By-Laws
of
Dormont-Whitehall Lodge
No. 684, F. & A. M.
Meeting at 541 McNeilly Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Under the Jurisdiction of
The Grand Lodge, F. & A. M. of Pennsylvania
Article 1
Meetings
Section 1.01 The Stated Meetings of this Lodge shall be held on the Second Monday of the month, at 7:30 o’clock, P.M. except as otherwise provide in Article 17.12 of the Ahiman Rezon.
Section 1.02 No business shall be transacted at a Special Meeting except that for which such meeting is especially called as stated in the Notice.
Section 1.03 Extra Meetings may be called for the conferring of degrees and the installation of officers.
Article 2
Election of Officers
Section 2.01 At the Stated Meeting next preceding St. John the Evangelist’s Day, the election of Officers, as provided by The Ahiman Rezon, shall be the first order of business after reading of the minutes, reports of committees of inquiry, balloting on petitions and reading of petitions; provided, that said election shall not be held before 8:00 o’clock, P.M.
Section 2.02 In addition to the Officers of the Lodge, there shall be elected at the same time three (3) Trustees, none of whom shall be an Elective Officer of the Lodge, a Representative in The Grand Lodge and a Substitute Representative in The Grand Lodge to serve for one (1) year.
Article 3
Duties of Officers
Section 3.01 The Master shall, at the Stated Meeting next succeeding St. John the Evangelist’s Day, appoint such Officers (not elective) as are provided for by the Ahiman Rezon; all of whom, except the Tyler and Chaplin, shall be members of the Lodge. He shall appoint all standing and special committees unless otherwise provided by these By-Laws. At the December Stated Meeting, he shall appoint a committee of three (3) members to audit the books and accounts of the Treasurer, Secretary and Trustees for the year; and it shall be its duty to report at the March Stated Meeting. He shall have a casting vote on all questions upon which there may be an equal division of votes except in the election of Officers.
Section 3.02 The Treasurer shall have charge of the funds of the Lodge, other than moneys in the hands of the Trustees for investment, together with all such book and papers as appertain to his office. He shall keep an exact account of all moneys received and pay the same out on orders drawn upon him by authority of the Lodge, which shall be signed by the Master and countersigned by the Secretary. He shall open an account as “Treasurer of Dormont-Whitehall Lodge, No. 684, F. & A. M.,” with a banking or trust company to be approved by the Lodge, through which account all moneys received and disbursed shall pass. He shall account to the Lodge for all interest allowed on balances in bank and shall have his books, vouchers and accounts ready for examination whenever required by the Lodge or the Audit Committee. For his services he shall receive $200.00 per annum.
Section 3.03 The Secretary shall keep fair and correct minutes of the proceedings of the Lodge and issue Notices for each Stated, Special and Extra Meeting. He shall, in the notice for each Stated Meeting, set forth the name, age, occupation and residence of every petitioner for initiation and membership, or for membership only, whose petition is then pending. In the notice for the Stated Meeting next preceding the Annual Election, he shall notify each member that dues for the ensuing Masonic Year are payable January 1 or the member shall be subject to suspension at the January Stated Meeting, and said notices shall have printed therein Article 6 of these By-Laws. He shall furnish, in writing, to the first named on each committee a list of the committee and an abstract of the business to which its attention is directed with the papers relating thereto, which papers the Brother so first named shall be answerable for and shall return with the report of the committee. He shall keep the accounts of dues and fees between the Lodge and its members.
He shall receive all moneys which may be paid to the Lodge, report the amount received at each meeting and the persons from whom received, and pay the same forthwith to the Treasurer, taking his receipt therefor. He shall furnish each member, on his admission, with a copy of the By-Laws. He shall make regular Returns as required by the Ahiman Rezon and conduct the correspondence of the Lodge under the direction of the Master. He shall have his books and accounts ready for examination whenever required by the Lodge or Audit Committee and perform such services appertaining to his office as the Lodge may require. For his services he shall received $2,000.00 per annum.
Section 3.04 The Tyler shall perform such services appertaining to his office as the Lodge may require and as a compensation shall receive $15.00 per Stated Meeting and $15.00 per Extra Meeting.
Section 3.05 All Trustees shall invest all moneys placed in their hands by the Lodge for that purpose. All investments shall be made in the names of the Trustees as “Trustees of the Permanent Fund, Dormont-Whitehall Lodge No. 684, F. & A. M.,” and their successors in office. They shall make no investments without the approval of the Lodge at a Stated Meeting and then only in bonds and mortgages when the same are first encumbrances, bonds or loans of the United States, or of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or of a municipality in said Commonwealth; loans of The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and such securities as are or may be sanctioned by law as a proper investment for trust funds, or those approved by the Grand Master. They shall have no power to alter, change or dispose of any said investments or securities without the sanction of the Lodge, except in case of emergency.
Trustees shall have charge of all securities and investments of the Lodge in the respective Funds under their control, collect the income, interest and dividends thereof, and pay the same to the Secretary at the next Stated Meeting after it shall have been collected, taking his receipt therefor.
The Trustees of the Permanent Fund shall have charge of all real estate of the Lodge, collect the income and pay the same to the Secretary at the next Stated Meeting after it shall have been collected, taking his receipt therefor.
The Trustees shall make separate and full reports to the Lodge upon the evening of the February Stated Meeting of all their transactions with a list of all securities held for the Lodge and a statement of the condition of the investments.
Section 3.06 The Stewards shall receive directions from the Master or from the Lodge by resolution and provide accordingly.
Petitions
Section 4.01 All petitions for initiation and membership shall be accompanied with a fee of $100.00 which shall be considered a part of the fee. All petitions for Dual Membership shall be accompanied with a fee of $50.00. All petitions for membership from another jurisdiction shall be accompanied with a fee of $100.00. If the petition is withdrawn, the petitioner rejected, or if approved and he does not come forward within six months thereafter, the money shall be returned.
Section 4.02 On the rejection of a petitioner for initiation and membership, no member or visitor shall disclose the name of any Brother who may have opposed his admission under the penalty, if a member, of expulsion and, if a visitor, of never being permitted to visit the Lodge again or to become a member thereof. So that none present may remain ignorant of this By-Law, the Master shall cause it to be read immediately after the rejection of a petitioner.
Section 4.03 A petitioner for initiation and membership, or for membership only, who has been rejected shall be immediately notified thereof in writing under the seal of the Lodge by the Secretary.
Article 5
Fees
Section 5.01 The fees for conferring degrees and membership shall be as follows:
For initiation and membership $240.00, of which $100.00 shall be paid to The Grand Lodge, $25.00 of which shall be placed in the Permanent Fund of the Lodge.
For admission and advancement of an Enter Apprentice Mason $50.00
For admission and advancement of an Fellow Craft Mason $35.00
For admission of Brethren from Lodges of other Jurisdictions $100.00
(plus $100.00 additional for The Grand Lodge)
Section 5.02 The full fee for all degrees petitioned for shall in all cases be paid before any degree is conferred.
Article 6
Dues
Section 6.01 The dues for each member shall be $60.00 per annum.
Section 6.02 Dues are payable at the beginning of the year. Those owing dues will be suspended at the January Stated Meeting after having been given due notice. The Lodge may, at its discretion, postpone suspension to the April Stated Meeting, but not longer.
Fifty-Year members and those members who are unable to pay their dues by reason of financial hardship determined after an investigation by the Lodge, shall not be suspended but may have their dues remitted. Fifty-Year members shall not be suspended unless the suspension is approved by the Grand Master.”
Article 8
Permanent Fund
Section 8.01 In order to assure stability and perpetuity to the Lodge there shall be established a Permanent Fund which shall be invested by the Trustees as provided in Article 3, Section 3.05, of these By-Laws.
Section 8.02 There shall be set aside for this purpose:
a) The amount of this fund now in the hands of the Trustees.
b) The whole amount received for Honorary Membership.
c) All money or property, real or personal, which may accrue to the Lodge by donation, gift, devise or otherwise for this purpose.
d) All such sums as the Lodge may by resolution apply to this purpose.
e) From each fee for initiation and membership the sum of $25.00.
Section 8.03 Principal of the Fund thus created shall not be impaired or diminished but shall be increased from time to time as the finances of the Lodge may permit, provided, that in the event of an emergency financial situation, after approval by a majority of the members present following an announcement in the Lodge notice and approval by the R. W. Grand Master, the principal of the Fund may be expended for such emergency need and reasonable provision made in the circumstances for the subsequent restoration of such sum or sums to the Fund.
Section 8.04 The income derived from this Fund shall be applied to the payment of Grand Lodge dues as may be necessary for this purpose, and the remainder of the income may be used as the Lodge may direct.
Article 9
Charity Funds
Permanent Charity Fund
Section 9.01 In order to assure stability to the Lodge and permit it to perform acts of charity there shall be established a Permanent Charity Fund which shall be invested by the Trustees as provided in Article 3, Section 3.05, of these By-Laws for this purpose and shall be kept by them separate and apart from all other funds and accounts.
Section 9.02 There shall be set aside from this purpose:
a) The amount of this fund now in the hands of the Trustees.
b) All money or property, real or personal, which may accrue to the Lodge by donation, gift, devise, or otherwise for this purpose.
c) All such sums as the Lodge may by resolution apply for this purpose.
Section 9.03 The fund thus created shall not be impaired nor diminished, but shall be increased from time to time by adding the income to the principal and as the finances of the Lodge may permit until the principal amounts to $100.00, after which so much of the income current or retained, as may be necessary, may be expended by the Committee on Charity for charitable purposes only. Any unexpended income shall be placed in a retained income account which may hereafter be used for charitable purposes only.
Article 10
Reserve Fund
Section 10.01 In order to assure stability to the Lodge and to permit it to meet emergency financial obligations, there shall be established a Reserve Fund which shall be invested by the Trustees as provided in Article 3, Section 3.05, of these By-Laws for this purpose and shall be kept by them separate and apart from all other funds and accounts.
Section 10.02 There shall be set aside for this purpose:
a) The amount of this fund now in the hands of the Trustees.
b) All money or property, real or personal, which may accrue to the Lodge by donation, gift, devise or otherwise for this purpose.
c) All such sums as the Lodge may by resolution apply for this purpose.
Section 10.03 The principal of the fund thus created may be expended for any emergency need. A motion proposing such expenditure and setting forth the reasons therefore shall be presented in writing at a Stated Meeting with the names of the mover and seconder. It shall be read in open Lodge by the Secretary and laid over without debate until the next Stated Meeting. In the notice for such Stated Meeting it shall be set forth in full, with notice to the members that the same will be acted upon, and, if approved by a majority of the members present, it shall be effective.
Section 10.04 The income derived from this fund shall be applied to the payment of Grand Lodge dues as may be necessary for this purpose, and the remainder of the income may be used as the Lodge may direct.
Article 11
Resignations and Transfers of Membership
Section 11.01 Any member wishing to resign from the Lodge shall present his resignation in writing at a Stated Meeting. At the next succeeding Stated Meeting the resignation, subject to the provisions of Article 19.06 of the Ahiman Rezon, shall be accepted, provided, that in case of emergency, of which the Lodge shall be the judge, the resignation may be accepted at the meeting when it is offered.
Section 11.02 Any member desiring to change his membership to another Lodge may, in lieu of the procedure set forth in Section 11.01 hereof, present a notice of his desire and a conditional resignation as provided by Article 20.02 of the Ahiman Rezon. Upon compliance with all the provisions of said Article 20.02 and in accordance therewith, his resignation shall become effective and his membership shall cease.
Article 12
Standing Committees
Section 12.01 Committee on Grievance. There shall be a Committee on Grievance consisting of three members, All shall be Past Masters, to whom all complaints against any of the Brethren of the Lodge shall be referred with directions to accommodate the difference in an amicable manner, if possible. If they cannot do so, they shall report their proceedings to the Lodge together with all the facts connected with the case and such measures as they may deem proper to recommend.
Section 12.02 Committee on Charity. There shall be a Committee on Charity consisting of three members, one shall be a Past Master, to whom shall be referred all petitions for charity. It shall be their duty to examine and see if the applicant is worthy to receive charity from the Lodge and, if so, may recommend the appropriation of such sum as they may deem proper. In case of immediate emergency, they may request the Master to draw an order on the Treasurer for such sum as the case may require.
Section 12.03 All standing committees shall be appointed by the Master at the Stated Meeting next ensuing the Annual Election.
Article 13
Amendments
Section 13.01 No addition, alteration or amendment to these By-Laws shall be made unless a motion therefore is presented in writing at a Stated Meeting with the names of the mover and seconder. It shall be read in open Lodge by the Secretary and laid over without debate until the next Stated Meeting. In the notice for which the proposed amendment or alteration shall be set forth in full, with notice to the members that the same will then be considered and acted upon, and, if it shall then be approved by a majority of the members present, it shall be adopted to be effective when approved by Grand Lodge.