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CONSTITUTION, of the MOST PUISSANT GRAND COUNCIL of ROYAL & SELECT MASTERS of the STATE OF NEW JERSEY 1982 as amended CONSTITUTION
PREAMBLE We, hailing from the Masonic Jurisdiction of New Jersey, and being the several Councils that constitute the MOST PUISSANT GRAND COUNCIL of ROYAL and SELECT MASTERS of the STATE OF NEW JERSEY, with the express purpose in mind of promoting unity, harmony and Brotherly Love by advancing the CRYPTIC RITE and regulating the uniformity of our labors in diffusing MASONIC LIGHT, do ordain and declare that the following Articles are the GRAND CONSTITUTION of this GRAND COUNCIL.
ARTICLE I. - TITLE.
Section 1.1 This Grand Council shall be styled and known by the name and title of --- "THE MOST PUISSANT GRAND COUNCIL OF ROYAL AND SELECT MASTERS of the STATE OF NEW JERSEY."
ARTICLE II - AUTHORITY OF THIS GRAND COUNCIL.
Section 2.1 This Grand Council acknowledges allegiance to the General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons, International.
Section 2.2 This Grand Council shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction within the State of New Jersey over the Cryptic Degrees of Freemasonry -- namely, the degree of Royal Master, the degree of Select Master, and the appendant degree of Super-Excellent Master. It shall have the sole authority over, the government of, the several subordinate within the State of New Jersey with the authority to oversee their work, prescribe minimum fees for admission, and promote harmony and brotherly love among these Councils.
Section 2.3 This Grand Council shall have the sole power to grant new Warrants to Councils within this Grand Council.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING.
Section 3.1 This Grand Council shall be composed of its Grand Officers; the Thrice Illustrious Master, the Deputy Illustrious Master and the Principal Conductor of the Work of each of the subordinate Councils under its jurisdiction; and all Companions who are entitled, by virtue of their election and installation, to the rank of Thrice Illustrious Master, to hold the title of Past Thrice Illustrious Master, so long as they shall hold regular membership in a subordinate Council within this Grand Jurisdiction.
Section 3.2 Each member of this Grand Council shall be entitled to one vote in elections or on any question before the Grand Council.
ARTICLE IV - GRAND ASSEMBLIES.
Section 4.1 The ANNUAL ASSEMBLY of this Grand Council shall be held in the State of New Jersey at a convenient date in the month of April, or the first Saturday in the month of May. The time and place shall be designated by the Grand Master with the advice and concurrence of the Deputy Grand Master, the Grand Principal Conductor of the Work, and the Grand Recorder.
Section 4.2 A quorum to open a Grand Assembly shall be three elected Grand Officers and the representatives of three (3) different subordinate Councils.
Section 4.3 Nominations for the elective Officers of this Grand Council shall be made at the Annual Grand Assembly. Nominations may be made in writing to the Grand Recorder after the opening of the Grand Assembly, orally from the floor of the Grand Assembly. The precise hour of the election of Grand Officers shall be announced in the summons to the Grand Assembly.
Section 4.4 Special Assemblies of this Grand Council may be summoned by the Grand Master whenever he shall deem it necessary. Only such business as is listed in the summons to such Special Assembly may be considered at such Special Grand Assembly, or such matters as are not restricted to action at the Annual Grand Assembly.
ARTICLE V. - OFFICERS OF THE GRAND COUNCIL.
Section 5.1 Elective Officers. The elective officers of this Grand Council shall be a Grand Master, a Deputy Grand Master, a Grand Principal Conductor of the Work, a Grand Treasurer, a Grand Recorder, a Deputy Grand Treasurer, and a Deputy Grand Recorder, each of whom shall be elected at the Annual Grand Assembly, by ballot and a majority preference of the members present and voting. The Companions so elected shall hold their office for one year, and until their successors in office shall have been elected and installed in office. There shall also be a Board of Trustees, consisting of three (3) members, one of whom shall be elected annually for a term of three (3) years. Should a vacancy ever occur in the Board of Trustees, it shall be filled by election at the next Annual Assembly, by ballot and for the period of the unexpired term only. No Companion may serve in more than one (1) elective Grand Office at one and the same time, with the exception of the Office of Grand Treasurer and the Office of Grand Recorder, and their respective Deputies, which Offices may be held by one person.
Section 5.2 Appointive Officers.
The appointive officers of this Grand Council shall be four (4) Grand Chaplains, a Grand Instructor, two (2) or more District Deputy Grand Masters, a Grand Captain of the Guard, a Grand Conductor of the Council, a Grand Marshal, a Grand Steward, and a Grand Sentinel. The Grand Master may, at his discretion, appoint a Grand Organist, a Grand Soloist, and/or a Grand Historian. The appointive officers of this Grand Council shall be named by the Grand Master-elect at the Annual Grand Assembly, and shall be office for the term of one year and until their successors shall have been appointed and installed in office. No member of this Grand Council may be appointed, nor serve in an appointive office, in more than one year in any two year period, exception in the offices of Grand Chaplain, District Deputy Grand Master, Grand Sentinel, or the discretionary appointments.
Section 5.3 To be eligible to any office in this Grand Council, with the exception of Grand Chaplain, Grand Sentinel, and the discretionary appointments, a Companion must have served as the Thrice Illustrious Master of a subordinate Council.
Section 5.4 Titles authorized by this Grand Council.
All Royal and Select Masters will be addressed by the title "COMPANION." The title of the Grand Master: when addressed in Grand Council -- "MOST ILLUSTRIOUS GRAND MASTER"; and when introduced or presented -- "MOST ILLUSTRIOUS COMPANION (name), GRAND MASTER OF THE MOST PUISSANT GRAND COUNCIL OF ...." This title will be retained by all Past Grand Masters. All other Grand Officers shall be known as "RIGHT ILLUSTRIOUS COMPANION (name), etc." All other members of this Grand Council as well as all present and Past Thrice Illustrious Masters shall be known as "ILLUSTRIOUS COMPANION (name) ." Grand Representatives to this Grand Council, appointed by Grand Councils near this Grand Jurisdiction, shall not be entitled to the title of "RIGHT ILLUSTRIOUS COMPANION" unless they shall have merited such title as a Grand Officer of this Grand Council previously.
ARTICLE VI. - DUTIES OF THE GRAND OFFICERS.
Section 6.1 The Grand Master. It shall be the duty of the Grand Master to preside over all the Grand Assemblies of this Grand Council, and to discharge all the executive powers of this Grand Council between Grand Assemblies. The Grand Master of this Grand Council is of right the presiding officer of Cryptic Masons as such in this Grand Jurisdiction. He may suspend, until the next Annual Grand Assembly, the operation of any rule or regulation that is not a Landmark at his pleasure. He is not answerable for his acts as Grand Master. He may deputize any member of this Grand Council to do any act, in his absence, which he himself might do if present. The Grand Master shall decide all questions of order without debate.
Section 6.2. The Deputy Grand Master. In the event of the death or disability of the Grand Master, the duties of that office shall devolve upon and be discharged by the Deputy Grand Master. At all other times he shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the Grand Master.
Section 6.3 The Grand Principal Conductor of the Work. In the event of the death or disability of the Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master, the duties of that office shall devolve upon and be performed by the Grand Principal Conductor of the Work. At all other times he shall perform such duties as may be assigned to him by the Grand Master. Section 6.4 The Grand Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the Grand Treasurer to have charge of all monies and vouchers of the Grand Council. He shall deposit all monies received from the Grand Recorder in a bank account in the name of "The Most Puissant Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of the State of New Jersey," and shall pay al orders duly drawn under the direction of the Grand Council, and bearing the signatures of the Grand Master and the Grand Recorder. He shall report annually in writing to the Grand Council, and to the Grand Master when required, the receipts and disbursement of the Grand Council (by item), together with the balance on hand; and shall pay and deliver to his successor in office all monies, books, writings, and property of the Grand Council, which are under his control, and with all proper assignments whenever necessary.
Section 6.5 The Grand Recorder. It shall be the duty of the Grand Recorder to record the transactions of the Grand Council; to receive, file and safely keep all papers and documents of this Grand Council; to sign and certify, with the Seal of the Grand Council, all instruments of this Grand Council; to receive and keep a proper account of all monies of this Grand Council, and to pay the same to the Grand Treasurer without delay; to report annually to the Grand Council the amount of monies received by him (by item), and also the source from which such monies were received; to report the Councils that have neglected to make the returns of their elections, membership reports and dues, as well as such other information as to the state of the subordinate Councils as may be proper for the information of the Grand Council; to conduct the correspondence of the Grand Council under the direction of the Grand Master; to draw and sign all orders on the Grand Treasurer for the payment of all bills and financial obligations of this Grand Council, and to forward the same to the Grand Master for his approval and signature; to register all members of Councils under the jurisdiction of this Grand Council, and to attend to all such matters and duties as shall appertain to his office according to ancient Masonic customs and usage.
Section 6.6 The Deputy Grand Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the Deputy Grand Treasurer to familiarize himself with the duties of the office of Grand Treasurer. In the event of any emergency affecting the Grand Treasurer, the Grand Master shall assign the duties of the Grand Treasurer to the Deputy Grand Treasurer. At all other times he shall perform such duties as may be assigned to him by the Grand Master.
Section 6.7 The Deputy Grand Recorder. It shall be the duty of the Deputy Grand Recorder to familiarize himself with the duties of the office of Grand Recorder. In the event of any emergency affecting the Grand Recorder, the Grand Master shall assign the duties of the Grand Recorder to the Deputy Grand Recorder. At all other times he shall perform such duties as may be assigned to him by the Grand Master.
Section 6.8 The Grand Trustees. It shall be the duty of the Grand Trustees to invest all monies, beyond a reasonable amount, in the General Fund in such a manner as to provide the best financial advantage to the Grand Council; to hold the same in such a manner as to be readily available to the Grand Council, and to report annually to the Grand Assembly on such investments made by them; to render annually to the Grand Council and to the Grand Master, as may be required, a statement of all securities and properties in their hands, with the location or place of deposit of all trusts held by them belonging to the Grand Council. The Grand Trustees shall deliver to their successors in office all property of whatever nature held by them in trust for the Grand Council, including all proper assignments and transfers. All papers of value belonging to this Grand Council shall be held in a safe and secure place, access to which may be had by not less than two (2) of the Trustees. In the event that two (2) Trustees should ever be absent or incapacitated, then access may be had by one (1) Trustee and either the Grand Treasurer or Grand Recorder.
Section 6.9 The Grand Instructor. The Grand Instructor shall be the Custodian of the Standard Work of the Cryptic Rite for this Grand Jurisdiction, as approved by the Grand Council at the Annual Assembly. It shall be his duty, working with the Committee on Ritual and the District Deputy Grand Masters, to promulgate the Standard Work to the subordinate Councils.
Section 6.10 The District Deputy Grand Masters. It shall be the duty of each District Deputy Grand Master to visit each Council in his District at least once in each Cryptic Year, as the representative of the Grand Master. He shall instruct the Standard Work, inspect the rituals and the general condition of the Council. The District Deputy Grand Master shall make a report, in writing, to the Grand Instructor not later than January 15th of each year summarizing the results of his visits to the subordinate Councils. These reports will be summarized and consolidated into a report tot he Grand Master, which shall be received by the Grand Master no later than March 1st of each year.
Section 6.11 Other Grand Council Officers. It shall be the duty of other Officers of this Grand Council, whose duties have not been set forth here, to perform such duties as have been traditionally performed by their office according to the ancient usages and customs of the Craft, or as the Grand Master may, from time to time, direct them to perform.
ARTICLE VII. - COMPENSATION.
Section 7.1 The Grand Master, the Grand Instructor, and the District Deputy Grand Masters shall be compensated for their necessary expenses incurred during the year while in the performance of their duties. This shall be done after the approval of the same by the Committee on Finance at the Annual Assembly.
Section 7.2 The Grand Recorder and the Grand Sentinel shall receive such compensation for their services as the Grand Council shall, from time to time, determine.
ARTICLE VIII. - AMENDMENTS, ALTERATIONS, ADDITIONS, OR REVISIONS of this GRAND CONSTITUTION Section 8.1 No amendment, alteration, addition or revision of this Grand Constitution can be considered except at the Annual Assembly of this Grand Council. Section 8.2 An amendment, alteration, addition or revision of this Grand Constitution must be submitted in writing to an Annual Assembly of this Grand Council, and must be signed by at least three members of this Grand Council. It shall be received and laid over to the next Annual Assembly of this Grand Council at which time it will be considered. It will require an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members, present and voting, to adopt such amendment, alteration, addition or revision. Section 8.3 A recommendation for a change in this Grand Constitution cannot be made by the Grand Master by his recommendation in his Annual Address to this Grand Council.
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