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~ Perpetual Life Membership ~
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application.
SEC. 15g. Perpetual memberships are authorized for particular Lodges subject
to the following terms and conditions:
(1) Any member in good
standing and possessing a current dues card in a Lodge in this Grand
Jurisdiction which has adopted the Perpetual Life Membership Program into
its Lodge By-Laws, may become a perpetual member of his Lodge pursuant to
the provisions of this section.
(2) Life membership purchased or
obtained by a Brother prior to his Lodge adopting the Perpetual Life
Program, is not invalidated by the Subordinate Lodge.
(3) The member
desiring a perpetual membership shall apply to the Secretary of his Lodge
for such a membership on forms prescribed by the Grand Lodge and shall
tender therewith in accordance with 15g(17). The Lodge Secretary shall
complete his part of the application and shall send the same together with
the full fee to the Grand Secretary. The date of the application shall be
the date the Grand Secretary certifies he received the application.
(4) The application shall be Signed by the applicant and have the
certification of the Lodge Secretary. The application shall not become
effective until the applicant's record has been certified by the Grand
Secretary. If the fee tendered is insufficient the Grand Secretary shall
return the application and fee to the Subordinate Lodge Secretary for
correction and resubmittal. A copy of the completed and accepted perpetual
membership application and a certificate of perpetual membership shall be
furnished the applicant and his Lodge by the Grand Secretary.
(5)
After the perpetual membership application and fee have been received and
accepted by the Grand Secretary, I he membership fee shall not be refundable
except under circumstances determined by the Grand Secretary to be mistakes
of fact rendering the applicant ineligible for perpetual membership as of
the date of the application.
(6) After the applicant's perpetual
membership has been accepted by the Grand Secretary, the perpetual
membership fee shall be paid over to the Grand Treasurer. The funds shall be
placed collectively in a restricted perpetual membership account. These
funds shall be accounted for on an individual Lodge basis, listing the
amount a member paid into the fund. The funds shall be accounted for
separately, by the Grand Treasurer, from all other Grand Lodge funds. The
funds shall be audited annually.
(7) A perpetual member shall owe no
further dues to the Lodge of which he is a perpetual member. A life
membership card shall be issued by the Lodge Secretary.
(8) The
Grand Secretary shall, at the time of the annual interest distribution,
submit a statement to the Lodge for the amount covering the proportionate
share of the interest income and direct the Grand Treasurer to issue payment
for said amount. The Lodge shall, during the member's lifetime, pay to the
Grand Lodge the per capita amount designated.
(9) The obtaining of a
perpetual membership in one Lodge by a dual member shall have no effect on
his membership in the other Lodge to which he belongs. To have life
membership in the Lodge in which he holds dual membership he must purchase
the same in that Lodge.
(10) A perpetual member may affiliate with
any Lodge within this jurisdiction. If the Lodge he affiliates with has
agreed to participate in the program, the entire perpetual membership fee he
originally paid shall be transferred to the account of the Lodge to which he
affiliates. If he chooses a Lodge that does not participate in the program,
or if the affiliation is outside this Grand Jurisdiction, the entire
membership fee shall remain with the Lodge in which he was a perpetual
member.
(11) If a perpetual member shall be suspended, expelled or
withdraws and is subsequently restored to good standing or re-affiliates
from out of state, his perpetual membership shall be deemed to be restored.
(12) If a Lodge consolidates, surrenders its charter or has its
charter arrested, the funds created in that Lodge in the perpetual
membership fund shall follow the member to a Lodge that participates to
which he may transfer. If the Lodge he affiliates with does not participate,
the funds will be retained by Grand Lodge in accordance with Section 27 of
the Code.
(13) An honorary or memorial perpetual membership may be
purchased for one or so honored or as a memorial for a deceased Entered
Apprentice, Fellowcraft or Master Mason. The minimum fee is $200.00. The
total amount of interest derived therefrom shall be paid annually;
seventy-five (75) percent to the Lodge through which the application was
processed and twenty-five (25) percent to the Grand Lodge.
(14) A
brother, at any time in the future, may add to the amount of his perpetual
membership through his local Secretary.
(15) Applications for
perpetual membership shall be on forms prescribed by the Grand Lodge and the
Grand Secretary shall provide all forms required for the implementation of
this section.
(16) There shall be no cost to the Subordinate Lodges
for the administration of this program by the Grand Lodge.
(17) The
formula for determining the fee will be as follows:
| AGE |
Factor |
| 18 - 23 |
27 |
| 24 - 29 |
25 |
| 30 - 39 |
23 |
| 40 - 49 |
20 |
| 50 - 59 |
18 |
| 60 - 64 |
15 |
| 65 plus |
10 |
The fee is determined by multiplying the annual dues 111 the Subordinate
Lodge by the factor for the age of the applicant, i.e., Age 44: Lodge dues
$30.00; factor=20. $30 x 20 = $600.00 fee due to the Grand Lodge.
(18) The interest generated from the investment of these funds will be
returned to the Subordinate Lodges and it will be their responsibility to
pay the assessment required by the Grand Lodge for each Perpetual Life
Member. At the time the Perpetual Life Member reaches Life Membership under
his Lodge By-Laws, the Grand Lodge will retain 25 percent of the interest
generated, 7,5 percent being returned to the Lodge for their operation. At
the death of a Perpetual Life Member, regardless of the length of time in
the program, the Grand Lodge will retain 25 percent of the interest
generated, 75 percent being returned to the Lodge for their operation.
(19) The applicant for perpetual life membership may select the option
to pay the fee in three annual installments, one third of the fee to
accompany the application, the remaining portion of the fee to be paid on
January 1, each year following the year of the application. The dues to the
Subordinate Lodge, in the years between the first and last payment, shall be
borne by the applicant. The final payment will entitle the applicant full
status as perpetual life member and no further dues shall be required. |
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