H \ - I /A \A' GRAVEL.cHlLL LODGE I' I y, ri;\\: ISAAC W. NASH, PRINTCK, George Washington Flowers Memorial Collection DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ESTABLISHED BY THE FAMILY OF COLONEL FLOWERS BY-LAWS I or \ GRAVEL HILL LODGEJ !VU]IIBER "2311, OF PURDT, tenn: ISAAC W. NASH, PRINTER, 1861. j i < The Undersigned Committee, appointed to i \ draft a Code of By-Laws for the government of ; \ GRAVEL HILL LODGE, No. 232, beg leave \ 'i respectfully to report a^nd submit the following \ < for adoption. \ ; AH of which is respectfully submitted. \ r JOHN N. barnhill; > • \ < ORVALL MEEKS, > Com. i I L. M. HUGGINS. ) \ 5>o5'87t \n-3m. We the members of Gravel Hill^ Lodge, No. 232, do ordain and establish ( the following articles, as a Constitutional code of By-Laws, for the government of) ourselves and successors: ARTICLE I.— Meetings of the Lodge. Sec. 1st. The stated or regular meet- ings of this Lodge, shall be on the first Saturday in each month, at their hall in Gravel Hill, at 2 o'clock, P. M. Also, ^ on the anniversaries of St. John the Bap-S list, and St. John the Evansrelist, at 10^ o'clock. A, M. \ ARTICLE U.— Offccers of the Lodged \ Sec. 1. The Oflacers of the Lodire? shall be the Worshipful Master, Senior! BY-LAWS OF and Junior Wardens, Secretary, Treasu- rer, and Tyler, to be elected by the Lodge by ballot, and Senior and Junior Deacons, to be appointed by the Worshipful Master and S. W.. immediately after the election. Sec. 2. The W. M., and in his absence | the S. W., and in the absence of both, < then the J. W. shall have power to con-; vene the Lodge at any time that it may J be deemed necessary, but no business | shall be transacted at a called meeting other than for which it was called. Sec. 3. ■ A majority of all the votes given, shall be required to constitute an election. No member shall be eligible to vote or hold ofiice. unless he shall have been raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason. Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of each GRAVEL HiLL LODGE. . member to serve in the statioa to which j he may be chosen, unless he can give an \ ; excuse satisfactory to tlie Lodge; and in > 'the case of a refusal, he shall be fined in { ; an amount discretionary with the Lodge. ^ \ Sec. 5. The election of officers shall < take place annually, at the stated meet- ^ sings immediately prececding the anniver- \ ssary of St. John the Baptist, and they;' 'shall be installed at the anniversary < meetings of the St. John, and. shall hold their offices until the election aui in^-ial- : lation of their successors. s ARTICLE ni.—DtUus of Oficcrs. \ } Sec. 1. The Worshipful Muster, \vhen| present; shall preside at all meetinjjs, and J in his absence the S. W., and in the ab- . sence of both the W. M. and S. W., the ^ J. W. shall preside. \ b BY-LAWS OF s > Sec. 2. When the W.M., S. W. and jiJ. W., are all absent, the Lodge shall) ^ have power to elect a W. M., pro*temJ J who shall have power to make pro tern ' I appointments. > ^ Sac. 3. The W. M. shall have the By] \ Laws read in the Lodge as often as he ;; smay deem necessary, and always on the • ■ application of a member to him for that > 'purpose. \ Sec. 4, ^It shall be the duty of the4 < Treasurer to report quarterly at the sta- : ted meetings in January, April, July and ; I October, showing a statement of the funds ; 5 of the Lodge in his hands, together with \ \ his receipts and disbursements, on account ; ^ of the Lodge, since the preceding report, : J which shall be recorded by the Secretary. ;. \ Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the Se- ■ GRAVEL HILL LODGE. cretary to keep a record of all the pro- ^. ! ceedings of the Lodge, to collect all mo- i nies that may become due, pay it to ihe^ Treasurer, and take his receipt for the ^ same; to make a statement semi-annually,; i; at the stated meetings ia January and .J ] July, and at such after times as he may be called upon, of his receipts and dis- bursements to the Treasurer; it shalt be his further duty at each meeting, before > entering upon any business, to read the \ minutes of the preceeding meeting, which i shall be signed by the Worshipful Maste^ ; presiding, and in consideration of his s^r- > vices, he shall be allowed fifty cents for ; each regular meeting. < Sec. 6. The Deacons shall assist tne ; W. M. and S. W. in the performance of-: < their duties. < 8 BY-LAWS OF s r < j Sec.?. The Steward shall provide ': ,; refreshments, and sliall procure the ne- ^ ; cessary light, fuel, and such other things) as may be ordered by the Lode:e, and? shall see that the regalia of the Lodge J are in good order, and always ready for s use. ■ ■ ' ' < Sec. ^ The Tyler shall faithfully? Tyle the Lodge, go on messages, serve s summonses, and keep the Lodge room in > !^ good order— for his services he shall re- 1 ceive the sum of fifty cents for each meet- \ ing. when found in the discharge of his j dutv. J ARTICLE IV. — Initiation and Membership. } Sec. 1. All petitions for initiations ^ shall be signed by the party applying, ^^ and countersigned by two Master Masons, ^" members of this Lodge, and shall be read \ ^ GRAVKL HILL LODGE. 9' ; s ' ' ~" ~ ' ^ at a stated meeting of the Lodge, »t which J meeting th^e W. M. shall appoint a com- • mittee of two to enquire into the chaiac- ^ter and Situation of the applicant, which ^committee shall report at the next stated meeting, and if the report be favorable, the candidate shall be ballotted for imme- diately, and if there be no dissenting I vote, the W. M., shall declare the candi- J date duly elected; but if there should oc- ; cur a dissenting vote, a second ballotting ■shall immediately be had, and if there •should still occur a disseniwg vote, the c, candidate shall, by the W. M. be decla- j; red rejected. Sec. 2. Every petition for initiatioH, '^ shall be accompanied with the sum of ;, ten dollars, and shall pay five for the ^ second, and ten for the third, bub in- case 10 BY-LAWS OF the candidate should be rejected, thej brother recommending bim shall procured the fee from the Secretary, and return the < same to the candidate. \ Sec. 3. Applications for initiation,! and all rejections shall be kept secret,? and no brother shall repeat or give cur- J rency to any objection that may be made s by any brother to the admission of anyv candidate; any brother so oflfending, shall } be liable to reprimand, suspension, or J expulsion, at the discretion of the Lodge, \ and the petition of a rejected candidate J shall not be again presented for initiation | in less than twelve months, unless at the s request of a member who voted to reject, s and such request must be made in open J Lodfre. > Sec. 4. No brother shall recommend ) GRAVEL HILL LODGE. 1 1 > s or vouch for any person proposing to pe- s'^ ; tition this Lodge for initiation or member- ^ ^ship, where he knows or believes the pe- \ J titioner to be an enemy to any member of j Uhe Lodge. \ \ Sec. 5. No refreshments except water '\ ^ shall be used in the Lodge on Festival 5 {occasions, and in processions — Order/' \ Harmony, and Temperance, are required, \ under the penalty of reproof, suspension, > \ or expulsion . ■ J Sec. 6. Should any member of this : s Lodge so far forget the moral obligations • that he has voluntarily brought himself; under, to abstain from all improprieties, as to become intoxicated, he shall for the lirst offense be reprimanded fiom the; chair, and if he shall persist in so aban-^ doned a course, a second time, he shall, \ 12 BY-LAWS OF J on motion, be suspended until he reform, s ^: Sec. 7. Any person applying for mem- ^ ■ bership, shall be ballotted for as in the \ •case of a candidate for initiation, and if^ ;; the candidate is elected, he shall pay the ) ; Secretary the fee of one dollar. S s ARTICLE V, — Dues, Expulsion and Susp^n. ;< Sec. 1 . Every member except those | exempted, s-hall pay annually, the sum of^^ ;; two dollars, to be paid to the Secretary^ /quarterly, at the stated meetings in Jan- uary, April; July and October. > Sec. 2. Any brother whose conduct j shall be unniasonic, and who shall re-l fuse to reform upon reproof, or reprimand, ;- sh-dW by the vote of the majority present, ^^ ; be expelled or suspended during the plea- / ssure of the Lodge. j Sec. 3. All members shall be exempt j from the payment of quarterly dues for; \ GRAVEL HILL LODGE. 13 ©ne year from the time of his initiation. ARTICLE \l.— Committees. , Sec. 1. In case of the death of a broth- ;;er Master Mason, who is a member of this' ^ Lodge, leaving a widow, the Secretary J ;shallenter her name upon a book to be j ^kept for that purpose, and it shall be the i \ duty of the Worshipful Master, or such > J brother as he may appoint, to call upon > i her from time to time, to see that she f ^does not suffer — to protect her from im- J position, and to attend to any business ifor her, which her sex may incapacitate Uier from transacting. The Secretary s shall in like manner record the names of ;. the children of deceased Master Masons S of this Lodge, and if they are in indigents j circumstances, such assistance shall be > jrendeied them as their necessities may ^ 14 BY-LAWS OF I require, until they .arrive at a proper age < to enter upon some business, and be then \ assisted in obtaining proper situations. \ Sec. 2. The Officers of this Lodge < shall be a Standing Committee in its re- s cess, to take cognizance of the misbeha- > vior of its members out of the JLodge, \ and report accordingly, at its next stated J meeting: to hear andsettle disputes be- ^tween its members, thereby cementing Hhe Harmony and Brotherly Love, "which I ought to pervade the craft. To receive s applications 'for charity/ and as often as ? they think prudent, to afford a helping > hand to the needy and distressed Mason, \ whose merit and necessity entitle him to ^relief, and said Committee are hereby au- \ thorizedto draw on the Treasurer for the J aforesaid, provided such draft shall not; < exceed the sum of five dollars for each \ applicant. GRAVEL HILL LODGE. 15 gnks 0f ftto. SeC. 1. The Worshipful Master may; j speak on points of order in preference to' s other members, and decide all questions' jof order, subject, however, to an appeal J J to the Lodge, from such decision, upon a \ J second motion. ) \ Sec. 2. When a member rises to | speak, he shall respectfully address ib€> Worshipful Master. \ Sec. 3. I»Jo member shall speak more \ than twice upon any question without leave of the Lodge, nor more than once, without every member wishing, to speak \ J shall have been heard. . J \ Sec. 4. Every motion shall be redu-J J 6ed to writing before debate, at the re« \ \ quest of a member. ; \ Sec. 6. When a question is under con- \ \ sideration no motion shall be received un- \ \ less to amend, correct, postpone, call off, \ \ or close. , • . . ^J6 RULES OF ORDER. \ Sec. 6. AVhen the Lodge shall have fbeeii opened, and the minutes of the pre- ■'ceeding meeting read, approved and sign- ;ed, it shall be the duty of the W. M. to: ; to call for. — 1st. Petitions.' — 2d. Reports; ] from select committees. — 3d. for Motions, j Sec. 7. On amotion to close or call loff, there shall be no debate, > Sec. 8. All Committees shall be ap- < pointed by the Worshipful Master. i Sec. 9. Select Committees shall re- ;; port at the time required by the order ap- J pointing them, unless for good reason f the Lodge excuse them. ] Sec. 10. All Committees shall report < in writing. ARTICLE Vlll.—Jimendments. ■. Sec. 1. These By-Laws shall be sub- < ject to amendments at any stated meeting, / by the action oftwo thirds of the members. \ Sec. 2. Each member and brother at < his admission or raising shall be present- \ ed with a copy of these By-Laws. % 'f^-'