Abnaki Club By-Laws

Abnaki Club

I.

Name and Object.

This club shall be known as the Abnaki Club. Its object shall be the maintenance of suitable rooms for the use of its members in common; the promotion among them of friendly intercourse and such other social purposes as the club may ordain.

II.

Officers.

The officers of the Club shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary / Treasurer and five Directors. 


These officers shall constitute the Executive Committee and shall be chosen separately, by ballot, at the Annual Meeting and shall continue in office one year and until others are chosen in their stead.

It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Executive Committee, at which he is present. In the absence of the President, the Vice President may preside or if he also is absent a President pro-temp may be chosen.

It shall be the duty of the Secretary / Treasurer to keep the Records of the meetings of the club and the Executive Committee and to make all collections and disbursements and to have the custody of all money and papers of value belonging to the Club. He shall give all members reasonable notice in writing when dues are payable. He shall keep a correct account of all receipts and expenditures and his accounts shall be audited annually by the Executive Committee for that purpose. He shall make a report concerning the financial condition of the Club at the Annual Meeting.

He shall give a bond if required by the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall have charge and control of the property of the Club and general supervision of its affairs with power to authorize disbursements from the Treasury for all ordinary expenditures for the purposes of the Club.

The Executive Committee shall also submit to the Club from time to time such rules for the management of the rooms as they may deem advisable and in general do whatever may be necessary to promote the welfare of the organization.

If any of the officers above named become vacant, it shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to cause a meeting of the Club to be called for the purpose of filling the vacancy.

The officers chosen at the first meeting shall hold office until the annual meeting for the year 1895.

III.

Members.

The number of resident members living in Augusta shall not exceed one hundred and fifty. Master Masons living outside the limits of Augusta may be elected at any time as non-resident members.


Candidates for admission to the Club must be Master Masons in good standing.

Each application must have the written recommendation of at least two members. 

Applications shall be posted in some conspicuous place in the club House of the corporation at least seven days before the time of meeting when the same is to be voted upon.

Every application for membership shall be voted upon by the members of the Club on the first Thursday of the following month, more than seven days after the said application is posted , at 7:30 o’clock. P.M. at the Club House. Such vote shall be by secret ballot and three negative votes shall reject the application. There must be at least ten votes thrown in all upon such application and in case of a less number another time shall be fixed for such voting either upon the same or another subsequent day.

Each candidate elected shall become a member after signing the By-Laws and paying the admission fee which shall be established by the Executive Committee.

If any person elected shall not within two months after the date of his election signified his acceptance by signing the By-Laws and paying the admission fee, it shall be considered that he has declined to become a member.

No candidate who has been rejected by the Club or has declined to sign the By-Laws or pay the admission fee shall be again proposed for membership until the expiration of at least one year.

IV.

Dues.

The amount of the annual dues shall be set annually by the Executive Committee.

The dues shall be payable to the Secretary / Treasurer annually on the second Wednesday of January.

V.

Withdrawal.

Any member whose dues are paid may honorably withdraw from the Club by giving notice of his withdrawal to the Secretary / Treasurer in writing. All such notices received by the secretary shall be reported by him to the Executive Committee at their next meeting, together with the date at which such notice was received. If any member, who thus gives notice of withdrawal has not dues unpaid at the time the notice is received by the Secretary, his membership shall cease on the date at which the notice is received and the cause and date of the termination of the membership shall be entered in the record of the meeting at which the notice of withdrawal is reported.

If a notice of withdrawal is received by the Secretary / Treasurer from any members having dues unpaid at the time the notice is received the Secretary shall report the notice at the next meeting of the Executive Committee but the membership shall not thereby be terminated.

VI.

Forfeiture of Membership.

It shall be the duty of the Secretary /Treasurer to report to the Executive Committee the names  of all members whose dues remain unpaid one month after they are due; and the Executive Committee, after notice to the delinquent and after such reasonable delay as they may deem expedient shall declare the membership forfeited for nonpayment of dues and the declaration of forfeiture shall be entered in the record of the meeting.

Any three members may present to the Executive Committee written charges subscribed by themselves against any other member to the effect that the conduct of such member is persistently at variance with the rules of the Club or prejudicial to its good order, welfare or character; and after sufficient opportunity for a hearing, ten days notice of the time an place of the hearing having been given to the member by the Secretary / Treasurer in writing, the Executive Committee may if they deem it expedient temporarily suspend the membership of the person against whom charges are preferred and report the case at the next meeting of the Club at which the suspended member shall again have an opportunity for a hearing, ten (10) days notice of the time and place of the hearing having been sent to him as before by the Secretary / Treasurer. After due consideration, the question of the forfeiture of the membership shall be submitted to the Club and if two thirds of those present and voting shall vote for forfeiture, it shall be so declared and entered in the record of the meeting.

VII.

Release of Property.

The removal of any member from the Club from any cause shall constitute a release to the Club of all title and interest.

VIII.

Meetings.

The annual meeting of the Club shall be held on the second Wednesday of January of each year commencing in the year 1895. At 7:30 “clock P.M.

Special meeting of the club or of the Executive Committee shall be called by the Secretary / Treasurer at the request of the President or at least two members of the Executive Committee or in writing of five (5) members of the Club.

At any meeting of the Club, twelve (12) members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Notices of all meetings shall be posted in the club rooms at least seven (7) days before the date thereof.

IX.

Amendments.

Amendments to any of the foregoing articles may be adopted at any meeting of the Club, by vote of two thirds of those present: provided a copy of the amendment, with notice of the meeting at which it is to be considered is posted on the notice boar by the Secretary / Treasurer and a similar notice sent by mail to each member of the club, at least seven (7) days before the meeting.