MassachusettsGCon
Contents
CONSTITUTIONS AND REGULATIONS OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF MASONS IN MASSACHUSETTS
The original Constitutions for the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts were compiled by a committee appointed by Most Wor. John Cutler, Grand Master, in April 1792. They are reproduced in the front of Volume II of the Proceedings, covering the years 1792-1815. A revised form of the Grand Constitutions appeared in June 1811, and is reproduced in the same volume of the Proceedings starting on Page II-515. This edition of the Grand Constitutions was prepared by a committee headed by John Dixwell, a future Grand Master, and was the foundation of all future revisions to the Grand Constitutions (made by amendments voted upon by the Grand Lodge and reported in the Proceedings.) At certain intervals the entirety of the Grand Constitutions was reprinted in the Proceedings. Each new full revision is reproduced below, with annotations for intervening amendment and revision.
THE CORPORATE GRAND LODGE
ACT OF INCORPORATION
- 1817 Act of Incorporation
- 1833 Memorial of Surrender (includes Moore's response)
CORPORATION BY-LAWS
Subsequent to the Act of Incorporation, the Grand Constitutions were reworked as a set of by-laws for the regulation of the Grand Lodge. Most of the text of the 1819 By-Laws comes from the 1811 Grand Constitutions, but there are some significant differences in procedure and some notable additions not considered in the earlier document. This set of by-laws was considered and revised during 1818 and was published in the Proceedings with the September, 1819 Quarterly communication.
CONSTITUTIONS AFTER THE RELINQUISHMENT OF THE ACT OF INCORPORATION
Following the surrender of the Act of Incorporation in 1833, the Grand Lodge continued to use the 1819 version of the By-Laws. By 1843, there was sufficient need to revise them that they were replaced with a "new Code, so much of what may properly be termed the common, as well as statute law of the Fraternity." (from the report of the committee, October 11, 1843.) It is certainly true that the 1843 revision substantially expands and explains numerous practices, regulations, and procedures that were overlooked (or observed by fiat) prior to their publication.
The text of the 1843 Grand Constitutions begins on page IV-618.
In this version of the Grand Constitutions, sections will have a link to the 1819 By-Laws that covers the same subject, where appropriate.
THE RE-INCORPORATION OF GRAND LODGE
Following the sale of the Temple in 1858, the Grand Lodge sought and obtained a new Act of Incorporation. This Act was extremely similar to the 1817 version, except that it specified larger amounts of real and personal property to be held by the Corporation, and in addition to granting privileges it also subjected the Grand Lodge to all liabilities set forth in the Massachusetts Statutes. The Grand Lodge immediately proceeded to organize itself under this act.
1916 REVISIONS
In 1916, the Grand Lodge petitioned the Great and General Court for revision in the acts authorizing the Grand Lodge to hold property according to its Act of Incorporation.
THE 1918 GRAND CONSTITUTIONS
Following the appointment of a committee by Grand Master Leon M. Abbott to throughly revise the Grand Constitutions. The new revision was organized with three-digit section numbers, replacing the former Part/Article/Section structure that had been in place since 1811.
The text of the 1918 Grand Constitutions was reprinted in full in the 1918 Proceedings.
- Pre-Application Statement, adopted by Grand Lodge in 1937.
THE 1930 GRAND CONSTITUTIONS
An extensive review of the Grand Constitutions took place during the adminstration of Grand Master Herbert W. Dean. The text of the 1930 Grand Constitutions was reprinted in full in the Proceedings.
