Preamble
It is the purpose and objective of the Sovereign Order of Knights Preceptor to promote the cause of Chivalric Masonry through a rededication of Templar leadership to its principles and the furtherance of knowledge of its history, background, customs, traditions, usages and objectives.
Section 1
This body shall be known and designated as the Sovereign Order of Knights Preceptor.
Section 2
It possesses supreme authority over the Order of Knights Preceptor. It has the power to grant warrants for the establishment of constituent chapters; to revoke the same for cause; to enact and repeal laws for the government of the Order; to exercise supervision over it, and has exclusive control over the ritual of the Order of Knight Preceptor.
Section 3
The Officers of this sovereign body shall be:
Sovereign Grand Preceptor
Grand Master of Templars
Grand Seneschal
Grand Marshal
Grand Prelate
Grand Treasurer/Recorder
They shall be elected by majority vote of the members present at the Annual Convention of the Grand Chapter of the Order.
Section 4
The Sovereign Preceptor shall have the power and authority to do and perform such acts as he may deem necessary for the government of the Order not inconsistent with the Constitution and Laws. His acts on behalf of the Order shall be reported to the Grand Chapter at its next following Annual Convention.
Section 5
Standing Committees shall be appointed by the Sovereign Preceptor as follows:
Finance
Audit
Membership
He may appoint such special committees as he may deem necessary.
Section 6
Members of this sovereign body shall be its duly elected officers and all past and present Preceptors of constituent chapters.
Section 7
The Sovereign Order of Knights Preceptor shall assemble in Grand Chapter annually. Such conventions shall be held in the month of March, at a time and place designated by the Sovereign Preceptor, who may also call special conventions for the transactions of the business of the Order.
Section 8
A quorum shall be three Knights Preceptor, members of this sovereign body. Present to convene the Grand Chapter must be the Sovereign Preceptor; in his absence or disability, the Grand Master of Templars, or in the absence or disability of both, the Grand Seneschal.
Section 9
Candidates for the Order of Knights Preceptor must be:
Knights Templar in good standing.
Present or Past Commanders of, or must have been elected to preside over a regular and duly constituted Commandery of Knights Templar chartered by the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America or a Grand Commandery under its allegiance.
Be elected to membership by unanimous ballot of the members present at the Chapter Convention at which he is proposed.
Section 10
The title of a member of this Order is ‘Knight Preceptor” (plural Knights Preceptor”)
The honorary title of officers is Eminent,” or if a Past Grand Commander, “Right Eminent,” proper usage is indicated below:
Member - “Knight Preceptor John Jones” (collectively “Knights Preceptors")
Officer - “Knight Preceptor William Brown,” Eminent Seneschal
Section 11
Constituent Chapters may be warranted by this Sovereign Order upon application by at least five Knights Preceptor, however, not more than one such chapter shall be warranted within the territorial jurisdiction of a Grand Commandery.
Fee for such warrant shall be $25.00
Section 12
The fee for membership shall be determined by each constituent chapter. There shall be no annual dues, but should the financial condition of a chapter require, it may levy an assessment upon the membership, by vote of the Chapter.
Section 13
The Constitution and Laws may be amended by a two thirds vote of the membership present at an Annual Convention. Proposed amendments must be presented to the membership not less than 30 days prior to such Annual Convention.
Section 14
The insignia and jewel of the Order shall be a red passion cross superimposed at the junction of its arms by a white shield with a red cross thereon.
It shall be worn around the neck, suspended from a ribbon of a color indicating rank of the wearer.
Preceptor - Green
Chapter Officers - Black
Members - Yellow
Past Preceptors - Red
Sovereign Preceptors - Green & White
Officers of Grand Chapter - Black & White
Past Sovereign Preceptors - Purple
AMENDMENTS
adopted at the Special Convention
of the Grand Chapter held on
Thursday, February 10, 2005, at
4:30 PM in the Hotel Washington
in Washington, D.C.
Amendment No. 1
Section 3
The Officers of this sovereign body shall be:
Sovereign Grand Preceptor
Deputy Grand Preceptor
Grand Master of Templars
Grand Seneschal
Grand Marshal
Grand Prelate
Grand Treasurer
Grand Recorder
They shall be elected by majority vote of the members present at the Annual Convention of the Grand Chapter of the Order.
The following officers shall be appointed by the Sovereign Grand Preceptor:
Grand Registrar
Grand Warden of Regalia
Grand Sentinel
The term of office for elected and appointed officers of this sovereign body shall be triennial and shall be in years evenly divisible by three.
Amendment No. 2
Wherever the title "Sovereign Preceptor" appears in the Constitution and Laws, the same shall be amended to read "Sovereign Grand Preceptor."
Amendment No. 3
Section 6
Members of this sovereign body shall be its duly elected and appointed officers and all past and present Preceptors of constituent chapters.
Visitors to this sovereign body shall be defined as all other Knights Preceptors, however, visiting Knights Preceptors cannot vote and cannot hold office in this sovereign body.
Amendment No. 4
Section 7
The Sovereign Order of Knights Preceptor shall assemble in Grand Chapter annually. Such conventions shall be held in the month of February, at the time and place of the annual meeting of the Grand Council of Allied Masonic Degrees of the United States of America. The Sovereign Grand Preceptor may also call special conventions for the transactions of the business of the Order.
Amendment No. 5
Section 11
Constituent Chapters may be warranted by this Sovereign Order upon application by at least five Knights Preceptor, however, not more than one such chapter shall be warranted within the territorial jurisdiction of a Grand Commandery.
Fee for such warrant shall be $50.00
Amendment No. 6
adopted at the Annual Convention
of the Grand Chapter held on
Thursday, February 8, 2007,
in the Hotel Washington in Washington, D.C.
Section 3
The Officers of this sovereign body shall be:
Sovereign Grand Preceptor
Deputy Grand Preceptor
Grand Master of Templars
Grand Seneschal
Grand Marshal
Grand Prelate
Grand Treasurer
Grand Recorder
They shall be elected by majority vote of the members present at the Annual Convention of the Grand Chapter of the Order.
The following officers shall be appointed by the Sovereign Grand Preceptor:
Grand Registrar
Grand Warden of Regalia
Grand Sentinel
The term of office for elected and appointed officers of this Sovereign Body shall be annual.
Resolution No. 1
adopted at the Annual Convention
of the Grand Chapter held on
Thursday, February 8, 2007,
in the Hotel Washington in Washington, D.C.
Uniform bylaws of a Constituent Chapter
These bylaws must be adopted by any Constituent Chapter instituted after July 9, 2003.
Section I
This organization shall be known and designated as the _______ Chapter, Order of Knights Preceptor, holding a lawful warrant from the Sovereign Order of Knights Preceptor.
Section II
Officers of this Chapter shall be the following:
Preceptor
Deputy Preceptor
Master of Templars
Seneschal
Prelate
Treasurer
Recorder
Marshal
Registrar
Warden of Regalia
Sentinel
The Preceptor, Deputy Preceptor, Master of Templars, Seneschal, Treasurer, and Recorder shall be elected by majority vote at the Annual Convention of the Chapter. The balance are to be appointed by the Preceptor. The Registrar and the Warden of Regalia are optional officers.
In the absence or disability of the Preceptor, the Deputy Preceptor shall preside over the convention of the Chapter; in the event of the absence or disability of both of those officers the Master of Templars shall preside, etc.
Section III
Committees shall be appointed by the Preceptor as follows:
Finance -- It shall be the duty of this Committee to oversee the financial affairs of the Chapter; to prepare an annual budget and to review and approve for payment, all bills against the Chapter.
Audit - - It shall be the duty of this committee to audit the books and financial records of the Treasurer! Recorder annually, and to report their findings at the Annual convention of the Chapter.
Membership - - It shall be the duty of this Committee to review all petitions for membership and to perform the functions of an Investigating Committee with regard to the same.
Section IV
The Annual Convention of this Chapter shall be held during [the Annual Conclave of the Grand Commandery of ___________], at a time and place designated by the Preceptor. Every member shall have due and timely notice of such conventions. Special conventions may be called by the Preceptor or at the request of at least nine members of the Chapter. Notice of such special conventions shall be given each member, and the business or work to be transacted shall be specified and none other shall be considered.
Section V
Petitions for the Order of Knights Preceptor shall be presented in writing at the Annual or Special Convention of the Chapter. Election to membership shall be by unanimous ballot of the members present.
Section VI
The fee for receiving the Order of Knight Preceptor and membership in this Chapter shall be $______. Should an applicant be rejected, the fee shall be returned to him.
Section VII
These by-laws shall remain in full force and effect unless amended by two thirds vote of the members present. Proposed amendments must be given to the membership at least 30 days prior to the Annual Convention at which they are to be considered. No amendments shall be considered at a Special Convention.
