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Expulsion

owls84

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
Is there a Lodge that currently votes on members to be "Expelled" based on the article below?

Art. 326. (362). Expulsion Permitted After Three Years.
Should a suspended member fail to pay his dues in arrears within
three years from the date of his suspension, he may, after not less
than thirty days written notice, be expelled at a stated meeting, by
an affirmative ballot of two-thirds majority of the members of his
Lodge present. Only members of the Lodge of which he is a member
shall be permitted to ballot thereon.

The reason I ask is that I don't know if my lodge has ever done it but it may be something to look at doing.
 
G

Gerald.Harris

Premium Member
Premium Member
I would think that if a brother has not caught up on his dues in three years, and has not attempted to obtain a demit, then he should be expelled. May sound harsh, but it is just.
 
js4253

js4253

Premium Member
Premium Member
Gerald.Harris said:
I would think that if a brother has not caught up on his dues in three years, and has not attempted to obtain a demit, then he should be expelled. May sound harsh, but it is just.
Click to expand...

I have heard of several cases where a suspended Mason came back and requested to be reinstated. We don't always know the circumstances and could possibly expel a worthy Brother. ----Just a thought.
 
G

Gerald.Harris

Premium Member
Premium Member
Good point ! I don't know of any lodge that actually expells members but I still believe that if a brother is in dire straits,or been relocated by his employer, or for any reason cant pay his dues, it is his duty to keep his lodge apprised of his situation and his location. I know that my lodge normally remits dues on a brother or two each year and I am very happy and proud that they can do so. Having served as Secretary however, I can tell you that keeping up with everyones address can be a royal pain.
 
Wingnut

Wingnut

Premium Member
I would like to know if any lodges have actually suspended for NPD? I have heard of several that wont/dont...
 
owls84

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
Yeah, the reason I bring this up is the requirements to get back in are a little tougher when expelled. The person has to be re-investigated and so forth. I truly believe that if the Committee for Members in Arrears does their job then the ones that in destitute circumstances would be found and taken care of. I mean the hardest part of receiving help is asking.

I really don't know if this would be good or bad. I just have never heard of anyone doing it.
 
owls84

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
Gerald.Harris said:
I would think that if a brother has not caught up on his dues in three years, and has not attempted to obtain a demit, then he should be expelled. May sound harsh, but it is just.
Click to expand...

I also agree with this. There are many avenues that Brothers can take and the work that goes into finding the "Lost" Brothers is very tiresome and not needed. Dues are due every year, have been for a long time. Much like someone saying Christmas snuck up on you. If you were that concerned then you would know this because you see your dues card in your wallet. Just me though.
 
Bill Lins

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Wharton suspends "NPD" after 3 years. It hadn't been done for years before I became Secretary, and having to pay the per capita for those who wouldn't carry their own weight was pulling the Lodge down. However, if we know a Brother is having problems (& we do check), certain Brethren, including me, will pick up their slack personally.
 
G

Gerald.Harris

Premium Member
Premium Member
Bill_Lins77488 said:
Wharton suspends "NPD" after 3 years. It hadn't been done for years before I became Secretary, and having to pay the per capita for those who wouldn't carry their own weight was pulling the Lodge down. However, if we know a Brother is having problems (& we do check), certain Brethren, including me, will pick up their slack personally.
Click to expand...

We do the same thing in League City, and I am proud that we do. In my 30 + years as a Master Mason, I have really only come across a couple of guys who just didn't want to be masons anymore, and they were not smart enough to obtain a demit.
 
RedTemplar

RedTemplar

Johnny Joe Combs
Premium Member
Unless you have to pay dues on a suspended member, I don't see why you should expel just for NPD. Offhand, I could name several brethren who have reinstated after being out for years. If we had expelled them, everyone would have lost. With all due respect, we are builders. Let us make sure we have culls before we permanently discard them.
 
Bill Lins

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Although we DO have to pay per capita on Brethren in arrears until we suspend them, we avoid expulsion- much easier to get them reinstated that way.
 
JBD

JBD

Premium Member
Wingnut said:
I would like to know if any lodges have actually suspended for NPD? I have heard of several that wont/dont...
Click to expand...

Yes - we do in both BL that I am in as well as other bodies. You have to remember in TX if you do not suspend you are still paying per capita and the lodge cannot support increasing levels of per cap on brothers who refuse or otherwise cannot pay. That said, I am not aware of any Masonic body that will not remit the dues for the brother if they are made aware. YMMV
 
G

Gerald.Harris

Premium Member
Premium Member
RedTemplar said:
Unless you have to pay dues on a suspended member, I don't see why you should expel just for NPD. Offhand, I could name several brethren who have reinstated after being out for years. If we had expelled them, everyone would have lost. With all due respect, we are builders. Let us make sure we have culls before we permanently discard them.
Click to expand...

I say amen to that Brother. I do agree that we are supposed to be builders, and I do not know of many who just don't want to be Masons anymore.
 
C

Chaplin the Elder

Registered User
Wingnut said:
I would like to know if any lodges have actually suspended for NPD? I have heard of several that wont/dont...
Click to expand...

Montgomery does. (see article below) However, we do make every effort to contact the brother and find out what the circumstances of his NPDs are. If they are worthy we help the brother out.

I don't know that we have ever expelled a brother under that article.

Please note Art. 319 Automatic Suspension ... and if such member fails to pay such dues on or before June 23rd of such year, he shall stand automatically suspended for non-payment of dues without action by the Lodge...
 
C

cale

Registered User
I would be reluctent to expell a brother. I would do it if we had contacted him and found no need or desire. But even then I would encourage him to demit. However if the lodge is being hurt and the brother can not be found, after a resonable search, I would vote for it.
 
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