Section 1. The name and title of this Lodge shall be ABERDEEN LODGE NO. 187, A.F. & A.M.

Section 1. The stated communications of this Lodge shall be held on the first and third Mondays of each month, beginning at 7:30 o'clock P.M., except during the months of July, August and September, during which months the Lodge may assemble or not, at the option of the Worshipful Master.

Section 2. At the option of the Worshipful Master, and upon dispensation of the Most Worshipful Grand Master first had and obtained, a stated communication which may fall upon a legal or religious holiday may be omitted, or the stated hour of a stated communication may be changed, or a special communication may be called.

Section 1. The Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Secretary, Treasurer, and one member to the Board of Trustees, who shall serve for three years, shall be elected annually, by a majority of written ballot, either at the stated communication, immediately preceding St. John the Evangelist's Day, or at the first stated communication in December, as the Worshipful Master may elect. They shall hold office until their successors shall have been respectively duly elected and installed.

Section 2. The elected officers shall be installed at the first stated communication in January following, or as soon thereafter as practicable, but not later than the thirty-first day of January.

Section 3. The Worshipful Master shall appoint a Senior Deacon, a Junior Deacon, a Senior Steward, a Junior Steward, a Chaplain and a Marshal, who shall be installed at the communication of installation.

Section 4. The Worshipful Master may appoint an Organist, a Master of Ceremonies and such committees, the appointment of which are not herein specifically provided for, as may seem necessary and expedient, for the proper conduct of the business and affairs of the Lodge.

Section 5. The Worshipful Master shall appoint an Auditing Committee of three members on the night of his installation or as soon thereafter as practicable. The Auditing Committee shall examine the books and accounts of the Secretary and Treasurer annually, and shall report thereon to the Lodge whenever required.

Section 1. The duties of the Worshipful Master and Wardens, being well established by ancient usage and custom, they shall not be enumerated herein.

Section 2. The Secretary, in addition to the usual duties of that office, shall receive all moneys due and payable to the Lodge and shall pay the same over to the Treasurer as promptly as possible; he shall give notice of all Communications, stating the business to be transacted thereat; he shall prepare and forward to the members, bills for annual dues, in advance; he shall notify members of there appointment on committees and shall perform such other duties as may, from time to time, be assigned to him by the Lodge.

Section 3. The Treasurer shall receive from the Secretary, all moneys collected by the Secretary for and on behalf of Aberdeen Lodge No. 187, A.F. & A.M., in such bank or banks as shall, from time to time, be designated by the Lodge. All funds of the Lodge shall be disbursed only upon order signed by the Worshipful Master or, in his absence or incapacity, by the Senior Warden and the Secretary and/or Treasurer, pursuant to authorization of the Lodge. The Treasurer shall keep a full and accurate account of all moneys received and disbursed.

Section 4. The duties of the Trustees shall be to invest or deposit in such a manner as the Aberdeen Lodge No. 187, A.F. & A.M. may direct, all sums of money that may be placed in their hands for that purpose. They shall have charge of all securities and investments of the Lodge. All investments shall be held in the name of Aberdeen Lodge No. 187.

They shall invest only in securities as are allowed by law for investment of trust funds, and only after prior approval of a majority of the members present of said Lodge. All monies received by them as interest on securities or in deposits shall be turned over to the Lodge at least once a year. They shall lease a safe deposit box in a Bank and place the securities, deeds, leases, and all other valuable papers therein under their joint control.

Their books shall at all times be open for inspection of the Master of the Lodge. It shall be the duty of the Trustees to supervise the purchasing and care of all paraphernalia used in the Lodge. At the December meeting of the Lodge they shall render a written report of their official acts together with a detailed list of assets held. An inventory listing of all Lodge properties will be submitted for review by the Lodge.

Section 1. The Secretary and Treasurer shall provide a Fidelity Bond to the Lodge in such corporate surety as shall be acceptable to the Worshipful Master and Wardens, in the penalty of not less than Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00). The premium on such bond shall be an expense of the Lodge.

ARTICLE VI

Salaries

Section 1. The Secretary shall receive for his services, the sum of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00), per annum, payable as the Lodge may direct and shall be exempt from the payment of dues and Grand Lodge assessments.

Section 2. The Treasurer shall receive, for his services, the sum of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), per annum, payable as the Lodge may direct and shall be exempt from the payment of dues and Grand Lodge assessments.

Section 3. The Worshipful Master and Tyler shall be exempt from the payment of dues and Grand Lodge assessments.

Section 4. The Chaplain, if he be an Ordained Minister of the Gospel, shall for his services, be exempt from the payment of dues and Grand Lodge assessments.

Section 1. The Worshipful Master and Wardens shall constitute a standing committee which shall take cognizance of all applications for charity that may be referred to them by the Lodge, or that may arise during the recess of the Lodge. A majority of the Committee may draw upon the funds of the Lodge for any sum not exceeding Twenty Five dollars ($25.00), in any one case, during the recess of the Lodge, and shall report to the Lodge at each communication, upon any and all such funds expended.

ARTICLE VIII

Petitions for Initiation

and Affiliation-Demits

Section 1. Applicants for initiation into Masonry, through this Lodge, shall apply by petition, in writing, signed by himself, upon forms prescribed by the Grand Lodge of Maryland, with the recommendation of two members of this Lodge and accompanied by an initiation fee of One Hundred Fifty dollars ($150.00) plus Grand Lodge dues and assessments, which sum include the current years Lodge dues.

Section 2. Applicants for affiliation or membership, in this Lodge, shall be made by petition, in like manner as application for initiation as herein provided. The said petition shall be accompanied by an affiliation fee of Fifty dollars ($50.00) plus Grand Lodge dues and assessments, which sum include the current years Lodge dues together with a demit from the former Lodge of the applicant or a certificate of good standing from his present Lodge. No action shall be taken upon any petition for affiliation or membership unless, prior thereto, the petitioner shall have visited the Lodge at a stated communication.

Section 3. Regularly Ordained Ministers of the Gospel shall be exempt from the payment of the fees for initiation and affiliation or membership, in this Lodge.

Section 4. All petitions to this Lodge shall be treated and acted upon in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, By-Laws and Standing Orders and resolutions of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, A.F. & A.M.

Section 5. Any member of this Lodge may demit there from by signifying his desire to do so, in writing, presented at a stated communication and paying unto the Secretary any and all indebtedness on his part, to the Lodge, whereupon, a demit shall be granted him, provided there are no charges pending against him.

Nothing in this section shall prevent the Lodge from remitting the dues of any member for the purpose of granting a demit.

Section 1. Every member of this Lodge except Ministers of the Gospel, and those exempt under these By-Laws, shall pay to the Secretary, annually in advance, at the first regular communication in January, the sum of Thirty Dollars ($30.00) plus Grand Lodge dues and assessments, as dues.

Section 2. Dues shall be calculated from the beginning of the quarter in which the Brother is raised or affiliated to the end of the first year.

Section 3. Any member who shall fail to pay his dues as in this Article IX provided, shall be subject to suspension pursuant to the provisions of the constitution, By-Laws and Standing Orders and Resolutions of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, A.F. & A.M.

Section 4. A Brother changing his place of residence shall so notify the Secretary of the Lodge as promptly thereafter as practicable. Notices sent by U.S. Mail, to the last known address of a Brother, shall be deemed due legal notice.

ARTICLE X

General Fund

Section 1. All monies belonging to this Lodge shall constitute a general fund which shall be deposited in the name of the Lodge, in such bank or banks as the Lodge shall, from time to time, designate. The Lodge may, from time to time, make such investments as shall be authorized by a two-thirds vote of the members present at a regular communication, provided at least two weeks' written notice has been given the entire membership of such contemplated action.

Section 2. And all securities belonging to the Lodge shall be deposited and kept in a Safe Deposit Box, rented in the name of the Lodge, in the vault of such bank as the Lodge shall designate, subject to access by the Worshipful Master when accompanied by the Trustees.

Section 1. After December 31, 1975, any member of this Lodge having been a Mason for a period of 25 years shall be given recognition in the form of a 25 year pin and shall pay the current dues annually.

Any Brother who has been a member of, and in good standing in, Aberdeen Lodge No. 187 for a period of 30 years prior to December 31, 1975 shall be made a Life Member and shall be exempted from dues, except he shall pay Per-Capita Tax and Assessments levied by the Grand Lodge of Maryland. After December 31, 1975, there shall be no Life Memberships granted automatically.

Section 1. The seal of the Lodge shall be circular in form. In the center shall be the square and compasses with the words "Instituted 1890" and around the circle shall be the words, "Aberdeen Lodge No. 187, A.F. & A.M., Aberdeen, Maryland."

Section 1. Every retiring Master of this Lodge, who shall have served one full term as Master, shall be presented a Past Master's Jewel and a Past Master's Apron.

The said Jewel and Apron shall be the same style and design as heretofore adopted by the Lodge and shall be procured by the Secretary, at the expense of the Lodge.

Section 1. Unless otherwise specifically provided in these By-Laws, or in the Constitution, By-Laws and Standing Orders and Resolution of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, A.F. & A.M., a majority vote of the members present, shall be sufficient for the adoption of any question or resolution coming before any communication of the Lodge.

Section 1. This Lodge, being an integral part of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, A.F. & A.M., the same shall be governed pursuant to the Constitution, By-Laws and Standing Orders and Resolutions of that Grand Lodge, in all matters and situations not specifically provided for in these By-Laws. In the event of any inconsistency between the Constitution, By-Laws and Standing Orders and Resolutions of said Grand Lodge and the By-Laws of this Lodge, the provisions of the Constitution, By-Laws and Standing Orders and Resolutions of said Grand Lodge shall prevail.

Section 1. These By-Laws may be altered or amended by the proposed alteration or amendment being presented, in writing, at a regular communication of the Lodge, a copy thereof being thereafter forwarded to each member of the Lodge, with notice of the date of action thereon and the same thereafter being presented for action at a regular communication of the Lodge, which shall be not less than thirty (30) days nor more than sixty (60) days from the communication at which the proposed alteration or amendment shall have been presented. The affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present shall be necessary for the adoption of any such proposed alteration or amendment.

These By-Laws revised and approved by the Grand Lodge's Committee on By-Laws under date of 29 November 1995. This version includes all changes up to this date.