Chapter 79

Life Membership

No lodge shall create a life member merely for continuous membership in Masonry for any number of years or for the payment of a sum of money. A lodge may make a member a life member only for outstanding and meritorious service to Masonry and the lodge shall not be exempt from the payment of dues and assessments to the Grand Lodge on life members. [77-12.2].

A proposal for life membership shall be in writing, recommended by at least three members of the lodge, and read at a stated communication.

1. It need not be sent to the Grand Secretary nor referred to a committee.

2. It shall not be balloted on within twenty-eight days after such proposal has been presented and read to the lodge. [48-3.5; Official Form 45)].

3. Election to life membership shall be by a secret and unanimous ballot at a stated communication. [Official Form 45].

REG. 79-3 PRESUMPTION OF DEATH.

If a life member has not been heard from for seven years, the Master shall direct the Secretary to report the name of such missing member in the annual return as beinglegally dead. His name shall then be dropped from the roll of active membership, and a record made on the minutes of the next stated communication.

1. If he shall thereafter report to the lodge in person or in writing, he shall be restored to membership by order of the Master and the fact and date thereof reported to the Grand Secretary at once and entered on the minutes of the next stated communication.

2. Any per capita tax properly due shall be paid within thirty days after such report. [77-12; 77-16].

A certificate of life membership shall not be valid as documentary evidence for the purpose of visitation unless it is accompanied by the annual dues receipt and identification card issued by and under the seal of the same lodge as required in Regulation 77-12. [50-3; 51-3; Official Form 46].