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Members Section : Documents : By-laws : Appendix B

BY - LAWS OF FAR EAST LODGE NO. 1, F.&A.M.
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN

APPENDIX B

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Far East Lodge No. 1, F.&A.M. currently has no Benevolent Fund, as such, and

WHEREAS, Charity is one of the primary Tenets of Freemasonry, and

WHEREAS, members who donate money to the Lodge do not have an option to specify the preferred use of the money donated, other than General Fund or Temple Trust Fund, and

WHEREAS, it is desirable and in keeping with the principal Tenets of the Fraternity, that every lodge have a Benevolent Fund.

NOW, THEREFORE, be it RESOLVED;

  1. That a BENEVOLENT FUND is hereby established in accordance with the wishes and desires of the Members of this lodge.
  2. That the Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Wardens and their successors in office be constituted a Standing Committee to administer the BENEVOLENT FUND and to investigate and make recommendations on proposed donations for charitable purposes.
  3. That the source of funds for the BENEVOLENT FUND shall be by solicitation of donations from the Members of this lodge; such donations to be given freely within the means and limits of each member's ability to give, in accordance with the dictates of each members' conscience.
  4. That all donations received specifically for charity and all unspecified donations subsequently received as well as donations that may be made from time to time by individual members for Benevolent purposes shall be transferred to the custody and control of the Standing Committee and that henceforth no funds designed as BENEVOLENT FUND money shall be intermingled with other Lodge funds.
  5. That the Standing Committee shall establish and maintain or cause such records to be maintained as will show the receipt, use and disposition of BENEVOLENT FUND money and shall render annually or cause to have rendered annually in January of each year a complete report to each member of the lodge of all transactions which transpired during the preceding year.
  6. That the Standing Committee shall be free to disburse funds from the Benevolent Fund for all such charitable purposes as they may find worthy upon approval of the lodge. The Master may give casual relief at his discretion but in no case shall the sum given to any individual exceed 50,000 YEN.
  7. The priority for disbursement of Benevolent Fund money will be:
    1. For the relief of a distressed worthy Brother, his wife, widow or orphan(s).
    2. Donations for other Masonic Benevolent purposes or to other Masonic Benevolent organizations.
    3. Other charitable organizations as may be approved by the lodge.

SUBMITTED BY: THOMAS H. HODGES, PM
Adopted by the Members: 09 June 2001