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cellent, Past, and Mark Master Masons, within their respec tive jurisdictions.

Sec. 5. The Grand and Deputy Grand High Priests, severally, shall have the power and authority, whenever they shall deem it expedient (during the recess of the Grand Chapter of which they are Officers) to grant Letters of Dispensation, under their respective hands, and private seals, to a competent number of petitioners (possessing the qualifica tions required by the 9th Section of the 2d Article) empowering them to open a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and Lodge of Most Excellent, Past and Mark Master Masons, for a certain specified term of time; provided, that the said term of time shall not extend beyond the next meeting of the: Grand Chapter of the State in which such Dispensation shall be granted; and provided further, that the same feesas are required by this Constitution for Warrants, shall be first deposited in the hands of the Grand Treasurer.—And in all cases of such Dispensation, the Grand or Deputy Grand High Priests respectively, who may grant the same, shall make report thereof, at the next stated meeting of the Grand Chapter of their respective jurisdictions, when the said Grand Chapters, respectively, may either continue or recal the said Dispensations, or may grant the petitioners a warrant of Constitution:-And in case such warrant shall be granted, the fees first deposited, shall be credited in pay. ment for the same; but if a warrant should not be granted, nor the Dispensation continued, the said fees shall be refunded to the petitioners, excepting only such part thereof as shall have been actually expended by means of their ap plication.

Sec. 6. The several State Grand Chapters shall possess authority, upon the institution of new Royal Arch Chap ters, or Lodges of Mark Masters, within their respective jurisdictions, to require the payment of such fees as they may deem expedient and proper; which said fees shall be

advanced and paid into the Treasury before a warraut or charter shall be issued.

Sec. 7. No warrant shall be granted, for instituting Lodg+ es of Most Excellent or Past Masters, independent of a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons.

Sec. 8. The Grand Chapters severally shall have power to require from the several Chapters and Lodges under their respective jurisdictions, such reasonable proportion of sumus. received by them for the exaltation or advancement of candidates, and such certain annual sums from their respective members, as by their ordinances or regulations shall hereaf ter be appointed; all which said sums or dues shall be made good, and paid annually, by the said Chapters and Lodges respectively, into the Grand Treasury of the Grand Chapter under which they hold their authority, on or before the first day of the respective annual meetings of the said Grand Chapters.

Sec. 9. No warrant for the institution of a new Chapter of Royal Arch Masons shall be granted, except upon the petition of nine regular Royal Arch Masons; which petition shall be accompanied by a certificate from the Chapter nearest to the place where the new Chapter is intended to be opened, vouching for the moral characters, and masonic abilitics, of the petitioners, and recommending to the GrandChapter under whose authority they act, to grant their prayer. And no warrant for the institution of a Lodge of Mark Master Masons shall be granted, except upon the petition of (at least) five regular Mark Master Masons, accom panied by vouchers from the nearest Lodge of that degree,. similar to those required upon the institution of a Chapter.

Sec. 10. The Grand Secretaries of the State Grand Chap- ters shall severally make an annual communication to cach other, and also to the General Grand Secretary, containing a list of Grand Officers, and all such other matters as may. be deemed necessary for the mutual information of the said. Grand Chapters. And the said Grand Secretaries shall also

regularly transmit to the General Grand Secretary a copy of all their by laws and regulations.

Sec. 11. Whenever there shall have been three, or more, Royal Arch Chapters, instituted in any State, by virtue of authority derived from this Constitution, a Grand Chapter may be formed in such State (with the approbation of one or more of the General Grand Officers) by the High Priests, Kings and Scribes of the said Chapters, who shall be authorised to elect the Grand Officers. Provided always, that no new State Grand Chapter shall be formed until after the expiration of one year from the establishment of the junior: Chapter in such State.

Sec. 12. The several Grand and Deputy Grand High Priests, Kings and Scribes, for the time being, of the several State Grand Chapters, are bound to the performance of the same duties, and are invested with the same powers and prerogatives, throughout their respective jurisdictions, as are prescribed to the General Grand Officers, in the 4th Section, 1st Article, of this Constitution.

Sec. 13. The jurisdiction of the several State Grand Chapters shall not extend beyond the limits of the State in which they shall respectively be holden.

ARTICLE III.

OF THE SUBORDINATE CHAPTERS AND LODGES.

Sec. 1. All legally constituted assemblies of Royal Arch Masons are called CHAPTERS; as regular bodies of Mark Masters, Past Masters, and Most Excellent Masters, are called LODGES.-Every Chapter ought to assemble for work, at least once in every three months; and must consist of an High Priest, King, Scribe, Captain of the Host, Principal Sojourner, Royal Arch Captain, three Grand Masters, Se cretary, Treasurer, and as many Members as may be found convenient for working to advantage.

Sec. 2. Every Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and Lodges of Mark Master Masons, throughout this jurisdiction, shall have a Warrant of Constitution, from the Grand Chapter of the State in which they may respectively be holden, or al warrant from one of the General Grand Officers. And no

Chapter or Lodge shall be deemed legal without such warrant; and Masonic communication (either public or private) is hereby interdicted and forbidden, between any Chapter or Lodge under this jurisdiction, or any Member of either of them, and any Chapter, Lodge or Assembly, that may be so illegally formed, opened or holden, without such warrant, or any or either of their Members, or any person exalted or advanced in sach illegal Chapter or Lodge. But nothing in this Section shall be construed to affect any Chapter or Lodge which was established before the adoption of the Grand Royal Arch Constitution, at Hartford (on the 27th day of January, A. D. 1799.)

Sec. 3. Whenever a warrant is issued for instituting a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, with a power in said warrant to open and hold a Lodge of Most Excellent, Past and Mark Master Masons, the High Priest, King and Scribe, for the time being, of such Chapter, shall be the master and wardens in said Lodges, according to seniority.

Sec. 4. All applications for the exaltation or advancement of Candidates, in any Chapter or Lodge, under this jurisdiction, shall lie over, at least one meeting, for the consideration of the Members.

Sec. 5. No Mason shall be a member of two separate and distinct bodies, of the same denomination, at one and the same time.

Sec. 6. No Chapter shall be removed, without the knowledge of the High Priest, nor any motion made for that purpose in his absence; but if the High Priest be present, and a motion is made and seconded, for removing the Chapter to some more convenient place (within the limits prescribed in their warrant) the High Priest shall forthwith cause noti

fications to be issued to all the members, informing them of the motion for removal, and of the time and place when the question is to be determined; which notice shall be issued at least ten days previous to the appointed meeting. But if the High Priest (after motion duly made and seconded as aforesaid) should refuse or neglect to cause the notices to be issued as aforesaid, the officer next in rank, who may be present at the next regular meeting following (upon motion made and seconded for that purpose) may in like manner issue the said notices.

Sec. 7. All Mark Master Masons' Lodges shall be regulated, in cases of removal, by the same rules as are prescribed in the foregoing Section for the removal of Chapters.

Sec. 8. The High Priest, and other Officers, of every Chapter, and the Officers of every Lodge of Mark Master Masons, shall be chosen annually, by ballot.

Sec. 9. The High Priest of every Chapter has it in special charge, as appertaining to his office, duty and dignity, to see that the by laws of his Chapter, as well as the General Grand Royal Arch Constitution, and the General Regulations of the Grand Chapter, be duly observed; that all the other Officers of his Chapter perform the duties of their respective offices faithfully, and are examples of diligence and industry to their companions that true and exact records be kept of all the proceedings of the Chapter by the Secretary; that the Treasurer keep and render exact and just accounts of all the monies belonging to the Chapter; that regular returns be made by the Secretary, annually, to the Grand Chapter, of all admissions of Candidates or Members; and that the annnal dutes to the Grand Chapter be regularly and punctually paid. He has the special care and charge of the Warrant of his Chapter-He has the right and authority of calling his Chapter at pleasure, upon any emergency or occurrence which in his judgment may require their meeting, and he is to fill the Chair when present.-It is likewise his duty, together with his King and Scribe, ta

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