![[IMAGE]](njs15ts.gif)
of the
GRAND COMMANDERY OF KNIGHTS TEMPLAR
of the
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
PREAMBLE
We, the Knights Templar constituting the Grand Commandery of the State of New Jersey assembled in Stated Conclave, acknowledging allegiance to the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the government of this Grand Commandery and its Constituent Commanderies.
Section 1. This body shall be designated and known as the Grand Comrnandery of Knights Templar of the State of New Jersey. The term "Grand Commandery" used hereinafter, shall mean said Grand Commandery Knights Templar of the State of New Jersey. The term "Grand Encampment" used hereinafter, shall mean the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America.
Section 2. The seal of this Grand Commandery consists of a star of nine equidistant points upon which is a double circle one and one half inches outside diameter. Within this circle are the words "Grand Commandery Knights Templar New Jersey". Stars of six points are located on either side of the words "New Jersey". Within the inner circle is a one-inch equilateral triangle with an all-seeing eye at the apex. At the left and outside the triangle is the word "Memento"; at the right and outside the triangle the word "Mori", and below the base of the triangle, the date "A.O. 742" Within the triangle is a cross of Salem surmounted by a small shield with a skull and crossed bones superimposed at the bottom.
Section 3. Its members are and shall be as prescribed by the Constitution of the Grand Encampment.
Section 4. Section 4. The Conclaves of this Grand Commandery and the quorum and conduct thereof shall be as prescribed by the Constitution of the Grand Encampment. Stated Conclaves shall be held on the Weekend of the First SATURDAY of March each year. The Grand Commander is empowered to change the date of or add a Stated Conclave of the Grand Commandery should the need arise. The Grand Commander shall obtain the written consent of the Deputy Grand Commander, Grand Generalissimo and the Grand Captain General and cause the Grand Recorder to make all required notifications to the Recorders of the Constituent Commanderies.
Section 5. Each member present in person or by proxy, shall be entitled to one vote, except that the Presiding Officer shall vote only in case of a tie, when he shall decide the issue. Unless otherwise provided by Grand Encampment law, all questions shall be decided by a majority of all votes cast.
Section 6. Proxy representation of the Council Officers of Constituent Commanderies is permitted, providing that the proxy is in writing, and is given to a member of this Grand Commandery, and provided further that the proxy is at the time of service, a member of the same Constituent Commandery as his principal. The members of this Grand Commandery holding a proxy or proxies are entitled to one vote plus the number of proxies held. The proxy or proxies must be banded to the Grand Recorder before any voting is had thereon.
Section 7. In addition to the powers and duties prescribed for Grand Commanderies by the Constitution of the Grand Encampment, this Grand Commandery shall have such powers and assume such duties as are not presently or in the future reserved to itself by such Grand Encampment.
Section 8. The Officers of this Grand Commandery and their precedence of rank, shall be as follows:
A Grand Commander
A Deputy Grand Commander
A Grand Generalissimo
A Grand Captain General
A Grand Senior Warden
A Grand Junior Warden
A Grand Prelate
A Grand Treasurer
A Grand Recorder
A Grand Standard Bearer
A Grand Sword Bearer
A Grand Warder
A Grand Sentinel
The Past Grand Commanders shall have precedence according to seniority of service, immediately after the Grand Captain General.
The first six, together with the Grand Treasurer and Grand Recorder shall be elected. The remainder shall be appointed by the Grand Commander. The Grand Treasurer and Grand Recorder may appoint one or more assistants to aid them in the performance of their duties.
Elective Grand Commandery Officers shall hold office until their successors shall have been duly elected and installed. The Grand Prelate shall hold office during the Templar year or during the pleasure of the Grand Commander. Other Appointed Officers shall serve during the Templar year. No Appointed Officer except the Grand Prelate and Grand Sentinel shall be appointed to any other appointive office in the year following his term.
The duties of the Officers of this Grand Commandery shall be as prescribed generally and specifically by the Constitution of the Grand Encampment and as herein after specified.
Section 9. This Grand Commandery shall have an Endowment Fund, which shall be administered by a Board of Directors composed of seven (7) members. The Grand Commander, Deputy Grand Commander, Grand Treasurer and Grand Recorder, by virtue of their office, shall be members of the Board of Directors. Three (3) other Directors will be elected by the Grand Commandery at its annual Conclave for three (3) year terms. The terms shall be staggered so that one (1) Director will be elected each year. The Board of Directors will meet once a year to coincide with the Finance Committee Meeting, and at such other times as the President shall require to review the performance of the Endowment Fund. The Board of Directors will elect one (1) member President and another member Secretary. The signature of both of these individuals will be needed to transfer funds from the Endowment Fund to the Operating Fund. The President and the Grand Treasurer must confirm all transactions within the Endowment Fund. Five (5) members shall constitute a quorum. (Revised 3/4/95)
The Board of Directors shall exercise the highest degree of care and fiduciary responsibility in the investment of the funds of the Endowment Fund. The Directors are prohibited from investing the monies of the Endowment Fund in any instrument, security or venture which carries a Standard & Poor s rating of less than "A". The Directors will submit an annual accounting of the Endowment Fund and a review of its investment performance to the Grand Commandery at its Annual Conclave.
All donations to the Endowment Fund will be deemed to be corpus. The corpus of the Endowment Fund can never be expended or loaned for any purpose. All interest and dividend income earned on the corpus of the Endowment Fund may be transferred to the Operating Fund of the Grand Commandery for general purposes. Any gain on the sale of investments or recognized upon the maturity of any investment will be deemed to be corpus and subject to all restrictions appertaining.
The fiscal year of the Endowment Fund shall be the calendar year. The fund shall be audited annually by the Grand Commandery Auditor. In the event that the assets of the Endowment Fund have a fair market value in excess of one million dollars ($1,000,000) on December 31 of any year, this audit must be performed by a firm of Certified Public Accountants licensed to practice in the State of New Jersey.
Section 10. Except as provided by the Constitution and Statutes of the Grand Encampment, all Constituent Commanderies shall have concurrent jurisdiction over petitioners for the Orders of Knighthood within the jurisdiction of this Grand Commandery.
Section 11. The membership, officers, their powers and duties and the conclaves of the Constituent Commanderies, together with the necessary quorum to transact business at said Conclaves, shall be as prescribed by the Constitution and Statutes of the Grand Encampment, and as added to by this Grand Commandery from time to time.
Section 12. Plural membership may be held in two or more Commanderies under the Jurisdiction of this Grand Commandery, or in one or more New Jersey Commanderies and one or more Commanderies in other jurisdictions provided the laws of such other jurisdictions so provide.
Section 13. This Constitution may be altered or amended by vote of two-thirds of the members present at any Stated Conclave, notice of such proposed alteration or amendment having been presented in writing at a previous Stated Conclave and printed in the call for the Conclave at which such action is to be taken, provided, however, that with the unanimous consent of the members present, any member may introduce an ammendment not later than noon of the day of the Stated Conclave, and it may be considered and acted upon by this Grand Commandery at the Stated Conclave notwithstanding no previous notice to so amend has been given. Amendments so proposed may be modified by the Grand Commandery, but such modification must be distinctly and plainly germane to the subject. All Constitutional provisions, acts or decisions or parts of same which are inconsistent with this Constitution are hereby repealed and declared null and void.