E. SMITH LEE, Detroit, Grand High Priest. Deputy Grand High Priest. Grand Secretary. Grand Marshal. After the election of these officers, the convention resolved to meet in Detroit on the eighteenth of that same month to install the officers and complete the organization. The constitution which had been ratified by all the three Chapters and was formally adopted at this time, was as follows: CONSTITUTION. WE, the several Chapters of Royal Arch Masons, created and established by the authority of the General Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the United States of America, and, being located within the State of Michigan, duly represented by our respective H. Priests, Kings and Scribes, or their proxies, at the village of Jackson, in the State of Michigan, duly convened on the twenty-fourth day of February, one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, pursuant to the powers vested in us by the Constitution of the General Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the United States aforesaid; and in accordance with the permission for that purpose granted in the instrument above set forth; to secure good order, promote harmony and perpetuate the benign principles of our Order, do Ordain and Declare the following Articles to be the Constitution of the Grand Chapter of the State of Michigan, subject to no alteration or amendment, unless in the manner therein set forth. SEC. I. ARTICLE I. ORGANIZATION OF THE GRAND CHAPTER. This Grand Royal Arch Chapter shall consist of a Grand High Priest, a Deputy Grand High Priest, a Grand King, a Grand Scribe, a Grand Secretary, a Grand Treasurer, a Grand Chaplain and Marshal, and the Past Grand High Priests, Past Deputy Grand High Priests, Past Grand Kings, and Past Grand Scribes, together with the High Priests, Kings and Scribes for the time being of all subordinate Chapters under the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter, or their proxies duly empowered, and all Past High Priests who are members of subordinate Chapters, and who have presided one year over a Chapter in this State. SEC. 2. There shall not be a Grand Chapter opened for business, unless there shall be present a representation from at least two subordinate work ing Chapters. The first meeting of the Grand Chapter shall be held at the village of SEC. 3. Jackson, on the 9th day of March, A. D., 1848, at 7 o'clock, P. M., at which meeting the first Grand Officers shall be elected, and shall severally hold their offices until the annual meeting established by the next Section, (4) and until their successors shall be elected and installed. SEC. 4. The annual meetings of this Grand Chapter shall be held at such place as the Grand Chapter, shall from time to time, designate, on the first Wednesday in January, at which time the Grand Officers shall be elected and installed; and special meetings may be called by the Grand High Priest, whenever, in his judgment, the interest of the craft may require. SEC. 5. The Officers to be elected by the Grand Chapter, are, the Grand High Priest, Deputy Grand High Priest, Grand King, Grand Scribe, Grand Secretary, Grand Treasurer, Grand Chaplain and Grand Marshal. SEC. I. ARTICLE II. OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE GRAND CHAPTER. The appointment of Representatives shall be by vote of the subordinate Chapters, certified by its Secretary, under the seal of said Chapter, and the certificate shall be substantially in the following form: "I certify that A. B. was, on theC. D., King, and E. F., Scribe, of have hereunto annexed the Seal of said thereto. SEC. 2. -day of last, duly elected High Priest, Secretary.” Every Companion who shall offer himself as Proxy for any High Priest, King, or Scribe, of any Chapter under the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter, before he or they shall be permitted to take a seat as such, shall produce to the Grand Secretary, an authority, in substance as follows: "I, A. B., High Priest of -Royal Arch Chapter, No.-holden in the—of -in the County of, do, by these Presents, constitute and appoint my beloved Companion, W. S., my Proxy, to represent me and the Chapter aforesaid, in the State of Michigan, at their next meeting at G. Royal Arch Chapter of the hereby conferring on my said Proxy, all the powers vested in me by virtue of my said office. Given under my hand and the seal of said Chapter, this A. L. 58-. -day of A. B." Which said authority shall be sealed with the seal of the Chapter whereof the Companion making the same was an Officer, and attested by the Secretary of the said Chapter, in the form following: "I certify the Seal hereunto affixed, to have been made after the name of A. B. was subscribed to this warrant. Z. S. Secretary." SEC. 3. In case of the death or absence of any of the said Officers, the Chapter whereof he was a Officer may authorize any Companion, in regular standing in any Chapter within the jurisdiction of this Grand Chapter, to represent them as aforesaid, as fully as such deceased or absent Officer might have done, were he alive or present, by a resolution of said Chapter; which shall be certified by the Secretary thereof, and exemplified with the seal of the same; and he shall also certify the death or absence of such Officer, on the back or margin of the same resolution. ARTICLE III. OF ELECTION. SEC. 1. The Officers of the Grand Chapter shall be elected by ballot, and shall hold their offices for one year, and until their successors are elected and installed. SEC. 2. The several Grand Officers shall be chosen from among the working members of the subordinate Chapters, but no such member shall be eligible to an office, if by his election thereto, he shall be raised to a higher rank than he may have attained in his said Chapter. SEC. 3. Any Grand Officer who shall, during the term for which he was chosen, withdraw from the Chapter of which he was a member, at the time he was elected to such office, shall thereby vacate his office and seat as a member of the Grand Chapter. SEC. 4. Each regular member of the Grand Chapter shall as such, be entitled to one vote, and each subordinate Chapter represented therein, to three votes; but no representative from a subordinate Chapter shall be allowed to vote in each of the respective capacities of member and representative, but shall be restricted to a single vote as one or the other. ARTICLE IV. OF THE POWERS OF THE GRAND CHAPTER, AND DUTIES OF ITS OFFICERS. SEC. I. This Grand Chapter, being the highest source of legitimate Masonic authority, and only subject to the obligations contained in the constitution of the General Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the United States of America, can, and of right ought, to have the sole government and superintendence of all Chapters and Lodges of the Most Excellent, Past and Mark Master Masons, within the State of Michigan. It may, therefore, grant warrants and dispensations for constituting Chapters of Royal Arch Masons, and when expedient, revoke and annul the same. It may make laws, pass regulations, and at pleasure, repeal, annul, or alter the same. of SEC. 2. No warrant shall be granted by the Grand Chapter, for the creation any Royal Arch Chapter, unless upon the petition of at least nine regular Royal Arch Masons, praying for such warrant, which petition shall be recommended by the Chapter nearest to the place where the new Chapter is to be formed, which recommendation shall certify that the petitioners are all Royal Arch Masons, in good standing as such, and that they are men of good moral character; and upon granting said warrant, the petitioners shall pay for the same the sum of one hundred dollars, including the amount that shall have been paid for dispensation. SEC. 3. The Grand High Priest and Deputy Grand High Priest, during the recess of this Grand Chapter, shall have power and authority to grant Dispensations for holding Chapters of Royal Arch Masons, Lodges of Most Excellent Masters, Past Masters, and Mark Masters, on a regular application to either of them for that purpose, accompanied with the same number of petitioners, and recommended in all cases as would be necessary to obtain a warrant, and paying the same sum therefor, such dispensation, when granted, shall be as valid as a warrant could be, until the next meeting of the Grand Chapter. SEC. 4. At every meeting of the Grand Chapter, it shall be the duty of the Officer who has granted a dispensation as provided in the preceding section, to make report thereof to the Grand Chapter, pay over the money received by him for such dispensation, to the Secretary, with the petition and other documents accompanying the same whereupon it shall be the duty of the Grand Chapter to grant a warrant, or annul said dispensation, or renew the same, as they shall see cause; but in case no warrant shall be granted, and the dispensation annulled, they shall return the money to the petitioners, deducting the sum of ten dollars for granting dispensation. SEC. 5. No Dispensation or Charter shall be granted for instituting Lodges of Most Excellent Masters, Past Masters, or Mark Masters, independent of a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. ARTICLE V. POWERS OF THE GRAND CHAPTER IN REGARD TO COUNCILS OF ROYAL AND SELECT MASTERS. SEC. I. This Grand Chapter has the authority, and may authorize and empower any Royal Arch Chapter under this jurisdiction, to organize within its body, a Council of Royal and Select Masters; and such Council, when duly organized, may confer the degrees of Royal and Select Masters; Provided, however, such degrees shall be conferred upon none but Royal Arch Masons. SEC. 2. Such authority shall not be granted to such Chapter, unless upon the application of at least nine Royal and Select Masters, asking for such authority; and upon granting the same, the sum of ten dollars shall be paid into the Treasury of this Grand Chapter. SEC. 3. The Grand High Priest, and Deputy Grand High Priest, may, during the recess of the Grand Chapter, authorize the establishment of Councils of Royal and Select Masters, upon the same terms, and to continue until the next meeting of this Grand Chapter, to be then confirmed, continued, or annulled as the Grand Chapter shall see cause; but in case the authority thus granted, shall be annulled, the fee shall be returned to the applicants. ARTICLE VI. OF SUBORDINATE CHAPTERS. SEC. I. SEC. 2. That the election of Officers in all Chapters under this jurisdiction, SEC. 3. Every Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, holding under this Grand SEC. 4. SEC. 5. Fvery Chapter holden under this jurisdiction, shall have a seal, with SEC. 6. Every Chapter under this jurisdiction, shall have and exercise full power and authority of disciplining its members, and of calling to account all Royal Arch Masons who reside under their jurisdiction, for unmasonic conduct, who do not belong to any Chapter, and punishing such members or residents by reprimand, suspension, or expulsion, as they may deem proper. If such person shall be expelled, the nature of the offense, with all the proceedings thereon, shall be imme |