From The South
“The Stated Meeting”
Recently, I had an interesting discussion with one of our visiting brothers from an eastern state about the necessity and timing of meetings. He explained that his lodge did not hold meetings in certain months and that there was no requirement to do so. Lodges in his state did not specifically have a “stated meeting” and typically combined business and degree conferrals at the same gathering.
This discussion brought to mind how the California Masonic Code may differ from the codes of other jurisdictions and also some of the unusual exceptions pertaining to meet- ings in California. CMC, Section 807.000, requires a lodge to hold a Stated Meeting for the transaction of business once in each calendar month. Please note that even a lodge that typically “goes dark” for a month, say in August, is required to hold a Stated Meet- ing with the following interesting exceptions: There are five “gold rush lodges” located in remote mountain areas, which are allowed to continue their tradition of meeting in only ten of the calendar months. There is also an exception for “lunar lodges” which are allowed to hold Stated Meetings once each lunar month.
The business of a lodge may be conducted only during a Stated Meeting and at a date (not a Sunday) and time established in its Bylaws. All business must be conducted in a Lodge of Entered Apprentice Masons. A quorum for the transaction of business is five members, including the Master or ranking Warden, or a Grand Master’s Representative who must direct the meeting. The required order of business at Stated Meetings is: A) Reading of the minutes, B) Reports of investigating committees, C) Balloting, D) Recep- tion of Applications, E) Miscellaneous and unfinished business F) Conferring of Degrees.
At our Culver City-Foshay Lodge we do not confer degrees at Stated Meetings, as that would make for a very long evening and we are required to adjourn before midnight. Therefore, we have many Special Meetings. Special Meetings, in addition to the Stated Meeting, may be called by the master at his direction. Special Meetings are limited to conferring degrees, examining candidates, funeral service and a few other unusual circumstances.
My brethren take due notice of the above, so that we may all conduct ourselves accord- ingly!
Fraternally, Mike Miller, Junior Warden