Chapter 52
Members of a Lodge
The members of a subordinate lodge, so long as they retain their membership therein, are as follows:
1. Those who were members of the lodge at the time its dispensation warrant, or charter was issued,
2. Those later admitted by affiliation, [39-11]
3. Those duly elected in, and receiving the degrees in, that lodge or in some other lodge as a courtesy for the lodge electing them, and
4. Those who may acquire membership therein by a consolidation with another lodge. [Chapter 56].
The charter members of a lodge are those who were members on the date the charter was granted.
REG. 52-3 DUTIES OF A FREEMASON.
The duties of a Freemason are as follows:
2. To obey the laws and edicts of the Grand Lodge,
3. To be neither an atheist nor a skeptic,
5. To live in peace and to practice charity,
6. To be a member of a regular lodge,
7. To perform faithfully the duties as such member, or as an officer,
8. To pay his dues thereto promptly,
10. To notify the Secretary of his lodge immediately of any change in his mailing address, home telephone number, cellular telephone number, or email address.
11. To pay due respect and obedience to the various Grand Lodge officers and lodge officers according to their respective rank and station,
12. To obey the by-laws of his lodge, and to attend its communications,
13. To observe those lessons and duties inculcated in the several lectures and charges of the three Symbolic degrees of Freemasonry, and
14. To keep and perform the several obligations of those degrees. [77-16].
(This subsection amended, effective 9/28/2019)
Belief in the existence of God is a fundamental tenet in Freemasonry. If subsequent to initiation a member's mind, for any cause, has undergone a change of religious belief to the extent of repudiating or renouncing faith in God, he ought to be expelled. Denying the main essential to a genuine Masonic life, he should be denied Masonic privileges. [66-1.1; 67-8; 86-2.2; Preamble I].
A member of a lodge in another Grand Jurisdiction, which does not forbid plural membership, may affiliate with a lodge in North Carolina without having to relinquish his membership pursuant to Chapter 75. (This regulation amended, effective 7/31/2000)
REG. 52-6 MODE OF MAKING MASONS.
The Grand Lodge does not recognize any other mode of making Masons than the one sanctioned by the immemorial usages of the Craft, namely, in a regular lodge and after previous notice and due inquiry into character. [13-4.3].
REG. 52-7 MEMBERS NO PROPERTY INTEREST.
No member of a lodge shall have any individual right, title, interest, or claim in or to any part of the assets, funds, or property of any kind belonging to his lodge. Assets and property are for the sole purpose of promoting the objects of Masonry and therefore they are to be used for Masonic purposes only. The lodge may vote its funds to relieve the distress of a member as Masonic charity dictates and it should promptly do so, or to pay for services rendered or for value received by the lodge from a member, but there is no vested interest, or any claim, demand, or right that any member can make upon the assets and property of his lodge solely by virtue of his membership therein. [4-7; 43-2.15; Preamble III (2)].
REG. 52-8 BROTHER WHO CHANGED HIS NAME.
A brother who has changed his name by civil law shall promptly file with the Secretary of his lodge documentary evidence showing that his name has been changed. Such documentary evidence shall be a certified copy of the order or judgment changing his name, under the seal of the court, or civil agency, that issued the same. The Secretary shall record on the minutes of the first stated communication after its receipt and revise the lodge record. The Secretary shall immediately forward such document to the Grand Secretary for the record in his office.