Chapter 43
Subordinate Lodge Powers and Duties
REG. 43-1 EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE.
The specific powers of a subordinate lodge are as follows.
1. The Executive, which relate to the direction and performance of its work under the control of the Master, who is the chief executive officer of the lodge, but always subject to review by the Grand Master or the Grand Lodge.
2. The Legislative, which embrace all matters of legislation relative to the internal concerns of the lodge which are not in violation of its own bylaws, the usages and customs of the Craft, the laws of the Grand Lodge, and the orders and edicts of the Grand Master.
3. The powers of a lodge are only such as are conferred on it by the laws of this Grand Lodge. [2-4; 4-2].
Some, but not all, of the powers and duties of a lodge are as follows. [2-4; 4-2].
1. A lodge shall obey the laws of the Grand Lodge, the usages and customs of the Craft, and the orders and edicts of the Grand Master, not inconsistent therewith.
2. A lodge shall confer the three degrees of Symbolic Masonry intelligently and in conformity with the Authorized Work of the Grand Lodge, and encourage its members to improve their knowledge thereof.
3. A lodge shall practice charity, promote and express Masonry in the territory occupied by it, and to enforce Masonic discipline therein.
4. A lodge shall hold at least one stated communication each month except as provided in Regulation 45-2 or by dispensation of the Grand Master (This section amended, effective
5. A lodge shall elect and install its officers annually. [Chapter 54].
6. A lodge shall provide a safe and suitable room for its communications. [43-5].
7. A lodge shall keep a full and proper record of its transactions. [Chapter 62].
8. A lodge shall make such full and proper reports to the Grand Lodge as may be required. [Chapter 47].
9. A lodge shall pay its annual dues, taxes, and assessments to the Grand Lodge punctually. [Chapters 47].
10. A lodge shall have by-laws. [44-2; Chapter 44].
11. A lodge shall have and maintain a proper seal. [Chapter 46].
12. A lodge shall be represented at each annual communication of the Grand Lodge. If it is not represented at two consecutive annual communications, it shall be cited by the Grand Master to show cause why its charter should not be arrested. [3-3; 3-4; 26-3.2; 41-10.7].
13. A lodge shall have and maintain complete control and authority over the use of its hall or meeting place by ownership or otherwise. Joint proprietorship with other societies or organizations is not favored by the Grand Lodge. Where other societies or organizations occupy the same rooms with a subordinate lodge, all Masonic paraphernalia and property shall be removed immediately after the lodge is closed. [13-3.8.D; 25-2].
14. A lodge shall keep its property insured against loss or damage by fire and other hazards. Any lodge failing to insure its property shall not be granted permission to ask for assistance from other lodges of this jurisdiction on account of loss except by the Grand Lodge on recommendation by the Grand Master. [60-1.3.F].
15. Obsolete. (This regulation amended, effective 1/1/2017)
16.A lodge may by ordinary resolution and a majority vote, to appropriate its funds for Masonic charity and for the discharge of its ordinary and necessary expenses, subject, however, to Regulations 43-8 and 60-7.
17.A lodge may assemble to attend religious services, Masonic funerals and scholarship presentations or for other purposes allowed by The Code or by permission of the Grand Master.(This regulation amended, effective January 1, 2002)[45-11]
Some, but not all, of the limitations of powers and authority of a subordinate lodge are as follows. [4-2; 4-6].
1.The discussion in a lodge when open of political, sectarian, or other subjects not related to Masonry is prohibited.
2.A certificate or a recommendation shall not be issued by a lodge, or an officer or a member thereof, to a brother which he could use in an itinerant manner to apply for relief to other lodges or members.
3. Alcoholic beverages are forbidden in Lodge rooms, except for ritualistic purposes. The service or consumption of any beverage having a recognized or indicated alcohol content in any Lodge room, ritualistic purposes excepted, shall be deemed an offense against the Body of Masonry.This does not preclude lodges from renting their facilities, except Lodge rooms, to groups where alcoholic beverages are consumed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina, and upon such terms and standards as may be set by the grand lodge or grand master. (this subsection amended, effective 9/26/2014)
4.No lodge shall authorize, sponsor, sanction, hold, conduct or permit to be held in the name of Masonry any meeting or gathering, for business, social or any other purpose where alcoholic beverages are permitted, served or consumed as a part of such meetings or gatherings.
5.A lodge is not a collection agency for private debts. [86-2.41; 90-2].
6.A lodge shall not engage in any program of solicitation of petitions, nor shall it permit any of its members to do so. [86-2.51.E; 86-2.22].
7.No lodge shall publish the name of any one who is to be balloted on except as provided in Regulation 68-8.2 nor shall it publish the name of any candidate to receive a degree unless enclosed in a cover or envelope. Postal cards and post cards shall not be used for this purpose. [68-1; 68-11].
8.No lodge shall permit the use of its roster of membership or any part thereof for business or political purposes, nor for any solicitation whatever that is not strictly Masonic.
9.No lodge shall permit the use of its roster of membership or any part thereof for the sale of any book purporting to be Masonic or to relate to Masonry which has not been expressly approved by the Grand Lodge. [29-12; 86-2.45; 86-2.46]
10.No transaction of the Grand Lodge or of a lodge shall be given to any person for publication in a newspaper or otherwise except as authorized by the Grand Lodge or the Grand Master, or by the lodge or its Master.
11.The organization of any club of an exclusive kind within the membership of a lodge is forbidden. [86-2.26].
12. Moved to Reg. 43-12.13 (a) (b) (effective January 1, 2016).
13.No lodge shall be an escort in any public or private event.
14.No lodge shall give any of the ritualistic work, even monitorial lectures, at an entertainment for its members and their families or for the profane. [86-2.53]
15.Obsolete (This regulation amended, effective January 1, 2002).
16.No lodge shall permit the use of any of any part of its buildings, facilities, or grounds for lotteries, games of chance, gambling, or for any purpose which would discredit Masonry. [86-2.35]. (This section amended, effective
17.No lodge shall levy an assessment on its members for any purpose, nor shall it require a withdrawal fee. It may increase its annual dues as provided by law. [75-13; 76-12; 77-8].
18.No lodge, nor any officer thereof, as such, shall act or serve as administrator, executor, guardian, trustee or in any fiduciary capacity,except as expressly provided by the law of the Grand Lodge. [2-6.11; Chapter 60].
19.No lodge shall in any manner or at any time inflict a fine on a brother for any purpose whatever. [95-3].
20.No lodge shall provide in its by-laws for the payment of money for any purpose whatever without the express action of the lodge in each case before such payment. [43-10; 60-10].
REG. 43-4 THE CODE AND PROCEEDINGS.
Each subordinate lodge in the jurisdiction shall keep copies of the laws of the Grand Lodge for the inspection of its members. It is the duty of the Master to enforce strictly such laws in the lodge over which he presides. The published Proceedings of the Grand Lodge shall also be kept on file and shall be conclusive evidence of all matters reported therein as the action of the Grand Lodge, and except as otherwise provided, shall be evidence of other matters contained therein. [23-1; 23-3; 94-11.4].
No lodge shall hereafter have its lodge room on the first floor or ground level of a building, except a lodge which at this time has its lodge room so located, without the express approval of the Grand Master, and all lodge rooms shall in all respects be safe from cowans and eavesdroppers. [39-2.6.F.(2); 42-1.4;38-1; 87-14].
REG. 43-6 EMERGENCY LODGE HALL.
The Master may call a communication of the lodge in case of emergency at any suitable hall within the city, town, village or vicinity other than the usual hall or place of meeting by giving due notice to the members. No such communication may be called at any place outside of the city, town, village, or place in which the lodge is chartered and customarily holds its communications, except to conduct a Masonic burial service and then only by consent of the Master of the lodge in whose jurisdiction interment is to be made. [13-3.8.D; 13-3.8.G; 38-4.1; 38-4.2; 42-3; 43-5; 45-7; 45-4.2; 71-14; 82-9].
REG. 43-7 COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE.
No lodge shall engage in any commercial enterprise or business of like nature.
1. If a lodge owns a building in which its lodge room or hall is located or other real property, it may rent any space available for office or commercial purposes, reserving the right to terminate any lease in the event the leased premises should be used for any illegal or unmasonic purposes. [13-3.8.D; 43-2.6; 43-3.3; 43-3.12; 38-1; 87-14; 86-2.46].
2. A lodge may not rent, for office or commercial purposes, any real property it owns and with respect to which it owes or has secured any indebtedness, except in compliance with Reg. 43-8. (This regulation amended, effective 1/1/2017)
REG. 43-8 SERVICE COMMISSION APPROVAL.
No subordinate lodge shall have the power or authority to do any of the things or acts described in this regulation until its application therefor has been approved by the Lodge Service Commission, or by the Grand Master or the Grand Lodge upon appeal therefrom. [86-2.51.E].
1. Prior to receiving Lodge Service Commission approval a lodge shall not:
A. Pledge its credit, or issue bonds, notes, or other evidence of debt, or subscribe to or guarantee the stock, bonds, or debts of any building association or company, either in the name of the lodge or under the name of a building association or company formed by Masons within or without the lodge for any building project, [25-2; 31-4.3]
B. Lease real estate for more than five years either as lessee or lessor,
C. Purchase real estate for any purpose,
D. Become a party in creating, organizing, amending, or dissolving a civil corporation for any purpose whatever,
E. Become a party in amending or dissolving any existing civil charter of a subordinate lodge [4-6; 49-5; 60-10; 86-2.46], or
F. Enter into a joint enterprise with any other group, body, organization, or other entity, including another Masonic lodge or recognized Masonic body composed wholly of Masons, in the construction, ownership, and management of a building, or for any other purpose. [25-2;43-2.13].
G. Sell real estate, or (This regulation amended, effective 01/01/2017)
H. Rent, for office or commercial purposes, any real property it owns and with respect to which it owes or has secured any indebtedness. (This regulation amended, effective 01/01/2017)
2. Any subordinate lodge which violates Regulation 43-8.1 above shall be subject to the arrest and forfeiture of its charter, or such other penalty as the Grand Master or the Grand Lodge may impose. [41-10.9; Chapter 31].
3. When a subordinate lodge makes an application for consent to do any of the acts or things enumerated in Regulation 43-8.1, it shall furnish therewith a full description of the purpose, plans of financing, plan and description of any building erected or to be erected, and such other information as the Lodge Service Commission may require.
4. In handling applications made under Regulation 43-8.1 the Lodge Service Commission shall have full power and authority to make such rules from time to time as it may find necessary to provide an orderly procedure for handling and disposing of such applications.
5. By decision of a majority of the Commission it may approve or reject any application.
6. A lodge shall have the right to appeal to the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge from the decision of the Lodge Service Commission on its application.
The Grand Lodge is in no sense responsible for the payment of any debts or obligations of subordinate lodges beyond the extent of the assets of the subordinate lodge as provided in Regulation 49-7.8. [5-1.9].
A lodge may provide for one or more funds and the administration thereof by its trustees, but no lodge shall provide in its by-laws or otherwise for automatic allocation of its fees and dues, or any part of either to any special fund or special purpose. Any appropriation to any special fund or for any purpose shall be made by specific resolution for a specified sum in each instance. [43-3.20; 60-10; 63-13].
All correspondence from a lodge in this jurisdiction to a lodge in another grand jurisdiction upon the subject of conferring degrees, or any other Masonic matter except funerals, shall be sent through the office of our Grand Secretary. No lodge in this jurisdiction shall respond to correspondence from a lodge in another grand jurisdiction upon these subjects without first referring the same to our Grand Secretary. The Grand Secretary may authorize direct correspondence between such lodges on any particular Masonic subject after it has been referred to him as herein provided. [16-1.12; 42-10; 71-10; 91-9.5;93-2].
REG. 43-12 FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES. Effective 1.1.2016
A subordinate lodge desiring to conduct fund-raising activities may do so provided the following conditions are met.
1. The event is conducted over a period of no more than three consecutive days.
2. The activity is conducted no more than annually.
3. The lodge shall first submit an application detailing the planned project and purpose to the Commission on Special Activities and must receive its approval before actively undertaking the project. (This subsection amended, effective 09/26/2016)
4. The lodge keeps careful financial records of the project and a report filed with the Commission on Subordinate Lodge Special Activities with 45 days of its completion. (This subsection amended, effective 09/26/2016)
5. The lodge protects itself against general and special liabilities. [77-1; 27-1.3.P].
6. Either substantially all of the work performed by or on behalf of the Lodge in preparing, delivering or selling food or goods shall be performed by members of the Lodge or others on a volunteer basis without compensation or substantially all of the food or goods sold must be received by the Lodge as gifts or contributions.
7. A subordinate lodge desiring to conduct any fund-raising activity shall first submit an application detailing the planned project and purpose to the Commission on Special Activities and must receive its approval before actively undertaking the project. [32-4.3]. (This subsection amended, effective 09/27/2016)
8. A subordinate lodge conducting any project without obtaining prior approval when required or in a manner other than allowed by this regulation or who shall divert funds for other than the stated purpose, shall be required to show cause why its charter should not be arrested.
9. A subordinate lodge conducting any fund-raising activity shall file a financial report on the project within 45 days after completing the project with the Commission on Special Activities. The Lodge shall report the type of project, the purpose for which it was conducted, funds to be accounted for and distribution of profits. (This subsection amended, effective 09/26/2016)
10. A lodge conducting any fund raising activity shall complete that activity within one hundred twenty (120) days of beginning the project. (This subsection amended, effective 09/26/2016)
11. Lodges conducting any fund-raising activity shall complete any fund-raising project already underway before beginning another project. (This subsection amended, effective 09/26/2016)
12. The Grand Lodge Committee for Subordinate Lodge Special Activities shall have the power to approve charitable fund-raising sporting events and any normally acceptable related contest within such events so long as the fund-raising event and its related contest stay within the realm of amateur activities.
13. The holding or sponsoring by a lodge of lotteries, game of chance, gambling, or any activities which would discredit masonry, for any purposes, is prohibited. [43-7; 86-2.32; 86-2.35]. A raffle may be held as follows:
A) Raffles shall be conducted with the conformity to North Carolina State Laws except that cash prizes shall not be permitted.
B) No raffle shall be conducted without prior written approval by the Committee (Commission) on Subordinate Lodge Special Activities. (This regulation amended, effective 09/26/2016)