lodge shall direct.
ARTICLE 5
MASONIC RELIEF FUND
(Reg. 38.040)
Each Lodge may maintain, within its general fund, an amount of money equal to or
greater than $1.00 per member to be identified as the Lodge Relief fund. If Lodges do not
maintain the relief fund within the General Fund, they shall maintain the relief fund either in the
General Savings Fund or a separate relief account. This fund shall be drawn upon for no other
purpose than for extending relief to Freemasons or their dependents, and all such relief
extended shall be drawn from this fund.
Should the balance in this fund become less than an average of one dollar per member, it
shall be replenished b voting money to it from the Lodge General Treasury or voting an
assessment against the members for that purpose. Failure to pay such an assessment shall be
equivalent to non-payment of dues and shall be dealt with in the same manner and carry the
same penalty.
ARTICLE 6
DUES
Sec. 1. (Reg. 37.010). The dues of this Lodge shall be $43.50 (not less than $5.00) per
year for each member, to which shall be added the per capita assessment as established by
Grand Lodge each year for operation of the Indiana Masonic Home. Dues and Masonic Home
assessments shall be paid in advance on or before the first day of January of each year. Such
dues and assessments not paid on January first are in arrears. Lodges may assess and collect
a late fee not to exceed $5.00 to the total amount of the dues in arrears. Original dues
statements will include the preceding sentence. Subsequent notices for payment of dues in
arrears will itemize any late fee assessed. Delinquent members may be required to reimburse
the Lodge for the actual
cost of sending notices by certified mail. At the first stated meeting in June, dues will be
discussed and the amount set for the next year.
Sec. 2. (Reg. 37.070). (a) Not later than the date of the first stated meeting in January,
the Secretary shall give notice by mail to all Brethren who are in arrears for dues and
assessments stating that they must, at or before the first stated meeting in February, pay or
satisfactorily explain to the Lodge in writing, all arrearage in dues and assessments, and inform
them of the late fee which has been assessed.
(b) At the first stated meeting in February, the Worshipful Master shall appoint a dues
committee of three or more members including the Senior Warden, Junior Warden and
Secretary, to investigate all arrearage in dues and assessments, with the instruction to the said
committee to ascertain the cause of such arrearage by contacting each delinquent member,
whenever possible by personal contact, and to report their findings at the first stated meeting in
March.
(c) At the first stated meeting in March, the Worshipful Master shall call for a report of
the Dues Committee and shall first take up the matter of remission in worthy cases. The Lodge
may vote to remit either upon the recommendation of the committee or upon other motion
properly made and seconded. The Worshipful Master shall next order that charges for
nonpayment of dues and assessments shall then be filed by the committee against all Brethren
whose dues and assessments are not paid or remitted.
(d) At the first stated meeting, in April of each year the Worshipful Master shall call for a
report from the Secretary including all Brethren whose dues are not paid. The Worshipful
Master shall then conduct a trial for said Brethren in accordance with Reg. 37.080. Procedure
Non-Payment of Dues.
ARTICLE 7
PETITIONS
Sec. 1. (Reg. 29.030). (a) All petitions for membership or for degrees must be made in
writing, signed in person, by the petitioner with his name written in full, and signed by at
least two members of the Lodge petitioned as his recommendors.
(b) A petitioner for the degrees must also fill out the petitioner's questionnaire and
submit same with his petition, which questionnaire must be read to the Lodge by the Secretary
at the time the petition is read.
(c) Such petitions may be presented at a called or stated meeting, be referred to a
committee for investigation, and then lie over until a stated meeting. If presented at a called
meeting, the petition must lie over until a stated meeting at least three weeks later.
(d) A majority of the members present at a called or stated meeting may refuse to
entertain a petition.
ARTICLE 8
FEES
(Reg. 29.010)
Sec. 1. Every petition for initiation must be accompanied with a fee of 100 dollars
(not less than $45.00), which shall be in full for the three degrees. In addition to the fee
for the degrees as specified in the Lodge by-laws, the Secretary of the Lodge shall collect from
each petitioner a contribution often dollars (10.00) to be sent to the Grand Secretary and be, by
him forwarded to the George Washington Masonic National Memorial for its maintenance. Note:
The ten dollar fee will be shown on the annual recapitulation and will be included in your Grand
Lodge dues which are payable on or before March 15.
Sec. 2. No part of the fee may be refunded to one who is elected and receives the three
degrees. If the petition is rejected, the entire fee shall be returned to the proper person. Should
only one degree be conferred, two-thirds of the fee shall be returned. Should only two degrees
be conferred, one-third of the fee shall be returned.
Sec. 3. (Reg. 40.100). Every petition for Plural membership must be accompanied with a
fee (not less than $25.00) of $25.00, $5.00 of which will be transmitted to the Grand Secretary
with the Annual Recapitulation Statement.
ARTICLE 9
DEMITS
(Reg. 33.020)
Sec. 1. (a)A Master Mason, free from charges and all indebtedness to the Lodge may,
upon written application and a majority vote of the Lodge, demit there from.
(b) Upon receipt of the application at a stated meeting, the Worshipful Master shall
appoint a qualified Brother to investigate the reasons, circumstances and desirability
surrounding the application. At the next following stated meeting, the Brother shall report to the
Lodge the results of his investigation, at which time action on the application will be taken as
provided in section (c) and (d) below.
(c) The Lodge shall grant the demit if no charges are pending; Provided, however, that
should the Lodge for any reason, by a majority vote, refuse to grant a demit, the Lodge shall
thereupon prefer charges against the applicant and bring him to trail, and if the applicant shall
not be found guilty, the demit shall thereupon be granted.
(d) An Entered Apprentice or a Fellow Craft may, under the same conditions, be granted
a demit excepting that a unanimous favorable vote of the Lodge is required. When an Entered
Apprentice or Fellow Craft is granted a demit one-third of the total fee paid shall be returned for
each degree which he has not received,
(e) Any demit granted under the provisions of this section shall become and be effective
as of the date of the stated meeting at which it is granted.
Sec. 2. Notice of intention to transfer membership, as provided in the Grand Lodge
Regulations, shall be considered a request for a demit if elected in the other Lodge.
ARTICLE 10
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Sec. 1. The order of business for stated meetings shall be:
(a) Reading and approval of minutes.
(b) Presenting and referring petitions.
(c) Reports of standing committees.
(d) Communications and bills.
(e) Reports of investigating committees and balloting on petitions.
(f) Unfinished business.
(g) At the first stated meeting in January, reports for the previous year should be made by
the Treasurer, the Secretary, the Trustees, the Charity Committee and the Ambassador of the
Masonic Home/Foundation. At the first stated meeting in February the Finance Committee shall
make the Report of the Annual Audit.
(h) Miscellaneous business.
(i) Conferral of degrees.
G) Financial report.
Sec. 2. The Worshipful Master shall be the judge of all questions of order that may arise,
and there shall be no appeal to the Lodge from his decision.
Sec. 3. When a motion is made and seconded, it shall, before debate, be stated by the
Worshipful Master. Motions shall be made in writing when requested by any Brother. A motion
may be withdrawn by the Brother making it, if the motion is not amended.
Sec. 4. The Worshipful Master shall put all questions distinctly; if a division is called for,
he shall request those who vote in the affirmative to rise and count them; then those who vote in
the negative shall rise and be counted and he shall declare the result. In the case of a tie, the
motion is lost.
Sec. 5. While a question is under debate, no motion shall be received which does no):
pertain to the question under consideration.
Sec. 6. Every member having a right to vote, who is present when a question is put, shall
vote, unless for special reasons given he be excused by unanimous vote of the Lodge.
Sec. 7. When a motion has been acted upon, it shall be in order for any member of the
majority to move the reconsideration thereof; Provided, That no motion for reconsideration shall
be in order, unless made at the same meeting at which the question shall have been voted
upon.
Sec. 8. Every member on a committee shall attend the call of the chairman, who shall be
the first person named on said committee, and in case of his neglect to call the committee
together, or in his absence or other cause, the committee shall attend the call of the next
person named.
Sec. 9. The reports of committees to investigate petitioners shall be made in open Lodge
but no record shall be made of the nature of the report.
ARTICLE 11
AMENDMENTS, ETC.
(Reg. 12.030)
Sec. 1. A motion to amend or alter any of these by-laws shall be submitted in writing at a
stated meeting and read. If seconded, it may be debated, but a final vote cannot be taken
thereon before the next succeeding stated meeting. Lodge members shall be notified in writing
of any proposed changes to by-laws.
Sec. 2. Every member of this Lodge shall be entitled to a copy of these by-laws, and the
same shall be binding on him so long as he continues a member of this Lodge.
ADOPTION
The foregoing full set of by-laws was presented at a stated meeting of Richland City Lodge No.
702 on June 10, 2004 and adopted at the stated meeting on July 8, 2004.
Marvin Paul Embry , SECRETARY
Full Set Approved AUGUST 09, 2004
Approved As Amended. . . .Jerry S. Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Grand Lodge Committee on By-Laws
