LODGE BYE LAWS - JUNE 1825

We the Brethren of this Lodge bind and oblige ourselves by subscribing to the regulations under written, that we shall observe and fulfil all these Bye Laws, Charges and Regulations with all and sundry others that may or shall be adopted at any other legal meeting of this Society in after times under the respective penalties after mentioned.

1^st    That the Lodge be always called and convened in a Brothers house if not called in their own Lodge Room.

2^nd   That the Lodge always be called by the Master if convenient, if not then by the principal Office Bearers if the Master be absent, at least four times every year and oftener if required.

3^rd   That these quarterly meetings be always held before the quarterly communications of the Grand Lodge of Scotland that proxies may be appointed and other things consulted that may be proper to be presented to the Grand Lodge.

4^th   The Master or any principal Office Bearer, as his proxy, may convene the Lodge upon any urgent occasion and all the Brethren are obliged to attend their summonses as though the Master himself were present.

5^th   That no Brother presume to enter the Lodge without the badge of the Craft and clothed in a proper manner.

6^th   That every Brother for the use of the Society and for prosecuting our laudable institution of Freemasonry and Charity towards our Brethren and every Brother who is a Member of our Lodge, shall pay to the treasurer for the time being the sum of one penny halfpenny upon the day of every quarterly meeting and if any shall neglect to pay by absence or otherwise at foresaid meeting he shall make good the deficiency the first time he appears in the Lodge.

7^th   That every Brother when in the Lodge behave in a decent and orderly manner and if any member so forget his respect to the Chair and Brethren, as to behave himself disorderly or contumaciously while in the Lodge he shall be twice admonished by the Master in a formed Lodge but if he persists to offend a third time he shall be punished as the Master shall think and the Lodge determine, always understanding that the delinquent shall be allowed to plead his own cause before the Lodge who are afterwards to judge the validity of his defence and to determine accordingly, but the brother under sentence is to have the liberty of carrying an appeal to the Grand Lodge. No member to be reproached with any fault for which he has been rebuked by the Master and Brethren, the member so doing shall pay a fine of Sixpence Sterling to the Treasurer for the behalf of the Society.

8^th   That no new member be admitted without being recommended by some Brother the meeting previous to his making, that the Brethren may have it in their power to consider whither the person proposed is qualified for becoming a member at which future meeting the consent of every member present is to be demanded by the Master in a formed Lodge, and given or refused by the prudent method of the Lodge by a vote. The candidate at his entrance is to promise that he will obey not only the general constitutions and regulations but likewise the Bye Laws of the Lodge which are then to be read to him or them as testifying his or their approbation.

9^th   No candidate whatever to be admitted a member of this Lodge until the Treasurer declare to the Master when asked, that he has received from the candidate all the accustomed dues and holds himself satisfied therewith, and responsible to the Lodge, for such dues which are as follows:

         Viz

         For an Entered Apprentice      11/-      Eleven shillings

           Dues to the Grand Lodge        5/6d     Five Shillings and sixpence

 To the Tyler                           1/-       One shilling

 Treating the Company            2/6d      Two shillings and sixpence

 Passing Fellow Craft              2/6d      Two shillings and sixpence

 Raising Master                       7/6d      Seven shillings and sixpence

 Matriculation in the Lodge       5/-        Five shillings 

10^th  Every member when he has anything to propose to the Lodge shall direct his discourse to the Chair, and having obtained leave shall then proceed to inform the Lodge of his proposal. That no member of this Lodge shall be capable of bearing any office whatsoever in the Lodge, as long as he shall stand indebted to the Lodge for any sum whatsoever, but upon discharging the sum his privileges shall be restored to him as formerly.

11^th  That the Master as often as shall be convenient may appoint any member or members of the Lodge under his discretion to visit any neighbouring Lodge in order to preserve, cement and keep up that Brotherly understanding so conspicuous among Freemasons. That after the Lodge is formed and while it continues, a certain portion of time be spent in the instruction of the Royal art in a way not to be expressed in writing and if time permit.

12^th  At the meeting immediately preceding the feast of St John, the Treasurer shall lay his accounts before the Lodge, and after examination have them approved and discharged accordingly and if upon such examination there shall happen to be in the Treasurers hands a Balance, he shall either instantly pay it or grant his Bill with Security therefore in terms of Law, payable on demand. That the said meeting for these and the like purposes be held upon the day immediately preceding the Grand Feast of St. John.

13^th  No member of this Lodge shall take upon them on any pretext whatever to make Masons without a special commission or power from the Master and Wardens of the Lodge. For that end, these being granted, the person or persons so deputed shall forthwith become responsible to the Lodge for the accustomed dues for the member or members admitted on the above warrant; that every member if absent from any quarterly meeting and in town shall be obliged to send a letter to the Chair or otherwise to present his excuse to the Lodge for non attendance; and should a committee member neglect his duty by absenting himself from any of the above stated quarterly meetings without a reasonable excuse being given and sustained by the Lodge and other committee members shall subject himself according to the office he holds to the following scale of penalties:

The R.W.Master for each offence the penalty of two shillings.

The R.W. Past Master, Senior and Junior Wardens, Secretary and Treasurer, penalty of one shilling and sixpence.

Each of the stewards and any other of the committee members in the penalty of one shilling.

At any committee meeting legally worked for the business of the Lodge each member of committee on absenting himself without a reasonable excuse given and sustained shall be subject to the penalty of one shilling and fourpence; and should any committee member be one half hour behind the hour of meeting at quarterly meetings or one quarter of one hour behind the hour of meeting at committee which are for quarterly meetings 6 O'Clock p.m. and for committee meetings 7 O'Clock p.m. he shall subject himself to such penalty as the Master and other members may determine upon; all which penalties must be paid upon conviction if convenient, if not by the next quarterly day under forfeiture of their membership.

14^th  That no brother shall go out of the Lodge after it is formed unless upon very urgent business and leave asked and obtained from the Chair. That every Brother shall submit himself to the determination of his Brethren in a formed Lodge with respect to all faults he may commit against the ancient and honourable Craft and Order of Free and Accepted Masons, without or within doors, at our solemn communications or at any other time or times that may be hurtful to the Lodge or good of the Craft in general.

15^th  That after serious business is over and the Lodge near being closed, which is always to be done at ten o' clock at farthest, the Master or one appointed by him, is to escort the Brethren to unity and concord, and to preserve the cement of the Lodge. Thereafter every Brother is requested to behave himself in an orderly manner going out of the Lodge and return his clothing in good order to the tyler if belonging to the Lodge and every Brother taking away any of the clothing shall pay a fine of one shilling sterling for each offence to the Treasurer for the good of the Lodge.

16^th  That every member of this Lodge shall provide for himself an apron or badge of the Craft which he has in his power to decorate or mount as he pleases at his own expense and such apron to be keeped by himself and not given to the charge of the tyler, the spare clothing always to be for the use of visiting Brethren to this Lodge.

17^th  That all the present members shall subscribe these Bye Laws and acknowledge them for the rule of their conduct as men and as Masons; and that every member entered and admitted hereafter into this Lodge shall in like manner subscribe the same at their admission; and lastly to this intent that all the members may know and understand the foregoing Bye Laws and not pretend ignorance thereof the same are appointed to be read to the Lodge at every quarterly communication as well as the admission of every new member and to be by no means omitted under a fine of sixpence sterling from the Master to be paid to the Treasurer for the good of the Lodge and Society.

In testimony thereof this last page of the Bye Laws wrote on this and the preceding pages is subscribed by us at Bannockburn the Eighth Day of June One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty Five Years and of light 5825.