Sec. 1. The name of a person offered for membership, with his age, place of birth, residence, and occupation, must be proposed by a member in writing, with the names of two persons as references attached, and entered upon the Record; the application shall forthwith be referred to a Committee of three members for investigation, who shall report upon the application upon the next succeeding regular meeting (unless unavoidable circumstances prevent), when the candidate may be balloted for with ball ballots, and if no black balls appear he shall be elected, but if any or less than three black balls appear, then the application shall lay over, until the next regular meeting. Previous to the next regular meeting the member casting the black ball may (and it is his duty to) inform the Noble Grand of the cause, or ground thereof, and the Noble Grand shall, at the next regular meeting, state the reason, if any is given, to the Lodge, without exposing the name of the brother giving such reason, and the ballot shall again be held, and if not more than two black balls appear, the candidate shall be elected, but if three or more appear at either ballot he shall be rejected.

Sec. 2. No reconsideration of an unfavorable balloting can be had, unless all the brothers who may have cast black balls against an applicant for membership, voluntarily make a motion for a reconsideration of the ballot; and in such case page 45 the rote on reconsideration shall be taken by ball ballots, and if the balls cast be in favor of it, the reconsideration shall be had: whereupon the application shall lay over till the succeeding regular meeting, when another ballot shall be had with ball ballots, and if the same be unanimously in favor of the applicant, he shall be elected; but if one or more black balls appear he shall be rejected; and in no case shall a reconsideration be had, except upon the voluntary motion of all those who cast the black balls; and never more than one motion for a reconsideration in the same case shall be allowed. A favorable balloting can be reconsidered at any meeting prior to the admission of the candidate, provided a majority of the members present agree thereto.

Sec. 3. When a candidate for initiation has been rejected, notice thereof shall be sent without delay to the R. W. Grand Secretary, and to all the Lodges in the District, and he cannot be proposed again in any Lodge for the space of six months after such rejection. All other rejected applications for membership may be renewed at any time.

Sec. 4. An application for membership may be withdrawn, after it has been referred to a Committee, previous to the report of said Committee, provided a majority of the members present agree thereto; but no application can be withdrawn after the report of the Committee has been submitted to the Lodge.

Sec. 5. Any brother desirous of availing himself of the privilege of Sec. 3 of Article II., shall sign a petition in the presence of two members of the Lodge he proposes to join, substantially as follows:—

Sec. 6. If the brother be elected, it shall be the duty of the Noble Grand to appoint a Committee of three members, one of whom shall, if practicable, be a Past Grand, whose duty it shall be to examine the applicant in the degrees he has attained, and the rank he holds in the Order, and report to the Lodge, and the Secretary shall note said report upon the minutes; and the applicant shall be admitted only in the highest rank in which he can prove himself, and shall sign the Constitution and Bye-Laws.

Sec. 7. If any person shall gain admittance to any Lodge upon a petition containing any false representation, he shall be expelled.