Lodge Burroughs Strange No. 87
Vijayawada, India

Name:
The name of this daughter institution is “Lodge Burroughs Strange No. 87”, under The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of India.

Place of Meeting:
The Regular and Emergency Meetings of this Lodge will be held at the Freemason’s Hall, Purnanandam Pet, Vijayawada - 520003.

Days of Meeting:
The Regular Meetings of this Lodge will be held on Penultimate Friday of every month.

Election of Officers:
The Master, the Treasurer of this Lodge to be elected by Ballot and the Tyler by Show of Hands at the Regular Meeting to be held in the month of March every year.

Installation of Officers:
The Officers so elected and other Officers appointed by the Worshipful Master will be invested and installed at the Regular Meeting to be held in the month of April every year.

Officers:
For the purpose of Government and proper conduct of its affairs, the Lodge will have the following Officers:

Preferably a Past Master of the Lodge shall be appointed as one of the Br. V.S.L. and Steward’s Office.

Election of Members:

1. No candidate will be Initiated/ Master Mason admitted as Joining/ Re-joining Member, unless

   1. The new membership, proposals are considered and recommended by the permanent committee to which it should be first referred before the proposals are made in the open Lodge,

   2. He shall have been duly proposed and seconded at one regular meeting and balloted at the very next regular meeting. If the ballot is not so taken, the proposal shall lapse.

2. Particulars required of the candidate as well as of the proposer and seconder, shall be furnished to the Secretary of the Lodge previously to the meeting of the Lodge at which the proposal is to be made, in the prescribed form.

3. He shall have paid in Advance all Fees, applicable in each case.

4. He shall have produced the certificate required by the Book of Constitution.

5. No candidate for initiation/ joining/ re-joining, shall be deemed elected, if at a Ballot, two thirds of the member present and voting in the lodge, approve the proposal for such candidature.

6. In case of an unfavourable Ballot, no further application shall be received within six months from the date of rejection.

7. If a candidate is not initiated within one year after his election, the election shall be void.

8. Every brother upon his initiation, shall be given a copy of the Book of Constitution, Bye-Laws of the Lodge, Ritual book and Master Mason Apron free of cost after the rising ceremony.

Constitution:

1. This Lodge will consist of

   1. Subscribing Members,

      1. Resident, and

      2. Non-Resident; and

   2. Honorary Members.

2. Resident Members: All Office Bearers of the Lodge, and all those members reside within the limits of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.

   Non-Resident Members: Those Members who reside beyond the limits of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, if they choose to be so.

3. Honorary Members shall comprise of Master Masons, so elected by the Unanimous Vote of the Members of the Lodge present at the meeting, after due proposal and seconding at one regular meeting and voted at the next regular meeting, after due notice in the summons convening the meeting. (Rule No. 142 of Book of Constitutions)

Fees: Initiation – Joining – Re-Joining

1. For Initiation Rs.1,000/- (Rupees One thousand only) per annum/ annually plus all fees payable to Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India, and Grand Lodge of India for Registration and issue of the Grand Lodge Certificate.

2. For Joining and Re-joining: Rs.500/- (Rupees Five hundred only) per annum/ Annually plus all fees payable to the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India and Grand Lodge of India, for Registration etc.

Subscription: Annual

1. Resident Members: Rs.2,000/- (Rupees Two thousand only) which includes all amounts payable to Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India, Grand Lodge of India, and Annual Subscription for Magazine.

2. Non-Resident Members: Rs.1,500/- (Rupees One thousand Five hundred only) which includes all amounts payable to the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India, Grand Lodge of India, and Annual Subscription for Magazine.

3. No change in subscription of Resident Member and Non-Resident Member. But subscription Rs.2,000/- from Initiates to be collected in the first six months and Rs.1,000/- from Initiates to be collected in the last six months period. (Ref. Constitution Rule No. 121)

Building Fund:
Initiates shall pay non-refundable Rs.5,000/- to the Lodge Account, non-refundable Rs.5,000/- to Vijayawada Freemasons Charitable Trust, non-refundable Rs.15,000/- to the Building fund account of Lodge Burroughs Strange No. 87 respectively. The Initiates shall pay Three separate cheques along with their proposal forms.

Stewards Funds:

1. Candidates for Initiation shall be exempted.

2. Annual from every member of the Lodge Rs.50/- (Rupees Fifty only).

Masonic Charities Fund Annual from every member of the Lodge Rs.100/- (Rupees One hundred only) and the management of the existing water plant shall be handed over to the Freemasons Charitable Trust.

Fees of Honour
Payable to the Lodge by the Officers annually.

1. The Fee for a Higher Office shall not include the fees of the Lower Office.

2. The fees so collected, shall, as far as possible, be only utilised for the maintenance and acquiring new Regalia, Furniture, Ornaments, and other properties for and of the Temple.

3. In addition, All Fees of Honour, payable by any of the officers of this Lodge, to the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India and the Grand Lodge of India, towards their Fee of Honour, shall be paid by them individually.

Memo of Account
All amounts due from a Member, shall be shown on every summons, for which purpose the Treasurer will give a statement of dues, to the Secretary, to enable him to so enter on every summons.

Arrears of Dues
The members who are in arrears on account of subscription etc., for – (a) Over three months are not eligible for office, proposing, seconding and vote; (Rule No. 121 of Book of Constitutions) (b) For over six months, liable for exclusion; and (c) For one full year automatic cessation. (Rule Nos. 124 and 124A of Book of Constitutions).

Secretary

1. Secretary and Assistant Secretary shall be exempted to pay the Lodge Annual Subscription, if they so prefer; but they shall pay all Annual dues payable to Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India, Grand Lodge of India and to the Magazine.

2. He shall issue summons for the Regular and Emergency Meetings, not less than 10 (Ten) days previous for the Regular Meetings, and for all Emergency Meetings, as much notice as possible, but not less than 7 (Seven) days should be given.

3. He should record the minutes of the Regular and Emergency Meetings of the Lodge and of all Committee Meetings of which he shall be the Ex-Officio Secretary.

4. He should conduct all correspondence between this Lodge and its members, other daughter Lodges, The Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India and The Grand Lodge of India.

5. He can also collect all dues and fees from the Members and candidates and remit the amounts in the Bank.

6. He may keep an imprest of Rs.500/- (Rupees Five hundred only) and submit vouchers for the payments made by him, to the Treasurer and get the imprest reimbursed.

7. He shall, at each installation meeting, lay a report duly approved by the Permanent Committee, reviewing the progress during the previous year, duly enclosing such report to the summons for the Installation Meeting.

8. He shall at every Regular Meeting of the Lodge, read out for confirmation, the minutes of the proceeding Regular Meeting and of any Emergency Meeting that might have been taken place, since the Last Regular Meeting.

9. He shall regularly submit in time, all returns due to The Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India and The Grand Lodge of India.

10. He shall, annually check the Inventory of all the properties of the Lodge, which are to be taken over by the New Master.

11. He shall carefully preserve all books and records of the Lodge in general and the Register of Members upto date in particular.

Treasurer

1. He shall have charge of and responsible for all the monies and account books of the Lodge.

2. He shall receive all monies and deposit them in a Bank, approved by the Lodge for

   1. General Account;

   2. Charity Account;

   3. Building Fund Account;

   4. Stewards Fund Account;

   5. Masonic Charities Fund Account; and

   6. Lodge Fees of Honour Account.

3. All cheques must be signed by any two of the following viz. the Master or Secretary along with the Treasurer.

4. He shall pay all usual expenses, such as for Postage, Printing, Stationery, Salaries, Municipal Taxes, Electrical, Water Charges, dues payable to Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India and Grand Lodge of India. Payments on any and all other purchases and expenses are to be first recommended by the Permanent Committee and approved by the Lodge.

5. He shall red at every regular monthly meeting of the Lodge, a statement of Receipts and Payments to the end of the previous month.

6. The year of accounting shall be from 1st April to 31st March. The Annual Statement of Accounts, Balance Sheet and the Report of the Audit Committee, showing the financial position of the Lodge, duly checked and recommended by the Permanent Committee, shall be made ready for enclosing to the summons, for the Installation Meeting, or the summons for the Regular Meeting in May or latest in June, for the approval and adoption by the Lodge.

Tyler
He shall have the charge of all the Property, Regalia, Furniture etc., of the Lodge. He shall see, that previous to each meeting, the Temple is properly arranged and everything made ready. He shall guard the entrance to the Lodge and admit only well known Free Masons and should not admit strangers until examined and approved by the Junior Warden and permitted by the Worshipful Master.

Audit Committee

1. It shall consist of Two members, elected annually at the Election Meeting in March;

2. It shall be preferred, that one of the two members, so elected be a Professional Auditor, if there is one among the members of the Lodge.

3. They shall prepare the Annual Statement of Accounts, Balance Sheet for the year from 1st April to 31st March and submit the Auditor’s Report, showing the Financial Statement of Affairs of the Lodge for

   1. General Account,

   2. Charity Account,

   3. Building Fund Account,

   4. Stewards Fund Account,

   5. Masonic Charities Fund Account and

   6. Lodge Fee of Honour Account

   in time to enable the Permanent Committee to so approve and recommend to the Lodge for adoption.

4. Copies of Accounts and the Certificates signed by the Audit Committee that all balances have been checked and the accounts have been duly audited shall be sent to all members of the Lodge together with the summons convening the meeting at which they are to be considered. Such meeting shall not be later than the third regular meeting after the date to which the accounts are made up.

Permanent Committee

1. It shall consists of the Worshipful Master, the I.P.M., The Senior and Junior Wardens, the Secretary, Treasurer, D of C., All Past Masters of the Lodge Burroughs Strange No. 87, and two members elected, at the Installation Meeting of the Lodge.

2. It shall be the duty of the Permanent Committee, either by itself of reference by the Lodge, to consider all matters connected with the Welfare of the Lodge, scrutinise and recommend the applications for Membership, prepare and submit an Annual Report for the year, at the Installation Meeting in April and the report is to be enclosed to the summons of that meeting at which the report shall be considered and adopted.

3. To preserve and improve the Properties, Regalia, Furniture of the Lodge, and examine the Lodge Books and Records and advise on the investment of the funds of the Lodge and report on applications for relief of distressed Freemasons.

4. All Meetings of the Permanent Committee shall be held under notice with agenda, sent to all members of the Permanent Committee, so as to reach them at least 7 (Seven) days before the date of the Permanent Committee Meeting.

5. The Permanent Committee shall meet once in a month, preferably in the first week.

6. The minutes of the Permanent Committee meetings shall not be sent to all the members of the Permanent Committee, present and absent at the meeting, immediately after the meeting.

7. An item, “To Vote severally and individually on the recommendations of the Permanent Committee” held after the last Regular Meeting of the Lodge, be brought on the summons for the next Regular Meeting of he Lodge.

8. Five of the total members of the Permanent Committee shall form the quorum.

Property
The property of this Lodge shall vest in the Worshipful Master and the two Wardens (the three Principal Officers) for the time being in trust of the Lodge.

General
It shall not be competent for the members of the Lodge, to abrogate, amend or alter these Bye-laws, unless the abrogation amendment or alteration is proposed and seconded at on Regular Meeting and brought on to the summons for the next Regular Meeting and approved and again brought on the summons for the next (3rd Consecutive Meeting) and confirmed and thereafter approved by The Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India and the Grand Lodge of India.

In all cases, not especially provided by these Bye-Laws the Members shall be bound by the decision of the Worshipful Master the same being not contrary to the Constitution. Every member of this Lodge shall be given a free copy of these Bye-Laws and every initiate and joining member shall be presented with a copy.