THE

CONSTITUTION AND LAWS

OF THE GRAND LODGE OF ANTIENT FREE AND
ACCEPTED MASONS OF SCOTLAND

TWENTY-SEVENTH EDITION 2006


SANCTION

GRAND LODGE, having at its Regular Communication on 26th October 2006, authorised the publication of a Revised Edition of the Constitution and Laws, embracing the additions and alterations confirmed by Grand Lodge at that date. Therefore WE, Sir Archibald Donald Orr Ewing, Bart., M.A., Grand Master Mason of Scotland; Kenneth Donald Kennedy, Depute Grand Master; Frederick Reid Robertson Lowrie, Murray Robert Allan Mackay, Substitute Grand Masters; Archibald McAllister McGown, Senior Grand Warden; Douglas Alexander Findlay, Junior Grand Warden; and remanent Office-bearers and Members of Grand Lodge, do hereby promulgate the same as authority to all Free and Accepted Masons, and Lodges holding of the Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland: — And we enjoin all Members of Grand Lodge, as well as Subordinate Lodges, and the Brethren at large, immediately to provide themselves with copies of this Revised Edition of the Constitution and Laws, and give due obedience thereto in all points.

Grand Secretary

Freemasons’ Hall

Edinburgh

1st December 2006.


GRAND LODGE

Constitution and Membership

1. THE GRAND LODGE OF ANTIENT FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF SCOTLAND is the corporate body governing the three Degrees of Freemasonry within Lodges under its jurisdiction, namely those of Entered Apprentice, Fellow-of-Craft (including the Mark) and Master Mason, Grand Lodge authorises no other Degrees but recognises a Ceremonial of Installed Master.

2. Grand Lodge possesses supreme authority, grants Charters, and has the sole power of enacting, altering and repealing laws and regulations for the government of the Craft, provided always that the Aims and Relationships of the Craft set forth in Appendix 2 hereto be preserved. Grand Lodge has the power of investigating, regulating and deciding all matters relative to the Craft, to Lodges or to Brethren. Grand Lodge retains exclusive authority to forfeit the Charter of a Lodge but otherwise delegates authority as hereinafter provided.

3. Deeds and documents executed under the Seal of Grand Lodge shall be held to be validly executed if they are sealed with the said Seal and subscribed on behalf of Grand Lodge by any two of the following Grand Office-bearers — namely:— the Grand Master Mason, the Senior Grand Warden, the Junior Grand Warden, the Grand Secretary; and such subscription on behalf of Grand Lodge shall be binding whether attested by witnesses or not.

4. Grand Lodge is composed of the Grand Office-bearers, Past Grand Masters, Past Depute and Past Substitute Grand Masters, Provincial Grand Masters, District Grand Masters or their Proxies, Past Provincial and Past District Grand Masters, Grand Superintendents, Past Grand Superintendents and the Master and Wardens or Proxy Master and Proxy Wardens of each Daughter Lodge in good standing with Grand Lodge.

5. Every member of Grand Lodge must be a qualified member thereof as defined in Law 284.

6. There shall be payable to Grand Lodge annually by 31st January as a Test of Membership by each member of Grand Lodge (other than the representatives of Daughter Lodges) the sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 1. Each Proxy Representative of a Daughter Lodge appointed by Grand Committee shall pay annually the sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 2. Fees of Honour as set forth in the First Schedule, Item 3, shall be payable to Grand Lodge annually by 31st January by the Office-bearers and others named therein. Non-payment of either of these sums disqualifies from membership for the current year but arrears are not exigible. A Brother who holds more than one office or position shall pay only one Test of Membership and only the highest Fee of Honour.

7. The Roll of Members constituting Grand Lodge shall be maintained by Grand Secretary. Only the members currently on the Roll shall be qualified to vote in Grand Lodge at any Communication.

8. Grand Secretary shall issue membership cards to all members of Grand Lodge annually on payment of due fees. Membership cards issued for the Master and Wardens of a Daughter Lodge are transferable to their successors in office; other cards are not transferable. Members of Grand Lodge on resigning or becoming disqualified during the year for which their fees have been paid shall return their membership cards to Grand Secretary.

9. The Grand Master Mason may nominate distinguished Brethren for Honorary Membership of Grand Lodge. Such nominations shall be subject to confirmation by Grand Lodge. Honorary Members shall have no vote in Grand Lodge.

Grand Office-bearers

10. The Grand Office-bearers are:—

  1. The Grand Master Mason
  2. Immediate Past Grand Master
  3. Depute Grand Master
  4. Substitute Grand Master
  5. Senior Grand Warden
  6. Junior Grand Warden
  7. Grand Secretary
  8. Grand Treasurer
  9. Grand Almoner
  10. Grand Director of Ceremonies
  11. Senior Grand Chaplain
  12. Junior Grand Chaplain
  13. Senior Grand Deacon
  14. Junior Grand Deacon
  15. Grand Librarian
  16. Grand Architect
  17. Grand Jeweller
  18. Grand Bible-bearer
  19. Grand Bard
  20. Grand Sword-bearer
  21. Grand Director of Music
  22. Assistant Grand Secretary
  23. Assistant Grand Treasurer
  24. Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies
  25. Grand Organist
  26. Grand Piper
  27. Grand Marshal
  28. Senior Grand Standard-bearer
  29. Junior Grand Standard-bearer
  30. Grand Inner Guard
  31. President of Grand Stewards
  32. Grand Tyler

11. The style “Most Worshipful” and title “Grand Master Mason” belong only to the Grand Master Mason. Other Grand Office-bearers and Honorary and Past Grand Office-bearers shall be accorded the styles set forth in the Second Schedule hereto.

12. At the Regular Communication of Grand Lodge in October the Grand Office-bearers for the ensuing year, other than the five Office-bearers hereinafter mentioned, shall be nominated and elected. The Depute Grand Master and the Substitute Grand Master shall be appointed annually by the Grand Master Mason on the day of his Installation. The Grand Secretary, the Assistant Grand Secretary and the Assistant Grand Treasurer shall not be subject to annual election, but the appointment of each of them shall be terminable on the date of the Annual Communication subject to notice being given by resolution of Grand Lodge at the previous June Communication.

12a . In terms of the Agreement between Grand Lodge and Lodge Mother Kilwinning, No. 0, dated 14th October 1807, as amended by the Agreement dated 24th June 1983, Lodge Mother Kilwinning, No. 0, for all time coming, has the honour to nominate annually a suitable Brother for the office of Grand Bible-bearer whom Grand Lodge shall elect.

13. It shall not be competent to nominate a Brother for office in Grand Lodge unless his consent has previously been obtained.

14. When more than one candidate has been nominated for any office in Grand Lodge, the voting shall be by show of hands and the Brother receiving most votes shall be elected. If more than one office be contested, these must be put to the vote separately in order of seniority, and the vote for one office must be completed and the result declared before the vote for the office next in order is taken.

15. An elected Grand Office-bearer (the Grand Master Mason, Grand Secretary, Grand Treasurer, Grand Almoner, Grand Director of Ceremonies, Grand Librarian, Grand Bible-bearer, Assistant Grand Secretary, Assistant Grand Treasurer, Grand Organist, Grand Piper and Grand Tyler excepted) shall not hold the same office for longer than two years consecutively.

16. The Brethren elected or appointed annually as Grand Office-bearers shall be installed at the Annual Communication on the last Thursday in November. Any Office-bearer unable to attend on that day shall be installed at the first Regular Communication thereafter at which he is present.

17. On the death, resignation or disqualification of any elected Grand Office-bearer, Grand Lodge at the first Regular Communication following, or at a Special Communication, may elect a qualified Brother to fill the vacancy.

18. The Grand Master Mason shall be ex officio a member of every Daughter Lodge, and of each Provincial or District Grand Lodge, but as such shall not be liable in payment of any contribution to such Lodge.

19. Grand Secretary shall superintend the affairs of Grand Lodge and shall have full control of the staff of Grand Lodge. He shall carry out all instructions from Grand Lodge and Grand Committee and do everything required by any of these Laws. He shall be custodier of the Seal and all Records, Deeds and other moveable property of Grand Lodge. He shall attend all Communications of Grand Lodge and all meetings of Grand Committee and prepare minutes thereof. He shall summon the members of Grand Lodge to its Communications and call all meetings of Grand Committee by circular containing a statement of the business to be brought before such Communications and meetings so far as known to him. He shall be ex officio Secretary to all Committees and shall call meetings thereof. Grand Secretary shall receive and pay all monies connected with the funds of Grand Lodge and keep counts thereof according to forms approved by Grand Committee. No accounts shall be paid by him except such as have been previously authorised by the Administration Committee and then only by cheque. He shall at no time retain, in his hands unnecessarily, more than One Hundred Pounds Sterling of the funds of Grand Lodge. Grand Secretary shall devote his whole time to the duties of his office and shall carry out all the secretarial duties of Grand Lodge. In his absence, his duties shall be undertaken by Assistant Grand Secretary. Assistant Grand Secretary and Assistant Grand Treasurer shall be responsible to Grand Secretary.

20. Grand Secretary, Assistant Grand Secretary and Assistant Grand Treasurer shall be full-time employees of Grand Lodge and shall be paid such salaries as shall be determined by Grand Committee. Each of them shall find security for his intromissions, the premiums on the Guarantee Policies being paid by Grand Lodge. Out of pocket expenses incurred in the transaction of Grand Lodge business by Grand Secretary, Assistant Grand Secretary and Assistant Grand Treasurer shall be allowed to them when authorised by the Administration Committee.

21. The Grand Almoner shall promote the interests of the Benevolent Funds of Grand Lodge and, subject to the approval of Grand Committee, he shall make such appeals to Lodges and Brethren as the circumstances of the Funds may from time to time require.

22. The Grand Director of Ceremonies shall take charge of arranging the Grand Office-bearers and other members of Grand Lodge according to precedence and shall superintend the details of all ceremonies of Grand Lodge held within any building. In his absence, Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies shall undertake these duties.

23. The Grand Chaplains shall attend the Communications of Grand Lodge and there offer solemn prayer suitable to the occasion, according to antient usage among the Fraternity and undertake such other ceremonial as may be required by Grand Lodge.

24. The Grand Librarian shall promote the interests of the Museum and Library and shall perform such other duties pertaining to his office as may be prescribed.

25. The Grand Marshal shall form and superintend outdoor processions of Grand Lodge. Daughter Lodges and Brethren forming part of a procession shall be under his direction.

26. The Grand Tyler shall attend all Communications of Grand Lodge, assist in the arrangements and see that only duly qualified Brethren are admitted. He shall be paid such salary as shall be determined by Grand Committee.

27. The Grand Master Mason may confer on Brethren who have rendered service to the Craft such rank as Honorary Grand Office-bearers as he may think proper.

Grand Stewards and other Appointments

28. Grand Lodge shall appoint annually, at the Regular Communication in October, not more than fifty Qualified Members of Grand Lodge to act as a Board of Grand Stewards. They shall participate in all ceremonies of Grand Lodge. The arrangements for the Festival of Saint Andrew and other functions shall be entrusted to the Board under the direction of Grand Committee. Every Brother on appointment shall pay the appropriate Fee of Honour set forth in the First Schedule, Item 3.

29. The Board of Grand Stewards, within seven days of its appointment, shall elect from its number its Vice-President, who shall hold the appointment for one year only. He shall pay on appointment the appropriate Fee of Honour set forth in the First Schedule, Item 3.

30. At the Regular Communication in February, Grand Lodge shall appoint a Chartered Accountant as Auditor for the ensuing year. The Auditor shall examine the Accounts of all the Funds of Grand Lodge and report annually thereon in writing. He shall also furnish such interim reports and other information regarding the Funds as may be desired by Grand Lodge and its Committees. The Auditor shall be paid such remuneration as shall be approved by Grand Committee. In the event of the office becoming vacant from any cause, Grand Committee may appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy subject to confirmation thereof by Grand Lodge. A firm of Chartered Accountants may be appointed to act as Auditors.

31. Grand Lodge may engage the services of such professional advisers, on appropriate terms of engagement, as Grand Secretary may from time to time determine.

32. Representatives to Sister Grand Lodges may be appointed by Grand Lodge at any Regular Communication. Clothing and Jewels provided to such a Representative by Grand Lodge shall remain its property and shall be returned on cessation of his Commission.

Representatives from Sister Grand Lodges, who must be Qualified Members of Grand Lodge, may, on presentation of their Commissions, be received at any Regular Communication and shall thereafter take rank as such.

Communications

33. The meetings of Grand Lodge shall be called “Communications” and unless Grand Lodge otherwise decides, shall be held in Freemasons’ Hall in Edinburgh. Before admission to the Hall, members must sign the attendance sheets or books and exhibit their membership cards. The business of Grand Lodge shall be conducted in the Third Degree. At all Communications twenty-one Qualified Members shall form a quorum. A visiting Brother shall not be admitted to any Communication until he has been examined by a Grand Steward appointed by the President or Vice-President, or has been duly vouched for. A Brother shall not leave a Communication without permission from the Grand Master Mason or other presiding Brother.

34. In the absence of the Grand Master Mason, Grand Lodge shall be presided over by the Immediate or any other Past Grand Master; the Depute Grand Master; the Substitute Grand Master; a Past Depute Grand Master; a Past Substitute Grand Master; a Provincial or District Grand Master; Senior Grand Warden; Junior Grand Warden; Senior Grand Deacon; Junior Grand Deacon; whom all failing by the senior Grand Office-bearer present.

35. Grand Lodge shall hold Regular Communications on the first Thursday of February, the second Thursday of June and the last Thursday of October at 2.30 p.m., or at such other hour as Grand Lodge or Grand Committee may appoint.

36. A Special Communication may be called at any time by the Grand Master Mason, or, in his absence, by the Immediate Past Grand Master, Depute Grand Master, or Substitute Grand Master, or upon an order by Grand Committee. It shall also be competent for twenty-one Qualified Members of Grand Lodge to present a requisition, signed by them, requiring that a Special Communication be called, the purpose of which must be clearly stated. On receipt of an order or requisition in due form, Grand Secretary shall immediately call a Communication to be held within fourteen days of the date on which he received the order or requisition. The circular calling the Communication shall state the purpose thereof and no other business shall be discussed thereat.

37. Members of Grand Lodge shall vote on any matter brought before Grand Lodge in accordance with what they consider to be the best interests of the Craft. Provincial and District Grand Lodges and Daughter Lodges have no power to instruct their representatives how to vote, but it is competent for them to consider the business to come before Grand Lodge and convey their views to their representatives.

38. No motion to amend, add to or repeal any of these Laws or enact a new one or any other motion not arising from the proceedings of Grand Committee shall be moved at any Communication unless Notice of Motion has been given and dealt with as hereinafter provided.

39. Every Notice of Motion must be in writing, signed by the proposer and seconder, and sent to Grand Secretary by Recorded Delivery Post. The proposer and seconder must be Qualified Members of Grand Lodge.

Every Notice of Motion received by Grand Secretary shall be referred forthwith to the Administration Committee to consider the competency thereof and report to Grand Committee. Grand Committee at its first meeting after receipt of the report shall decide whether the notice, including the motion incorporated therein, is competent and regular and can be accepted. Grand Committee in its discretion may permit the notice to be amended.

If the notice be not accepted by Grand Committee, Grand Secretary shall notify the proposer and seconder of the reasons for the decision, at the same time intimating that they may appeal and attend at the next meeting of Grand Committee in support thereof. If the appeal be not upheld by Grand Committee, the proposer and seconder may appeal to Grand Lodge direct. The terms of a motion not accepted by Grand Lodge or Grand Committee shall not be included in the minutes which shall state that a Notice of Motion, naming the proposer and seconder, was not accepted.

If the Notice of Motion be accepted by Grand Committee as competent a copy thereof shall be inserted in the circulars calling the next two Communications of Grand Lodge for consideration at the second of those Communications.

40. A Motion, the substance of which Grand Lodge has already decided upon, shall not be brought forward again or be otherwise discussed until after the lapse of twelve months from the date of such decision. Laws enacted and resolutions adopted at Communications shall not be cancelled or altered within a shorter period than twelve months after the date of such enactment or adoption. During the said period of twelve months it shall be competent to give Notice of Motion to be proposed after the period has expired.

41. The Standing Orders set forth in the Third Schedule hereto shall govern the procedure at all Communications of Grand Lodge.

Ceremonial

42. The Festival of Saint Andrew shall be held annually on the same day as and following the Installation of Grand Office-bearers. It may be attended by any Master Mason who provides himself with a ticket for that purpose. The price of the ticket shall be fixed by Grand Committee, subject to the approval of Grand Lodge at the October Regular Communication. The Festival shall be so conducted as to ensure that as far as possible the expenses thereof shall be covered by the monies to be drawn from the Brethren attending.

43. At all Communications, at public processions, and at all other Grand Lodge functions, precedence in Grand Lodge shall be regulated as follows — past rank being given to all Past Grand Office-bearers and Past Provincial and District Grand Masters who are Qualified Members of Grand Lodge, and Honorary Grand Office-bearers being next in precedence to Grand Office-bearers of corresponding rank:—

  1. The Grand Master Mason
  2. Past Grand Masters
  3. Depute Grand Master
  4. Past Depute Grand Masters
  5. Substitute Grand Master
  6. Past Substitute Grand Masters
  7. Provincial and District Grand Masters
  8. Past Provincial and District Grand Masters
  9. Proxy District Grand Masters
  10. Grand Superintendents
  11. Past Grand Superintendents
  12. Grand Wardens
  13. Representatives of Sister Grand Lodges
  14. Past Grand Wardens
  15. Grand Secretary
  16. Past Grand Secretaries
  17. Grand Treasurer
  18. Past Grand Treasurers
  19. Grand Almoner
  20. Past Grand Almoners
  21. Grand Director of Ceremonies
  22. Past Grand Directors of Ceremonies
  23. Grand Chaplains
  24. Past Grand Chaplains
  25. Grand Deacons
  26. Past Grand Deacons
  27. Grand Librarian
  28. Past Grand Librarians
  29. Grand Architect
  30. Past Grand Architects
  31. Grand Jeweller
  32. Past Grand Jewellers
  33. Grand Bible-bearer
  34. Past Grand Bible-bearers
  35. Grand Bard
  36. Past Grand Bards
  37. Grand Sword-bearer
  38. Past Grand Sword-bearers
  39. Grand Director of Music
  40. Past Grand Directors of Music
  41. Assistant Grand Secretary
  42. Past Assistant Grand Secretaries
  43. Assistant Grand Treasurer
  44. Past Assistant Grand Treasurers
  45. Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies
  46. Past Assistant Grand Directors of Ceremonies
  47. Grand Organist
  48. Past Grand Organists
  49. Grand Piper
  50. Past Grand Pipers
  51. Grand Marshal
  52. Past Grand Marshals
  53. Senior Grand Standard-bearer
  54. Junior Grand Standard-bearer
  55. Past Grand Standard-bearers
  56. Grand Inner Guard
  57. Past Grand Inner Guards
  58. Members of Grand Committee
  59. President of Grand Stewards
  60. Past Presidents of Grand Stewards
  61. Grand Stewards
  62. Grand Tyler

44. The other members of Grand Lodge shall be entitled to rank immediately after the Office-bearers and others mentioned in Law 43 according to the seniority of their respective Lodges on the Roll of Grand Lodge and the Office-bearers thereof shall take precedence according to their respective offices.

45. In all processions of Grand Lodge for ceremonial purposes in the Province of Edinburgh, the senior member out of office of The Lodge of Journeymen Masons, No. 8, shall be entitled to carry the mallet and Apprentices of the same Lodge shall carry the working tools. On all other like occasions, such as those where Grand Lodge is laying foundation stones, similar members of the senior Lodge of the Province or District concerned shall be entitled to do so. The other paraphernalia shall on all occasions be carried by Office-bearers of Grand Lodge.

46. In all cases when the Grand Master Mason is invited to officiate at the laying of foundation stones, application must be made to Grand Secretary who shall submit the same to Grand Committee. If the invitation is approved, Grand Committee shall carry the same into effect.

Grand Lodge Deputations

47. When a Grand Lodge Deputation visits a Provincial or District Grand Lodge or Daughter Lodge, such Deputation shall be headed by an Office-bearer of not lower rank than Junior Grand Warden unless otherwise authorised by the Grand Master Mason. The Master of the Lodge shall tender the mallet as a token of loyalty and the Master, Wardens and other Office-bearers of that Lodge shall if required vacate their respective chairs in favour of Office-bearers of Grand Lodge. In the event of the Grand Office-bearer heading the Deputation exercising his right to take the Chair, the Master of the Lodge shall sit at his right hand. Prior to such visit Grand Secretary shall send notice thereof to the Provincial or District Grand Lodge and to the Lodge to be visited.

Property, Finance and Accounts

48. All heritable property and other investments belonging to Grand Lodge shall be vested in the following Grand Office-bearers as Trustees ex officiis, viz., the Grand Master Mason, the Grand Wardens and Grand Secretary and their successors from time to time in these offices.

Grand Lodge may borrow and pledge and grant security over heritable property and other assets of Grand Lodge (not forming part of the Benevolent Funds of Grand Lodge for such sums as may be approved by Grand Committee.

Notwithstanding the foregoing it shall be competent for Grand Committee to resolve that investments other than heritable property may be placed in the name of Grand Lodge Bankers or Bank Nominees in trust for Grand Lodge and subject to the control of Grand Committee.

It shall be competent for the whole or any part or parts of any Funds administered by Grand Lodge to be invested in heritable property situated in Scotland. All other investments shall be such as are sanctioned by the Trusts (Scotland) Acts and the Trustee Investments Act 1961, and any amendments thereto.

All interest and dividends on investments shall be paid direct to Grand Lodge Bankers on account of Grand Lodge.

No property or investments shall be purchased or sold or pledged or conveyed in security for loans without the consent and authority of Grand Committee.

An inventory and valuation of the heritable and moveable property belonging to Grand Lodge shall be made up by Grand Secretary annually and laid before Grand Committee at its meeting in June and a reference thereto inserted in the minutes.

Grand Committee is authorised to open such bank accounts in the name of Grand Lodge as may be necessary.

49. All remittances to Grand Lodge shall be made payable to “The Grand Lodge of Scotland” and sent to Grand Secretary.

All remittances received shall be properly recorded, receipts issued therefor, and promptly banked.

50. All cheques and orders drawn upon any of the Grand Lodge bank accounts must be signed by the Chairman of the Administration Committee or, in his absence, by another member of that Committee authorised by Grand Committee, and countersigned by Grand Secretary or, in his absence, by Assistant Grand Secretary. Deposit Receipts shall be similarly endorsed when uplifted.

51. Accounts shall be kept in respect of the different Funds of, or administered from time to time by Grand Lodge, including a General Fund, a Scottish Masonic Benevolent Fund, a Scottish Masonic General Relief Fund and a Scottish Masonic Homes Fund.

All such Accounts and all Abstracts thereof shall be in the form recommended by the Administration Committee and approved by Grand Committee and Grand Lodge.

52. On the last day of each financial year there shall be transferred to the General Fund from the Scottish Masonic Benevolent Fund, as the expenses of managing the Fund, a sum equal to eleven per cent of the expenditure of the General Fund.

The management charges to be transferred to the General Fund from the Scottish Masonic Homes Fund shall be such sum as shall be determined from time to time by Grand Committee.

53. The General Fund (referred to in this Law as “the Fund” shall be maintained for the purpose of meeting all expenditure and charges of or connected with Grand Lodge which are not chargeable against any other Fund.

It shall be in the power of the Administration Committee subject to the approval of Grand Committee to determine the expenditure and charges to be debited to Capital and Income respectively.

There shall be credited to the Capital of the Fund all donations and legacies to Grand Lodge not expressly given or bequeathed to the Income of the Fund or to the Capital or Income of any other Fund.

The rents, interest, dividends on investments and other income derived from the property and assets of the Fund, and the fees and other sums set forth in the First Schedule so far as payable to the Fund shall be credited to the Income of the Fund, except contributions payable in terms of the First Schedule, Item 16, which shall be credited to the Capital of the Fund.

Any asset comprised in the capital of the Fund may be transferred to any other Fund of, or for the time being administered by, Grand Lodge, provided that such transfer shall be made at the price which the asset might reasonably be expected to fetch on a sale in the open market. Such transaction shall be subject to the approval of Grand Committee.

In the event of a surplus of accumulated Income over expenditure remaining in the Income Account at the end of any financial year, such portion as the Administration Committee with the approval of Grand Committee may determine shall be transferred to the Capital Account of the Fund and the remainder of such surplus shall be carried forward in the Income Account of the Fund to the following year. If in any year there shall be a balance at debit of the Income Account of the Fund the deficiency may be met from the Capital Account of the Fund.

Any transfer of any asset from one Fund of, or for the time being administered by, Grand Lodge to any other such fund at market value made in pursuance of any power conferred by these Laws shall be shown separately in the respective Accounts of the Funds involved.

54. There shall be established an Investment Reserve for such of the Funds of Grand Lodge as Grand Committee shall determine. Any gains or losses arising from investment transactions shall be credited or debited to the appropriate Investment Reserve. Investment Reserve may also be employed at the discretion of Grand Committee to write down the book value of investments where considered necessary. Grand Committee shall have power to transfer sums between Capital Account and Investment Reserve as considered appropriate.

Any surplus or deficit arising on the revaluation at market value of any asset transferred from one Fund of, or for the time being administered by, Grand Lodge to any other such Fund shall be credited or debited to Investment Reserve of the Fund from which the asset is transferred, as if the same were a profit or loss on sale.

All decisions by Grand Committee in terms of this Law shall be taken after consideration of the advice of the Administration Committee.

55. The financial year of Grand Lodge shall end on the 31st day of May. A Balance Sheet as at that date and an Abstract of Accounts for the preceding year shall be prepared and submitted with books and supporting documents to the Auditor. The audited Accounts shall be submitted to Grand Lodge at the October Regular Communication.

Diplomas and Certificates

56. The power of granting diplomas in connection with the Scottish Craft is vested solely in Grand Lodge; provided that any Lodge which has made and still makes a practice of issuing certain diplomas may continue to do so subject to approval of Grand Committee. Diplomas shall be issued to Master Masons, Affiliates, Founder Members, Reponing Members and Mark Master Masons only after their names have been registered in Grand Lodge. Diplomas shall not be issued posthumously.

The registration fees paid by Daughter Lodges include the charges for diplomas for Master Masons, Mark Master Masons, Affiliates, Founder Members, Reponing Members and Installed Masters. Diplomas are issued without charge to Honorary Grand Office-bearers and to Representatives of Sister Grand Lodges. Diplomas for Honorary Membership and Distinguished Service Membership of Daughter Lodges and for Jubilee Membership of the Scottish Craft are issued on payment by Daughter Lodges of the fee fixed by Grand Committee. Certificates of Past Service in terms of Law 59 are issued on payment of the fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 4.

57. An Installed Master’s Diploma shall be issued only after receipt by Grand Secretary, from the Secretary of the Lodge, of a Certificate signed by three Installed Masters registered as such in Grand Lodge (or in the case of Lodges abroad by one or more Installed Masters so registered) that the Brother named therein has passed through the Ceremonial.

58. In the event of a Brother’s diploma being lost or destroyed a duplicate may be issued by Grand Lodge, but only on the recommendation of the applicant’s Lodge, and on receipt by Grand Secretary of a Declaration satisfactory to Grand Committee, certifying the circumstances of the loss or destruction of the original, accompanied by the fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 15. The like fee shall be payable to Grand Lodge for an amended diploma.

59. Any Past Grand Office-bearer, Past Provincial or District Grand Office-bearer, member of Grand Committee or Grand Steward, on payment to Grand Lodge of the fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 4, shall be entitled to receive from Grand Secretary a Certificate on his having held such office or appointment.

Publications

60. The prices of all publications of Grand Lodge shall be fixed by Grand Committee.

61. Grand Lodge does not recognise any books, papers or other writings purporting to relate to the ceremonies or practices of Scottish Freemasonry except such as may be published by Grand Secretary under the authority of Grand Lodge.

62. The Constitution and Laws shall be published in board and soft cover editions, the contents of each being identical.

63. Grand Lodge shall publish a Year Book annually under the direction of Grand Committee. A current copy of this book shall be issued to each Intrant on his attaining the rank of Master Mason and to each Affiliate from another Constitution. The cost of issuing these copies shall be met out of the sum payable to Grand Lodge set forth in the First Schedule, Item 16.

The Proceedings of Grand Lodge shall be issued before each Regular Communication. Grand Secretary shall send copies to the Grand Secretaries of Sister Grand Lodges, the members of Grand Lodge and every Brother who applies for a copy and pays the price annually in advance. In addition Grand Lodge shall send annually to Sister Grand Lodges a copy of the Proceedings of Grand Lodge for the current year together with a copy of the Year Book.

Dispensations

64. A Dispensation from the Grand Master Mason required under any of these Laws may in his absence be granted in his name and on his behalf by his Depute or his Substitute. The Grand Master Mason has also power to grant such other Dispensations as he may deem expedient although the circumstances of any such Dispensation may not be specially provided for. For each Dispensation granted there shall be payable to Grand Lodge the fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 17.


GRAND COMMITTEE

Membership

65. Grand Committee consists of the Grand Master Mason, all Past Grand Masters, Depute Grand Master, Substitute Grand Master, Provincial Grand Masters, Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden, Grand Secretary, Grand Treasurer, Grand Almoner and Grand Director of Ceremonies, all ex officiis, thirty elected members (who must be qualified members of Grand Lodge). Provincial Grand Masters demitting office in February or June and the Depute Grand Master, Substitute Grand Master, Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden, Grand Treasurer, Grand Almoner and Grand Director of Ceremonies demitting office in November shall continue as Members of Grand Committee until the election in October following.

66. In the circular intimating the Regular Communication for June members of Grand Lodge shall be reminded that the election of members of Grand Committee in room of those retiring will take place at the Regular Communication in October; and that any Qualified Members of Grand Lodge wishing to nominate a Brother for election must obtain a nomination form from Grand Secretary and return it duly completed before 15th September. The nomination form shall state the nominee’s full name, the number of a Daughter Lodge of which he is a Qualified Member, the number of his Mother Lodge, his Masonic Rank in these Lodges, the number of the Daughter Lodge which he represents in Grand Lodge and his representative rank; and any Office held in Grand Lodge; together with the names and designations of his proposer and seconder. At the October Communication a Voting Card, in a form approved by Grand Committee, shall be given under the supervision of Grand Secretary to each Qualified Member entering Grand Lodge. The completed Voting Cards shall be collected by tellers appointed for that purpose who shall deliver them to Grand Secretary as Returning Officer. Grand Secretary shall deposit the Voting Cards in the Ballot Box and seal the same in Grand Lodge. After the Communication he shall count the votes and declare the result not later than the day following the said Communication. In the event of a tie the Grand Master Mason, whom failing, the Brother occupying the Chair, shall have a casting vote.

67. Ten of the elected members of Grand Committee shall retire at the Regular Communication in October in each year, but they shall be eligible for re-election at that Communication. Those who retire shall be the ten members whose names stand at the top of the official list of Grand Committee. Grand Secretary shall intimate between the 1st and 30th June to the members who retire in the following October, the fact of their having to retire, and that should they desire to become candidates for re-election they must be nominated in accordance with Law 66. The appointment of Qualified Members to fill vacancies caused by death, resignation or disqualification between elections shall lie with the remaining members of Grand Committee. The members so appointed shall continue as such until the Regular Communication in the following October and shall be eligible for re-election.

Meetings

68. The Ordinary Meetings of Grand Committee shall be held on the last Thursday in April, second Thursday in September and second Thursday in December. Meetings shall also be held on the first Thursday of February, the second Thursday of June and the last Thursday of October prior to the Regular Communications on these days to approve the Minutes of the Meetings of Grand Committee. The transactions of which fall to be reported at such Regular Communications and to deal with any immediate business. Grand Committee may dispense with or alter the date of any of its Statutory Meetings and may instruct a Special Meeting at any time.

69. Upon the requisition of five Qualified Members of Grand Committee, Grand Secretary shall call a Special Meeting thereof. The circular calling the meeting shall state the purpose for which the meeting is called and no other business shall be transacted thereat.

70. All business to be considered by Grand Committee shall be notified in the circular calling the meeting. At all meetings of Grand Committee five shall be a quorum.

71. The Grand Master Mason is ex officio Chairman of Grand Committee. In his absence the following shall preside:— Past Grand Masters in their order; Depute Grand Master; Substitute Grand Master; Past Depute Grand Masters (if members of Grand Committee); Past Substitute Grand Masters (if members of Grand Committee); Senior Grand Warden; Junior Grand Warden. In the absence of all these the meeting shall appoint its own Chairman.

Powers and Duties

72. Grand Committee is responsible for the administration of all the affairs of Grand Lodge. It may consider any matters relating to the government of the Craft and make recommendations thereon to Grand Lodge. All transactions of Grand Committee shall, after it has approved the minutes thereof, be reported for the consideration of Grand Lodge at its next Regular Communication and be subject to its approval or disapproval; provided, however, that the purchase and sale of investments by Grand Committee is not subject to the approval of Grand Lodge. The minutes of Grand Committee shall not be subject to alteration by Grand Lodge. All remits from Grand Lodge to Grand Committee shall be taken up at its first ordinary meeting after each remit.

73. Grand Committee is the ordinary forum of Grand Lodge for investigating and deciding disputes and differences (except disciplinary complaints and reports which will be dealt with in terms of Laws 229 to 250 inclusive) arising from the Scottish Craft and any breach of Grand Lodge Laws. Any such matter may be remitted by Grand Committee for investigation and report to any of its Standing Committees or to an Ad Hoc Committee appointed by Grand Committee for such purpose.

It, or Committee investigating any such matter on its behalf, shall have power to call for written pleadings and answers with copies thereof and productions; fix the time within which these must be lodged; summon parties and witnesses to attend; take evidence, hear the parties concerned, and adopt such other measures and proceedings as it may deem necessary or advisable.

74. At least one month before the Regular Communication in October, Grand Committee shall prepare and recommend a list of names of Brethren for office in Grand Lodge for the ensuing year. Such recommendation shall, however, be subject to the decision of Grand Lodge in the election of its Office-bearers.

75. At the meeting of Grand Committee in April a report shall be made by Grand Secretary of all Lodges which have failed to obtain their Annual Certificate in terms of Law 119.

76. Estimates shall be taken for all work to be executed for Grand Lodge the expense of which Grand Committee shall have reason to believe may exceed five hundred pounds. Unless with the special permission of Grand Committee members of Grand Committee shall not offer or be accepted to execute work for Grand Lodge.

Committees

77. Grand Committee, at its December meeting, shall appoint from its own members the following Standing Committees, each of which shall consist of not more than nine members:—

  1. The Administration Committee, not more than two members of which will come from the same Province and which shall have the direct supervision of the whole of the funds of Grand Lodge. Subject to the approval of Grand Committee it will be responsible for the investment of all funds of Grand Lodge and for the expenditure of the income of its general fund. It shall see that all contracts for work have been duly executed and shall supervise the letting, upkeep and management of the whole buildings occupied by Grand Lodge and the furnishings thereof. Buildings associated with the Scottish Masonic Homes shall be the responsibility of the Board of Benevolence and Masonic Homes. It shall prepare rulings and opinions on questions relating to Masonic Law and practice submitted to Grand Lodge, Grand Committee or Grand Secretary; shall examine the competency of all Notices of Motion and report thereon to Grand Committee; shall take up all remits from Grand Lodge or Grand Committee (not falling within the duties of or referred specially to another committee) relating to these laws or to any regulation made or to be made thereunder or the preparation, alteration or revision of these laws or such regulations and shall consider and make suggestions for the improvement of these laws or such regulations. It may review such aspects of the operation of the Scottish Craft as it may from time to time deem appropriate or which may be referred to it by Grand Committee and shall consider Petitions for new Lodges within Scotland.
  2. The Information and Communications Committee shall be responsible for the promotion of the interests of the Scottish Craft by means of publications, information, presentations and events.
  3. The Disciplinary Committee shall investigate and determine cases of dispute or difference arising in the Craft in terms of Laws 85 (d), 232, 233, 235, 237 and 241 to 250; complaints or appeals made to Grand Lodge or to Grand Committee; judgments of Provincial or District Grand Lodges or of Daughter Lodges, and cases of a breach of Grand Lodge Laws.
  4. The Disciplinary Review Committee which shall consider Disciplinary Appeals from and reviews of the judgments of the Disciplinary Committee in terms of Laws 232, 233, 237, 241 to 243 and 248 and the promulgation of regulations in terms of Law 250.
  5. The Overseas and External Affairs and Special Purposes Committee to which questions affecting the interest of the Scottish Craft overseas shall be referred. This Committee must also consider such disciplinary matters as may be remitted to it in terms of Laws 235 and 248 and shall consider such other matters as may be remitted to it by Grand Committee.

No Brother may be appointed to simultaneous membership of more than one of the Overseas and External Affairs and Special Purposes Committee, the Disciplinary Committee or the Disciplinary Review Committee.

Each Standing Committee shall meet as required and shall report its proceedings to Grand Committee.

In each case three members shall form a quorum.

Grand Committee shall have the power to make regulations regarding such appointments and may appoint other Committees for particular purposes.

78. The Chairman of each Standing Committee shall be appointed annually by Grand Committee.


PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT GRAND LODGES

Erection of Provinces and Districts

79. For the more efficient government and control of Daughter Lodges and members of the Scottish Craft, Grand Lodge may for Masonic purposes divide Scotland into Provinces and countries overseas into Districts, each having a Provincial or District Grand Master and a Provincial or District Grand Lodge to exercise supervision on behalf of Grand Lodge in such Province or District. Provinces or Districts may be defined, enlarged, restricted, combined, divided or altered by Grand Lodge at any time. The precedence of Provincial and District Grand Lodges shall be regulated by the dates of their original formation.

Membership

80. Every member of a Provincial or District Grand Lodge must be a Qualified Member of a Daughter Lodge in good standing in the Province or District, and must be clear of all dues and fees payable to the Provincial or District Grand Lodge.

81. Each Provincial or District Grand Lodge shall be composed of the Provincial or District Grand Master, Past Provincial or District Grand Masters, Provincial or District Grand Office-bearers, Past Provincial or District Grand Office-bearers, Past Masters who have occupied the Chair as Master of a Lodge under the Scottish Constitution, and the Masters, Immediate Past Masters and Wardens of the several Daughter Lodges in the Province or District which are in good standing. A Master Mason who has not occupied the Chair of a Daughter Lodge may become a member of the Provincial or District Grand Lodge but only if and when he has been appointed or elected to office in that Province or District.

82. In the event of the Master, Immediate Past Master and Wardens (or one or more of them) of a Daughter Lodge abroad declaring at the start of their year of office that they will be unable to attend meetings of the District Grand Lodge, it shall be competent for the Daughter Lodge, if in good standing, to appoint Qualified Members of the District Grand Lodge to be their proxy representatives.

83. As a Test of Membership there shall be payable to every Provincial or District Grand Lodge annually by each Member thereof (other than the representatives of Daughter Lodges) an Annual Test of Membership Fee prescribed in its Bye-Laws which shall not be less than the sum set forth in the First Schedule Item 19(a) and in addition Fees of Honour from such Office-bearers and Stewards as required and fixed by said Bye-Laws. Daughter Lodges must not pay these Fees out of their funds. Non-payment of these Fees disqualifies from membership for the year but arrears are not exigible.

Provided its Bye-Laws so permit a Provincial or District Grand Lodge may (a) exempt from further Annual Test of Membership Fee all Qualified Members who have paid their Annual Test of Membership Fee for twenty-one consecutive years and/or (b) reduce the Annual Test of Membership Fee of all Qualified Members who have reached the age of sixty-five years and have paid their Annual Test of Membership Fee for fifteen consecutive years, the reduced Test of Membership Fee being stated in the Bye-Laws and being not less than one-third of the sum set forth in the First Schedule Item 19(a).

A Provincial or District Grand Lodge may by its Bye-Laws provide that Fees of Membership may be commuted by a single payment fixed by its Bye-Laws not less than that specified in the First Schedule, Item 19(b). All sums received in commutation of Fees of Membership shall be dealt with as provided in the said Item 19(b) and the percentage to be withdrawn annually shall be fixed by Bye-Law excepting that where a Provincial or District Grand Lodge has an existing Commutation Fund but has discontinued provision for Fees of Membership to be commuted, by an approved amendment of its Bye-Laws, it shall be competent, where the sum of money at credit of the Fund is £100 or equivalent, or less at the end of any Financial Year, for the Provincial or District Grand Lodge concerned subsequently to resolve that such a Fund be wound up apportioning the balance of said Fund equally between its General Fund and its Benevolent Fund. Every Provincial and District Grand Lodge shall send, to Grand Secretary annually, a certified list of Provincial or District Grand Office-bearers and, for the information of Grand Committee, an Administration Report, in a form to be approved by Grand Secretary, including a copy of its Audited Annual Accounts.

Provincial and District Grand Masters

84. Provincial and District Grand Masters shall be appointed by Commission from Grand Lodge. Prior to each appointment Grand Secretary shall invite the Provincial or District Grand Lodge and the Daughter Lodges in the Province or District to recommend by a specified date a Brother for appointment, stating whether the Provincial or District Grand Master whose term of office is expiring is willing to serve a further term. Grand Secretary shall submit to Grand Committee for its consideration and recommendation such replies as are received, but the right of appointment is vested in Grand Lodge alone.

Every Provincial or District Grand Master must be or become a Qualified Member of a Daughter Lodge in good standing in his Province or District.

On appointment by Grand Lodge, a Provincial or District Grand Master assumes the full title and duties of his office and, in the case of a Provincial Grand Master, membership of Grand Lodge and of Grand Committee. Commissions to Provincial or District Grand Masters lapse at the expiry of five years from the date of issue but may be renewed for a further term.

In the event of the death, resignation or disqualification of a Provincial or District Grand Master, the Office-bearers appointed by him shall continue in office until a Brother has been appointed as Provincial or District Grand Master and Laws 85, 100, 101 and 108 shall take effect as though the Provincial or District Grand Master were still in office but absent.

For his Commission of Appointment each Provincial or District Grand Master shall pay to Grand Lodge the fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 5; and for each renewal of Commission the fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 6.

85. Each Provincial or District Grand Master shall have the following powers and duties in addition to those specified elsewhere in these Laws:—

  1. He shall convene his Provincial or District Grand Lodge and lay before it his Commission of Appointment within six months of its date, otherwise it shall be null and void unless on cause shown to the satisfaction of Grand Committee.
  2. He shall ensure that every Daughter Lodge under his charge is visited officially each year by a Deputation from his Provincial or District Grand Lodge; enquire into the state and condition of the said Lodges; receive from them any proposals or requests they desire to be submitted to Grand Lodge and, in particular, make inquiry into the Degrees practised therein. If not present in person he shall obtain a full report from the Office-bearer heading the Deputation.
  3. He shall examine the state of Freemasonry in his Province or District, correct any faults, omissions or wrongful actings, and may pronounce any admonition which in his opinion is merited.
  4. At his absolute discretion and without reference to his Provincial or District Grand Lodge he may give such instruction to Lodges within his Province or District and to Brethren of such Lodges as he may think necessary and appropriate to seek to ensure compliance with these Laws or to safeguard the reputation of the Craft (or both).

Under this Law, a Provincial or District Grand Master also has the authority to remove an individual Brother immediately from any office he might hold and to instruct that he will not meantime be entitled to attend meetings of a particular Daughter Lodge or Lodges or of the Daughter Lodges in general in the Province or District concerned pending the outcome of actual or potential disciplinary proceedings against him.

A Lodge or Brother has no general right of appeal against this instruction. However the Lodge or Brother may submit an appeal for the instruction to be quashed or varied to the Disciplinary Committee but for the appeal to succeed, the appellant must demonstrate to the Committee that the instruction is unfair and inappropriate.

If the Committee receives an appeal against the instruction of a Provincial or District Grand Master the Committee must consider and may sustain or dismiss the appeal or vary the instruction. The decision of the Disciplinary Committee on such a matter is final and will be reported to Grand Committee and, through its minutes, to Grand Lodge, for information.

  1. He shall consecrate all new Daughter Lodges chartered in his Province or District and shall, in the absence of a Grand Office-bearer of requisite seniority, preside at all Masonic ceremonies in his Province or District. These duties may be undertaken on his behalf by the Depute, or a Substitute or a Past Provincial or District Grand Master. The Grand Master Mason may undertake a Consecration Ceremony should he so desire.
  2. He shall obey all such instructions as he may receive from the Grand Master Mason, Grand Lodge or Grand Committee.
  3. He shall report annually to the Grand Master Mason on the state of Freemasonry in his Province or District.
  4. In his absence all his powers and duties, except those set forth in paragraph (i) shall devolve upon his Depute whom failing his Substitute or Substitutes in order of seniority.
  5. If, at his absolute discretion, he regards it as necessary to protect the interests of the Craft or if, in his opinion, alleged or apparent misconduct by a Brother or a Lodge needs investigation for possible Masonic disciplinary sanction, he may temporarily suspend the Brother and/or suspend temporarily and uplift the Charter of any such Lodge.

After imposing this temporary suspension he must immediately cause the action which he has taken to be reported to Grand Secretary for information and to his Provincial or District Grand Lodge at its next meeting.

He must also arrange immediately for the alleged or apparent misconduct to be investigated and for the result of that investigation to be reported, if it appears to require Masonic disciplinary sanction, to Grand Secretary, in terms of Law 229. In these circumstances the temporary suspension remains in force until the resultant Masonic disciplinary procedures have been completed.

The Provincial or District Grand Master may delegate to any Brother the investigation of any such matter. The Brother must report his finding to the Provincial or District Grand Master and may not then take part in any disciplinary proceedings concerning the matter except to provide appropriate information.

If, after investigation, the Provincial or District Grand Master concludes that the accusation of alleged or apparent serious misconduct was without foundation or was not serious enough to merit Masonic disciplinary action he will raise the temporary suspension and immediately inform the Brother or Lodge concerned, Grand Secretary and the Provincial or District Grand Lodge.

Any temporary suspension under this Law, must not be used as a substitute for formal Masonic disciplinary action and must remain in force only for a reasonable time to allow investigation and the completion of any resultant Masonic disciplinary proceedings.

The Grand Master Mason will be the Determining Brother in terms of Law 234 in any disciplinary action arising from an investigation under this Law.

As temporary suspension is at the discretion of the Provincial or District Grand Master concerned he is entitled, subject to this law, to revoke the suspension.

Fees payable to Daughter Lodges Abroad

86. A District Grand Master may from time to time and at his absolute discretion, vary the minimum fees payable to the Daughter Lodges in his District, as he may deem appropriate, provided that any such variation shall be to a sum not less than half nor greater than the actual minimum fee extant within the Constitution and Laws at the date of such variation, he being required to advise Grand Secretary, for report to the Overseas, External Affairs and Special Purposes Committee, for the information of Grand Committee, his authorisation of any such variation. In the event of any subsequent change in the actual minimum fee extant within the Constitution and Laws such variation shall be applied proportionately to such change.

87. A Grand Superintendent may from time to time and at his absolute discretion, vary the minimum fees payable to the Daughter Lodges under his supervision, as he may deem appropriate, provided that any such variation shall be to a sum not less than half nor greater than the actual minimum fee extant within the Constitution and Laws at the date of such variation, he being required to advise Grand Secretary, for report to the Overseas, External Affairs and Special Purposes Committee, for the information of Grand Committee, his authorisation of any such variation. In the event of any subsequent change in the actual minimum fee extant within the Constitution and Laws such variation shall be applied proportionately to such change.

For Daughter Lodges abroad under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge similar discretionary powers shall be vested in the Grand Master Mason.

Grand Superintendents

88. For the supervision of Daughter Lodges abroad where there is no District Grand Lodge, Grand Lodge, in its discretion, may commission a Grand Superintendent to supervise the Daughter Lodges in the locality assigned to him. The term of his appointment shall be for five years. The powers and duties of a Grand Superintendent shall be mutatis mutandis those set forth in Law 85 excluding paragraphs (a) and (h).

Other Office-bearers, Stewards and Committee

89. Each Provincial or District Grand Master shall be entitled to choose and appoint by Commission, from time to time, a Depute Master, a Substitute Master, a Secretary and a Chaplain or Chaplains. Provincial or District Grand Masters having the supervision of more than twenty Daughter Lodges shall have the power to appoint additional Substitute Provincial or District Grand Masters provided that the number so appointed shall not exceed one for each additional seven Lodges, which Substitutes shall take precedence according to the dates of their Commission.

It shall be competent for a District Grand Master, whose District embraces large territory, to allot areas of such territory to Substitute District Grand Masters whose duty shall be to superintend the working of the Daughter Lodges in the localities assigned to them, subject to the control and direction of the District Grand Master to whom they shall report from time to time. Substitute District Grand Masters holding such responsibilities shall take precedence before the other Substitute District Grand Masters in the District irrespective of the dates of their Commission. If such assignments necessitate a greater number of Substitute District Grand Masters than that based on the number of Lodges in the District aforementioned, such greater number shall be subject to sanction by Grand Committee.

Commissions by a Provincial or District Grand Master shall be effective from the date of issue and may be terminated by him at any time and shall cease to have effect on his demitting office.

90. The Provincial or District Grand Office-bearers, other than those appointed in terms of Law 89 and the Immediate Past Provincial or District Grand Master, shall be elected annually by the Provincial or District Grand Lodge. The elected Office-bearers shall be Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, Almoner, Director of Ceremonies, Senior Deacon, Junior Deacon, Bible-bearer, Sword-bearer, Organist, Marshal, Inner Guard, President of Stewards, Tyler and such others, if any, as are provided for in the Bye-Laws and sanctioned by Grand Lodge.

A District Grand Lodge embracing large territory may elect more than one Office-bearer to any office not above that of Senior District Grand Warden provided that the numbers to be elected to each office are specified in its Bye-Laws and that prior to the submission of the Bye-Laws for approval such numbers have been expressly sanctioned by Grand Committee. Law 15 which prohibits the holding of the same office in Grand Lodge for more than two consecutive years shall apply also to the elected Office-bearers of Provincial and District Grand Lodges and with the same exceptions.

91. An elected Office-bearer of a Provincial or District Grand Lodge is not entitled to act as such until he has been installed into office.

92. Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers and Grand Superintendents shall be accorded the styles set forth in the Second Schedule hereto.

93. A Provincial or District Grand Lodge may provide in its Bye-Laws that it shall appoint annually from its Qualified Members a Board of Provincial or District Grand Stewards whose duties within the Province or District shall be similar to those of the Board of Grand Stewards.

94. A Provincial or District Grand Lodge wishing to appoint a Provincial or District Grand Committee shall specify in its Bye-Laws the number and composition thereof. The Provincial or District Grand Master, Immediate Past, Depute and Substitute Provincial or District Grand Masters, Wardens, Secretary, Treasurer and Almoner shall be members ex officiis of such Committee. The powers and duties of such Committee shall be defined in the Bye-Laws and shall be similar to those of Grand Committee. All decisions of the Committee shall be subject to confirmation by the Provincial or District Grand Lodge.

95. The procedure for nominating and electing Office-bearers, Stewards and members of Committee shall be specified in the Bye-Laws of each Provincial and District Grand Lodge. A Brother, otherwise qualified who is not a member of the Provincial or District Grand Lodge may be commissioned or elected as an Office-bearer, in which event he becomes a member.

A Brother who holds office in, or is a member of Committee of a Lodge under any other Masonic Constitution, shall not be entitled to hold office or be a member of Committee in any District Grand Lodge unless under Dispensation from the District Grand. Master. A Dispensation to hold office shall be for a specified period not exceeding two years. A Dispensation to be a Committee member shall continue during the grantor’s pleasure.

Each Provincial or District Grand Office-bearer (other than the Provincial or District Grand Master, his Depute, Substitute and Chaplains) and each Steward and member of Committee must have a residence or place of business within or in the neighbourhood of the Province or District.

96. At all meetings of a Provincial or District Grand Lodge precedence and past rank shall be regulated by the practice of Grand Lodge. Office-bearers on the expiry of their periods of office, shall be entitled to the past rank of their respective offices. The Office-bearers of a Provincial or District Grand Lodge (with the exception of the Provincial or District Grand Master and Past Provincial or District Grand Masters) do not take rank outwith their Province or District; they are, however, entitled to wear their clothing as Provincial or District Grand Office-bearers at all Masonic meetings.

97. A Provincial or District Grand Master may confer on Brethren who have rendered outstanding service to Scottish Freemasonry in his Province or District such Honorary Provincial or District Grand Rank as he may in the circumstances deem fitting, provided that appointment to a rank higher than that of Honorary Senior Provincial or District Grand Warden requires the prior approval of the Grand Master Mason.

98. It shall be competent for any District Grand Lodge to nominate and appoint a Qualified Member of any Daughter Lodge in good standing as its Proxy District Grand Master.

A Brother cannot at any time be Proxy District Grand Master of more than one District Grand Lodge.

Communications

99. The meetings of Provincial and District Grand Lodges shall be called “Communications”. The business of Provincial and District Grand Lodges shall be conducted in the Third Degree. At all Communications nine Qualified Members or such higher number as may be specified in the Bye-Laws shall form a quorum.

A Visiting Brother shall not be admitted until he has been examined by an Office-bearer or Steward, or has been duly vouched for.

A Brother shall not leave a Communication without permission from the Provincial or District Grand Master or other presiding Brother.

100. In the absence of the Provincial or District Grand Master the Chair shall be taken by the Provincial or District Grand Office-bearers in the following order:— The Immediate Past or, in his absence any Past Provincial or District Grand Master of the Province or District, the Depute Provincial or District Grand Master, the Substitute Provincial or District Grand Master, a Past Depute Provincial or District Grand Master, a Past Substitute Provincial or District Grand Master, the Senior Provincial or District Grand Warden, the Junior Provincial or District Grand Warden, whom all failing, any other Provincial or District Grand Office-bearer present at the Communication in the order of their precedence.

101. Each Provincial and District Grand Lodge shall by its Bye-Laws provide for the place or places, days and times of its Regular Communications, including those at which Office-bearers are to be nominated, elected and installed and at which the annual accounts are considered.

Every Communication of a Provincial or District Grand Lodge shall be convened (a) by circular or (b) by advertisement or (c) by intimation. The Bye-Laws shall state which method is to be used for each type of Communication.

If method (a) is used, a circular shall be delivered or posted to each Qualified Member at least ten days prior to the Communication. The circular shall state all business to be transacted.

Under method (b), the advertisement convening a Communication shall be inserted in a newspaper circulating locally at least forty-eight hours prior to the Communication.

Under method (c), the date, time and place of the Communication and the business to be transacted shall be intimated in Provincial or District Grand Lodge by the presiding Brother at the previous Regular Communication. A Special Communication shall be convened by circular or advertisement.

Each Provincial and District Grand Lodge shall have a day fixed by Bye-Law for the Annual Installation of elective Office-bearers.

On the occasion of its Annual Installation, every Provincial Grand Lodge shall take a collection for the Benevolent Funds of Grand Lodge. Prior to the collection being taken, the Provincial Grand Master, or other presiding Brother, shall make a statement recommending those Funds to the benevolence of the Brethren. The whole proceeds of the collection shall be remitted forthwith to Grand Lodge by the Provincial Grand Secretary and shall be allocated to the income of the Benevolent Funds of Grand Lodge in such proportions or sums (after consideration of reports from the Board of Benevolence and Masonic Homes) as shall be determined from time to time by the Administration Committee, subject to the approval of Grand Committee. A list of Provincial Grand Lodges and of their contributions shall be published in the Proceedings of Grand Lodge in May of each year.

The Communications of a Provincial or District Grand Lodge shall not be interrupted by the death, retirement or disqualification of the Provincial or District Grand Master.

A Special Communication may be called at any time by the Provincial or District Grand Master or, in his absence, by the Immediate Past, the Depute or the Substitute, Provincial or District Grand Master. It shall be competent also for a number of Qualified Members specified in the Bye-Laws, but not less than nine, to present a requisition signed by them requiring that a Special Communication be called, the purpose of which must be clearly stated in the requisition. On receipt of an order or requisition in due form the Provincial or District Grand Secretary immediately shall call a Communication to be held within twenty-three days of the date on which he received the order or requisition. The circular or advertisement shall state the purpose for which the Communication is called and no other business shall be discussed thereat. The place, date and time of any Special Communication shall be fixed by the Provincial or District Grand Master or, in his absence, by the Immediate Past, the Depute or Substitute, Provincial or District Grand Master.

Communications may be adjourned from time to time, but no business shall be taken up or dealt with at any adjourned Communication except that carried forward from the previous Communication.

102. Members of a Provincial or District Grand Lodge shall vote in Provincial or District Grand Lodge in accordance with what they consider to be the best interests of the Craft. Daughter Lodges have no power to instruct their representatives how to vote, but it is competent for them to consider the business to come before Provincial or District Grand Lodge and convey their views to their representatives.

103. A Provincial or District Grand Lodge which has not assembled for the space of two years may be declared dormant in terms of Law 110 and shall have no power to meet until authorised by Grand Lodge.

104. Grand Lodge and Grand Committee shall each have power at any time to convene a Provincial or District Grand Lodge independently of the Provincial or District Grand Master who shall be notified thereof.

Fees

105. Every Provincial and District Grand Lodge shall levy from each Daughter Lodge the following sums which shall be fixed by the Bye-Laws of the Provincial or District Grand Lodge, namely:—

  1. An annual sum not less t han that set forth in the First Schedule, Item 18(a)1.
  2. A sum in respect of each candidate initiated or affiliated not less than that set forth in the First Schedule, Item 18(a)2.
  3. If the Bye-Laws of a District Grand Lodge so require, an annual sum in respect of each member who has paid his annual contribution (test fee) and a single sum in respect of each member commuting his annual contribution.
  4. A sum set forth in the Fir st Schedule, Item 18(b) in respect of each candidate initiated or affiliated.

The sums referred to in items (a), (b) and (c) shall be credited to the General Fund of the Provincial or District Grand Lodge and that referred to in item (d) to its Benevolent Fund.

Deputations

106. When a Provincial or District Grand Lodge Deputation visits a Daughter Lodge officially, such Deputation shall be headed by an Office-bearer of not lower rank than Past Provincial or District Junior Grand Warden. On such occasions the Office-bearer heading the Deputation takes precedence above any Provincial or District Grand Office-bearer. Prior to such visit the Provincial or District Grand Secretary shall send notice thereof to the Lodge to be visited.

The Deputation shall salute the Master only. The Master and Wardens shall vacate their seats in favour of the corresponding Provincial or District Grand Office-bearers. In the event of the Office-bearer heading the Deputation exercising his right to take the Chair, the Master shall sit at his right hand. The Deputation shall be received in the Third Degree unless otherwise ordered by the Brother heading the Deputation.

Judicial Matters

107. A Provincial or District Grand Lodge shall hear and determine all subjects of Masonic complaint, dispute or difference initiated before or appealed or remitted to it respecting Daughter Lodges or Brethren of the Scottish Craft within the Province or District and shall pronounce judgment thereon and thereafter may admonish, sentence to suspension and if so decided recommend expulsion and, in the case of a Lodge, may suspend its Charter. The procedure and rights of appeal in all such subjects shall be in accordance with Laws 241 to 250 hereof.

Ceremonials

108. Where a foundation stone is to be laid in a Province or District, and Grand Lodge finds it inconvenient to attend, the Provincial or District Grand Master shall make all necessary arrangements. In that event the ceremony shall be presided over by the Provincial or District Grand Master, or in his absence by the Immediate or any Past Provincial or District Grand Master, or the Depute or the Substitute Provincial or District Grand Master, or the Senior or the Junior Provincial or District Grand Warden, whom failing, by the Master of a Lodge of the Province or District appointed by the Provincial or District Grand Master. In the case of Lodges under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge, the Brother to conduct the ceremony shall be appointed by Grand Committee.

109. When the use of Grand Lodge consecration vessels is required by Provincial Grand Lodges for the ceremony of laying foundation stones, or other Masonic ceremonials, application for their use must be made to Grand Secretary. All expenses connected with the transmission of the vessels, etc., shall be defrayed by the Brethren applying.

Dormancy

110. A Provincial or District Grand Lodge which fails to comply with these Laws may be declared dormant by Grand Lodge. When a Provincial or District Grand Lodge becomes dormant for this or any other reason the Daughter Lodges in the Province or District shall come under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge, and all the books, papers, jewels, clothing, funds and paraphernalia belonging to the dormant Province or District shall become the property of Grand Lodge and shall be handed over forthwith.

Interpretation and Application Abroad

111. In the event of the possibility that the literal interpretation and/or application of any of these Laws may be inappropriate in the circumstances or conditions of Daughter Lodges abroad or of District Grand Lodges, such matter may be submitted by the Lodge, if under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge or a Grand Superintendent, or District Grand Lodge, as the case may be, for consideration to Grand Committee, which shall have power to decide on the reasonable application of such Law in the circumstances or conditions in question.

Additional Powers of District Grand Lodges

112. A District Grand Lodge may levy such sums as it may fix by Bye-Law for District Grand Office-bearers’ Certificates, Dispensations, revision of Bye-Laws and other administrative acts.

Other Laws governing Provincial and District Grand Lodges

113. The following Laws shall apply mutatis mutandis to Provincial and District Grand Lodges, namely:—

Laws 135, 136, 140 to 144, 162 to 165, 182 to 189, 192 to 197 and 200.


DAUGHTER LODGES

Constitution of Lodges

114. Any number, not fewer than seven, of Master Masons in good standing of whom at least three must be Qualified Members of Lodges under the Scottish Constitution wishing to establish a new Daughter Lodge may apply by Petition stating why they so wish and praying Grand Lodge to constitute them a regular Lodge and grant them a Charter accordingly. The Petition must name the Office-bearers who will be installed into office when the Lodge is consecrated. It must be accompanied by the fee for a Charter set forth in the First Schedule, Item 7, together with the following documents in respect of each Brother who has signed it, namely:—

  1. the Diploma or Certificate of Membership issued by a Grand Lodge, or a true copy thereof, and
  2. a Clearance Certificate, Demit or Resignation Certificate.

115. Petitioners for a new Lodge must, along with the Petition, produce a recommendation signed by the Master and Wardens of at least two Daughter Lodges in the Province or District in which it is proposed to erect the new Lodge or, if not in a Province or District, two Daughter Lodges near the place of proposed erection. Such recommendations must be signed only with the consent of the Lodges. If the place of erection is in a Province or District the Petition must be recommended by the Provincial or District Grand Lodge.

116. All Charters shall be dated and numbered according to the date of granting by Grand Lodge and shall be duly recorded by Grand Secretary in the Chartulary of Grand Lodge. Lodges shall take precedence according to their numbers.

A Lodge must be consecrated before it can act under its Charter. When a Charter is granted for the erection of a Lodge in an area where there is no Provincial or District Grand Lodge, Grand Lodge shall at the same time appoint a Qualified Brother to consecrate the same. At the consecration of a new Lodge all the Brethren named in the Charter must be installed in the offices to which they are named except that offices may be left vacant in the absence of the Brethren named provided that not fewer than five of the named Office-bearers are installed. An office left vacant at the consecration of a Lodge must be filled within three months by installing the Brother named to that office in the Charter, or a substitute as hereinafter provided.

At the consecration and/or the subsequent installation into an office left vacant, one or more Brethren may be installed in place of those named in the Charter provided that permission to make those substitutions has been obtained from Grand Committee. Immediately after the consecration and/or subsequent installation the Charter must be returned to Grand Secretary for amendment.

117. Qualified Brethren petitioning for a Charter which is granted become Founder Members of the new Lodge. Each Founder Member shall pay to Grand Lodge the fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 9, and to the Lodge, the fee stated in the Petition which shall not be less than that set forth in the First Schedule, Item 23. Additionally a Founder Member from another Constitution shall pay the sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 16. These fees do not exempt a Founder Member from liability for payment of the annual contribution (test fee).

118. It shall be the special duty of the Master of a Lodge to see to the safe custody of its Charter. In the event of a Charter being lost, destroyed or unlawfully possessed, the issue of a Duplicate Charter may be authorised by Grand Committee. The application for a Duplicate Charter must be in writing, accompanied by the fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 8, and by a Statutory Declaration stating the fact and probable cause of loss, destruction or detention of the Charter. Such Declaration shall be made by the Master and Wardens, or, in the case of the death or absence of such Office-bearers, by five Brethren authorised for that purpose by the Lodge, and shall be made before a Magistrate, Justice of the Peace, Notary Public or British Consul.

119. Every Lodge shall annually, on or before 1st January, apply for and obtain a certificate from Grand Lodge, hereinafter called an Annual Certificate, which shall continue to the Lodge the privilege of holding Masonic meetings for the ensuing twelve months ending 31st December. The Annual Certificate shall be subscribed by Grand Secretary and sealed with the Seal of Grand Lodge. In order to entitle a Lodge to an Annual Certificate there shall be sent to Grand Secretary an affirmation by the Master and Secretary, or, in the event of their absence, by two other Office-bearers authorised by the Lodge, declaring on their honour as Freemasons that the Lodge is held in strict conformity with the terms of the Charter, these Laws and its Bye-Laws.

For each Annual Certificate there shall be paid with the application to Grand Lodge by the Lodge, and not later than 1st January, such sum or sums calculated as and determined at the Regular Communication in the preceding October.

120. The Charter, books, papers, jewels, clothing and paraphernalia of any Lodge are inalienable except to Grand Lodge.

121. A motion that a Lodge cease working cannot be carried by a majority of members if opposed by seven or more Qualified Members. Should the majority resign, the remaining Qualified Members constitute the membership of the Lodge.

122. A Lodge shall be deemed inactive if it fails to hold three consecutive Regular Meetings specified in its Bye-Laws or if the number of its Qualified Members becomes less than seven. The Provincial or District Grand Lodge or Grand Superintendent concerned shall report to Grand Secretary the fact of a Lodge becoming inactive with an explanation of the circumstances and with a recommendation.

The power of declaring a Lodge dormant rests solely with Grand Lodge but Grand Committee may recommend Grand Lodge to declare any inactive Lodge dormant.

On a Lodge being declared dormant in terms of this Law or suspended in terms of Laws 201 or 236, the Charter, books, papers, jewels, clothing and paraphernalia, all funds and all other heritable and moveable assets, after payment of all lawful debts of the Lodge, shall become the property of Grand Lodge, and shall forthwith be transferred and delivered to Grand Lodge by the Trustees of the Lodge. In the event of the aforesaid articles, funds and assets or any part of these being withheld by a member or members of the Scottish Craft he or they shall be liable to suspension or expulsion. Grand Secretary or the Provincial or District Grand Secretary or any of the remaining members of the dormant or suspended Lodge authorised to do so may appeal on behalf of Grand Lodge to the Civil Courts for a warrant for the delivery of the aforesaid articles, funds and assets to Grand Lodge.

Once a Lodge has been declared dormant, and for so long as it so remains, no liability shall accrue to any member of the Lodge to pay an annual contribution or any other fee to the Lodge.

123. A dormant Lodge may be reponed only by Grand Lodge. Seven or more Qualified Brethren, one or more of whom must be a member of the dormant Lodge, may petition Grand Lodge to repone the Lodge. The Petition must name the Office-bearers who will be installed into office when the Lodge is reponed. It must be accompanied by the following documents in respect of each Brother who has signed it, namely:—

  1. the Diploma or Certificate of Membership issued by a Grand Lodge, or a true copy thereof, and
  2. a Clearance Certificate, Demit or Resignation Certificate.

Upon Grand Lodge approving a petition to repone a Daughter Lodge, the Qualified Brethren who have submitted the petition, if not already members of the dormant Lodge, shall become Reponing Members of the Lodge. Each Reponing Member shall pay to Grand Lodge the sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 9, and additionally a Reponing Member from another Constitution shall pay the sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 16. These fees do not exempt a Reponing Member from liability for payment of the Annual Contribution (Test Fee).

Membership

124. The Qualified Members of a Lodge consist of Founder Members; Reponing Members, if any; and Master Masons who have either been raised to that Degree in the Lodge or have been affiliated thereto for at least fourteen days, have been registered as Master Masons in Grand Lodge, are in good standing and whose present address is known to the Lodge.

125. Every Lodge shall levy from its members (Apprentices and Fellows-of-Craft excepted as having neither voice nor vote) an annual contribution (Test Fee) prescribed in its Bye-Laws which shall not be less than the sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 25(a). The annual contribution shall be payable in full on or before the date specified in the Bye-Laws and shall be in respect of the twelve months following that date. Lodges which have allowed payment of annual contributions by quarterly or monthly instalments may continue to do so subject to the approval of Grand Committee. Lodges may levy, in addition to the annual contribution, an annual dining fee specified in the Bye-Laws. Such dining fee, if the Bye-Laws so provide, may be payable by instalments. No annual contribution shall be due by a Brother in respect of the year in which he was raised or affiliated.

A Lodge may levy reduced annual contributions set forth in its Bye-Laws from (a) members residing outwith a defined area and/or (b) members residing outwith the country in which the Lodge is situated. Such reduced annual contributions shall not be less than the sums set forth in the First Schedule, Item 25(b).

Provided its Bye-Laws so permit, a Lodge may (a) exempt from further annual contributions all Qualified Members who have paid their annual contribution for a fixed number of consecutive years, providing that the number so fixed is at least twenty-one, or (b) reduce the annual contribution of all Qualified Members who have paid their annual contribution for a fixed number of consecutive years, providing that the number so fixed is at least twenty-one, the reduced contribution being stated in the Bye-Laws and being not less than the sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 25(b), and/or (c) reduce the annual contribution of all Qualified Members who have reached a fixed age and have paid their contribution for a fixed number of consecutive years, providing that the age so fixed is at least sixty-five years and the number of consecutive years so fixed is at least fifteen, the reduced contribution being stated in the Bye-Laws and being not less than the sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 25(b).

From each annual contribution levied, a sum specified in the Bye-Laws but not less than that set forth in the First Schedule, Item 27, shall be paid into the Benevolent Fund of the Lodge. The remainder shall be paid into the General Fund of the Lodge.

It is expected that any Brother who is liable to pay an annual contribution to his Lodge but who does not wish to keep his annual contributions up-to-date will, while he is still in good standing, either apply for a Demit or resign his membership of that Lodge and request a Resignation Certificate.

No annual contribution shall be due by and no other liability shall accrue to a Brother under sentence of suspension.

126. Any Brother in arrear of the annual contribution, levied in accordance with Law 125, shall not be entitled to receive notices calling meetings nor be eligible as an Office-bearer or a member of any Committee of the Lodge, nor be entitled to intromit with, or have any vote in, the disbursement of any of the Lodge funds, nor be permitted to speak or vote on any matter brought before the Lodge. Subject as aftermentioned in these Laws, non-payment of his annual contribution shall not deprive a Brother of the Masonic privilege of attending any Lodge of which he is a subscribing member but he shall not be entitled to attend the meetings of other Lodges. Where a Brother is in arrear of his annual contribution for a period of twenty-four months or more he shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Member of the Lodge of which he is thus in arrear and shall not be entitled to attend that Lodge until he shall have settled all arrears of his annual contributions in terms of this Law.

A Brother in arrear of the annual contribution, if not under sentence of suspension, is entitled to settle those arrears at any time and resume the full privileges of membership.

The payment required to restore a Brother to qualified membership shall be the lesser of (a) the full amount of the arrears or (b) the annual contribution for the current year and the two immediately preceding years or, if the Bye-Laws of the Lodge so prescribe, the annual contribution for the current year together with the sum specified in the Bye-Laws which shall not be less than two times the minimum annual contribution set forth in the First Schedule, Item 25(a) or, where appropriate, Item 25(b).

127. A Lodge may by its Bye-Laws enact that Qualified Members may commute their annual contributions at any time by a single payment set forth in the said Bye-Laws but not less than the minimum commutation fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 26.

The sums thus received shall be kept as a separate Fund and such proportion of the amount thereof at the close of each financial year as specified in the Lodge Bye-Laws being not more than the proportion set forth in the First Schedule, Item 26, shall be withdrawn therefrom annually and added to and dealt with as part of the annual contributions of the year in accordance with Law 125. Such Fund shall be invested separately from the General Fund of the Lodge.

Where a Lodge has an existing Commutation Fees Fund, but has discontinued provision for Annual Contributions to be Commuted, by an approved amendment of its Bye-Laws, it shall be competent, where the sum of money at credit of the Fund is £100 or less at the end of any Financial Year, for the Lodge concerned subsequently to resolve that such a Fund be wound up by apportioning the balance of said Fund equally between its General Fund and its Benevolent Fund.

128. Every Lodge shall furnish annually to Grand Secretary a return of the number of Qualified Members (except non-attending Life Members) of the Lodge and shall furnish within three months of a request being made by Grand Secretary a list in a form approved by Grand Committee of the names of all Qualified Members of the Lodge.

129. A member of a Lodge is entitled to resign membership by giving notice in writing to the Secretary. If he is in good standing and free from Masonic censure at the date of his resignation, the Lodge may grant him a Resignation Certificate if he so requests. A Brother resigning is not entitled to a refund of any part of his annual contribution or dining fee. A Qualified Member wishing to affiliate to another Lodge, while retaining his membership, is entitled to a Clearance Certificate.

A Qualified Member, wishing to affiliate to another Lodge and give up his membership, may be granted a Demit. A Demit is valid for twelve months from date of issue and if it be not given up on application for membership of another Lodge within that period, the Brother’s full membership will revive and he will be held to be in arrear of his annual contribution, in which event the provisions of Law 126 shall apply with effect from the date of issue of the Demit.

Each of the aforementioned documents shall be signed by the Master and Secretary of the Lodge. It shall be in the form prescribed and supplied by Grand Lodge, the charge for which, payable by the Lodge, shall be fixed by Grand Committee. They shall be issued free to the Brother concerned unless a charge is stipulated in the Lodge Bye-Laws.

130. A Brother who has ceased to be a member of a Lodge by resigning or using a Demit and who desires to resume membership must follow the same procedure as a new applicant. If the ballot be clear the applicant shall be re-admitted on his paying the Rejoining Fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 24, or such higher sum as may be prescribed in the Lodge Bye-Laws.

131. Brethren of other Daughter Lodges and Brethren of Regular Lodges holding of recognised Sister Constitutions in amity with the Grand Lodge of Scotland who are distinguished for their zeal in Freemasonry may be admitted Honorary Members of a Lodge on being duly proposed by the Master and accepted at a Regular Meeting. Honorary Members shall be entitled to all the privileges of members in good standing, except those restricted by these Laws to Qualified Members.

Subject to the approval hereinafter specified a Lodge may confer upon any of its own members “Distinguished Service Membership”. This honour shall be conferred only upon a Brother who has given long and distinguished service to the Lodge. Such a Brother remains a Qualified Member but may, if so resolved by the Lodge, be exempt from further annual contribution. Before any proposal is made to the Lodge, each recommendation for this honour shall be submitted to the appropriate Provincial or District Grand Master, Grand Superintendent or, in the case of Lodges under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge, the Grand Master Mason. Such approval having been obtained, the Brother must be proposed in Open Lodge by the Master, and due notice given that the proposal will come before a subsequent Regular Meeting, when it must be approved by not less than two-thirds of the Qualified Members who vote.

Any Master Mason in good standing within the Scottish Craft for fifty years or more shall be entitled to a Jubilee Certificate subject to an application being made to Grand Secretary by the Secretary of a Lodge. Such application must certify that the Brother is in good standing and state on what date and in which Lodge the Brother was Initiated or Affiliated.

Office-bearers

132. Each Lodge shall have the following Office-bearers: Master, Depute Master, Substitute Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Secretary, Treasurer, Almoner, Senior Deacon, Junior Deacon, Inner Guard and Tyler. The Immediate Past Master shall be an Office-bearer ex officio. The Bye-Laws of a Lodge may prescribe other Office-bearers provided their offices be similar to those of Grand Lodge or are in accordance with the customs and traditions of the Lodge and not contrary to these Laws. All Stewards of a Daughter Lodge are Office-bearers and should be listed as such. The Bye-Laws of a Lodge may specify a fixed number of Stewards or alternatively a minimum and/or maximum number. A Lodge may by its Bye-Laws enact that Fees of Honour shall be paid by such Office-bearers as may be specified therein.

A Lodge may by its Bye-Laws provide that the Master at his Installation shall appoint his Depute or both his Depute and his Substitute; otherwise all offices (except that of Immediate Past Master) shall be elective.

Unless otherwise determined by its Charter, it shall not be competent for any Lodge to elect a Mark Master or other Office-bearers for the Mark Ceremony, the working of that Ceremony being the duty of the Master of the Lodge or Brethren chosen by him for the time being and acting under his authority.

133. Subject as hereinafter provided, any Qualified Member of a Lodge may be nominated for and elected to any elective office in that Lodge. Unless by Dispensation from the Provincial Grand Master, so far as Lodges in a Province are concerned; from the District Grand Master, so far as Lodges in a District are concerned; from the Grand Superintendent, so far as Lodges under his supervision are concerned; or from Grand Committee, which may be given by Grand Secretary on its behalf, so far as Lodges under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge are concerned; a Brother cannot at the same time be Master of more than one Lodge, hold two offices in the same Lodge nor be an Office-bearer in two Lodges in the same Province or District except that a Brother may be Tyler in more than one Lodge. A Brother who holds office in or is a member of Committee of a Lodge under any other Masonic Constitution shall not be entitled to hold office in any Lodge abroad unless under Dispensation from the District Grand Master, Grand Superintendent or, in the case of a Lodge under direct supervision of Grand Lodge, by authority of Grand Committee.

Any Dispensation granted under this Law shall be for a specified period not exceeding two years.

134. The nomination and election of Office-bearers and Committee shall be carried out in accordance with Law 135. The election (and nomination if carried out at the same meeting) shall be conducted in the Third Degree.

135. Every Lodge shall nominate and elect Office-bearers annually on a day or days fixed by its Bye-Laws. If the nomination and election are at separate meetings the interval between the meetings shall be at least six days exclusive of the dates of both meetings. During the nomination and election at least seven Qualified Members of the Lodge must be present except in the case of Daughter Lodges abroad where Dispensation has been granted by the Grand Master Mason, the District Grand Master or the Grand Superintendent. The election must be completed at one meeting and cannot be adjourned, but it is competent to leave vacant an elective office, other than that of Master, to be filled at a subsequent meeting in terms of Law 136.

Throughout the election a copy of the latest edition of these Laws shall be available and that fact shall be announced by the Master and shall be minuted.

A Brother may be nominated for more than one office unless the Bye-Laws prohibit this. After election to one office his nomination to other offices lapses.

An undischarged bankrupt shall not be nominated for any office which requires him to be a Trustee of the Lodge. Upon having an award of sequestration made against him and for so long as he shall remain an undischarged bankrupt, a Brother shall ipso facto be disqualified from holding any office which requires him to be a Trustee of the Lodge.

Any recommendation of Office-bearers by a Committee shall not prejudice the right of members to nominate or elect any Qualified Brother to any office.

No Brother may be nominated in his absence unless his consent has previously been obtained.

A Lodge may decide by its Bye-Laws or as occasion arises whether the voting shall be by show of hands or by ballot.

If more than one office be contested these must be voted on separately in order of seniority and the voting on any contested office must be completed and the result declared before the vote on the next office is taken.

136. In the event of the death, resignation or disqualification of an elected Office-bearer other than the Master, or member of Committee, the Lodge may, at the next or subsequent Regular Meeting, elect a Brother to fill the vacant office until the next Annual Election, provided due notice has been given to all Qualified Members. The Master can be elected only at the Annual Election Meeting.

The terms of Law 135 shall apply to such nomination and election.

In the event of the death, resignation or disqualification of an Office-bearer appointed by the Master he may appoint a Qualified Brother to fill the vacancy.

137. After the Annual Election of Office-bearers, every Lodge shall forthwith transmit to Grand Secretary the names and addresses of the Master, Wardens, Secretary, Treasurer and Almoner, otherwise no representative of the Lodge shall be permitted to attend and vote at Communications of Grand Lodge.

138. Every Lodge shall have a day fixed by Bye-Law for the Annual Installation of Office-bearers at which meeting (unless in the case of Lodges abroad by Dispensation from the Grand Master Mason, the District Grand Master or the Grand Superintendent) at least seven Qualified Members must be present. At the Annual Installation in every Lodge the Aims and Relationships of the Craft set forth in Appendix 2 hereto shall be read.

A Brother elected or appointed as an Office-bearer is not entitled to act as such until he has been installed. If not present at the Annual Installation he may be installed at any subsequent Regular Meeting.

Every Daughter Lodge in Scotland, on the occasion of its Annual Installation, shall take a collection for the Benevolent Funds of Grand Lodge. Prior to the collection being taken, the Master shall make a statement recommending those Funds to the benevolence of the Brethren. The whole proceeds of the collection shall be remitted forthwith to Grand Lodge by the Secretary of the Lodge and shall be allocated to the income of the Benevolent Funds of Grand Lodge in such proportions or sums (after consideration of reports from the Board of Benevolence and Masonic Homes) as shall be determined from time to time by the Administration Committee, subject to the approval of Grand Committee. A list of Lodges and of their contributions shall be published in the Proceedings of Grand Lodge in October of each year.

Lodges overseas shall, on the occasion of their Annual Installation, take a collection for benevolence but it shall not be statutory to remit such to Grand Lodge.

Lodges under the jurisdiction of a District Grand Lodge, unless under contrary direction from the District Grand Lodge, may by decision of the Lodge instruct the collection to be allocated to Grand Lodge and shall remit same forthwith to the District Grand Lodge for, as the case may be, remittance to Grand Lodge or credit of the District Grand Lodge Masonic Benevolent Fund. An annual report of disbursements from the District Grand Lodge Masonic Benevolent Fund shall be made to Grand Lodge.

Lodges overseas, under the supervision of a Grand Superintendent or under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge, if the collection is not by decision of the Lodge remitted to Grand Lodge, shall credit the proceeds of such to its own Masonic Benevolent Fund.

139. The Secretary shall communicate with any Office-bearer (the Master and Immediate Past Master excepted) absenting himself from three consecutive Regular Meetings of the Lodge and should no reason satisfactory to the Lodge be given, the Lodge may declare the office vacant and elect another Brother as provided for in Law 136.

140. Office-bearers shall rank in the same order as the corresponding Grand Office-bearers.

141. A Lodge shall be entitled to pay honoraria to such Office-bearers as are specified in its Bye-Laws as being eligible for such payments.

142. In addition to any other duties laid upon him by these Laws or by the Bye-Laws of the Lodge it shall be the duty of the Secretary to issue any notices required convening meetings of the Lodge and Committees thereof, attend all meetings, record the proceedings thereof in the Minute Book and make due returns to Grand Lodge, to the Provincial Grand Lodge or, where appropriate, District Grand Lodge. He shall be the custodier of all books and documents except the Treasurer’s Books and vouchers and the Charter which is the responsibility of the Master. He shall keep an inventory of the records, furnishings and paraphernalia.

143. The Treasurer shall collect and be the custodier of all monies belonging to the Lodge. He shall keep a proper account of his intromissions with the Funds of the Lodge. He shall pay all accounts which have been sanctioned by the Lodge or, if the Bye-Laws so provide, by the Committee, and initialled by the Brother presiding. He shall pay all dues to Grand Lodge and the Provincial Grand Lodge or, where appropriate, District Grand Lodge, irrespective of any order from the Lodge or any Committee thereof.

At the end of each financial year he shall close his books and prepare an Abstract of Accounts and a Balance Sheet.

An Assistant Treasurer or Treasurers, if appointed, shall be responsible to the Treasurer and under his authority. A Lodge may have a Benevolent Fund Treasurer or an Annuity Fund Treasurer if such offices are in accordance with its custom and also provided for in the Bye-Laws. They shall be accountable to the Treasurer who shall incorporate their accounts in his Abstract of Accounts and Balance Sheet.

144. A Lodge may exempt the Tyler from the payment of Fees. On payment of a Fee he shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership so far as consistent with the proper performance of his duties.

Representation in Grand Lodge

145. Masters and Wardens of Lodges intending to represent their Lodges in Grand Lodge personally, shall, through the Secretaries of their Lodges, give notice of such intention to Grand Secretary immediately after their Election. In the event of a Master or Warden not giving such notice the Lodge may commission a qualified Master Mason, who need not be a member of that Lodge, to represent it as Proxy Master or Proxy Warden as the case may be.

Proxy Commissions by Lodges shall be granted and dated on the day of the Annual Election of Office-bearers of such Lodges. Proxy Commissions by Lodges in Scotland must be lodged with Grand Secretary before the 15th day of January. Proxy Commissions by Lodges abroad may be lodged at any time. Each Proxy Commission must be accompanied by the registration fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 11. If Grand Secretary be satisfied that a Commission in favour of a Proxy Master or a Proxy Warden is in order the same shall be registered in the Roll of Grand Lodge.

Proxy Commissions from Lodges in arrear of Grand Lodge dues cannot be received. If a Lodge be more than one year in arrear of such dues or be suspended or become dormant its Proxy Commissions immediately lapse.

146. In the event of a Lodge not commissioning a Proxy Representative in place of a Master or Warden who is not to represent his Lodge in Grand Lodge, it shall be in the power of Grand Committee to appoint a Qualified Brother as Proxy Master or Proxy Warden as the case may be. A Proxy Representative so appointed must continue in good standing with a Lodge and shall pay to Grand Lodge the annual sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 2. Such a Proxy Master or Proxy Warden shall have the same powers and privileges and be subject to the same regulations as if he had been commissioned in terms of Law 145.

147. A Lodge may recall a Proxy Commission or terminate an appointment of a Proxy Representative by Grand Committee on the day of the Lodge’s Annual Election of Office-bearers but cannot do so at any other time. Such recall or termination shall not be valid unless written intimation be sent within fourteen days to Grand Secretary and to the Proxy Representative holding the Commission or appointment.

In the event of the death, resignation or disqualification of a commissioned Proxy Representative the Lodge by which he was commissioned may immediately commission a successor.

148. A Brother cannot at any time hold more than one Commission or appointment as a Proxy Representative; nor can a Proxy District Grand Master represent a Lodge.

Committees

149. Every Lodge shall have a General Committee for the management of the affairs of the Lodge. The General Committee shall consist of the Master, Immediate Past Master, Depute Master, Substitute Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Secretary, Treasurer and Almoner and such other ex officio and elected members, if any, as may be prescribed in the Lodge Bye-Laws.

The General Committee shall have power to appoint Sub-Committees and to delegate to them such matters as it may think fit. A Lodge in its Bye-Laws may stipulate that there shall be Special Sub-Committees for specified purposes and that certain of the ex officio members of the General Committee shall be members thereof. Members of all Standing Sub-Committees shall be appointed by the General Committee from among its members.

Special Sub-Committees may be appointed by the Lodge as occasion may require for purposes exceptional to the normal management of the Lodge. A Lodge appointing such a Committee shall specify its power (if any) to co-opt.

150. Every Lodge shall have a Committee of Enquiry to perform the duties specified in Law 168. The Committee of Enquiry shall consist of the Master, Immediate Past Master, Wardens, Secretary and Treasurer ex officio and two or more Qualified Brethren elected by the Lodge.

151. No election of members shall be required for any temporary Complaint Committee convened under Law 237. The provisions of Laws 135 and 136 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the election of members of any other Committee, except that in the case of Committees for non-Masonic purposes the election need not be conducted in the Third Degree.

152. Four shall form a quorum at meetings of the General Committee and the Committee of Enquiry. When the Lodge or the General Committee appoint any other Committee they may fix the quorum, otherwise the quorum shall be three.

The Chair at all meetings of Committees shall be occupied as prescribed in Law 158 except that, when Sub-Committees or Special Committees are appointed, another Brother may be appointed to preside in the Master’s absence.

The transactions of all Committees shall be reported at the next Regular Meeting by the reading of the minutes or by a summary of the proceedings for information or, if required, for approval of the Lodge.

153. No meetings of any Committee shall be held while the Lodge is assembling or at work.

Meetings

154. Throughout every meeting of a Lodge, the Charter and the Annual Certificate must be in the Lodge Room in view of the Brethren and available for inspection. A copy of these Laws and of the Lodge Bye-Laws must also be in the Lodge Room. In the absence of these the meeting cannot be constituted.

155. Every Lodge must by its Bye-Laws fix the days and times of its Regular Meetings including those at which Office-bearers are nominated, elected and installed, and at which the annual accounts are considered. Similarly, it must fix the place or places of all its meetings.

If circumstances render it expedient, a Provincial or District Grand Master, a Grand Superintendent, or in the case of a Lodge under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge, Grand Committee may authorise a Lodge to hold a meeting or meetings in another place in the same town or locality, under such conditions as the authority granting the permission may impose. Similarly, permission must be obtained to alter the date of or to cancel a Regular Meeting. The time of a Regular Meeting may be altered by a Lodge as circumstances may require providing that a decision so to do is taken by the Lodge at a previous Regular Meeting.

Lodges are prohibited from holding meetings on a Sunday except for the purpose of Divine or Memorial Services or the Funeral of a Brother.

156. Every meeting of a Lodge must be convened (a) by circular or (b) by advertisement or (c) by intimation. The Bye-Laws must state which method is to be used for each type of meeting.

If method (a) is used every Qualified Member is entitled to receive a circular at least five days prior to the meeting. The circular must state all business to be transacted

Under method (b) an advertisement convening a meeting must be inserted in a newspaper circulating locally at least forty-eight hours prior to the hour of the meeting. The advertisement must indicate the nature of the business to be transacted or, if appropriate, “Business private — for members only”.

Under method (c) the date and time of the meeting and the business to be transacted must be intimated in Open Lodge by the Master or other Brother in the Chair at the previous Regular Meeting.

A Special Meeting for any purpose other than the working of a Degree must be convened by circular or advertisement.

The number of meetings of a Lodge in any period of twelve months at which Degrees, including the Mark, may be worked, shall not exceed twenty-five.

157. The number of Special Meetings which may be held by a Lodge for conferring Degrees (or the Mark) during any period of twelve months shall not exceed the number of its Regular Meetings during the same period. Subject as aforesaid a Special Meeting for conferring Degrees may be ordered at any time by the Master, or in his absence by the Immediate Past Master, the Depute Master or the Substitute Master. A Special Meeting for any other purpose may be ordered in like manner. It shall also be competent for seven Qualified Members to present a requisition signed by them addressed to the Secretary requiring that a Special Meeting be called for a specific purpose. On receipt of such a requisition, the Secretary shall immediately convene the Special Meeting at a date and time fixed by the Master. At a Special Meeting only the business for which it was called may be dealt with.

158. The Master shall preside at all meetings of the Lodge. In his absence the Immediate Past Master or any Past Master of the Lodge in order of precedence (i.e. the nearest to the Chair in date of holding office) shall officiate. In the absence of all these the Depute or the Substitute Master shall occupy the Chair. No other Office-bearer or Brother of the Lodge can preside over the meeting.

It shall, however, be competent for the Master or, in his absence, the presiding Brother, to permit any other Installed Master or Installed Masters to occupy temporarily the Chair of the Lodge at any Meeting for the purpose of any degree or other ceremony, it being clearly understood that, in such circumstances, the Master or other presiding Brother shall retain overall control of, and responsibility for, that Meeting. The Master or other presiding Brother shall tender to any such Installed Master temporarily occupying the Chair either, at the discretion of the Master or other presiding Brother, the usual Mallet of the Lodge or such other Mallet as he may determine.

159. A Brother shall not be introduced into the Lodge as a visitor unless he has been regularly vouched for by a Master Mason known to an Office-bearer of the Lodge or has been examined and recommended for admission by two Brethren appointed by the presiding Brother who may require written evidence of Qualified Membership.

160. All business shall be transacted in the First Degree with the exception of the election (and nomination if carried out at the same meeting) of Office-bearers and members of Committees.

161. All meetings of Lodges for Instruction or for the conduct of any Masonic business, but not informal gatherings, are subject to these Laws.

162. The standing orders set forth in the Third Schedule hereto shall mutatis mutandis govern the procedure at all Lodge meetings.

163. At each Regular Meeting of a Lodge (including Annual Meetings for considering accounts and for nomination, election and installation of Office-bearers) the Minutes of the previous Regular Meeting and of all subsequent Special Meetings shall be read and after confirmation signed by the presiding Brother and by the Secretary. Reports from the Committee or any other Committee shall then be considered and thereafter any other business duly intimated shall be proceeded with.

164. Every Notice of Motion must be in writing and signed by the proposer and seconder who must be Qualified Members of the Lodge. It may be either (a) given in Open Lodge by the proposer and seconder personally and delivered to the Secretary or (b) sent to the Secretary by Recorded Delivery Post to be read at the meeting at which the Notice of Motion is given. Such notice may be given only at a Regular Meeting.

When Notice of a Motion has been given the circular convening the Meeting at which the motion is to be considered must quote the Notice of Motion or if the meeting is convened by advertisement that advertisement must include a distinct reference to it. The motion shall not be considered until one month has elapsed after the Meeting at which notice was given.

165. A Motion the substance of which the Lodge has decided upon shall not be reconsidered or discussed until after the lapse of twelve months from the date of such decision, but during that period notice may be given of a Motion to be proposed when the period has expired.

Applications and Subsequent Procedure

166. Brethren are at liberty to discuss the question of joining the Craft with those members of the public whom they consider would be a credit to the Order.

Every candidate for Initiation or Affiliation must present an application to the Lodge duly completed and supported by two Qualified Members of the Lodge as his proposer and seconder. The application shall be in the form prescribed by Grand Lodge and shall give the candidate’s name, occupation, date and place of birth, nationality and residence, and shall declare (a) whether he has ever made application for admission to a Lodge under Grand Lodge or any Sister Grand Lodge and, if so, when and to which Lodge or Lodges; (b) whether he has been refused admission and, if so, when and by which Lodge or Lodges, and (c) whether application has ever been made by him and subsequently withdrawn and, if so, when and to which Lodge or Lodges and the reasons for withdrawal.

A candidate for Affiliation must produce with his application the Diploma or Certificate of Membership issued to him by Grand Lodge or a Sister Grand Lodge together with a valid Demit or Clearance Certificate or a Resignation Certificate.

Every application for membership must be recorded in the Petition Book of the Lodge, duly signed by the candidate and by his proposer and seconder at or before the relative meeting of the Committee of Enquiry. When an application is withdrawn this must also be recorded in the Petition Book.

167. Every candidate shall be at least twenty-one years of age at the date of his application with the exception that sons or, if an adoption order is in force, adopted sons of Master Masons registered in Grand Lodge may apply at any time after attaining eighteen years of age.

A Lodge shall not consider an application for Initiation from a deaf mute. Lodges may use their discretion as to the acceptance of candidates who are physically or visually handicapped.

A Lodge shall not consider an application for Initiation from any candidate (a) whose application for admission to another Lodge is under consideration or (b) whose place of residence is in any place where the United Grand Lodge of England or the Grand Lodge of Ireland has exclusive Masonic jurisdiction without first obtaining a Dispensation from the Grand Master Mason, the fee for which (First Schedule, Item 17) shall be payable by the candidate in addition to his Initiation Fee; provided however that this restriction regarding residence shall not apply to members of H.M. Forces on the active list or to applicants for admission to any University, College or School Lodge.

168. All applications for Initiation or Affiliation shall be read only at a Regular Meeting and forthwith remitted to the Committee of Enquiry.

The duties of the Committee of Enquiry shall be to make full enquiry into the character and qualifications of every candidate in the manner set forth in the Fourth Schedule hereto. Before conducting any interviews the Committee of Enquiry shall communicate with any Lodge which may have refused the candidate’s application and with any Lodge to which application has been made and withdrawn.

In the case of a candidate for Initiation in Scotland who has not resided, carried on business or been employed within the neighbourhood of the Province for at least three years immediately prior to the date of application a report must be requested from such source as may be approved by Grand Committee or by Grand Secretary on its behalf. District Grand Lodges (or Grand Committee where there is no District Grand Lodge) shall have power to lay down such rules as they think fit regarding residence, business or employment and the consequent enquiries to be made.

The Committee of Enquiry shall keep minutes of its proceedings and report to the Lodge the result of its enquiries. Applications shall not be considered by a Lodge until the Committee of Enquiry has reported, which it must do within twelve months of an application being read to the Lodge.

169. After the Committee of Enquiry has completed its report the application can be considered by the Lodge and a ballot taken.

The ballot can be taken only at a Regular Meeting. This must not be earlier than the fourteenth day after the reading of the application in terms of Law 168, nor must it be earlier than the day after the Committee of Enquiry has completed its report.

The intention to hold a ballot must be intimated to the members of the Lodge as follows:—

If the meeting is called by circular, the circular must state that a ballot will be taken and set forth the name, occupation, date and place of birth, nationality and place of residence of the candidate and the names of his proposer and seconder.

If the meeting is called by advertisement, the word “Ballot” must be inserted in the advertisement.

If the meeting is called by intimation or if several meetings are called by one circular, the intention to hold a ballot must be intimated at the previous Regular Meeting.

If the intention to hold a ballot has been intimated and the report of the Committee of Enquiry has not been completed the day previously, the ballot must be postponed and a new intimation of the intention to hold the ballot must be given when the report has been completed.

All applications read to the Lodge, unless withdrawn by leave of the Lodge, must be reported on by the Committee of Enquiry and put to the ballot. A withdrawal must be in writing signed by the candidate, read to the Lodge and the decision thereon minuted.

170. At the Regular Meeting at which an application is to be considered the report of the Committee shall be read and, without discussion, the ballot shall be taken, only Qualified Members having the right to vote. A minimum of three black balls shall exclude but Lodges abroad may enact in their Bye-Laws that a minimum of two black balls shall exclude.

It is in order to ballot for applications for Initiation collectively in the first instance but, if there should be enough black balls to reject, then each must be balloted for individually. Ballots for Initiation and for Affiliation cannot be taken together.

The Master and Wardens alone are responsible for declaring the result of the ballot. No other Brother shall be permitted to inspect the voting disclosed by the ballot-box. No Brother shall disclose how he intends to vote or has voted or try to induce any other Brother to disclose similarly.

The result of a ballot may not be challenged but, if circumstances emerge indicating that some apparent irregularity may have occurred, the Master of the Lodge within fourteen days of the date of the ballot may request the Provincial or District Grand Master to investigate the matter and decide whether the ballot shall stand or be null and void and be taken again after due notice. Pending such investigation no action shall be taken by the Lodge on the result of the ballot.

An applicant excluded on a ballot may not be proposed in the same Lodge within one year from the date of that ballot but he may be proposed in another Lodge.

The decision of the Lodge on the application of every candidate shall be communicated to him forthwith in writing by the Secretary. If the candidate is not Initiated or Affiliated within twelve months from the date of the ballot (unless in the case of an applicant in H.M. Forces or in the Merchant Navy a Dispensation has been granted by the Grand Master Mason) the original application falls and a fresh application must be made.

171. A candidate shall not be Initiated before the fourteenth day after the ballot.

Before his Initiation the candidate shall pay (a) the Initiation Fee and (b) the contribution to Grand Lodge as required in terms of Law 173. The Initiation Fee shall be stated in the Lodge Bye-Laws and shall entitle the candidate to receive in that Lodge the Degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow-of-Craft, including the Mark (subject to the additional fee authorised by Law 176) and Master Mason. The fee shall not be less than that stated in the First Schedule, Item 20.

Before his Affiliation the candidate shall pay (a) the Affiliation Fee and (b) if from another Constitution the contribution to Grand Lodge required in terms of Law 173. The Affiliation Fee shall be stated in the Lodge Bye-Laws and shall not be less than that specified in the First Schedule, Item 21.

At the time of Initiation each candidate and each Affiliate from another Constitution shall pledge himself to support and maintain these Laws and to obey the Bye-Laws of the Lodge. He shall receive a copy of each.

If information is received after a candidate has passed the ballot, making it desirable that further consideration be given, the Initiation shall be postponed and the matter again remitted to the Committee of Enquiry to investigate and report afresh. A further ballot may then be taken.

If, after a candidate has been Initiated or Passed, information is received by the Lodge which makes the conferring of a further Degree apparently undesirable, the Lodge shall defer the Passing and/or Raising and immediately make a report to Grand Secretary for possible disciplinary action in terms of Laws 229 to 250.

A candidate who has been Initiated in the Lodge is entitled to be Passed and Raised without unreasonable delay unless under sentence of suspension.

172. Gratuitous Initiation into the Craft and gratuitous Affiliation into Lodges are prohibited.

173. Each candidate Initiated and each Affiliate from another Constitution shall pay at Initiation and Affiliation respectively the sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 16, which sum may be revised each year at the October Regular Communication on report from Grand Committee. This item is separate from the Initiation or Affiliation Fee; it is a direct individual contribution to the General Fund of Grand Lodge and must be so explained to the candidate. The said contribution shall be collected by the Daughter Lodge on behalf of Grand Lodge and remitted along with the dues exigible from the Daughter Lodge. Each Founder Member and each Reponing Member from another Constitution shall also pay the aforesaid sum.

174. Every Daughter Lodge shall pay to Grand Lodge for each candidate Initiated the appropriate sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 12, and for each candidate Affiliated the appropriate sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 13. These sums shall be remitted to Grand Lodge within three months of the Initiation or Affiliation in respect of which they are exigible along with the Return required by Law 180.

175. An Entered Apprentice shall not be passed Fellow-of-Craft nor a Fellow-of-Craft raised to the Degree of Master Mason before the fourteenth day after the previous Degree. Grand Committee may confer on District Grand Masters and Grand Superintendents and on Masters of Daughter Lodges abroad under direct supervision of Grand Lodge a power of Dispensation in case of emergency for Brethren to be advanced to a higher Degree on or after the seventh day instead of the fourteenth day. Such power of Dispensation shall remain in force during the pleasure of Grand Committee.

176. The Mark shall be conferred only on Master Masons whose names have been registered as such in Grand Lodge.

Every Brother receiving the Mark shall, prior to the ceremony, pay to the Lodge the fee specified in the Bye-Laws of the Lodge which shall not be less than the sum set forth in the First Schedule, Item 22. The Lodge shall remit to Grand Lodge the fee set forth in the First Schedule, Item 14, for the registration and Diploma of each Brother who has received the Mark.

177. A Daughter Lodge shall not confer more than one Degree on anyone day and (except in the case of the Mark) the number of candidates shall not exceed five on anyone day. A Daughter Lodge shall not confer a Degree and the Mark on the same day, nor confer the same Degree or the Mark more than once on the same day.

178. A Lodge shall not Pass, Raise or confer the Mark on a Brother who is not a member without first Affiliating him except in accordance with the following conditions:—

It shall be competent for a Lodge as a favour without Affiliation and always in conformity with Law 171 to Pass, Raise or confer the Mark on a member of another Daughter Lodge provided this is done on a written request signed by the Master and Wardens of the Lodge requesting the favour. The request must be recorded in the minutes of each Lodge. It shall also be competent under the same conditions to Pass or Raise (but not confer the Mark on) a member of a Lodge under a Sister Grand Lodge which extends a reciprocal privilege to members of Lodges under the Scottish Constitution provided the request be transmitted through the Grand Secretaries of the two Grand Lodges concerned. Such conferring of Degrees or the Mark shall have the same effect as if they had been conferred in the Brother’s own Lodge.

It is not permissible to charge fees for Degrees, including the Mark, conferred as a favour. If the Mark Degree is conferred on a Brother of another Lodge, the Secretary of the Lodge requesting the favour should be immediately notified of the date on which the Degree is conferred and at the same time there should also be forwarded to him the requisite remittance payable by the Candidate in terms of his own Lodge Bye-Laws. The Secretary of the Candidate’s Lodge will report the conferring of the Mark Degree to Grand Lodge.

179. All obligations must be administered by the Master, a Past Master, the Depute or Substitute Master, the Senior or Junior Warden of the Lodge, an Installed Master or a Qualified Master. The Master or presiding Brother or an Installed Master occupying the Chair in terms of Law 158 may permit other Office-bearers or Brethren to deliver portions of the ritual.

180. Every Intrant and Affiliate to a Daughter Lodge must be registered in Grand Lodge. Every three months all Daughter Lodges must send to Grand Lodge a Return containing the names of members who have been Initiated or Affiliated since the period covered by the previous Return. Such Return shall include the name, occupation and age of each Intrant and Affiliate, with the date on which the Degree or Affiliation was conferred, and shall specify the amount charged for Initiation or Affiliation and, in addition, in the case of an Affiliate, shall give the date of previous registration (if any), the name and number of his Mother Lodge and the date of Diploma. The Return shall also contain the names of members who have been Passed or Raised or have received the Mark, with the date on which the Degree was conferred, since the period covered by the previous Return.

Ceremonial of Installed Master

181. The Ceremony of Installed Master shall normally only be communicated to the Grand Master Mason, a Provincial or District Grand Master or a Grand Superintendent, or the Master-elect of a Daughter Lodge, the only exception being that it may also be communicated to a Master or Past Master of a Lodge under a Sister Grand Lodge with permission from Grand Committee.

In Scotland the Ceremony of Installed Master shall be communicated only within an Installing Board consisting of not less than three Qualified Masters.

A Master or Past Master of a Lodge under a Sister Grand Lodge may be present at an Installing Board but, unless he is a Qualified Master, shall not form part of that Board. Any Qualified Master may preside at the Board and install a Master, if specifically requested so to do by that Board.

In Lodges outwith Scotland the Ceremony may be communicated by one or two Qualified Masters on the Lodge obtaining a Dispensation from the District Grand Master, Grand Superintendent or, in the case of a Lodge under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge, from Grand Committee.

A Master-elect shall not occupy the Master’s Chair until he has been regularly installed.

To entitle a Brother to an Installed Master’s Diploma from Grand Lodge the Secretary of the Lodge shall send to Grand Secretary a Certificate signed by the requisite three Qualified Masters (or one or more if Dispensation has been granted as herein provided) that the Brother named therein has been passed through the Ceremonial.

Property, Finance and Accounts

182. The whole property of the Lodge, heritable and moveable, of whatever description except cash in Bank shall be vested in Trustees in trust for and subject to the direction and control of the Lodge. The Trustees of the Benevolent Fund shall be as defined in Law 193. The Trustees of all other property of the Lodge shall be the following Office-bearers ex officiis, namely, the Master, Wardens and Secretary, and their successors from time to time in these offices: but it shall be competent for the Lodge to resolve that investments other than heritable property may be placed in the name of a Bank approved by Grand Committee or of such Bank’s nominees in trust for and subject to the control of the Lodge.

The funds of a Lodge are the direct responsibility of the Lodge but the Bye-Laws may provide for supervision by a Committee appointed in terms of Law 94 or Law 149. The Trustees shall insure all heritable and moveable property of the Lodge against all appropriate risks (including fire) and for adequate sums which shall be reviewed annually.

183. A Lodge has no corporate entity in law and therefore it can only act in regard to the holding of heritable property and other assets, or for borrowing thereon through the Trustees for the Lodge. Such Trustees must obey the instructions of the Lodge and have no power to act on their own. Unless the Trustees expressly exclude their personal responsibility they are primarily liable under any agreement signed by them and their only recourse is against the Funds (excluding Benevolent Funds) of the Lodge and the individual members of the Lodge instructing the obligation.

184. A Lodge shall not lend its Benevolent Funds, heritable and moveable or any part or parts thereof, except by way of an investment or investments which Trustees are by statute authorised to hold. In no circumstances shall a Lodge pledge or grant any security over its said Benevolent Funds. A Lodge may, however, borrow and pledge or grant security over any other assets of the Lodge, heritable or moveable, provided that such transactions shall not involve the Office-bearers or Trustees of the Lodge in any personal liability .

185. The General Funds of the Lodge shall be applied in defraying the expenses of the Lodge.

186. A motion for disposing of any part of the Lodge property or Funds for extraordinary purposes or as security for a loan shall not be made unless notice of such motion has been given in terms of Law 164. Such a motion must be approved by at least two-thirds of the Qualified Members present before it can be adopted.

187. All remittances to the Lodge shall be made payable to the Lodge.

All monies received shall be promptly banked and the Treasurer shall at no time retain in his hands more than five hundred pounds sterling in the case of a Provincial or District Grand Lodge or five hundred pounds sterling in the case of a Daughter-Lodge.

188. All bank accounts and deposit receipts of a Lodge shall be in the name of the Lodge. Separate bank accounts shall be kept for the Benevolent Fund (or for each such Fund if more than one) and for the Commutation Fees Fund, if any.

Cheques and drafts on the accounts must be signed by any two of the following Office-bearers, namely, the Master, the Secretary and the Treasurer. Deposit receipts shall be endorsed in the same manner.

189. Accounts shall be kept in respect of different Funds of a Lodge, which shall consist of a General Fund, a Benevolent Fund, a Commutation Fees Fund (if the Bye-Laws provide for commutation) and such other Funds as the Lodge may determine. The accounts of each Fund shall be kept separate from those of all other Funds.

In the event of a surplus of accumulated income over expenditure remaining in the Income Account of the General Fund at the end of the financial year such portion as the Lodge may determine shall be transferred to the Capital Account of the Fund and the remainder of such surplus shall be carried forward in the Income Account of the Fund to the following year.

If in any year there shall be a balance at debit of the Income Account of the General Fund the deficiency may be transferred to the Capital Account of the Fund.

The financial year of the Lodge shall end on a date to be specified in the Bye-Laws of the Lodge.

A Balance Sheet as at that date and an Abstract of Account for the preceding year shall be prepared and submitted with books, vouchers and other relevant productions to the Auditor(s) appointed by the Lodge.

The appointment of the Auditor or Auditors and the conduct of the audit shall be in accordance with the terms of the Fifth Schedule hereto a copy of which shall be provided to the Auditor(s).

Lodge Books and Returns

190. Every Lodge shall have a set of books including (a) a Petition Book having an index thereto; (b) an Attendance Book; (c) a Roll Book: (d) a Roll of Qualified Members; (e) a Minute Book; and (f) Treasurer’s Books.

The Petition Book; Attendance Book and Roll Book must be permanently bound volumes of the pattern available from Grand Secretary or similar.

The Minute Book and Treasurer’s Books may be either permanently bound volumes or, if it is desired initially to prepare and maintain same using a typewriter, word processor, computer or other form of electronic setting or processing then, that may be done, but only upon the conditions that, in relation to the Minute Book, once each minute has been prepared a ‘hard copy’ is produced on consecutively numbered pages, each page being signed by the presiding Brother, in terms of Law 158, at the meeting at which the Minute is confirmed and immediately meantime stored in an appropriate sturdy loose leaf binder, with all of the material thereby produced permanently being bound no less frequently than once every three years and, similarly, in relation to the Treasurer’s Books and records, a ‘hard copy’ is produced no less frequently than once every month; initially stored in a loose leaf binder, and also permanently bound no less frequently than once every three years.

If a permanently bound Minute Book is to be used. it should be of the pattern available from Grand Secretary or similar.

The Qualified Members Roll may be maintained either in the loose leaf form and binders as are available from Grand Secretary’s office or similar, or on a ‘computer type’ database but, if the latter, then a ‘hard copy’ thereof shall be produced at least once every three months and, as before, stored in loose leaf form initially, with same permanently being bound no less frequently than once every three years.

Whether maintained in a permanently bound volume, or initially in a loose leaf form, the minutes of all meetings of the Lodge and its Committees shall be entered and maintained in chronological order in the Minute Book.

In any case where it is decided to make use of word processor, computer or other form of electronic setting or processing, Lodges in Scotland require to take cognisance of and strictly to comply with any provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 which may be applicable and, similarly, Lodges abroad to take cognisance of any equivalent legislative or regulatory requirements which may be extant within the country in which they are working.

The books of Lodges shall be examined annually on behalf of Grand Lodge by the Provincial or District Grand Master or by Brethren appointed by him. Any faults or omissions found to exist shall be reported to the Secretary of the Lodge. Every Qualified Member of the Lodge is entitled to peruse the books of the Lodge by arrangement at reasonable times

191. A Lodge one year in arrear of returns of dues to Grand Lodge shall ipso facto forfeit the privilege of being represented in Provincial or District Grand Lodge or Grand Lodge until these returns are made and arrears are paid. A Lodge failing to make returns or pay dues for two years or more or making incomplete or fraudulent returns or failing to implement its other financial obligations shall be liable to have its Charter recalled and cancelled, or to suspension from Masonic privileges, or to such other judgment as Grand Lodge may pronounce.

Benevolent Funds

192. The Benevolent Fund of a Lodge shall consist of the sums payable thereto in terms of Laws 105 or 125, all sums that may be transferred thereto from the General Fund or other Funds of the Lodge and all donations and legacies thereto.

The Benevolent Fund, after deduction of any expenses incidental to the management thereof, shall be devoted solely to purposes of Masonic Benevolence.

The Benevolent Fund shall be invested only in the manner sanctioned by the Trusts (Scotland) Acts and by the Trustee Investments Act 1961, and any amendments thereto.

193. The Trustees of the Benevolent Fund of a Lodge shall be the following Office-bearers ex officiis, namely, the Master, Secretary, Treasurer and the Almoner (or the Benevolent Fund Treasurer) and their successors from time to time in these offices.

194. The terms of Laws 182 to 189 shall apply to the Benevolent Funds of every Lodge.

195. The provisions of Laws 182 to 194 shall apply mutatis mutandis to every Annuity Fund and Fund for special Masonic Benevolent purposes which has been or may be established by a Lodge

Bye-Laws

196. Every Lodge must have Bye-Laws approved by Grand Committee.

Bye-Laws must be in accordance with the requirements of the Sixth Schedule hereto.

The Bye-Laws of Daughter Lodges and any alterations or additions to them shall, in the first instance, be submitted to the Provincial or District Grand Lodge for revision. A Provincial or District Grand Lodge may delegate with full powers to a member or members of the Provincial or District Grand Lodge concerned, for example to its Provincial or District Grand Secretary or to a Committee of Brethren of the Province or District, the duty and responsibility of revising and approving the Bye-Laws of Daughter Lodges and alterations or additions thereto. After being so revised they shall be forwarded in duplicate to Grand Committee for final revision and approval. Bye-Laws of Provincial or District Grand Lodges and those of Daughter Lodges where there is no Provincial or District Grand Lodge shall be submitted direct to Grand Committee for revision and approval. Alterations and additions submitted must be accompanied by two copies of the existing Bye-Laws.

Bye-Laws and alterations or additions thereto shall not be operative until approved by Grand Committee, except that in relation to any proposed alteration by a Lodge in respect of Fees, the power to grant temporary Dispensation in order to bring into effect immediately an alteration of Fees, pending the approval of Grand Committee, shall be vested in Provincial and District Grand Masters where he considers that the financial interests of the Daughter Lodge may be prejudiced by the elapse of time between the passing of a Motion by the Lodge amending its Bye-Laws concerning the level of Fees, and ultimate approval by Grand Committee. He may in advance of final approval by Grand Committee, at his absolute discretion, and where he considers that it would be in the best interests of the Lodge, by Dispensation grant temporary approval immediately to implement the desired altered Fee or Fees. Under this provision changes to Lodge Fees become effective after approval by the Lodge of the necessary Motion to amend its Bye-Laws, and once Dispensation has been granted by the Provincial or District Grand Master concerned. Notwithstanding the granting of any such temporary Dispensation, the Bye-Laws concerned still require subsequently to be processed for the ultimate consideration of Grand Committee as is outlined above and the approval of Grand Committee must be obtained as soon as possible after the granting of a Dispensation and within a maximum period of twelve months, otherwise the Fees concerned shall revert to their former amounts. The granting of any such Dispensation shall be notified by the Provincial or District Grand Secretary to the Lodge concerned and to Grand Secretary.

After Grand Committee has given approval two printed copies of the Bye-Laws or amended Bye-Laws shall be sent to Grand Secretary and also to the Provincial or District Grand Secretary.

197. No motion to alter, amend, add to or abrogate any Bye-Law or to enact a new one shall be moved at any meeting unless Notice of Motion has been given in terms of Law 164. Such a motion must be approved by at least two-thirds of the Qualified Members present who vote before it can be adopted.

Other Matters

198. A Lodge is strictly prohibited from practising any Degrees other than those of Entered Apprentice, Fellow-of-Craft (including the Mark) and Master Mason, and the Ceremonial of Installed Master. It shall not give countenance to any organisation purporting to be Masonic not recognised as such by Grand Lodge.

199. Every Lodge shall be entitled to try any member (other than the Master) accused of any offence subject to the provisions set forth in Laws 230 to 235 hereof. The resignation of the member accused shall not affect this right.

200. The sale of alcoholic liquor by a Lodge in its premises is prohibited unless either (a) the Lodge holds a current Annual Certificate from Grand Lodge and (for Lodges in Scotland) the Lodge Bye-Laws provide for the Lodge to register under the Licensing (Scotland) Acts as a “Club of Freemasons” (the relevant Bye-Laws being as set forth in the Seventh Schedule hereto) and the Lodge holds a Certificate of Registration or (b) a special or occasional licence for appropriate functions has been granted.

The sale of alcoholic liquor by any other organisation, persons or person in premises owned or leased by a Lodge is prohibited unless with the specific approval of the Lodge and provided that the Lodge is satisfied that all necessary permissions and licences are obtained.

Lodges outwith Scotland shall comply with all applicable statutory provisions and all rules laid down by the relevant District Grand Lodge or other Masonic Authority for the Lodge concerned.

201. A Lodge acting in a disrespectful manner towards the Grand Master Mason, a Provincial or District Grand Master, a Grand Superintendent or any Brother acting on behalf of them, or towards Grand Lodge or its Office-bearers acting in an official capacity, Grand Committee, a Provincial or District Grand Lodge, or disobeying their instructions or judgments, or failing to observe any of these Laws, shall be liable to suspension or forfeiture of its Charter.

202. A Lodge is prohibited from issuing for publication to other than its members, any circulars, reports or other communications relative to proceedings before Grand Lodge or Grand Committee, without the sanction of Grand Committee.

203. Applications for contributions to aid the funds of a Lodge or other organisations shall not be made or issued to other than the members of the Lodge concerned, without the sanction of Grand Committee or the written approval of the Provincial or District Grand Master, as the case may be.

204. Regalia shall not be worn in processions or at other public appearances of the Craft or at social functions except with the specific permission of the Provincial or District Grand Master or Grand Superintendent concerned. In the case of Lodges under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge such permission must be obtained from Grand Secretary acting on behalf of Grand Committee.

In the event of such permission being given regalia may be worn only by Brethren entitled to wear it.

No permission is necessary for the Master and Wardens to wear their jewels of office at social functions held within the Craft.

205. When a Lodge is visited by the Grand Master Mason or his representative or, in their absence, by the Provincial or District Grand Master, the Grand Superintendent, or the representative of any of these, whether heading a Deputation or otherwise, he shall be received in the Third Degree, unless he orders otherwise, and he is entitled to instruct all arrangements for his reception. The Master (after receiving the other members, if any, of the Deputation) shall tender the Mallet as a token of loyalty and invite the said Office-bearer to preside. On such invitation being accepted the Master shall sit at his right hand. In the case of a Deputation from Grand Lodge the Office-bearers of the Lodge and, in any other case, the Wardens, shall vacate their Chairs in favour of members of the Deputation.

206. A Lodge shall not seek to lay a foundation stone without sanction being first obtained from the Provincial or District Grand Master concerned or, in the case of Lodges under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge, from Grand Committee.

Visiting Lodges

207. The Master of a Lodge, or the Brother lawfully discharging the duties of the Master, may invite another Lodge to visit his Lodge and may invite the Brethren of such visiting Lodge to participate in the working of such degree or the conduct of such ceremony as the Master, or such Brother, may deem appropriate.

Where the visiting Lodge is within the same Province or District no approval is required for such invitation.

If the two Lodges are in different Provinces or Districts then, where it is intended to invite the Brethren of the visiting Lodge to participate in the working or demonstration of a Degree or other Ceremony, each Lodge requires to obtain the prior approval of the Provincial or District Grand Master of its Province or District to the proposed visit and, if such approval is granted, shall comply with any conditions and restrictions imposed by either Provincial or District Grand Master in respect of such visit and any degree or ceremony to be conducted during such visit. Similar prior approval requires to be obtained from the Grand Superintendent concerned for Lodges working under his supervision. Where it is not intended to invite Brethren of a visiting Lodge to participate in the working or demonstration of a Degree or other Ceremony, no approval is required for such invitation.

Where the proposed visit is by a Daughter Lodge to a Lodge of another Constitution or is by a Lodge of another Constitution to a Daughter Lodge then; if situated abroad, the Daughter Lodge requires first to obtain the prior approval of the District Grand Master, or Grand Superintendent, concerned, and shall comply with any conditions and restrictions he may impose in respect of such visit; if situated in Scotland, the Daughter Lodge requires first to obtain the prior approval in principle of the Provincial Grand Master concerned, and shall comply with any conditions and restrictions he may impose in respect of such visit. If such approval in principle is granted, then the Provincial Grand Secretary concerned shall advise Grand Secretary accordingly, and shall apply to him on behalf of the Daughter Lodge for his prior approval on behalf of Grand Lodge of the proposed visit.

For Daughter Lodges abroad, once approval has been given by the District Grand Master, or Grand Superintendent, concerned, it is in order to proceed with the visit, but for Daughter Lodges situated in Scotland, only if and when Grand Secretary has been able to confirm approval on behalf of Grand Lodge of that which is proposed is it in order to proceed with the visit.

It is expected that the other Lodge will obtain similar prior approval of its Grand Lodge and that both Lodges will comply with any conditions and restrictions imposed by the respective Grand Lodges relative to that visit.

In relation to the above regulations so far as Lodges under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge are concerned any necessary prior approval must be sought by the Daughter Lodges directly from Grand Secretary.

It should be noted that usual Masonic Protocol provides for all inter constitutional correspondence to be conducted through the offices of the respective Grand Secretaries and therefore no Lodge Secretary or other Brother ordinarily should communicate directly with a Sister Grand Lodge or with a Lodge holding thereof without the specific prior approval of Grand Secretary.

Duties

208. Every Brother of the Scottish Craft is enjoined to provide himself with a copy of the latest edition of these Laws as printed and published by authority of Grand Lodge.

Every Brother is enjoined to be as frequent as possible in his attendance at meetings of his Lodge.

The Brethren of every Lodge, but especially the Master and Wardens, are enjoined to visit other Lodges as often as they conveniently can.

Brethren visiting Lodges must provide themselves with written evidence that they are in good standing. Brethren going overseas, temporarily or permanently, should ascertain from Grand Secretary the Masonic Bodies recognised as regular by Grand Lodge.

209. Every Brother must sign the Attendance Book before entering any meeting of a Lodge whether he be a member or a visitor.

210. Every Brother changing his address shall notify the change as it occurs to the Secretary of every Lodge of which he is a member or Honorary Member.

211. Brethren should be prepared to acknowledge their membership of the Craft on all proper occasions.

Disciplinary Matters

212. In Lodge, on the Master or other presiding Brother calling to order, there shall be immediate silence. All Brethren shall keep their places except those Office-bearers who require to move about in the discharge of their duties. No Brother shall enter or retire from the Lodge without paying due respect to the Chair. Any Brother desirous of speaking shall rise and address the Master or other presiding Brother and observe due order and decorum. Should any Brother so behave as to disturb the harmony of the Lodge and persist in such conduct after being admonished from the Chair the Master or other presiding Brother may order him to retire and that order shall be obeyed forthwith.

213. Brethren are strictly forbidden to use or exhibit any of the emblems of Freemasonry on business premises or in connection with any business; or in any advertisement which does not relate exclusively to Masonic intimations or the sale of Masonic publications, regalia or furnishings. They are also forbidden to use in connection with or as part of a business name, any word which in the opinion of Grand Lodge may suggest or imply an association with Freemasonry.

214. A Brother shall not join, visit, countenance or take part in or be concerned with the working or promulgation of any Degree, Rite or Order purporting to be Masonic which is not authorised by Grand Lodge or by another Masonic Grand Body, in amity with Grand Lodge. Any Brother acting in breach thereof shall be liable to suspension or expulsion. The names of the Masonic Grand Bodies in amity with Grand Lodge are listed in the Year Book.

215. A Brother shall not introduce any Brother not being a member of the body concerned to act or vote in Grand Lodge or in a Provincial or District Grand Lodge. A Brother so doing and the Brother so introduced, if members of the Scottish Craft, shall be liable to such Masonic disciplinary disposal or sanction as these Laws provide or expulsion.

216. Any Brother acting in a disrespectful manner towards the Grand Master Mason, a Provincial or District Grand Master, a Grand Superintendent or any Brother acting on behalf of any of them or towards Grand Lodge, Grand Office-bearers, Grand Committee, a Provincial or District Grand Lodge, or disobeying their instructions or judgments, or failing to observe any of these Laws, or having conducted himself in a manner unbecoming a Freemason or having acted or behaved in a manner likely to bring the Craft into disrepute, shall be liable to suspension.

Any Brother challenging or refusing to submit to and implement any judgments, made in accordance with these Laws, which have become final, shall be liable to such further Masonic disciplinary complaint and sanction as these Laws provide.

217. Brethren are prohibited from issuing for publication, circulars, reports or other communications relative to proceedings before Grand Lodge or Grand Committee, without the sanction of Grand Committee.

218. A Brother of a Lodge which has been suspended or has had its Charter recalled shall not be eligible as a member of Grand Lodge or a Provincial or District Grand Lodge or be received as a visitor by a Lodge until he shall have expressed in writing to Grand Secretary his disapproval of the conduct which led to such suspension or recall and his disclaimer has been accepted by Grand Committee.

219. No Brother shall give information as to how he intends to ballot or has balloted or attempt to induce another Brother to do so or challenge the result of the ballot.

220. Any Brother who is not in good standing in every Lodge of which he is a Member is not entitled to attend any meeting of any Lodge as a visitor or as an Honorary Member and shall be guilty of a Masonic offence should he attempt so to do.

Rights of Membership

221. A member of a Lodge may resign his membership thereof at any time by giving notice in writing to the Secretary. The granting of a Resignation Certificate is at the discretion of the Lodge and may be issued provided the member is in good standing.

A Brother who resigns after being accused of conduct unbecoming a Freemason and/or after committing an offence will remain subject to Masonic disciplinary procedure and sanction in terms of these Laws. However if the Brother concerned offers irrevocably to resign from the Scottish Craft in terms of Law 247 and that offer is accepted or varied to suspension sine die in terms of that Law then no other Masonic disciplinary action is competent in that matter.

222. A Brother, including a Defaulting Member, in arrear of his annual contribution or other dues (unless under suspension) is entitled to settle those arrears at any time in accordance with Law 126 and resume the full privileges of membership without making fresh application or having to submit to a ballot.

223. Every member of a Lodge is entitled to be registered in the books of Grand Lodge. In the event of a Lodge failing to return the name and pay the requisite dues to Grand Lodge of any member the said member on producing evidence to Grand Secretary of having paid his fees in full to the Lodge, shall be entitled to be registered.

224. Master Masons, Affiliates, Founder Members, Reponing Members, Mark Master Masons and Installed Masters are entitled to Diplomas after their names have been registered as such in the books of Grand Lodge. A Brother not receiving a Diploma to which he is entitled and not satisfied with the explanation obtained from the Secretary of the Lodge concerned, may apply in writing to Grand Secretary for the appropriate Diploma. A Brother who does not attend meetings is not entitled to have a Diploma sent to him unless the Lodge is satisfied that his non-attendance is justified.

225. While a Brother in good standing is entitled to visit other Lodges admission to any Lodge is by courtesy only and may be denied. Visitors are required to retire immediately if requested to do so.

Masonic Etiquette

226. Brethren who hold or have held Masonic rank are entitled to be ceremoniously addressed or referred to in the styles set forth in the Second Schedule hereto.

Visiting Brethren from another Constitution will be addressed in accordance with the usage in that Constitution.

227. A Past Master of a Lodge does not rank as such in any other Lodge of which he is a member but not a Past Master. He may be received in the last mentioned Lodge as a visiting Past Master only if he comes clothed as such.

228. Communications for the Grand Master Mason or any Brother acting on his behalf, Grand Lodge or Grand Committee shall be addressed to Grand Secretary.

Communications for a Provincial or District Grand Master, or any Brother acting on his behalf, a Provincial or District Grand Lodge or Grand Committee shall be addressed to the Provincial or District Grand Secretary.

Communications to a Daughter Lodge shall be addressed to the Secretary.

Disciplinary Procedures

229. Members of the Scottish Craft must always act with the highest standards of probity and propriety. Brethren who materially fail to do so are liable to Masonic disciplinary action and sanction under these Laws.

If a Brother’s conduct makes him liable to possible disciplinary proceedings a complaint or report must be submitted to Grand Secretary, in whatever form he may require. For this purpose Grand Secretary must make available appropriate Complaint/Disciplinary Report forms.

A complaint or report about any such matter may be made by any Brother who is a Qualified Member of the Scottish Craft or by any Daughter Lodge, Provincial or District Grand Lodge. Grand Secretary will use his discretion in dealing with a complaint or report from anyone else, and he may require this complaint or report to be processed in a formal disciplinary manner as though it had been made by a Qualified Member, Daughter Lodge, Provincial or District Grand Lodge.

230. When he has received a completed Complaint/Disciplinary Report form, and is satisfied that all necessary and appropriate information has been provided, Grand Secretary must further process the complaint or report as set out below.

231. A Brother who has been convicted in a Court of Law of any offence, after all ordinary rights of appeal have been exhausted, must immediately notify his conviction to Grand Secretary. Similarly, the Master and/or the Secretary of a Daughter Lodge must notify Grand Secretary if he learns of the conviction in a Court of Law of any member of his Lodge. Other Brethren also are encouraged, though not obliged, to notify Grand Secretary if they learn of such a conviction.

Masonic disciplinary procedures arising from the conviction of a Brother in a Court of Law of an offence may competently begin if it appears to Grand Secretary that the relevant ordinary Courts have disposed of the case and all appeals or rights of appeal (or both) within such Courts have been exhausted. If Grand Secretary learns that Masonic disciplinary proceedings have begun before those Courts have finished with the case and any appeals, then he must instruct any Masonic disciplinary proceedings to be suspended until those Courts have finished with the case.

232. If the case relates to a Brother who has been convicted in a Court of Law of an offence that has resulted in a sentence of imprisonment or Community Service (or its equivalent), Grand Secretary must submit a report directly to the Disciplinary Committee. Before reporting such a matter to the Committee, Grand Secretary must give notice to the Brother concerned of the complaint or report; must inform him that it will be considered by the Committee; and must invite him to submit to the Committee whatever written representations he wishes.

When the complaint or report, and any written representations from the accused Brother, are submitted to the Disciplinary Committee, that Committee must not hold a hearing but must instead consider only the complaint or report and any such representations. If the Committee is satisfied that the Brother concerned has been found guilty in a Court of Law of an offence and sentenced to imprisonment or Community Service (or its equivalent), he will therefore be considered guilty, and thus convicted, of conduct unbecoming a Freemason.

In all such cases the Disciplinary Committee must impose at least a sentence of suspension sine die. Also, if the final sentence of the Court has been imprisonment for twelve months or more or Community Service (or its equivalent) of more than 180 hours, the Committee must also recommend expulsion from the Scottish Craft. Only the Disciplinary Review Committee may decide whether to endorse and approve this recommendation.

When the Disciplinary Committee has disposed of the case, it must report on it for information to Grand Committee and, as part of the minutes of Grand Committee, to Grand Lodge. However, neither Grand Committee nor Grand Lodge has the right to vary or amend the disposal. Grand Secretary must notify the accused Brother of the result of the relevant Standing Committee’s consideration of the complaint or report against him.

The Brother concerned has a right of appeal to the Disciplinary Review Committee against the judgment of the Disciplinary Committee. On receiving the appeal, the Disciplinary Review Committee has full discretion to vary the sanction or sanctions imposed. The decision of that Committee on any such appeal is not open to any further review or appeal but must be reported to Grand Committee and, as part of the minutes of Grand Committee, to Grand Lodge, for information.

233. The provisions of the Concordat between the United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand Lodge of Ireland and the Grand Lodge of Scotland as set out in Appendix 4 are binding on all members of the Scottish Craft. In particular, under Section 1 of the Concordat, any Masonic disciplinary action imposed by the United Grand Lodge of England or the Grand Lodge of Ireland results automatically in disciplinary sanction in terms of these Laws being imposed on the Brother concerned, if he is a member of the Scottish Craft.

In such circumstances, when notified of disciplinary action imposed on a Brother by the United Grand Lodge of England or the Grand Lodge of Ireland, Grand Secretary must report directly to the Disciplinary Committee. On being satisfied that the Brother has indeed been subject to such sanction the Committee must find the Brother guilty of conduct unbecoming a Freemason and impose a suitable penalty at least equivalent to that imposed by the United Grand Lodge of England or the Grand Lodge of Ireland. The Brother may appeal against the decision of the Disciplinary Committee to the Disciplinary Review Committee. If the former Committee recommends expulsion, then only the latter Committee may decide whether to endorse and approve the recommendation.

234. If Grand Secretary receives a report or complaint about any other matter (i.e., matters not covered by Laws 232–233), he must send a copy to the Determining Brother (as defined below) who will decide what further action, if any, should be taken on the complaint or report. Before reaching his decision the Determining Brother should seek appropriate advice. Those authorised, and required, to act for the purpose of this decision are:

• for Brethren and Lodges in a Province or District — the relevant Provincial or District Grand Master;

• for Brethren and Lodges abroad working under a Grand Superintendent — the Grand Superintendent concerned;

• for Brethren and Lodges abroad working under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge — the Grand Master Mason; and

• in the special circumstances set out below — the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee.

If the appropriate Determining Brother would normally be a Provincial or District Grand Master, in his absence that duty falls on his Depute. If both are absent, it falls on his Substitute or Substitutes, in order of seniority. If none of these is available, the Grand Master Mason must act as the Determining Brother.

Similarly, if the appropriate Determining Brother would be a Grand Superintendent, if he is not available the Grand Master Mason must act as the Determining Brother.

If the normal Determining Brother is the complainant, or the Brother complained against, then the complaint in question must go to the Grand Master Mason for decision.

Any complaint that should be decided by the Grand Master Mason must in his absence be decided by the Depute Grand Master, or, failing whom, by the Substitute Grand Master. The Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee may be called on to act as the Determining Brother only if the Grand Master Mason himself is the complainant or the Brother complained against.

235. When considering a report or complaint passed to him by Grand Secretary, a Determining Brother has available to him the following options for initial disposal of the matter:

  1. To resolve that no action be taken.
  2. To take appropriate informal action to resolve any apparent difficulties, in the interests of the Craft.
  3. To remit the matter for hearing and disposal by a Lodge.
  4. To remit the matter for hearing and disposal by the Provincial or District Grand Lodge concerned or, if no District Grand Lodge has jurisdiction, by the Overseas, External Affairs and Special Purposes Committee.
  5. To remit the matter for hearing and disposal by the Disciplinary Committee.

If, after consideration, the Determining Brother decides to remit the matter for hearing and disposal (i.e. under (c), (d) or (e), above) he must arrange for the accused Brother to be given written notice of the report or complaint against him and to be served with a copy of the report or complaint. If the Determining Brother decides to exercise his right of disposal under either option (a) or (b) above (i.e. to take no action, or to take only informal action), then he need not supply a copy of the report or complaint, but he may inform the accused Brother what has been received and/or allow him to see the report or complaint.

Where the Determining Brother has exercised his right of disposal under either (a) or (b) above (i.e. to take no action, or to take only informal action), he shall provide a Report explaining his decision to Grand Secretary.

236. When considering which forum might hear a complaint, the Determining Brother must take account of the status of the Brother who is the subject of the complaint and must not refer the case to an inappropriate forum (for example he must not refer to a Daughter Lodge any complaint against its Master or its Secretary).

If a Daughter Lodge is the complainant or has a direct interest in the complaint (such as in the case of alleged misappropriation of its funds) the case must not be referred to that Lodge for disposal. Similarly, where a Provincial or District Grand Lodge is the complainant or has a direct interest in the complaint, the case must not be referred for hearing by that Provincial or District Grand Lodge.

If option (d) under Law 235 is used the case may be remitted for hearing and disposal by a Provincial or District Grand Lodge. If it does not have a Petitions and Complaints (or similar) Committee established in terms of its Bye-Laws, it may deal with the matter itself (in which event the provisions of Law 237 apply) or delegate its judicial functions with full powers to a Committee drawn from its own members for that specific purpose. If the Provincial or District Grand Lodge has a Petitions and Complaints (or similar) Committee established in terms of its Bye-Laws then the matter must be delegated to that Committee. In either case the Committee is the initial forum for the purposes of these Laws; its decision may not be reviewed or adjusted by the Provincial or District Grand Lodge concerned.

The decision of the Determining Brother on how to dispose of the case is final and there is no right of appeal or review against his decision.

237. If a report or complaint is remitted for hearing and disposal, the forum to which it has been remitted must arrange a hearing to consider the matter and must give due notice to the accused Brother so that he may attend or be represented (or both). Similar notice must be given to the person, Brother, Daughter Lodge, Provincial or District Grand Lodge making the initial complaint.

If the forum is a Daughter Lodge or a Provincial or District Grand Lodge then the Lodge shall be duly constituted and opened and then must immediately be adjourned. The members of the Lodge then present will comprise a temporary Complaint Committee of the Lodge which Committee must convene forthwith and will constitute the relevant forum for the purpose of hearing and disposing of the case.

After the hearing, the forum must decide whether the report or complaint has been proven and therefore whether the accused Brother has been guilty of conduct unbecoming a Freemason. Even if he is a Qualified Member, no accused Brother, mandatory, representative, complainant or agent, nor any witness who has given written or verbal evidence or information to the hearing, is entitled to participate or vote in the forum’s deliberations on the matter. All these individuals must leave the forum as soon as the hearing has ended and before the forum considers its decision.

Should the forum consider that the accused Brother is guilty of conduct unbecoming a Freemason then, if present, he and/or his mandatory and their agent must be so advised and invited to further address the forum by submitting relevant representations to assist the forum to determine the appropriate disposal of the case. These parties must leave the forum as soon as such representations have been heard and before the forum considers its disposal of the case. If these parties are not present or if such invitation to submit representations is not accepted the forum nevertheless must proceed to determine the appropriate disposal of the case. When a decision has been reached the accused Brother and/or his mandatory and their agent, if present, will be re-admitted to the forum and advised of the sanction determined by the forum to be appropriate in the disposal of the case.

Where the forum is a temporary Complaint Committee as above the Lodge must be resumed immediately after the conclusion of the hearing and disposal of the case. The decisions of the Complaint Committee in the case must then be reported to the Lodge, without discussion or deliberation, and recorded in the Minute Book of the Lodge.

At a hearing in any forum except the Overseas, External Affairs and Special Purposes Committee or the Disciplinary Committee, the Brother acting as clerk at the hearing (whether the Secretary to the forum or any other Brother) must give Grand Secretary, on a Decision Form to be provided by Grand Secretary, a note of the determination of the forum and the sanction decided upon by the forum, a summary of the evidence heard from each witness and other information required in the Decision Form. He must also provide any further information requested by Grand Secretary. If the matter has been remitted for disposal to the Overseas, External Affairs and Special Purposes Committee or to the Disciplinary Committee, a Decision Form as above must be submitted by the Brother acting as Chairman at the hearing, who must also provide any further information requested by Grand Secretary.

If the forum decides that the report or complaint has not been proven, it must report its decision to Grand Secretary and inform the accused Brother, the complainant(s), if any, and the Determining Brother. Then, unless the following clause applies, the case is at an end and the complainant has no further right to pursue the matter.

If the complainant considers that his complaint has not received a proper hearing or proper consideration in the forum to which it was referred by the Determining Brother (including any temporary Complaint Committee as above) the complainant may request a review by the Disciplinary Committee. This Committee may require a fresh hearing in the original or another forum. The decision of the Disciplinary Committee on any such request shall be final. If the Disciplinary Committee was the initial forum the complainant is entitled to request such a review by the Disciplinary Review Committee. That Committee may require a fresh hearing by the Disciplinary Committee or another forum. The decision of the Disciplinary Review Committee on any such request is final.

238. If a Brother is found guilty of conduct unbecoming a Freemason the forum disposing of the case must allow the Brother and/or his mandatory or their agent to address the forum in respect of the disposal or sanctions available and appropriate to the case and thereafter the forum must immediately decide what disposal or sanction to impose. This must be one of the following:

  1. Admonition.
  2. Sentence of suspension for a fixed period (up to a maximum of three years).
  3. Sentence of suspension sine die.
  4. Sentence of suspension sine die together with a recommendation of expulsion from the Scottish Craft.

239. A sentence of suspension imposed under Law 238 (b), (c) or (d) begins immediately from the date the sentence is imposed by the initial forum, regardless of any right of appeal open to the Brother concerned.

Although each sentence begins on the date it was imposed by the initial forum, the forum may not ‘backdate’ the sentence. When sentencing, the forum may take account of any ‘voluntary suspension’ by the Brother concerned and/or temporary suspension, or prohibition from attending Lodge meetings, already imposed by the Provincial or District Grand Master.

The decision of the initial forum must be notified to Grand Secretary; to the accused Brother; to the complainant, if any; and to the Determining Brother. If the accused Brother has been convicted, he must be informed of his right of appeal.

240. If a sentence of suspension is imposed on the Brother, he loses all his Masonic privileges immediately and throughout his suspension. In particular he must not appear in or attend meetings of any Lodge, Provincial or District Grand Lodge, or Grand Lodge. Neither may he, by virtue of his membership of the Scottish Craft, appear in any Lodge, Provincial or District Grand Lodge or Grand Lodge of any other Constitution.

While suspended the Brother also forfeits all proprietorial interests in any Lodge or Provincial or District Grand Lodge of which he otherwise would be a Qualified Member. He becomes meantime no longer liable to any levy, Annual Contribution (Test Fee) or other form of financial liability that otherwise would arise but is not entitled to any full or partial refund of any fee already paid or to be paid nor to receive any benefit therefrom, or funds or assets thereof.

241. After conviction by the initial forum, the Brother has a right of appeal, against both conviction and sentence, as he may choose. The parties to any appeal are the Brother submitting the appeal and the complainant (if any) who submitted the original complaint, should that complainant wish to take part in the appeal proceedings. If the complainant declines to take part, the appeal remains valid and will proceed in accordance with these Laws.

All appeals are ordinarily to the Disciplinary Committee. Its decision on the matter is final, and must be reported for information to Grand Committee and, through its minutes, to Grand Lodge.

If the Disciplinary Committee has acted as the initial forum the accused Brother’s right of appeal is to the Disciplinary Review Committee. Its decision is final, and must be reported to Grand Committee and, through its minutes, to Grand Lodge, for information.

In considering an appeal submitted in this way, the Disciplinary Committee, or the Disciplinary Review Committee, as the case may be, has wide discretion over the allowable grounds of appeal and disposal of the appeal. Whether or not he is ordinarily a member of the Disciplinary Committee or the Disciplinary Review Committee, a Brother may not take part in the consideration of an appeal or review of a case from an initial forum in which he participated. However this prohibition does not apply if the Brother, although a member of the initial forum, was absent from its original hearing and did not take part in its consideration of the case.

242. If the sentence of the initial forum is suspension sine die together with a recommendation of expulsion from the Scottish Craft whether to endorse and approve this recommendation of expulsion will ordinarily be decided by the Disciplinary Committee or, if that Committee is the initial forum, by the Disciplinary Review Committee. Each has full discretion as to whether to endorse and approve the recommendation of expulsion. Its decision in the matter is final and not reviewable.

243. Irrespective of whether a Brother submits an appeal in good time, all convictions and sentences of the initial forum must be reviewed by the Disciplinary Committee which has full power to quash or set aside any convictions it considers unsound and to vary, as it sees fit, the sanction or disposal of the initial forum.

Before making such a variation, the Disciplinary Committee must, through Grand Secretary, invite representations from the complainant, the accused, the initial forum and the Determining Brother, each being informed in advance of the possible variation that the Committee has in mind. Where the initial forum was a temporary Complaint Committee in terms of Law 237, the relevant Lodge must be invited to make such representations.

If the Disciplinary Committee has acted as the initial forum its automatic review is not competent and its judgments may only be varied if a Brother exercises his right of appeal to the Disciplinary Review Committee or if it has recommended expulsion, which always has to be endorsed, or otherwise, by the Disciplinary Review Committee.

Any decision taken by the Disciplinary Committee, on review, is final.

244. All disposals or sanctions are final after all rights of appeal or of review (or both) have been completed.

When a sentence of suspension for a fixed period becomes final no further consideration ordinarily will be given to the case of the Brother concerned, who automatically will be restored to the privileges of membership on the expiry of that period.

245. For a Brother under sentence of suspension sine die re-admission to Qualified Membership of the Craft will be considered as follows:

Raising the sentence cannot be considered until after at least three years from the date it was first imposed. The suspended Brother must submit his application to have the sentence raised to Grand Secretary for the attention of the Disciplinary Committee. The Committee will consider the application and its decision is final.

However on receiving any such application and before reaching its decision, the Committee must invite written representations from the initial forum, the original Determining Brother in the case (if applicable) and all Daughter Lodges of which the suspended Brother would otherwise be a Qualified Member. Where the initial forum was a temporary Complaint Committee in terms of Law 237, the relevant Lodge must be invited to make such representations. While this consultation is obligatory those consulted have no right of veto and whether to raise a sentence of suspension sine die must be decided by the Disciplinary Committee.

If a Brother’s application to have a sentence of suspension sine die raised is not approved, at least two more years from the date of that decision must elapse before another application is competent.

246. The Disciplinary Committee has a general power (only to be exercised in exceptional circumstances at the Committee’s discretion) to vary, quash or set aside any Masonic disciplinary disposal or sanction which may have been imposed, even if previously declared final, including the recall and cancellation of a sentence of expulsion from the Scottish Craft.

247. A Brother who considers that his conduct has been unbecoming a Freemason or may make him liable to Masonic disciplinary proceedings may submit an offer in writing to Grand Secretary, for the attention of the Disciplinary Committee, to irrevocably resign his membership of the Scottish Craft. Grand Secretary must immediately refer the offer to the Disciplinary Committee.

The Disciplinary Committee must accept or reject that offer. If it accepts, then the Brother will have resigned irrevocably from the Scottish Craft from the date of acceptance, and no other form of Masonic disciplinary proceedings is competent or necessary.

If the Committee rejects the offer, the usual formal disciplinary proceedings may begin.

As a further option in dealing with an offer of irrevocable resignation the Disciplinary Committee, rather than accepting or rejecting that offer, may resolve instead to immediately vary the Brother’s offer of resignation so that from then on he is suspended sine die. If the Disciplinary Committee applies this option no other form of disciplinary proceedings, arising from the misconduct in question, is competent.

The decision of the Disciplinary Committee on a Brother’s offer to irrevocably resign in terms of this Law is final and not open to appeal or review. Grand Secretary must inform the Brother concerned, the Lodge or Lodges of which he is a member (excluding Honorary Membership) and any relevant Provincial or District Grand Lodge of the result of any such offer.

248. Grand Secretary must notify all disposals of disciplinary matters by the Disciplinary Committee and the Overseas and External Affairs and Special Purposes Committee or the Disciplinary Review Committee to the Brother concerned, to any complainant(s) concerned, to the Determining Brother (if any), to the Lodge or Lodges of which the accused Brother is a member (excluding Honorary Membership), and to any Provincial or District Grand Lodge concerned. He will record the disposals for the information of Grand Committee and, through its minutes, of Grand Lodge. The decisions of Standing Committees in the exercise of their disciplinary functions are not reviewable by Grand Committee nor by Grand Lodge.

249. A Brother who is subject to disciplinary proceedings or appeal proceedings under these Laws is entitled to attend any hearing where his case is to be considered. If he is unable or unwilling to attend in person he may appoint a mandatory to appear in his place. The mandatory must be a Qualified Member of a Daughter Lodge. Any Lodge, Provincial or District Grand Lodge which is a complainant or involved in any appeal process must appoint one of its Qualified Members as its representative to attend any hearing where the case is to be considered. Evidence of the appointment of the mandatory or representative must be given to the Secretary of the relevant forum by the time the hearing begins. An accused Brother, mandatory, complainant or representative is entitled at his expense (or in the case of a representative at the expense of the Lodge, Provincial or District Grand Lodge concerned if it has agreed to the appointment), to appoint an agent (whether formally qualified or not) to attend any hearing where the case is to be considered and to speak along with him or for him. This agent need not be a Freemason and prior notification of his appointment need not be given to any other party. Each agent is entitled to be present with the accused Brother, mandatory, complainant or representative throughout each relevant hearing of the case.

250. All disciplinary proceedings and hearings under these Laws must be conducted generally with due regard to the principles of natural justice. No person who has an interest in a case can participate as a member of any forum or Committee dealing with that case. Only members of a forum or Committee present throughout the whole proceedings in any case can participate in the decisions of that forum or Committee in the case.

All such proceedings and hearings must be conducted in accordance with the Regulations from time to time adopted by the Disciplinary Review Committee. These Regulations must be reported to Grand Committee in the minutes of the Disciplinary Review Committee and, through the minutes of Grand Committee, to Grand Lodge. The Regulations proposed in this way will take effect as soon as Grand Lodge has approved the minutes but subject to any amendments agreed by Grand Lodge at the time of such approval.


THE SCOTTISH MASONIC BENEVOLENT FUND

251. The name of the Fund shall be “The Scottish Masonic Benevolent Fund” and is referred to in this part of the Laws as “the Fund”.

252. The capital of the Fund shall consist of the investments and monies, assets (including heritable property) belonging to the capital of the former Fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence, the General Annuity Fund and the Orphan Annuity Fund together with all monies, assets (including heritable property) and investments which may be transferred from time to time from the income of the Fund, or from any other Fund of, or for the time being administered by, Grand Lodge, or from any other sources, and any donations and bequests not expressly made to the income of the Fund. Any donations or bequests in favour of the former Fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence, the General Annuity Fund and the Orphan Annuity Fund shall be credited to the Fund, these Funds having been merged to form the new Fund.

253. The income of the Fund shall consist of the interest, dividends and other revenue derived from its invested funds; the sums which under Law 138 are, or may be allocated to the income of the Fund and any donations and bequests expressly made to the income of the Fund or to the income of any of the three former Funds stated in Law 252.

254. Any balance of surplus income in the Fund shall be accumulated until an Income Reserve of £20,000 is attained; and thereafter, provided that the Income Reserve be maintained at that sum, any subsequent surplus shall be transferred to the capital of the Fund.

The sum to be distributed in any year by the Board of Benevolence and Masonic Homes shall not exceed the available income of the Fund, which is defined as nine-tenths of the income of the Fund for the previous year after deduction of the costs of management (as defined in Law 52) together with the balance at the credit of the Income Reserve.

255. The capital of the Fund shall be invested in terms of Law 48 and income not immediately required shall be similarly invested. Law 53 shall apply to the Fund.

256. The income of the Fund and the disposal and distribution thereof shall be under the control of the Board of Benevolence and Masonic Homes (in this part of the Laws referred to as “the Board”), which shall consist of the members of Grand Committee. Nine members shall form a quorum. The Board shall appoint annually a Committee from its number (referred to in this part of the Laws as “the Committee”), to investigate the cases of applicants and to report thereon to the Board.

The Board shall meet on the same dates as Grand Committee but may dispense with or alter the date of any statutory meeting. Prior to each meeting Grand Secretary shall send to each member of the Board a list of applications to be considered, setting forth the particulars of the applicants and the grounds on which their applications are based. The Board shall at the meeting in April of each year consider making an annual grant to those applicants who have received benevolence previously and whose circumstances are such that an annual grant is now considered necessary. Such annual grants shall be paid in equal half-yearly sums in June and December, but the Board will have power to pay these grants at other times, by other instalments or in one sum, and in such way and manner as the Board in its discretion may determine as best suited to each individual case. Applications for annual grants shall be submitted on forms issued by Grand Secretary and shall be considered on a declaration by the applicant of any changes in his or her circumstances since the last grant was authorised. Each application shall be countersigned by the Lodge Almoner or a Brother appointed on his behalf. The beneficiary shall be interviewed personally twice in a year and a report thereon submitted to Grand Secretary by the Lodge Almoner or other visitor.

All Provincial and District Grand Lodges shall undertake the supervision of all recipients of annual grants residing within their respective Provinces and Districts. It shall be their duty to make arrangements for the visitation of all such recipients by such visitor or visitors as they may choose (not necessarily members of Provincial or District Grand Lodge) at least once every year. Such visitations shall be for the purpose of ascertaining whether, in the opinion of the visitors, the grants are being well and usefully applied and that the recipients continue to be deserving and, in the case of children, whether they are comfortably provided for and suitably educated and maintained.

Provincial or District Grand Lodges, as the case may be, shall submit to Grand Secretary, on or before 15th January annually, special reports based on the information received by them from such visitors and from such other enquiries as they in their discretion may think proper to make. As far as possible the Brother to be appointed as aforesaid should not visit a beneficiary of his own Lodge.

257. All monies received by Grand Secretary on account of the Fund shall be paid forthwith into the bank account or accounts kept in the name of Grand Lodge and applied to the Fund. These accounts and any Deposit Receipts belonging to the Fund shall be operated as provided in Law 77(a). Grand Secretary shall keep account of all sums received and disbursed in connection with the Fund.

258. The Board shall have power in the exercise of its discretion to make grants and annual grants up to a cumulo amount not exceeding in any year, nine-tenths of the income of the Fund for the previous year after deduction of the costs of management as provided in Law 52. The available income as defined in Law 254 shall be devoted, so far as may be required, to the relief of any poor and distressed Brother (or the indigent parent, wife, widow, sister, child or other dependent of a Brother) whose name has been registered in the books of Grand Lodge for at least five years and who has been a Qualified Member of a Daughter Lodge during the five years immediately preceding the date of the application for benevolence, or who (if deceased at that date) has been so qualified during the five years immediately preceding the date of his death.

While it shall not be competent to make grants to more than one beneficiary through the membership of the same Brother (except to the children of a Brother who are under school leaving age) the Board shall have power to make grants for a limited period for the purpose of aiding children of a Brother over school leaving age who are undertaking a course of further education or while serving an apprenticeship. Such grants shall be payable only on a declaration from the Master and Secretary of the Lodge supporting the application, or from a Brother visiting on behalf of the Lodge, that the applicant, from enquiries made, is eligible and deserving and is applying himself or herself to the course or apprenticeship in question.

Should the neglect to register a Brother’s name be the fault of his Lodge, the applicant’s petition may be considered if satisfactory in other respects.

Notwithstanding the foregoing conditions of registration and membership, necessitous cases arising from circumstances of special hardship may be considered and relieved at the discretion of the Board, provided three-quarters of the members present agree.

259. The Board may, in cases of extraordinary distress, afford relief to Brethren of Sister Grand Lodges, or their indigent parents, wives, widows, sisters or children, on the production of valid certificates of registration and of good standing from their respective Lodges, and on proof of the identity and distress of the applicants.

260. All grants shall be made and continued at and during the pleasure of the Board, and any grant may be withdrawn or varied in amount at its discretion.

261. All applications for benevolence shall be considered by and made through any Lodge of which the Brother referred to in the petition is, or was, a member. It shall be the duty of that Lodge to certify as to whether or not the said Brother is or was a Qualified Member for the period specified in Law 258.

Grand Secretary shall supply forms of petition through the Lodge but, when a Lodge has become dormant or declines to supply a form of petition, Grand Secretary may supply the same to an applicant direct.

262. All applications must be lodged with Grand Secretary at least thirty days prior to consideration by the Board. Grand Secretary shall examine each application and shall certify to the Committee and the Board as to whether or not the Brother who is applying, or through whose membership an application is being lodged by a dependent, has been registered in the books of Grand Lodge for the period specified in Law 258.

On presentation of petitions by relatives of Brethren, evidence of relationship may be required.

The Committee shall meet prior to the April meeting of the Board to consider applications which have been received for annual grants and to make recommendations there on for consideration of the Board. At the September meeting of the Board, the Committee shall report any alterations to the list of annual grants previously awarded.

263. Grand Secretary shall record the number of each petition, the name of the applicant and any sum granted. The Chairman shall sign or initial, upon each application, the award of the Board.

264. It shall be competent for Grand Secretary to give such poor Brethren as may appear worthy of relief, a sum not exceeding £50 in each case, if the exigency of the circumstances should not admit of the delay necessary to lay the case before the Committee. Each sum so paid shall be regularly recorded, together with the name of the Brother concerned and the name and number of the Lodge of which he is a member.


THE SCOTTISH MASONIC GENERAL RELIEF FUND

265. The name of the Fund shall be “The Scottish Masonic General Relief Fund”, previously referred to as The General Relief Fund, and is referred to in this part of these Laws as “the Fund”.

266. The capital of the Fund shall consist of the investments and monies belonging to the capital of the former General Relief Fund, together with all donations and bequests in favour of the former General Relief Fund and all monies, assets (including heritable property) and investments which may be transferred from time to time from the income of the Fund or from any other Fund of, or for the time being administered by, Grand Lodge or from other sources.

267. The income of the Fund shall consist of the accumulated income of the former General Relief Fund together with the interest, dividends and other revenue derived from its invested funds, the sums which under Law 138 are, or may be allocated thereto and any donations or bequests expressly made to the income of the Fund, or to the former General Relief Fund.

268. The management of the Fund shall be under the control of the Board of Benevolence as set up in terms of Law 256 and is referred to in this part of the Laws as “the Board”.

Any grants proposed by the Board from the Fund in terms of Law 269 (c) are subject to the specific authorisation of Grand Lodge.

269. The income of the Fund shall be available for distribution as follows, viz.:-

  1. to alleviate distress among Brethren or their dependents occasioned by acts of war, (whether declared or not), riots or civil commotion;
  2. to make emergency grants to Brethren or their dependents in cases of special hardship;
  3. to make contributions to international, national or local disaster funds or emergency appeals, community projects and such other good causes as Grand Lodge may approve;
  4. to make grants or contributions to augment any other benevolent fund of Grand Lodge.

In so far as the income (including accumulated income) is not sufficient for these purposes any deficiency may be met from the capital of the Fund.

270. If the exigency of the circumstances does not admit of delay, Grand Almoner, in consultation with Grand Secretary, is empowered to make emergency grants in terms of Law 269 (b) and shall report such grants to the Board at its next meeting.

271. Laws 255, 257 and 259 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the Fund and are held here as repeated brevitatis causa .


THE SCOTTISH MASONIC HOMES FUND

272. The name of the Fund, which was established to mark the Centenary of The Fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence, shall be “The Scottish Masonic Homes Fund”. It is referred to in this part of these Laws as “the Fund”.

273. The Fund shall have as its purpose the provision of Masonic Homes (referred to in this part of these Laws as “Homes”) for indigent Brethren who are aged and worthy, their dependants, and such other cases as may be deemed necessitous, and the building, altering, furnishing, equipping and maintaining of such Homes and the maintenance of the residents therein.

274. The Capital of the Fund shall consist of the property, investments and monies at present belonging thereto; all monies, assets (including heritable property) and investments which may from time to time be transferred thereto from the Income of the Fund or from any other Fund of, or for the time being administered by, Grand Lodge and from any other source; gifts to Capital; and all legacies not expressly made or bequeathed to the Income of the Fund.

275. The Income of the Fund shall consist of the interest, dividends and other revenue derived from its invested funds; allocations made from the Annual Collection (Law 138); any legacies expressly made or bequeathed to the Income of the Fund; donations and subscriptions; contributions from residents in the Homes; monies from the sale of garden produce; and other appropriate revenue. The Income of the Fund (after deduction of the expenses of management as provided in Law 52) shall be expended on the maintenance of the Homes and of the residents therein. In so far as the income is not sufficient for this purpose, any deficiency may be met from the Capital of the Fund other than gifts or legacies expressly made or bequeathed to the Capital of the Fund. Any balance of income may be transferred to the Capital of the Fund.

276. Subject to the provisions of Law 77(a) the Capital and Income of the Fund shall be under the control of the Board of Benevolence and Masonic Homes (referred to in this part of these Laws as “the Board”) which shall consist of the members of Grand Committee. The Board shall meet twice annually in April and September and on the same dates as Grand Committee and at such other times as may be necessary. Nine members shall form a quorum.

277. The Grand Master Mason shall be the President of the Scottish Masonic Homes and Grand Lodge shall have power to appoint an Honorary President thereof.

278. Subject to the approval of the Board, the Committee shall be responsible for the provision, administration, management (including the appointment of senior staff in charge of Homes) and maintenance of Homes established in terms of this part of these Laws and the admission of residents, and shall report regularly for the information of the Board and of Grand Lodge. The Committee may make rules in regard to the terms and conditions of admission to each Home, the scale of contributions by residents and the day to day running of the Homes. The Board shall from time to time provide sufficient monies, in so far as available, to enable the Committee to carry out these functions.

279. The Committee may appoint a House Committee for each established Home, and such other Sub-Committees as they may consider requisite to act on their behalf on specified matters. The Committee shall specify the powers and duties of House Committees and Sub-Committees. The House Committee may, with the approval of the Committee, co-opt Brethren of special local knowledge and experience; such co- opted Brethren need not be members of the Board, but the Chairman of any House Committee or of any Sub-Committee shall be a member of the Committee of Benevolence and Care.

280. Law 256 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the Fund and is here held as repeated brevitatis causa .


CLOTHING AND REGALIA

Clothing

281. When attending Communications of Grand Lodge and Provincial and District Grand Lodge and meetings of Daughter Lodges, Brethren should, where possible, wear dark clothes and dark ties.

At Communications of Grand Lodge, Office-bearers, Members of Grand Committee and Grand Stewards shall wear formal morning dress, dark ties and white gloves.

Grand Lodge, Provincial and District Grand Lodges and Daughter Lodges may ordain that at any meeting, formal evening dress (i.e. Highland dress, tail-coats with black or white waistcoats and white ties, or dinner jackets with black ties) shall be worn.

Regalia

282. The regalia to be worn by members of the Scottish Constitution shall be that described in the Eighth Schedule to these Laws.

When mourning has been ordered, tassels, rosettes and levels on aprons and jewels shall be covered with black crepe.

283. No regalia or jewels other than those appertaining to Craft Masonry shall be worn at meetings of Grand Lodge, Provincial or District Grand Lodges or Daughter Lodges.

A Brother may only wear levels on the apron of a Lodge of which he is or has been the Master.

All Grand Office-bearers, Honorary and Past Grand Office-bearers, members of Grand Committee, Grand Stewards, Office-bearers, Honorary and Past Office-bearers of Provincial and District Grand Lodges, Grand Superintendents, Past Grand Superintendents and Office-bearers of Daughter Lodges shall be entitled to wear the regalia of their rank at any regularly constituted Masonic meeting.

Brethren acting in office in Grand Lodge, Provincial or District Grand Lodge or a Daughter Lodge shall wear the regalia of that office. Brethren taking part in a Deputation shall wear the regalia of their own office irrespective of any office occupied in such Deputation.


INTERPRETATION

284. In construing these Laws and the Schedules annexed or to be annexed hereto and any alterations of or additions to these Laws and said Schedules, the following words and expressions shall have the several meanings hereby assigned to them, unless there be something in the subject or context repugnant to such construction; that is to say:-

Admonition ” includes censure

Annuity Funds ” means — as regards a Provincial or District Grand Lodge, or a Daughter Lodge — any Fund which has been or may be constituted by any of them for the provision of annuities.

Benevolent Fund ” means:

  1. As regards Grand Lodge — the Fund constituted for the purposes set forth in that part of these Laws under the heading of “The Scottish Masonic Benevolent Fund” .
  2. As regards a Provincial or District Grand Lodge — its Benevolent Fund, constituted as provided in Law 105 and its Bye-Laws, if any.
  3. As regards a Daughter Lodge — its Benevolent Fund constituted as provided by Law 192 and its Bye-Laws.
  4. Board of Benevolence ” means the Board for the administration of “The Scottish Masonic Benevolent Fund” constituted as provided in Law 256.

Brevitatis causa ” means for the sake of brevity.

Bye-Laws ” means the General Bye-Laws set forth in the Sixth Schedule to these Laws and all Bye-Laws enacted, revised and approved as provided by Law 196.

Computation of time ” —

  1. “Clear days’ notice” excludes the day on which the notice is dispatched or published and the day for which notice is given.
  2. “Days’ notice” excludes the day on which the notice is dispatched or published, but includes the day for which notice is given.
  3. “One month” means at least 28 days.
  4. “Three months” means at least 89 days.
  5. “Twelve months” means 365 days or 366 days in a Leap Year, but as regards Grand Lodge means from the date of a Regular Communication in one year to the day preceding the corresponding Regular Communication in the following year.

Daughter Lodge ” or “ Lodge ” means any Lodge now or hereafter holding of Grand Lodge.

Defaulting Member ” means any Brother who is in arrear of his annual contribution to any Lodge of which he is a member for a period of twenty-four consecutive months or more.

Determining Brother ” means a Brother charged with the duty and responsibility of determining the initial manner of disposing of a disciplinary complaint or report in terms of the Laws and as is provided by Law 234.

District Grand Lodge ” means any District Grand Lodge, now or hereafter holding of Grand Lodge, entrusted with the supervision, guidance and control, on behalf of Grand Lodge, of a Masonic District erected or to be erected by Grand Lodge.

Good Standing ” means, both as regards Lodges and Members, clear of all dues and fees payable to Grand Lodge, Grand Committee, Provincial and District Grand Lodges and Daughter Lodges, or as the case may be, and free from Masonic sentence.

Grand Committee ” means the Committee constituted as provided in Law 65 for the management of the affairs entrusted to it by these Laws or delegated to it by Grand Lodge.

Grand Lodge ” means The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland.

Installed Master ” means a Brother who has been regularly passed through the Ceremony of Installed Master in a Daughter Lodge. A Brother who is a member, but not a Master or Past Master, of a Daughter Lodge but who is a Master or Past Master of a Lodge under any Sister Grand Lodge shall not be regarded as an “ Installed Master ” for the purposes of these Laws.

Judgment ” includes finding, decision, sentence and admonition.

Life Member ” means:

  1. As regards a Provincial or District Grand Lodge — a member no longer liable to pay an annual Test of Membership fee.
  2. As regards a Daughter Lodge — a member no longer liable to pay an Annual Contribution (Test Fee). The foregoing definitions do not include any Brother temporarily not liable to pay any such fee due to his meantime being under sentence of suspension.

Masonic Grand Body ” means a Sister Grand Lodge and any other Grand Body from time to time officially recognised as Masonic by, and in amity with, Grand Lodge.

Masonic Sentence ” includes suspension, expulsion and recall or forfeiture of Charter.

Mutatis mutandis ” means after making the necessary changes.

non-attending Life Member ” means a Brother who is a Life Member of a Lodge who has not attended any meeting of that Lodge during its two immediately preceding financial years.

Provincial Grand Lodge ” means any Provincial Grand Lodge, now or hereafter holding of Grand Lodge, entrusted with the supervision, guidance and control, on behalf of Grand Lodge, of a Masonic Province in Scotland, erected or to be erected by Grand Lodge.

Qualified Brother ” or “ Qualified Member ” does not include Honorary Member, as such. It means:

  1. As regards a Daughter Lodge — a Master Mason of such Lodge (or a Master Mason affiliated thereto for at least fourteen days) in good standing, and who has been registered as a Master Mason in the books of Grand Lodge, and whose present address is known to the Lodge.
  2. As regards a Provincial or District Grand Lodge — a member thereof, as constituted by Law 80, who is a Qualified Member of a Daughter Lodge in good standing in such Province or District, and who is in good standing with such Provincial or District Grand Lodge.
  3. As regards Grand Lodge — a member thereof, as constituted by Law 5, who is a Qualified Member of a Daughter Lodge in good standing with Grand Lodge and — if a Provincial or District Grand Master, or a Past Provincial or District Grand Master — is also a Qualified Member of his Provincial or District Grand Lodge, and who is in good standing with Grand Lodge.

Qualified Master ” means an Installed Master or a Brother who has been duly installed as the Master of a Lodge which is or was under the English or Irish Constitution at the time of that Brother’s installation.

Scottish Craft ” means The Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland.

Sentence ” (see “Masonic Sentence”).

Sine die ” means indefinitely.

Sister Grand Lodge ” means any other Grand Lodge of Freemasons from time to time officially recognised as such by, and in amity with, Grand Lodge.

Standing Orders ” means such of these Laws and such Bye-Laws as relate to the manner in which business is to be conducted.

These Laws ” means The Constitution and Laws of Grand Lodge, and relative Schedules, as enacted by Grand Lodge from time to time. A reference in these Laws to a Law or a Schedule, followed or preceded by a cardinal or an ordinal number, shall be a sufficient reference to the Law or Schedule in question. The Schedules form an integral part of the Constitution and Laws and have the same validity as any numbered Law.

Words used in the singular include the plural, and vice versa.


FIRST SCHEDULE

Amounts and Limits of sums referred to in the foregoing Laws.

PART I - SUMS PAYABLE TO GRAND LODGE

( Note: All sums in Part I are payable to the Income of the General Fund with the exception of Fees of Honour payable under Item 3 hereunder which are payable to the Scottish Masonic Homes Fund and contributions payable under Item 16 hereunder which are payable to the Capital of the General Fund.)

Payable by Members

1 (Law 6) Test of membership payable annually by each Member of Grand Lodge other than the Representatives of Daughter Lodges (including a copy of Proceedings of Grand Lodge) £20.00
2 (Law 6) Fee payable annually by each Proxy Representative of a Daughter Lodge appointed by Grand Committee £20.00

By Office-bearers and Stewards

3 (Law 6) Fees of Honour payable annually in addition to Test of Membership  
    Grand Master Mason £20.00
    Past Grand Masters £20.00
    Depute Grand Master £20.00
    Substitute Grand Master £20.00
    Provincial or District Grand Master £20.00
    Proxy District Grand Master £20.00
    Senior Grand Warden £20.00
    Junior Grand Warden £20.00
    Grand Treasurer £20.00
    Grand Almoner £20.00
    Grand Director of Ceremonies £20.00
    Senior Grand Chaplain £20.00
    Junior Grand Chaplain £20.00
    Senior Grand Deacon £20.00
    Junior Grand Deacon £20.00
    Grand Librarian £20.00
    Grand Architect £20.00
    Grand Jeweller £20.00
    Grand Bible-bearer £20.00
    Grand Bard £20.00
    Grand Sword-bearer £20.00
    Grand Director of Music £20.00
    Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies £20.00
    Grand Marshal £20.00
    Senior Grand Standard-bearer £20.00
    Junior Grand Standard-bearer £20.00
    Grand Inner Guard £20.00
    President of Grand Stewards £20.00
  (Law 29) Vice-President of Grand Stewards £20.00
    Each Grand Steward £20.00
4 (Law 59) Certificate of Past Service £15.00

Provincial and District Grand Masters

5 (Law 84) Commission £75.00
6 (Law 84) Each renewal of Commission £30.00

New Daughter Lodges

7 (Law 114) Charter £250.00
8 (Law 118) Duplicate Charter £150.00
9 (Law 56, 117, 123) Each Founder Member or Reponing Member—for Registration and Diploma  
    (a) If Member of a Daughter Lodge £10.00
    (b) If not of Scottish Constitution £20.00

Daughter Lodges

10 (Law 119) Annual dues for Certificate, Representation Fees, a copy of the Year Book, four copies of Printed Proceedings and a contribution to the cost of the administration of Grand Lodge, being the amount in respect of every qualified member of the lodge concerned.  
11 (Law 145) Fee for the registration of the Commission of each Proxy Master or Proxy Warden £20.00
12 (Law 174) Each each Intrant (Lodge No. 0 £0.05 less) for Registration and Diploma £20.00
13 (Law 174) Each each Affliate (Lodge No. 0 £0.05 less) for Registration and Diploma  
    (a) If already registered in Grand Lodge books £10.00
    (b) If not so registered £20.00
14 Law 176 Registration of each Mark Master, including Diploma £10.00
15 Law 58 Duplicate or amended Diploma £10.00

New Members of Daughter Lodges

16 (Law 117, 123, 173) Contribution payable by each Intrant; and by each Founder Member, Reponing Member or Affiliate Member, if from another Constitution £60.00

Dispensations

17 (Law 64, 167) Fee for each Dispensation by the Grand Master Mason £20.00

PART II - PAYABLE TO PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT GRAND LODGES

From Daughter Lodges

18 (Law 105) (a) For General Fund:  
    (1) Minimum annual sum £40.00
    (2) In respect of each Intrant of Affliate, minimum sum £5.00
    (b) For Benevolent Fund—in respect of each Intrant or Affiliate, minimum sum £2.00

From Members

19 (Law 83) (a) Minimum Fee £5.00
    (b) Commutation Fee (optional), minimum sum:
    15 times the amount of the Test of Membership. These fees to be kept as a separate fund. A percentage (fixed by Bye-Law) being a maximum of 20% of the sum at credit of that Fund at the end of each Financial Year is to be withdrawn to form part of the membership fees for that year  

PART III - PAYABLE TO DAUGHTER LODGES

Initiation Fee

20 (Law 171) Minimum Fee £120.00

Affiliation Fee

21 (Law 171) Minimum Fee £50.00

Mark

22 (Law 176) Minimum Fee £15.00

Founder Member

23 (Law 117) Minimum Fee £50.00

Rejoining Fee

24 (Law 130) Minimum Fee £30.00

Annual Contribution (Test Fee)

25 (Law 125) (a) Minimum £25.00
    (b) Reduced Annual Contribution (minimum) £15.00

Commutation Fee

26 (Law 127) As item 19(b) above but instead of “Test of Membership” in line 2 insert “Annual Contribution” and in last but one substitute “Annual Contributions” for “Membership Fees”  

Benevolent Fund

27 (Law 125) Not less than 10% from each Annual Contribution and corresponding proportion of sum withdrawn annually from Commutation Fees Fund.  

SECOND SCHEDULE

STYLES

1. The Style “Right Worshipful” is accorded to the following offices and positions, namely:

  1. Past Grand Master
  2. Depute Grand Master
  3. Past Depute Grand Master
  4. Substitute Grand Master
  5. Past Substitute Grand Master
  6. Provincial Grand Master
  7. District Grand Master
  8. Past Provincial or District Grand Master
  9. Proxy District Grand Master
  10. Grand Superintendent
  11. Past Grand Superintendent
  12. Grand Warden
  13. Grand Secretary
  14. Grand Treasurer
  15. Grand Almoner
  16. Grand Director of Ceremonies
  17. Master of a Daughter Lodge

2. The Style “Very Worshipful” is accorded to the following offices and positions, namely:

  1. Grand Chaplain
  2. Grand Deacon
  3. Grand Librarian
  4. Grand Architect
  5. Grand Jeweller
  6. Grand Bible-bearer

3. The Style “Worshipful” is accorded to the following offices and positions, namely:

  1. Grand Bard
  2. Grand Sword-bearer
  3. Grand Director of Music
  4. Assistant Grand Secretary
  5. Assistant Grand Treasurer
  6. Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies
  7. Grand Organist
  8. Grand Piper
  9. Grand Marshal
  10. Senior Grand Standard-bearer
  11. Junior Grand Standard-bearer
  12. Grand Inner Guard
  13. President of Grand Stewards
  14. Grand Tyler
  15. Past Grand Office-bearer, other than Past Grand Master, Past Depute Grand Master and Past Substitute
  16. Grand Master
  17. Honorary Grand Office-bearer
  18. Provincial and District Grand Office-bearer
  19. Past Provincial and District Grand Office-bearer
  20. Past Master
  21. Warden

4. In the absence of a Provincial or District Grand Master or of the Master of a Daughter Lodge, the Brother taking his place in accordance with Laws 100 and 158 is to be addressed if a Past Master as “Right Worshipful” and if not a Past Master, as “Worshipful”. Similarly, a Brother taking the place of a Provincial or District Grand Office-bearer or of a Warden of a Daughter Lodge is to be addressed as “Worshipful”.


THIRD SCHEDULE

STANDING ORDERS

1.Quorum

A communication shall not be opened or any business conducted unless the quorum stated in the Laws is present.

2.Business

  1. The order of business at all Regular Communications shall be as follows: —
    1. Reports of proceedings of Sister Grand Lodges,
    2. Confirmation of the Minutes of the preceding Regular Communication and of any subsequent Special Communication,
    3. Minutes of the immediately preceding meeting of Grand Committee,
    4. Minutes of the Board of Benevolence and Masonic Homes,
    5. Transactions of Grand Committee and consideration of its recommendations,
    6. Consideration of any Motions of which notice has been given,
    7. Notices of Motion,
    8. Any other competent business.
  2. At a Special Communication only the business for which it was called shall be transacted.

3.Minutes

  1. Minutes of preceding Communications shall not be the subject of any motion or discussion except in regard to their accuracy. After confirmation, questions may be asked but no discussion of any decision recorded in the minutes shall be permitted.
  2. Minutes of Grand Committee and of the Boards are submitted for information and for approval or otherwise of recommendations therein. Confirmation of their accuracy is a matter for the Committee or Board concerned.

4.Conduct of Business

  1. Any Brother desirous of speaking shall rise. If more than one rises, the Chairman shall decide who is to speak. The speaker shall remain standing during his speech and shall address his remarks to the Chair.
  2. Speeches must be relevant, must not repeat arguments previously advanced whether by the same or a previous speaker and must not be time wasting. The Chairman shall be the sole judge whether a speaker is complying with this rule and, if not satisfied, may, after due warning, order a Brother to cease speaking and resume his seat.
  3. Unless otherwise provided by the Laws or Bye-Laws all questions shall be decided by a majority of Qualified Members present and voting, the vote being taken by a show of hands. The Chairman shall have a deliberative vote and in the event of equality a casting vote.
  4. The Chairman shall decide all points not provided for in the Laws or Bye-Laws, but the power of deciding as to the interpretation of a Law or Bye-Law shall vest in the meeting, not in the Chair.

5.Motions

  1. No motion can be discussed until it has been proposed, seconded and accepted by the Chairman.
  2. When a motion has been accepted it shall not be competent for the Chairman to refuse to put it to the vote.
  3. No recommendation by Grand Committee shall be deemed to be a motion proposed and seconded.
  4. No motion included on the agenda shall be postponed without cause shown.
  5. When a motion of which Notice has been given is due to be dealt with the Proposer and Seconder should be present. If either is present and declines to act the motion falls. If the Proposer be absent the Seconder may propose the motion, in which case, or if the Seconder be absent, any member may second the motion. If both the Proposer and Seconder be absent the motion falls.
  6. Except as provided herein under “8. Right of Reply”, a member who has spoken to a motion may not do so again unless on a point of order or explanation. A member may formally second a motion or amendment without comment and reserve his right to speak later.

6.Amendments

  1. An amendment is a proposal to alter a motion by omitting, inserting or adding words, by substituting words in place of others or by a combination of these.
  2. An amendment is out of order if it: —
    1. implies the negative of the motion (a motion is rejected not by “moving the negative” but by voting against it when put to the vote);
    2. is inconsistent with the business;
    3. covers ground already dealt with in a previous motion or amendment;
    4. would alter a decision made within the preceding twelve months;
    5. extends the scope of a motion of which notice has been given.
  3. An amendment to a motion of which notice has been given is out of order if it extends the scope of the motion or increases any sum of money specified therein.
  4. An amendment cannot be discussed until it has been proposed, seconded and accepted by the Chairman.
  5. On an amendment being proposed the motion to which it refers becomes the “Original Motion” and all discussion thereon ceases until the amendment has been disposed of.
  6. A member who has spoken to the Original Motion may speak again (once) to the amendment.
  7. When an amendment has been proposed no further amendment may be proposed until the former has been disposed of.
  8. If an amendment be defeated, discussion of the original motion is resumed. If the amendment be carried, the Original Motion so amended becomes the “Substantive Motion” and becomes the question under discussion. It may be the subject of further amendments.
  9. After all amendments have been dealt with, the Original Motion, if no amendments have been carried, or the Substan-tive Motion resulting from all the amendments carried, is put to the vote and, if carried, becomes the resolution of the Communication.

7.Withdrawals and Modifications

  1. No motion or amendment which has been accepted by the Chairman can be withdrawn without the unanimous consent of the members present.
  2. Without such consent a motion cannot be modified in any way except by an amendment proposed, seconded and carried.

8.Right of Reply

  1. The proposer of a motion shall have a right to reply to arguments advanced in the debate. In doing so he may not introduce any new matter.
  2. The right of reply shall be exercised only once. The reply may be made on an amendment on which the proposer of the Original Motion has not spoken, on the original motion or, if any amendment has been carried, on the Substantive Motion.
  3. The Chairman shall give the proposer the opportunity to exercise his right of reply after which no further speeches are permissible before the vote is taken.
  4. The proposer of an amendment shall have no right of reply.

9.Closing of Debate

  1. The normal method of closing the debate on a motion or on an amendment is that the Chairman, having ascertained that all members wishing and entitled to speak have done so, calls for the proposer's reply, if any, and puts the question to the vote.
  2. The debate may also be closed by the carrying of a motion for the “Closure”, the “Next Business” or the “Previous Question”. These motions may each be moved at any time even if a member is speaking, except that the Previous Question cannot be moved while an amendment is under discussion. They can only be proposed and seconded by members who have not spoken in the debate. No speeches shall be allowed on such motions which, if accepted by the Chairman, shall be put to the vote forthwith.
  3. The “Closure” if seconded must be accepted by the Chairman unless it has previously been defeated in relation to the same motion or amendment. If no amendment is under discussion the Closure refers to the main motion and, if carried, that motion is put to the vote. If an amendment is under discussion the Closure refers to that amendment and, if carried, the amendment is put to the vote. The Closure may be moved again in relation to the main motion. If the Closure is not carried that debate continues as though it had not been proposed. The carrying of the Closure on the main motion does not affect the proposer’s right of reply.
  4. If the “Next Business” is carried the motion and any amendments are shelved and may not be re-introduced at the same Communication. If it is not carried the debate continues as though it had not been proposed.
  5. If the “Previous Question” is carried the effect is the same as if “Next Business” had been carried. If the “Previous Question” is defeated the Main Motion must be put to the vote forthwith, the proposer losing his right of reply.
  6. Motions for the “Next Business” or the “Previous Question” need not be accepted by the Chairman if he feels that to do so would be an abuse of procedure in the particular circumstances. This also applies to the “Closure” if it has previously been defeated in relation to the same motion of amendment.

10.Adjournment

  1. A motion to adjourn a debate on a motion may be proposed and seconded only by members who have not already spoken in the debate. Only the proposer of the adjournment may make a speech and he must confine his remarks to the question of adjournment. The proposer of the motion upon which adjournment has been proposed shall be allowed to reply on the question of adjournment without prejudice to his right of reply on his own motion. The proposal to adjourn a motion must specify when it is to be resumed.
  2. A motion to adjourn a Communication must be proposed and seconded without a speech and shall be put to the vote forthwith. The place and time of the resumed Communication shall be fixed by the Grand Master Mason or, in his absence, by the Immediate Past Grand Master, the Depute Grand Master or the Substitute Grand Master. On resumption the business shall continue as though there had been no break and no business shall be taken up which was not on the original agenda.

11.Suspension of Standing Orders

A motion for the Suspension of Standing Orders does not require a seconder and must be put to the vote without discussion. The Brother moving suspension must state which of these Standing Orders he wishes to have suspended and the purpose of such suspension. No suspension shall take place unless two-thirds of the members present vote in favour.

12.Rulings and Interpretations

The Chairman shall decide all points of order not covered by the Laws of Grand Lodge or the Bye-Laws of a Provincial or District Grand Lodge or a Daughter Lodge, but the power of deciding as to the interpretation of a Law or Bye-Law shall be vested in the meeting, not in the Chairman.


FOURTH SCHEDULE

DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE OF ENQUIRY

Introduction

1. In this Schedule “the Committee” means the Committee of Enquiry of a Lodge.

Initial Procedure

2. Should it become known to the Committee that the admission of a Candidate would be contrary to the terms of Law 167, the Committee will so report to the Lodge without further consideration.

If a Dispensation is necessary it is not to be sought until the Committee is in a position to state that its enquiries are complete and that, if the Dispensation be granted, it will report to the Lodge in favour of the Candidate.

3. The Committee shall communicate with Daughter Lodges as required by Law 168. Information required from Lodges under a Sister Constitution may be obtained only through Grand Secretary.

4. It is the duty of Daughter Lodges to report on Candidates when requested. Failure of any Lodge to do so must be reported to the Provincial or District Grand Lodge or, where there is none, to Grand Committee.

Further Procedure

5. Unless paragraph 2 above applies, the Committee has no power to prevent the application taking its course and being put to the ballot. Its duty is to enquire fully into the character and qualifications of the Candidate and report to the Lodge.

It is the Committee’s duty to make every possible investigation, in the course of which it must interview the Proposer, Seconder and Candidate. It is justified in putting to them any relevant question it thinks fit and is entitled and indeed enjoined to make independent investigations through its members.

The Committee must not shorten its enquiries in order to have its report ready for a particular meeting of the Lodge.

6. The Committee must interview the Proposer, Seconder and Candidate separately. If practicable the Proposer and Seconder should be interviewed before the Candidate.

7. The questions to be put in the case of an application for Affiliation do not require to establish the Candidate's suitability for admission to the Craft. The questions set forth below apply mainly in the case of applications for Initiation.

8. Proposers and Seconders should be questioned on the following lines. The questions may be varied according to circumstances and put by the members in their own words. The important thing is the information received. Brethren who have proposed or seconded candidates who did not become good Freemasons should be closely questioned. Suitable questions are as follows:—

  1. How long have you known the Candidate?
  2. Do you meet him often?
  3. Where do you meet:
    1. In your home?
    2. In his home?
    3. At work?
    4. Socially?
  4. Would you be prepared to welcome him into your own family as an intimate friend?
  5. What reasons have you for thinking Freemasonry will appeal to him?
  6. Have you always found him upright and honourable?
  7. Do you consider him in every respect a suitable and desirable person for admission to the Craft?
  8. Have you informed him that membership of the Craft and of a particular Lodge means personal effort on his part in the service of the Lodge and the community?
  9. Have you informed him of his financial obligations to the Craft and its Benevolent Funds?
  10. Are his usual companions respected members of the community?
  11. Has he ever to your knowledge been convicled of a crime or offence?
  12. Has he lived or been employed in the district of the Lodge throughout the last three years?
  13. Is he likely to be permanently resident in the district?
  14. Would his home and/or business circumstances make it difficult for him to attend Lodge meetings regularly?
  15. As his proposer/seconder do you appreciate that it is your duty, if he is accepted, to instruct him, after he has received each Degree, and to encourage him in every way to become a good and keen Freemason?

9. The questions to be put to the Candidate should include the following: —

  1. Do you believe in the Supreme Being?
  2. Do you accept as binding an obligation on Holy Writ?
  3. Have you been pressed to join the Craft?
  4. What are your reasons for seeking to become a Freemason?
  5. Are you aware that there are no financial benefits in joining Freemasonry?
  6. Are you aware that Lodges are not social clubs, but that they give men the opportunity of giving personal service to help those among whom they live?
  7. Are you prepared to contribute to our various charities?
  8. Have you ever undertaken any social or welfare work?
  9. Have you read the booklet “The Applicant” and have you any questions you would like to ask us?
  10. Do you undertake to attend your Lodge regularly and fulfil all your obligations to it?
  11. Have you been made aware of possible financial commitments and are you willing to undertake them?

Conduct of Interviews

10. When the Candidate is interviewed he should be put at ease as far as possible. He should not be placed in a conspicuous or isolated position and the proceedings should be informal so that he does not feel he is under inquisition. The Master might begin by saying, “You have applied to join our Lodge and naturally we want to know more about you before deciding. This meeting also lets you see some of the members to see if you like them. You can ask questions if you wish.” The questions should not all be asked by the Master—some might be allotted to other Brethren beforehand. The questions may in some instances be put in different words—for example it is useless asking the Candidate if he will attend regularly without telling him when the Lodge meets. Other questions may be asked.

Reporting

11. On completion of its investigations the Committee must report in writing. The report may take the form of the minute of its meeting. The report must state that the Candidate and his Proposer and Seconder have been interviewed and if any reports are required in terms of Law 168, must state that these have been obtained. The report must contain the Committee's recommendation for or against admission.

The Committee must make its report within twelve months of the application being read in the Lodge.


FIFTH SCHEDULE

PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT GRAND LODGES AND
DAUGHTER LODGES

AUDITING OF LODGE BOOKS

1. Lodges must ensure that their Books and Accounts are effectively audited each year.

2. No person may be appointed Auditor unless he is (a) qualified by training or experience to carry out an effective audit and (b) completely independent of responsibility for management or direction of any part of the Lodge's activities. A professional Auditor, not necessarily a member of the Craft, may be appointed.

The Auditor, on appointment by the Lodge, must be furnished by the Lodge Secretary with copies of (a) the Constitution and Laws of Grand Lodge (and his attention drawn to this Appendix) and (b) the Bye-Laws of the Lodge.

3. Provincial and District Grand Lodges may make arrangements with a professional auditor to carry out, at a reasonable fee, the audit for such Lodges within the Province or District which may desire such services.

4. The duties of the Auditor include the following, but it must be noted such are not necessarily exhaustive: —

(a) The Auditor must make himself familiar with (1) the duties and responsibilities of the Treasurer and the Benevolent Fund Treasurer and (2) the regulations relating to Property, Finance and Accounts both as provided in the Laws and relative Schedules of Grand Lodge and in the Bye-Laws of the Lodge.

(b) All books relating to the intromissions of the Treasurers) must be examined and checked including: —

1. All income verified from certified vouchers or from other records, e.g. Minute Book, Investments, etc.

2. All Expenditure verified from (a) receipted statements or (b) paid cheques, in cases supported by the relative invoices duly passed for payment by the Master or the Chairman of the appropriate Committee and authorised by the Lodge.

3. All Bank transactions verified from Bank Statements.

4. Cash and Bank balances, at the beginning of the year, verified from the Accounts for the previous year.

5. Cash on hand counted and the sum reconciled with the Cash Book.

6. Bank balances, at the end of the financial year, verified from Bank Certificates and reconciled with the Cash Book.

(c) The Minute Books of the Lodge and Committees must be examined and all references therein to Income and/or Expenditure checked against the corresponding entries in the Treasurer's Books.

(d) The Auditor must examine: —

1. Certificates from the Bank(s) confirming the balances, at the close of the financial year, on all Accounts held for the Lodge.

2. Certificates or other Deeds of Security for all Investments in the names of the Trustees of the Lodge or by the bank on their behalf with, in certain cases (e.g. Building Societies) annual verification from the borrower.

3. Annual Certificate from the Law Agents to the Lodge that they hold the titles to Heritable Property owned by the Lodge and that such are in order and, further, stating whether or not the Property is encumbered and, if so, to what extent.

4. Annual Inventory of Lodge Furniture, Equipment, Regalia, etc., duly certified by the Senior Warden or other Office-bearer appointed to compile the Inventory.

(e) The Auditor must NOT accept verbal assurances on any of the foregoing matters.

(f) After completely verifying the Annual Abstract of Accounts, the Auditor should append thereto a Report (with such modifications of qualifications as may be required according to circumstances), in, or as near as may be, the following terms: —

Place and Date………………………………………………………

I hereby certify that I have examined the books, accounts and vouchers of the Treasurer(s) of Lodge, No..., on the Roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, for the year ended …………………… and have found them to be correctly stated and sufficiently vouched and instructed. I have examined Certificates or other evidence confirming the Investments and the Bank balances and the Law Agents have certified that they hold the Title Deeds to the Heritable Property and that these are in order. In my opinion the foregoing Abstract of Accounts is correctly stated and the relative Balance Sheet is properly drawn up so as to exhibit a true and correct view of the position of the Lodge at that date.

……………………………… Auditor

(g) If the Auditor's Report is not signed within two months of the end of the financial year, then it is his further duty to communicate forthwith in writing to the Lodge Secretary explaining what, in his view, is the cause of the delay. Such communication must be reported, in full, by the Lodge Secretary to the Master forthwith and to the next meeting of the Lodge.


SIXTH SCHEDULE

INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING BYE-LAWS

PART 1 - GENERAL

Bye-Laws should not be set in type before approval in terms of Law 196. Typewritten or legibly handwritten copies should be submitted in duplicate for approval.

Part 2 of this Schedule contains instructions regarding Bye-Laws of Provincial and District Grand Lodges, Part 3 instructions for Daughter Lodges including specimen Bye-Laws. As a general rule no additional Bye-Laws are necessary but some additions may be required to meet special circumstances, the most usual of which are the existence of special funds and the ownership of heritable property. There must be no repetition of statements made in the Laws of Grand Lodge but it is permissible to state that certain matters “shall be as defined in Law…………”

Bye-Laws should be divided into Sections not numbered but with headings, and the Bye-Laws numbered consecutively. When an amendment to Bye-Laws is mooted consideration should be given to the whole of the Bye-Laws for the following reasons. First, a change in one Bye-Law may make a change elsewhere necessary, e.g. a change of the Financial Year may necessitate a change in the date of the Annual Meeting. Second, changes made by Grand Lodge in the Constitution and Laws may necessitate alterations to the Bye-Laws. Third, the views of the Lodge regarding some of the existing provisions may have changed. If many changes are required it may be better to draft a new set of Bye-Laws.

A motion to amend Bye-Laws should state the actual words involved, e.g. “That in Bye-Law No………… the words ‘…………………’ be deleted and replaced by the words ‘……………………’”

When alterations to Bye-Laws or new Bye-Laws to replace existing ones are submitted for approval these should be accompanied by a note of the dates of the meetings at which notice of motion was given in terms of Law 164 and at which the motion was approved, together with the numbers voting for and against approval, and in the case of Daughter Lodges the date of approval by the Provincial and District Grand Lodge concerned.

PART 2 - PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT GRAND LODGES

The Bye-Laws of Provincial and District Grand Lodges must follow the general lines of the specimen Bye-Laws hereunder. These are in the form of Bye-Laws of an imaginary Provincial/District Grand Lodge and are printed in heavier type. The instructions in lighter type must be followed.

Bye-Laws
of
The Provincial/District Grand Lodge of ……………………
holding of
The Grand Lodge of Antient, Free
and Accepted Masons of Scotland

Introduction

1. The Provincial/District Grand Lodge of………………………… (hereinafter referred to as “Provincial/District Grand Lodge”) shall be governed by the Constitution and Laws of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and by these Bye-Laws.

Membership

2. The membership of Provincial/District Grand Lodge shall be as defined in Laws 80 and 81.

If the Provincial/District Grand Lodge considers it necessary to have a Bye-Law relating to membership no wording other than this is permissible.

Communications

3. All Communications shall be held within....................... or such other venue as Provincial/District Grand Lodge at a previous Communication shall decide or as determined from time to time by the Provincial/District Grand Master.

The Bye-Law should name, where possible, the building, not merely the town. It is permissible to have more than one meeting place and, if this is the case, the Bye- Laws should determine which Communications are to be held in each.

This Bye-Law relates to all Communications — no attempt should be made to combine it with the next Bye-Law which deals with Regular Communications only.

4. The Regular Communications shall be held on the second Friday of February at seven p.m., the second Monday of April and the second Monday of October, both at seven-thirty p.m., or at such other time as Provincial/District Grand Lodge at a previous Communication may appoint or as determined from time to time by the Provincial/District Grand Master.

5. The Annual Communication shall be the Regular Communication on the second Friday of February. At that Communication the Abstract of Accounts and Balance Sheet shall be considered; and the Nomination and Election of Office-bearers and the Nomination and Appointment of members of the Board of Provincial/District Grand Stewards shall take place, together with the Installation of elected Office-bearers for the ensuing year.

The procedure to be adopted for such Nominations, Elections, and Appointments shall be entirely without prejudice to the fifth paragraph of Law 135. Provincial/District Grand Committee shall prepare a list of Brethren who are recommended for election. Provincial/District Grand Secretary shall circulate this list with the Notice calling the Communication. Should more than one candidate be nominated for any office, the voting shall be by show of hands and the Brother receiving most votes shall be elected.

The second paragraph of this Bye-Law is optional and need not be included. It is possible where Communications are convened other than by circular for the list of Brethren recommended for office to be distributed to Qualified Members attending the Communication.

The Nomination, Election, and/or Installation of Office-bearers may take place at separate Communications if desired, in which case more than one Bye-Law may be required. It is permissible to include provision for Nominations to be posted to the Provincial/District Grand Secretary a stated number of days before the Election; this should be soon enough for the list to be included in the circular calling the Election Communication.

6. At all Communications nine Qualified Members shall form a quorum.

The Bye-Laws must state the quorum at all Communications which may not be less than nine.

7. Any requisition for a Special Communication in terms of Law 101 must be signed by not less than nine Qualified Members.

The number of members who must sign a requisition for a Special Communication must not be less than that provided for the quorum.

8. All Communications shall be convened by circular delivered or posted to every Qualified Member at least ten days prior to the Communication.

This specimen Bye-Law illustrates one permissible method of convening Communications of Provincial/District Grand Lodge. Whilst “ten days” is the minimum it is open to a Provincial/District Grand Lodge to specify a longer period. Communications may be convened by advertisement or by intimation at a previous Communication, however the method to be used must be specified within the Bye-Laws.

Office-bearers

9. In terms of Law 89, the Provincial/District Grand Master shall be entitled to choose and appoint by Commission, from time to time, a Depute Provincial/District Grand Master, a Substitute Provincial/District Grand Master, a Provincial/District Grand Secretary and a Provincial/District Grand Chaplain or Chaplains.

If more than one, the number of Substitute Provincial/ District Grand Masters should be inserted.

10. The elective Office-bearers of Provincial/District Grand Lodge shall be the Provincial/District Senior Grand Warden, Provincial/District Junior Grand Warden and Provincial/District Grand Tyler.

The Bye-Laws must state what elective Office-bearers there shall be. The list must comply with Law 90 and must be in the same order as the corresponding Grand Office-bearers in Law 10. Stewards (other than the President) are not Office-bearers and must not be listed as such.

11. An elected Provincial/District Grand Office-bearer (the Provincial/District Grand Treasurer .and Provincial/District Grand Tyler excepted) shall not hold the same office for longer than two years consecutively.

Law 15 which prohibits the holding of the same office in Grand Lodge for more than two consecutive years also applies by virtue of Law 90 to the elected Office-bearers of Provincial/District Grand Lodges, with the same exceptions.

12. In addition to those duties required of him in terms of Law 142, Provincial/District Grand Secretary shall……………………………………

The duties of the Provincial/District Grand Secretary and Provincial/District Grand Treasurer are laid down in Laws 142 and 143 respectively, (which apply by virtue of Law 113). These should not be repeated but additional duties may be specified for them and similarly for other Office-bearers if desired.

13. Provincial/District Grand Secretary, Provincial/District Grand Treasurer and Provincial/ District Grand Tyler shall receive such remuneration or honorarium as Provincial/District Grand Lodge at its Annual Communication may decide.

It is a frequent practice to remunerate or give an honorarium to the Office-bearers named. This may be done only if the Bye-Laws so provide. It is for Provincial/District Grand Lodge to decide which, if any, of the Office-bearers shall be remunerated or given an honorarium. Reimbursement of expenses incurred may be authorised at any Communication.

Stewards

14. There shall be a Board of Provincial/District Grand Stewards consisting of members including the President.

A Provincial/District Grand Lodge need not have a Board of Stewards (Law 93) though it must have a President of Stewards (Law 90).

Committees

15. Provincial/District Grand Committee shall consist of the Provincial/District Grand Master, all ex-officiis, together with elected members.

16. Provincial/District Grand Committee is responsible for the administration of the affairs of Provincial/District Grand Lodge. It may consider any matter relating to the government of the Craft within the Province/District of ……………………… and make recommendations thereon to Provincial/District Grand Lodge.

All transactions of Provincial/District Grand Committee shall be reported for the consideration of Provincial/District Grand Lodge at the next Regular Communication.

17. Meetings of Provincial/District Grand Committee shall be held on……………………… within ……………………… at ………………………… at seven p.m. or at such other venue or time as Provincial/District Grand Committee at a previous meeting shall decide or as determined by the Provincial/District Grand Master.

Additional meetings may be held as required. At all meetings of Provincial/District Grand Committee five shall form a quorum.

If there is to be a Provincial/District Grand Committee the Bye-Laws shall specify the powers and duties thereof, stating also which Office-bearers are members ex-officiis, how many members are to be elected, the quorum and days of stated meetings (Law 94).

18. Provincial/District Grand Committee, at its meeting in ………………, may appoint from its own number the following Standing Committees and the Chairmen thereof:—

(a) A Finance Committee, which shall consist of the Provincial/District Grand Master, Provincial/District Grand Secretary and Provincial/District Grand Treasurer, all ex-officiis, together with ……………… other members. This Standing Committee shall supervise all of the funds of Provincial/District Grand Lodge (other than the Benevolent Fund). Three shall form a quorum at meetings of the Finance Committee.

(b) A Bye-Laws Committee, which shall consist of the Provincial/District Grand Master and Provincial/District Grand Secretary, both ex-officio, together with other members. In terms of Law 196, this Standing Committee shall have full powers to revise and approve the Bye-Laws of Daughter Lodges in the Province/District and alterations or additions thereto. Three shall form a quorum at meetings of the Bye-Laws Committee.

(c) The Petitions and Complaints Committee which shall consist of the Provincial/District Grand Master, all Past Provincial/District Grand Masters and Provincial/District Grand Secretary, all ex officiis, together with ………………… other members. This Standing Committee shall consider matters of Masonic complaint or irregularity within the Province or District which are referred to it.

In particular complaints or reports which are remitted for hearing and disposal by the Provincial/District Grand Lodge, in terms of Law 235, shall be considered by this Committee, on behalf of the Provincial/District Grand Lodge, without requiring to be formally remitted to it. After investigation and hearing the Committee shall reach a decision which will not be open to review or adjustment by the Provincial/District Grand Lodge. However it will report its decision to Provincial/District Grand Lodge for information.

Three shall form a quorum at meetings of the Petitions and Complaints Committee.

It should be noted that the ordinary disiplinary tribunal for a Provincial or District Grand Lodge is the Provincial or District Grand Lodge as such. In terms of Law 236 it is competent for a Provincial or District Grand Lodge to delegate its disciplinary function with full powers to a Committee drawn from its own number.

(d) A Benevolent Committee, which shall consist of the Provincial/District Grand Master, ……………………………… Provincial/District Grand Secretary, Provincial/District Grand Treasurer and Provincial/District Grand Almoner, all ex-officiis, together with ………………… other members. This Standing Committee shall consider all applications for benevolence and report and additionally shall have power to authorise grants from the Benevolent Fund in cases of emergency, but in no case shall the sum thereby given to any individual exceed £000. Three shall form a quorum at meetings of the Benevolent Committee.

The Bye-Laws must specify which Standing Committees (if any) there shall be, their numbers, quorum and duties and how the Chairman is to be appointed. It should be noted that, whereas Grand Committee is the Judicial Tribunal for Grand Lodge, the Judicial Tribunal of a Province/District is not the Provincial/District Grand Committee, but the Provincial/District Grand Lodge as such.

19. Each Standing Committee shall meet as required and shall report the result of its deliberations to Provincial/District Grand Committee or to the next Communication of Provincial/District Grand Lodge as may be appropriate.

Fees

20. The Fees exigible by Provincial/District Grand Lodge shall be as follows: —

(A) From Daughter Lodges:

(i) Annual Fee payable in advance on or before 23rd January £00.00

(ii) In respect of each candidate Initiated or Affiliated £00.00

(iii) In respect of each candidate Initiated or Affiliated £00.00

Fees due under Items (ii) and (iii) should be paid when submitting the Return required by Bye-Law 30.

(B) From members:

Annual Test of Membership Fee payable in advance on or before ………………………… £00.00

provided that—

(a) The Master, Immediate Past Master and Wardens of Daughter Lodges are exempt from payment of such Fee.

(b) Qualified Members who have paid their Annual Test of Membership Fee for twenty- one consecutive years shall be exempt from further contributions.

(c) Qualified Members who have reached the age of sixty-five years and have paid their Annual Test of Membership Fee for fifteen consecutive years shall pay a reduced Annual Test of Membership Fee of £00.00

(d) Any Qualified Member may commute his Annual Test of Membership Fee by a payment of £00.00

With the exception of the Fee payable in terms of Item (A) (iii) above, all Fees shall be credited to the General Fund. The Fee payable in terms of Item (A) (iii) shall be credited to the Benevolent Fund.

The list of Fees should show separately those payable by members of Provincial/District Grand Lodge and those payable by the Daughter Lodge and must state how such are to be allocated between the General Fund and the Benevolent Fund.

Provisions (B) (b), (B) (c) and (B) (d) are optional and should only be included if applicable. No other provisions with regard to Members’ Fees, other than Fees of Honour if desired, are permitted.

In terms of Law 112, a District Grand Lodge also may have provision for the payment of Fees in respect of administrative acts.

Commutation Fees Fund

21. The sum to be withdrawn from the Commutation

Fees Fund in terms of Law 83 shall be % of the amount of the Fund at the close of the Financial Year.

This Clause must be included if provision is made for a Commutation Fee. The proportion withdrawn must not exceed that specified in the First Schedule. Item 19.

Benevolent Fund

22. In terms of Law 182, Provincial/District Grand Committee shall supervise the Benevolent Fund.

23. All applications for relief must be made in writing on a form to be obtained from Provincial/District Grand Secretary.

24. The Provincial/District Grand Master may give casual relief at his discretion but in no case shall the sum thereby given to any individual exceed £000 .

If the Provincial/District Grand Lodge has funds other than those listed in Laws 83 and 105, such must be set forth in the Bye-Laws.

Accounts

25. The Financial Year shall end on 31st October annually .

The end of the Financial Year and the date of the Annual Communication should be so fixed as to allow adequate time for the Provincial/District Grand Treasurer to balance his books, prepare the Abstract and Balance Sheet and have them audited and ready for distribution to members the requisite number of days before the meeting. The interval between the end of the Financial Year and the completion of the audit should be no more than two months. The interval between the end of the Financial Year and the date of the Annual Meeting must be no more than four months.

26. An Auditor having the qualifications specified in the Fifth Schedule of the Laws shall be appointed at the Regular Communication in April annually. He shall complete his audit and report by 31st December.

The time of reporting must be related to the date when the Accounts require to be circulated or available to members according to the next following Bye-Law. The time of reporting so fixed must be not later than two months after the end of the Financial Year.

*27. Copies of the Abstract of Accounts and Balance Sheet with the Auditor's Certificate shall be delivered or posted to every Qualified Member not later than ten days prior to the Annual Communication.

OR

*27. Copies of the Abstract of Accounts and Balance Sheet with the Auditor's Certificate shall be available for distribution to Qualified Members attending the Annual Communication and additionally shall be supplied forthwith on their request to Qualified Members during the ten days preceding that Communication.

* A Province/District must specify the manner in which its accounts are to be made available and must use one or either, but not both, of these styles of Bye-Law.

Trustees

28. The Trustees, their duties and responsibilities shall be as defined in Laws 182 and 183 applied mutatis mutandis by virtue of Law 113.

The foregoing Bye-Law is obligatory and may not be varied.

Annual Visitations

29. Provincial/District Grand Secretary shall send written notice to the Master of each Daughter Lodge, via the Lodge Secretary concerned, at least twenty-eight days in advance of an official visit to be made in terms of Law 85(e). He also shall call in the Bye-Laws, Petition Book, Minute Book, Roll Book, Attendance Book, Treasurer's Books, Certified Accounts and vouchers of the Lodge for examination prior to such a visit.

Returns

30. Lodge Secretaries shall send a Return of Initiates and Affiliates admitted during the year to ………………… to the Provincial/District Grand Secretary by no later than …………………annually.

PART 3 - DAUGHTER LODGES

The Bye-Laws of Daughter Lodges must follow the general lines of the specimen Bye-Laws hereunder. These are in the form of Bye-Laws of an imaginary Lodge and are printed in heavier type. The instructions in lighter type must be followed.

Bye-Laws
of
Lodge Scotland, No. 6789,
holding of
The Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and
Accepted Masons of Scotland

Introduction

1. Lodge Scotland, No. 6789 (hereinafter referred to as “the Lodge”) shall be governed by the Constitution and Laws of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and by these Bye- Laws.

Meetings

2. All meetings shall be held within the Masonic Hall, Anytown.

The Bye-Laws must name the building, not merely the town. It is permissible to have more than one meeting place provided the Bye-Laws determine which meetings are to be held in each.

This Bye-Law relates to all meetings — no attempt should be made to combine it with the next Bye-Law which deals with Regular Meetings only.

3. The Regular Meetings, other than the Installation Meeting, shall be held on the first Monday of each month from October to April inclusive at seven-thirty o'clock p.m. or at such other hour as the Lodge at a previous Regular Meeting may appoint.

All meetings which have to be held annually are Regular Meetings and if not in the normal sequence must be listed after the words “other than” as above.

The Installation may, of course, be on a normal meeting day.

The words “or at such other hour, etc.” are included to avoid having to get permission in terms of Law 155 for every change.

4. The Annual Meeting shall be the Regular Meeting on the first Monday in November. At that meeting the Abstract of Accounts and Balance Sheet shall be considered and the nomination and election of Office-bearers, members of the General Committee and members of the Committee of Enquiry shall take place.

Lodges which have made provision in existing Bye-Laws for holding some of the foregoing activities at separate meetings or for holding some of them at the Installation Meeting may continue to do so. If separate meetings are held for nomination and election the Nomination Meeting must be at least a week before that for election.

5. The Installation of Office-bearers for the ensuing year shall take place on the twentieth of December provided that if that date falls on a Saturday or Sunday the Installation shall be held on the following Monday. The time of the Installation Meeting shall be six-thirty o’clock p.m. or such other hour as the Lodge at a previous Regular Meeting shall appoint.

The meeting may be on a fixed date, in which case provision must be made for that date falling on a Sunday. It may simply be the Regular Meeting in, say, December. It may be on a different day of the week.

6. The Annual Meeting, the Installation Meeting and any Special Meetings for the conduct of business other than degrees shall be convened by circular delivered or posted to every Qualified Member at least five days prior to the meeting. Special Meetings for working degrees shall be convened by advertisement in the “Anytown News” published at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. All other meetings shall be convened by intimation at the previous Regular Meeting.

The specimen Bye-Law illustrates the three permissible methods of convening meetings. It is not necessary to use all three; in fact, one method may be used for all meetings. It is not permissible to convene by intimation any Special Meeting for business other than degrees. The Bye-Law must make clear which method will be used for any particular meeting.

Longer periods than five days and 48 hours may be specified if desired.

It is not in order to display notices of meetings at the entrance to the Lodge or in other public places.

Office-bearers

7. The Office-bearers of the lodge shall be the Master, Immediate Past Master, Depute Master …………………… and Tyler.

The list of Office-bearers must comply with Law 132. The order must be the same as the order of the corresponding Grand Office-bearers in Law 10. All Stewards are Office-bearers and should be listed as such. The Bye-Laws may specify a fixed number of Stewards or alternatively a minimum and/or maximum number. Stewards other than a President of Stewards should be listed after the President of Stewards and before the Tyler.

8. The Master at his Installation shall appoint his Depute and Substitute Masters. All other Office-bearers except the Immediate Past Master shall be elected annually by the Lodge.

It is in order to omit the Substitute Master or alternatively to omit the first sentence and the word “other”.

9. Any Office-bearer, the Master and Immediate Past Master excepted, absenting himself from three Regular Meetings of the Lodge consecutively shall be communicated with by the Secretary and should no reason for his absence satisfactory to the Lodge be given, the Lodge may declare the office vacant and elect another Brother to it, as provided for in Law 139.

10. The Secretary, Treasurer and Tyler shall receive such remuneration as the Lodge at its Annual Meeting shall decide.

It is a frequent practice to remunerate the Office-bearers named. This can be done only if the Bye-Laws so provide. It is for the Lodge to decide which, if any, of the Office-bearers shall be remunerated.

Committees

11. The General Committee shall consist of the Master, Immediate Past Master, Depute Master ………………………… all ex officiis, together with ten elective members of whom not fewer than five shall be neither Past Masters nor Office-bearers.

The members ex officiis must include the Office-bearers named in Law 149 and may include others. The number of elective members, if any, must be stated and the Bye-Laws must make clear whether or not Office-bearers and Past Masters are eligible for election.

12. There shall be a Benevolent Sub-Committee appointed by the General Committee from their number, of which the Master, Immediate Past Master, Secretary, Treasurer and Almoner shall be members. The duty of the Sub-Committee shall be to investigate the cases of applicants for benevolence and make recommendations.

This is an example of the sort of provision the Bye-Laws may make in regard to Standing Sub-Committees. It is not necessary to make any such provision as the General Com- mittee has power to appoint Sub-Committees (see Law 149).

13. The membership of the Committee of Enquiry shall be as specified in Law 150.

If the Lodge considers it necessary to have a Bye-Law relating to the Committee of Enquiry no wording other than this is permissible.

Fees

The Fees specified in the Bye-Laws must not be less than those set forth in the First Schedule, Part III.

14. The fees exigible by the Lodge shall be as follows, namely:

(a) Initiation Fee … £00.00

(b) Affiliation Fee … £00.00

(c) Fee for the Mark … £00.00

(d) In terms of Law 173 each Initiate and each Affiliate from another Constitution shall make a direct contribution to the General Fund of Grand Lodge. The amount of this contribution which is payable through the Lodge, is set forth in the First Schedule, Item 16, being presently £00.00 plus VAT.

This contribution, which requires to be collected by the Lodge together with the Initiation or Affiliation Fee, must be shown as a separate item in the Lodge Bye-Laws.

( e) The Annual Contribution (Test Fee) shall be payable in advance on or before 15th October and shall be ……………provided that—

  1. Any member residing beyond a radius of fifteen miles from the Masonic Hall, Anytown, shall be entitled to become a Country Member and pay a reduced Annual Contribution of £00.00.
  2. Any member who has ceased to reside in Any-town shall be entitled to become a non-Resident Member and pay a reduced Annual Contribution of £00.00.
  3. Qualified Members who have paid their Annual Contribution for ……………… consecutive years shall be exempt from further contributions.
  4. Any Qualified Member may commute his Annual Contribution by a payment of £00.00.

The provisos (i) to (iv) are optional and should be included only if applicable. A fixed number of years requires to be inserted if (iii) is to be used and the number must not be less than twenty-one. Reference should be made to the detail of Law 125 and Law 127 when drafting any such prorvisions.

(f) Every member except non-Resident Members shall pay an Annual Dining Fee in addition to and payable on the same date as the Annual Contribution. The Annual Dining Fee shall be £00.00.

This item is optional. It enables a Lodge to include the cost of dinners in the total annual sum payable by members without having to transfer a proportion of that cost to its Benevolent Fund.

(g) The fee for each Demit, Clearance Certificate or Resignation Certificate shall be £00.00.

The Laws do not specify any fee to be charged by the Lodge — this item may be omitted if the Lodge does not wish to make a charge.

(h) Any member who has resigned and is re-admitted shall pay a rejoining fee of £00.00.

This item is required only if the Lodge requires a higher rejoining fee than that set forth in the First Schedule, Item 24.

(i) The payment required to restore a Brother in arrear of his Annual Contribution to qualified membership shall be the smaller of (a) the full amount of the arrears or (b) the Annual Contribution for the current year together with the sum of £00.00 or, in the case of a Country Member or non-Resident Member, together with the sum of £00.00.

Item (i) is optional (see Law 126).

Commutation Fees Fund

15. The sum to be withdrawn annually from the Commutation Fees Fund in terms of Law 127 shall be 00% of the amount of the Fund at the close of the Financial Year.

This clause must be included if provision is made for a Commutation Fee. The proportion withdrawn must not exceed that specified in the First Schedule, Item 26.

Benevolent Fund

16. The Benevolent Fund shall receive one-fifth of each Annual Contribution and a like proportion of the sum withdrawn annually from the Commutation Fees Fund.

The words “and a like proportion, etc.” will be omitted if no provision has been made for a Commutation Fee. The proportion must not be less than that specified in the First Schedule, Item 27. It is inadvisable to name a sum of money as this might need alteration in the event of a change in the Annual Contribution.

17. The Master may give casual relief at his discretion but in no case shall the sum given to any individual exceed £00.00.

This clause is optional but if included it is recommended that the authority should not be for less than £5.

Accounts

18. The Financial Year shall end on 31st August annually.

The end of the Financial Year and the date of the Annual Meeting should be so fixed as to allow adequate time for the Treasurer to balance his books, prepare the Abstract and Balance Sheet and have them audited and ready for distribution to members the requisite number of days before the meeting. The interval between the end of the Financial Year and the completion of the audit should be no more than two months. The interval between the end of the Financial Year and the date of the Annual Meeting must be no more than four months.

19. An auditor having the qualifications specified in the Fifth Schedule of the Laws shall be appointed at the Regular Meeting in April annually. He should complete his audit and report by……………………

The time of reporting must be related to the date when the Accounts must be circulated or available to members accord- ing to the next following Bye-Law. The time of reporting so fixed must be not later than two months after the end of the Financial Year.

20. Copies of the Abstract of Accounts and Balance Sheet with the Auditor's Certificate shall be sent to every Qualified Member with the circular convening the Annual Meeting.

If the Annual Meeting is not to be convened by circular the following should be substituted:

21. Intimation shall be made at the Regular Meeting preceding the Annual Meeting that copies of the Abstract of Accounts and Balance Sheet with the Auditor's Certificate will be available at the Annual Meeting and will be supplied on request to Qualified Members at any time during the ten days preceding that meeting.

Club Licence

22. The Lodge shall have power to apply for and hold a Club Licence in terms of the Licensing (Scotland) Acts. Such Club shall be subject to the following provisions, namely:

  1. The Club shall be under the direct control of the Master, Wardens, Secretary and Treasurer.
  2. The membership of the Club shall consist of the Qualified Members of the Lodge.
  3. The Accounts of the Club shall form part of the Accounts of the Lodge.
  4. The Club shall not be open while the Lodge is in session.
  5. The Club shall not be open on a Sunday.

It is contrary to the Laws of Grand Lodge for a Lodge in Scotland to hold a Masonic Club Licence unless the above clauses are included in its Bye-Laws. Lodges overseas must comply with any conditions laid down by the District Grand Lodge or, other Masonic Authority for the Lodge concerned.


SEVENTH SCHEDULE

BYE-LAWS OF LODGES, ESTABLISHING A ‘CLUB OF FREEMASONS’ IN TERMS OF LAW 200

1. The Club must be under the direct control of the Master, Wardens, Secretary and Treasurer.

2. All members must be Members of the Lodge in good standing.

3. The Accounts of the Club must form part of the Accounts of the Lodge.

4. The Club shall not be open while the Lodge is in session. 5. The Club shall not be open on a Sunday.


EIGHTH SCHEDULE

Laws 282 and 283

PART I - Aprons

The following aprons shall be worn in Grand Lodge, Provincial and District Grand Lodges and Daughter Lodges. They shall be fastened preferably under the coat and worn so that the flap is visible.

(a) GRAND LODGE

(i) Grand Master Mason.—An apron of special design, also worn by Past Grand Masters. Of white lambskin, sixteen inches wide and fourteen inches deep, edged with two inch wide acorn pattern gold lace and embroidered in gold; on the flap of thistle green satin the square and compasses between the sun in his splendour on the left side, and the moon and seven stars on the right side; below the square and compasses, on the left side a mallet, and on the right side the letter “G” within an equilateral triangle, at the bottom a Scots thistle embroidered; suspended from each upper corner of the apron a gold tassel, and at each side from underneath the flap a gold tassel of seven chains on a green ribbon.

(ii) Grand Office-bearers. —Of white lambskin, sixteen inches wide and fourteen inches deep, rectangular in shape, with a semi-circular flap six inches deep at the centre; an edging of two inch wide thistle green material, with an internal border of half inch wide gold lace; the flap trimmed in thistle green material with half inch wide gold lace edging and a light fringe; embroidered in gold on the flap the emblem of office with thistle embroidery on both sides of the emblem, tassels of seven chains suspended from green ribbons from underneath the flap on each side; two rosettes of green material on the lower corners of the apron.

(iii) Past Grand Office-bearers.—As for Grand Office- bearers, but with the emblem of office surrounded by a wreath of laurel leaves.

(iv) Honorary Grand Office-bearers.—As for Grand Office- bearers, but with the emblem of office surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves.

(v) Members of Grand Committee and Grand Stewards.— As for Grand Office-bearers, but with the badge of Grand Lodge embroidered on the flap in place of the emblem of office.

(b) PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT GRAND LODGES

(i) Provincial and District Grand Masters, Grand Superintendents and Proxy District Grand Masters.—Of white lambskin, sixteen inches wide and fourteen inches deep, rectangular in shape, with a semi-circular flap six inches deep at the centre; edged with two inch wide thistle green material with an inner border of half inch wide gold lace; the flap of thistle green material edged with half-inch wide gold lace and a light fringe; embroidered in gold on the flap the emblem of office between the sun in his splendour on the left side, and the moon and seven stars on the right side; levels in gold displayed on the lambskin in the bottom left and right corners; tassels of seven chains suspended on green ribbons from under the flap on each side.

(ii) Past Provincial Grand Masters, Past District Grand Masters and Past Grand Superintendents.—As for Provincial and District Grand Masters, but with only the emblem of office embroidered on the flap.

(iii) Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers.—As for Provincial and District Grand Masters, but with only the emblem of office embroidered on the flap; green rosettes in place of levels.

(iv) Past Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers.— As for Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers, but with the emblem of office surrounded by a wreath of laurel leaves.

(v) Honorary Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers. —As for Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers, but with the emblem of office surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves.

(c) DAUGHTER LODGES

(i) Entered Apprentice.—Of plain white lambskin, sixteen inches wide and fourteen inches deep, rectangular in shape, with a semi-circular flap six inches deep at the centre, without any ornament.

(ii) Fellow-of-Craft.—As for Entered Apprentice, but with two rosettes of the colour adopted by the Lodge, near the lower corners.

(iii) Master Mason.—As for Fellow-of-Craft, but with an edging not more than two inches wide, of the colour adopted by the Lodge and an additional rosette on the flap.

(iv) Master Mason (Full Dress).—As for Master Mason, but with the rosette on the flap replaced by the square and compasses and letter “G” in gold or silver embroidery; the edges may be trimmed with half inch wide gold or silver lace, the flap of the colour adopted by the Lodge having a light fringe; tassels of seven chains suspended on ribbons from under the flap on each side.

(v) Office-bearers.—As for Master Mason (Full Dress), but with the emblem of office in place of the square and compasses and the letter “G”.

(vi) Master.—As for Master Mason (Full Dress), but with the emblem of office on the centre of the flap between the sun in his splendour on the left side, and the moon and seven stars on the right side, the whole embroidered; levels in gold or silver, or in the colour adopted by the Lodge, in place of the rosettes in the lower corners.

(vii) Past Master.—As for Master, but without the sun, moon and seven stars, and with the emblem of a Past Master embroidered on the flap.

PART II- Sashes

Sashes, a traditional part of Scottish Masonic Regalia, should be worn over the right shoulder and under the left arm, as follows: —

(a) GRAND LODGE

(i) Grand Office-bearers and Past Grand Office-bearers.— Of four inch wide thistle green material with edges trimmed with half inch wide gold lace; gathered with a thistle embroidered boss and the ends trimmed with four inch wide gold embroidered sash bar tops and a gold bullion fringe; the badge of Grand Lodge embroidered in the centre of the front of the sash.

(ii) Honorary Grand Office-bearers, Members of Grand Committee and Grand Stewards.—As for Grand Office- bearers, but without an edging of gold lace.

(b) PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT GRAND LODGES

(i) Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers, Past and Honorary Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers.—Of four inch wide thistle green material on which may be embroidered in gold the name or badge of the Province or District; gathered with a gold cord or a button tie; the ends trimmed with four inch wide gold embroidered sash bar tops and a gold bullion fringe.

(ii) Provincial and District Grand Masters, Grand Superintendents, Past Provincial and District Grand Masters, Past Grand Superintendents and Proxy District Grand Masters.—As for Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers, but with the edges trimmed with half inch wide gold lace.

(c) DAUGHTER LODGES

Masters, Past Masters, Office-bearers and Master Masons. — If worn, of the colour adopted by the Lodge, not exceeding four inches in width, embroidered or otherwise distinctly marked thereon the name and number, or the badge, of the Lodge and, if desired, bearing also the description of the rank or office of the wearer of the sash, but no other device or ornamentation; gathered with a gilt or silver cord or a button tie; the ends trimmed with a four inch gilt or silver bullion fringe, with or without embroidered sash bar tops.

PART III - Collars

(a) GRAND LODGE

(i) The Grand Master Mason.—Of gold and enamel, having an upper and a lower band; each band made up of the Royal Arms of Scotland with supporters and thistles alternately; descending from the upper band the jewel of Saint Andrew, and from the lower band the jewel of the Grand Master Mason.

(ii) Past Grand Masters, Depute Grand Master, Substitute Grand Master and Grand Wardens.—A chain of gold or metal gilt.

(iii) Other Grand Office-bearers, Past and Honorary Grand Office-bearers.—Of thistle green material, four inches wide, edged with half inch wide gold lace and with thistle embroidery.

(b) PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT GRAND LODGES

(i) Provincial and District Grand Masters and Proxy District Grand Masters and Grand Superintendents.—A chain of gold or metal gill.

(ii) Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers.—Of thistle green material, four inches wide, edged with half inch wide gold lace.

(iii) Past and Honorary Provincial and District Grand Office-hearers and Past Grand Superintendents. —As for Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers.

(c) DAUGHTER LODGES

Masters, Past Masters and Office-bearers.—Of material of the colour adopted by the Lodge, not exceeding three inches wide. Metal chains may be worn in place of collars.

PART IV - Gauntlets

(a) GRAND LODGE

The Grand Master Mason, Past Grand Masters, all Grand Office-bearers to whom is accorded the prefix “Right Worshipful”.— Of thistle green material with the emblem of office and thistle ornamentation thereon, surrounded by the words “The Grand Lodge of Scotland”, the whole embroidered in gold and edged with half inch wide gold lace.

(b) PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT GRAND LODGES

Provincial and District Grand Masters, Past Provincial and District Grand Masters, Proxy District Grand Masters, Grand Superintendents, Past Grand Superintendents, the Commissioned Provincial and District Grand Office-bearers and the Provincial and District Grand Wardens.—Of thistle green material, with half inch gold edging; the emblem of office and/or the name or the badge of the Province or District embroidered thereon in gold.

(c) DAUGHTER LODGES

Masters, Past Masters and Wardens.—If worn, of the colour adopted by the Lodge, with the emblem of office and/or the name and number or badge of the Lodge embroidered thereon in gold or silver.

PART V - The Badge of Grand Lodge

Circular in shape, and edged with gold on a field gules, the figure of Saint Andrew on his cross, proper, surrounded by a circle of green and embroidered thereon in gold, the words “The Grand Lodge of Scotland”.

PART VI - Jewels

The following are the jewels authorised by Grand Lodge: —

(a) GRAND LODGE

The Grand Master Mason

Pendant from the upper band of the collar, a star set with brilliants, having in the centre a field azure charged with the figure of Saint Andrew on his cross, gold; pendant from the lower band, the compasses extended, with the square and an arc of 90°, the points of the compasses resting on the arc, and in the centre, the sun in his splendour.

Past Grand Masters A similar but smaller jewel, without the sun.
Depute Grand Master The compasses and square united.
Substitute Grand Master A square, in the angle the All-seeing eye, on each blade of the square an Ionic column.
Senior Grand Warden A level charged with a Doric column, above which an irradiated sun declining to the west.
Junior Grand Warden A plumb-rule charged with a Corinthian column, above which the sun in his splendour.
Grand Secretary A chased key and pen.
Grand Treasurer Two chased keys in saltire.
Grand Almoner A level with compasses extended thereon.
Grand Director of Ceremonies Two batons in saltire with tie.
Grand Chaplains A triangle charged with an irradiated eye.
Senior Grand Deacon A mason’s maul.
Junior Grand Deacon A trowel.
Grand Librarian A key and a pen in saltire laid on an open scroll.
Grand Architect A Corinthian column standing on an arc of 90°.
Grand Jeweller A goldsmith’s hammer.
Grand Bible-bearer An open Bible laid on two palm branches in saltire.
Grand Bard A clarsach between the compasses and square.
Grand Sword-bearer Two swords in saltire with tie.
Grand Director of Music Two trumpets in saltire.
Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies Two batons in saltire.
Assistant Grand Secretary A chased pen.
Assistant Grand Treasurer A chased key.
Grand Organist A Grecian lyre.
Grand Piper A bagpipe between the compasses and square.
Grand Marshal A baton and a sword in saltire with tie.
Senior Grand Standard-bearer Two banners in saltire with tie.
Junior Grand Standard-bearer Two banners in saltire.
Grand Inner Guard Two swords in saltire.
Grand Tyler A sword.
Members of Grand Committee An irradiated cross of Saint Andrew, charged with the figure of Saint Andrew on his cross on a field of enamelled azure.
President of Grand Stewards A cornucopia and a cup in saltire within a wreath of vine leaves and wheat ears, crossed behind by Grand Master’s rods.
Vice-President of Grand Stewards A cornucopia and a cup in saltire within a wreath of vine leaves and wheat ears.
Grand Stewards A breast jewel, being a cornucopia laid on two rods in saltire, suspended from a thistle green ribbon, one inch broad, and a bar bearing the initials “GS: GLS”; on the ribbon the figure of Saint Andrew on his cross, in gold.
Representative to a Sister Grand Lodge On a field azure, the figure of Saint Andrew on his cross, surrounded by an oval inscribed “Representative from the Grand Lodge of Scotland”, with a thistle and two leaves at the base, suspended from a collar of thistle green ribbon one and a half inches broad.
Past Grand Office-bearers The jewel of office laid upon a wreath of laurel leaves.
Honorary Grand Office-bearers The jewel of office laid upon a wreath of oak leaves.

(b) PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT GRAND LODGES

Provincial or District Grand Master
or Proxy District Grand Master
The compasses and square united, with an arc of 90°, containing a five pointed star.
Grand Superintendent As for Provincial or District Grand Master, but without the arc.
Depute Provincial or District Grand Master The compasses and square united.
Substitute Provincial or District Grand Master A square.
Senior Provincial or District Grand Warden A level charged with a Doric column, above which an irradiated sun declining to the west.
Junior Provincial or District Grand Warden A plumb-rule charged with a Corinthian column, above which the sun in his splendour.
Provincial or District Grand Secretary Two pens in saltire.
All other Provincial or District Grand Office-bearers As for corresponding Grand Office-bearers.
Past Provincial or District Grand Office-bearers
and Past Grand Superintendents
The jewel of office laid upon a wreath of laurel leaves.
Honorary Provincial or District Grand Office-bearers The jewel of office laid upon a wreath of oak leaves.

(c) DAUGHTER LODGES

Master The compasses and square united, with an arc of 90°, containing the sun in his splendour.
Past Master The compasses, square and arc of 90°.
Depute Master The compasses and square united.
Substitute Master The square.
Senior Warden A level.
Junior Warden A plumb-rule.
Secretary Two pens in saltire.
All other Office-bearers As for corresponding Grand Office-bearers.

APPENDIX 1

Charges Read at Installation

The Charges read at the Installation of the Master of a Lodge: —

“1. You agree to be a good man and true, and strictly to obey the moral law.

“2. You agree to be a peaceable subject, and to conform to the laws of the country in which you reside.

“3. You promise not to be concerned in plots or conspiracies against the Government, but to submit patiently to the decisions of the Supreme Legislature.

“4. You agree to pay a proper respect to the Civil Magistrate, to work diligently, live creditably, and act honourably towards all men.

“5. You agree to hold in veneration the original Rulers and Patrons of the Order of Freemasonry, and their regular successors, supreme and subordinate, according to their stations, and to submit to the awards and resolutions of your Brethren in Grand Lodge assembled, in every case consistent with the Constitutions of the Order; and that you will not practise or recognise in connection with Lodges any Degrees except those of Apprentice, Fellow-of-Craft (including the Mark), and Master Mason, and the ceremony of Installed Master.

“6. You agree to avoid private quarrels, and to guard against all intemperance and excess.

“7. You agree to be cautious in your behaviour, courteous to your Brethren, and faithful to your Lodge.

“8. You promise to respect true and faithful Brethren and to discountenance all Impostors and Dissenters from the original plan of the Institution.

“9. You agree to promote the general good of Society, to cultivate the social virtues, and to propagate the knowledge of the art of Freemasonry, so far as your influence and ability can extend.

“10. You admit that it is not in the power of any man or body of men, to make alterations or innovation in Freemasonry.

“11. You promise to submit to the Most Worshipful the Grand Master Mason, for the time being, and to his Office- bearers, when duly installed; and strictly to conform to every regulation of Grand Lodge that is not subversive of the principles of Freemasonry.

“12. You admit that no Lodge can be constituted without a Charter from a Grand Lodge, or other supreme body with similar powers, and that no countenance be given to an Irregular Lodge, or to any person clandestinely initiated therein; and that no Procession, Consecration, or other Ceremonial of Freemasons, clothed with the badges of the Order, can take place without the special permission of Grand Lodge, or of the Provincial or District Grand Master of the Province or District, or, in his absence, of his Depute or his Substitute.

“13. You admit that no person can be regularly made a Freemason or admitted a member of any Lodge, without previous notice, and due enquiry into his character.

“14. You promise that no Visitors shall be received into your Lodge without due examination, or producing proper vouchers of initiation in a regular Lodge.”


APPENDIX 2

At the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge held on 3rd February 1972 a recommendation that the “Aims and Relationships of the Craft” be read in Open Lodge during the Installation of the Master at the Annual Installation was approved.

Aims and Relationships of the Craft

In August 1938, the Grand Lodges of England, Ireland and Scotland each agreed upon and issued a statement identical in terms except that the name of the issuing Grand Lodge appeared throughout. This statement, which was entitled “Aims and Relationships of the Craft”, was in the following terms: —

1. From time to time the Grand Lodge of Scotland has deemed it desirable to set forth in precise form the aims of Freemasonry as consistently practised under its jurisdiction since it came into being as an organised body in 1736, and also to define the principles governing its relations with those other Grand Lodges with which it is in fraternal accord.

2. In view of representations which have been received, and of statements recently issued which have distorted or obscured the true objects of Freemasonry, it is once again considered necessary to emphasise certain fundamental principles of the Order.

3. The first condition of admission into, and membership of, the Order is a belief in the Supreme Being. This is essential and admits of no compromise.

4. The Bible, referred to by Freemasons as the Volume of the Sacred Law, is always open in the Lodges. Every candidate is required to take his obligation on that Book, or on the Volume which is held by his particular Creed to impart sanctity to an oath or promise taken upon it.

5. Everyone who enters Freemasonry is, at the outset, strictly forbidden to countenance any act which may have a tendency to subvert the peace and good order of society, he must pay due obedience to the law of any State in which he resides or which may afford him protection, and he must never be remiss in the allegiance due to the Sovereign of his native land.

6. While Scottish Freemasonry thus inculcates in each of its members the duties of loyalty and citizenship, it reserves to the individual the right to hold his own opinion with regard to public affairs. But neither in any Lodge nor at any time in his capacity as a Freemason is he permitted to discuss or to advance his views on theological or political questions.

7. The Grand Lodge has always consistently refused to express any opinion on questions of foreign or domestic state policy either at home or abroad, and it will not allow its name to be associated with any action, however humanitarian it may appear to be, which infringes its unalterable policy of standing aloof from every question affecting the relations between one Government and another, or between political parties, or questions as to rival theories of government.

8. The Grand Lodge is aware that there do exist bodies styling themselves Freemasons, which do not adhere to these principles, and while that attitude exists the Grand Lodge of Scotland refuses absolutely to have any relations with such bodies or to regard them as Freemasons.

9. The Grand Lodge of Scotland is a sovereign and independent body practising Freemasonry only within the three Degrees and only within the limits defined in its Constitution. It does not recognise or admit the existence of any superior Masonic authority however styled.

10. On more than one occasion the Grand Lodge has refused, and it will continue to refuse, to participate in conferences with so-called International Associations claiming to represent Freemasonry, which admit to membership bodies failing to conform strictly to the principles upon which the Grand Lodge of Scotland is founded. The Grand Lodge does not admit any such claim, nor can its views be represented by any such Association.

11. There is no secret with regard to any of the basic principles of Freemasonry, some of which have been stated above. The Grand Lodge will always consider the recognition of those Grand Lodges which profess and practise, and can show that they have consistently professed and practised, those established and unaltered principles, but in no circumstances will it enter into discussion with a view to any new or varied interpretation of them. They must be accepted and practised wholeheartedly and in their entirety by those who desire to be recognised as Freemasons by the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

A conference was held in 1949 between the three Grand Lodges, and all unhesitatingly reaffirmed the statement that was pronounced in 1938; nothing in present-day affairs has been found that could cause them to recede from that attitude.

If Freemasonry once deviated from its course by expressing an opinion on political or theological questions, it would be called upon not only publicly to approve or denounce any movement which might arise in the future, but would sow the seeds of discord among its own members.

The three Grand Lodges are convinced that it is only by this rigid adherence to this policy that Freemasonry has survived the constantly changing doctrines of the outside world, and are compelled to place on record their complete disapproval of any action which may tend to permit the slightest departure from the basic principles of Freemasonry. They are strongly of opinion that if any of the three Grand Lodges does so, it cannot maintain a claim to be following the Antient Landmarks of the Order, and must ultimately face disintegration.


APPENDIX 3

Basic Principles of Grand Lodge Recognition

The Grand Lodge of Scotland will only consider the recognition of those Grand Lodges which profess and practise, and can show that their constituent Lodges and the members thereof have professed and practised the basic principles of Freemasonry held from time immemorial and which have been accepted as such by regular Grand Lodges. These established and unalterable principles must be accepted and practised wholeheartedly by those who desire to be recognised as regular Freemasons by The Grand Lodge of Scotland. These principles are:—

1. That a belief in the Supreme Being shall be an essential qualification for membership.

2. That the Bible, referred to by Freemasons as the Volume of the Sacred Law, shall always be open in the Lodges, and that every candidate shall be required to take his obligation on that Book, or on the Volume which is held by his particular creed to impart sanctity to an oath or promise taken upon it.

3. That the three Great Lights of Freemasonry (namely, the Volume of the Sacred Law, the Square and the Compasses) shall always be exhibited when the Grand Lodge or its subordinate Lodges are at work.

4. That the membership of the Grand Lodge and individual Lodges shall be composed exclusively of men; and no Lodges shall have Masonic association of any kind with mixed Lodges or bodies which admit women to membership.

5. That the Grand Lodge shall have sovereign jurisdiction over the Lodges under its control; that is, it shall be a responsible, independent, self-governing organisation, with sole and undisputed authority over the Craft of Symbolic Degrees (Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason) within its jurisdiction; and shall not in any way be subject to or divide such authority with a Supreme Council or other Masonic Power claiming any control or supervision over those degrees.

6. That every member shall be strictly forbidden to countenance any act which may have a tendency to subvert the peace and good order of society; that he shall pay due obedience to the law of any State in which he may reside or which may afford him protection; and that he must never be remiss in the allegiance due to the Sovereign or Constitutional Authority of his native land.

7. That (while reserving the right of the individual to hold his own opinion on public affairs) neither in Lodge, nor at any time in his capacity as a Freemason, shall a member be permitted to di.scuss or to advance his views on theological or political questions.

8. That the principles of the Antient Landmarks, established customs and usages of the Craft shall be strictly observed in all Lodges.


APPENDIX 4

CONCORDAT

between
THE UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND
THE GRAND LODGE OF IRELAND
and
THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND

The Concordat was agreed upon at a meeting of Representatives of the three Grand Lodges, held in London in 1905 and the first clause was modified at a meeting of Representatives held in Dublin in 1964. The Concordat is in the following terms:—

IN THE NAME OF THE GREAT ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE

THE GRAND LODGES of England, Ireland and Scotland of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons having equal though independent Masonic jurisdiction in certain Colonies of the British Empire and other Territories, including India and the respective Grand Masters of such Grand Lodges having concurred in the view that some uniformity of practice ought to prevail with respect to certain matters hereinafter detailed, a Conference of Delegates from the three Grand Lodges was held in London on the twenty-ninth day of June One thousand nine hundred and five under the presidency of Most Worshipful Brother Earl Amherst Pro Grand Master of England which Conference formulated an Agreement subject to the approval of the aforesaid three Grand Lodges, and the United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand Lodge of Ireland and the Grand Lodge of Scotland at Regular Grand Lodges or Quarterly Communications thereafter duly held having fully considered and approved the Agreement so formulated did thereby mutually and respectively agree upon the following Resolutions, which they ratified and confirmed: —

1. The three Grand Lodges agree that any Member of the Order who may be suspended or expelled in one jurisdiction shall not while so disqualified be permitted to remain a member of or to visit or join any Lodge under the jurisdiction of the others and each Grand Lodge shall cause notice of all decrees of suspension or expulsion to be sent to the other Grand Lodges. And in case of such decrees being made abroad, the District or Provincial Authorities acting shall also notify the neighbouring District or Provincial Authorities of all three jurisdictions.

2. In each of the three jurisdictions, a duly installed Master under either of the other Constitutions shall, if not otherwise disqualified be entitled to be present at a Board of Installed Masters and to form one of the quorum, but not to preside therein or to instal a Master, unless requested to do so by the Board. Nor can a Visiting Master or Past Master of another Constitution preside in the Lodge he is visiting. In case there is not present a Master or Past Master duly qualified under the home jurisdiction then and then only the Officer in charge of the Lodge may request a Master or Past Master under one of the other two Constitutions to perform any ceremony which (he Warden is not competent to perform. This Agreement is not to interfere with the right of the Worshipful Master of a Lodge to invite a member of the Lodge or a visiting Master or Past Master of any of the three Constitutions to perform any ceremony without assuming the Chair.

3. The question of recognising a new Grand Lodge in any Colony or other territory in which the three Grand Lodges have equal jurisdiction and have Warranted Lodges working therein shall not be taken into consideration unless at least two thirds of the Lodges under each jurisdiction or such other proportion as the three Grand Lodges shall agree in light of local circumstances have signified their adhesion to such new body and such recognition shall only be granted by Agreement of the three Grand Lodges. After the recognition of such new Grand Lodge as a sovereign body the respective authorities of the three Grand Lodges will surrender their right to warrant new Lodges within the jurisdiction of the new body, provided always that the rights of Lodges not adhering to the new body shall be fully safeguarded.

NOW IT IS HEREBY WITNESSED that the Resolutions and Agreement above expressed and set forth are the Resolutions and Agreement settled, concluded and agreed upon between the United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand Lodge of Ireland and the Grand Lodge of Scotland and are to be kept and observed as binding and obligatory on these Bodies in the future to the extent of the several obligations affecting each of them respectively. And the respective Grand Masters of the aforesaid Grand Lodges have subscribed these presents as ratifying and confirming the same for themselves and their successors and the Seals of the respective Grand Lodges have been affixed thereto.

DONE in triplicate the one at Freemasons’ Hall, London, this eighteenth day of December One thousand nine hundred and five and one at Freemasons' Hall, Dublin, this fourth day of January, One thousand nine hundred and six and one at Freemasons’ Hall, Edinburgh, this seventeenth day of January One thousand nine hundred and six.


APPENDIX 5

Agreement between Grand Lodge and Lodge Mother Kilwinning, No. 0, dated 14th October 1807 and amended on 24th June 1983.

'1st. That the Mother Lodge, Kilwinning, shall renounce all right of granting Charters, and come in, along with all the Lodges holding under her, to the bosom of the Grand Lodge.

2dly. That all the Lodges holding of Mother Kilwinning shall be obliged to obtain from the Grand Lodge confirmations of their respective Charters, for which a fee of three guineas only shall be exigible.

3dly. That the Mother Kilwinning shall be placed at the head of the Roll of the Grand Lodge, under the denomination of Mother Kilwinning; and her Daughter Lodges shall, in the meantime, be placed at the end of the said Roll, and as soon as the Roll shall be arranged and corrected, which is in present contemplation, the Lodges holding of Mother Kilwinning shall be entitled to be ranked according to the dates of their original Charters, and of those granted by the Grand Lodge.

4thly. That Mother Kilwinning and her Daughter Lodges shall have the same interest in and management of the funds of the Grand Lodge, as the other Lodges now holding of her, — Mother Lodge, Kilwinning, contributing annually to the said funds a sum not less than two shillings and sixpence for each intrant, and her Daughter Lodges contributing in the same manner as the present Lodges holding of the Grand Lodge.

That there be erected and constituted the Provincial Grand Lodge of Kilwinning to have jurisdiction over Mother Kilwinning and any future Lodge erected within the Parish of Kilwinning.

That Mother Kilwinning at its Annual Meeting in November will nominate a suitable Brother for the Office of Provincial Grand Master for submission to Grand Lodge as in the case of all Provincial and District Grand Masters.

That Mother Kilwinning for all time coming shall have the honour to nominate annually a suitable Brother for the Office of Grand Bible-bearer whom Grand Lodge shall elect.

That the numbering of any new Lodge within the Parish of Kilwinning shall be prefaced with “0”, such as “01” and “02”, etc.

That Dispensation be granted to all Past Depute Masters of Lodge Mother Kilwinning to receive the Chair Degree.'


APPENDIX 6

AGREEMENTS WITH THE SUPREME GRAND
ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF SCOTLAND
RELATIVE TO THE CONFERRING OF THE
MARK DEGREE.

Dated 19th December 1860 and re-affirmed on 3rd June 1921.

The following are the Resolutions of the Committee appointed by Grand Lodge and Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland on Mark Masonry, which were adopted by these two bodies, and declared to be held as laws and statutes.

1. That all Lodges holding of the Grand Lodge of Scotland shall be allowed to work the Mark Degree in virtue of the Charters which they already possess.

2. That, to prevent confusion with brethren belonging to Lodges out of this Kingdom, or with Sister Grand Lodges, this Degree, although held by the Grand Lodge to be a second part of the Fellow-Craft Degree, shall only be conferred on Master Masons, and the secrets shall only be communicated in presence of those who have taken it either from a Lodge or Chapter entitled to grant it.

3. That the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland shall adopt the same Ritual in conferring the Degree, being that now adjusted by their respective Committees.

4. That any Candidate applying to be admitted to the Royal Arch Degrees—if he has received this Degree in a regular Lodge—shall not require to take it a second time from the Chapter into which he seeks admission; but in the event of his not having received it he shall be obliged to take it from that Chapter.

5. That as regards the Royal Arch Degrees, this Degree shall be reckoned the Fourth Degree in Masonry.

6. That nothing contained in these Regulations shall interfere with the superintendence which the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter claims over Mark Masonry out of Scotland—or with the Lodges holding of it in England or abroad.