Ordinances
1970
Masonic Order of the Bath for the U.S.A.
1. This Order, founded in Red Bank, New Jersey, as the Wahoo Band, on June 21, 1921, for the United States of America, shall be known and designated as the Masonic Order of the Bath for the United States of America.
2. This Order shall be administered by a High Council consisting of six officers appointed by the Commander-General, as follows:
Most Honorable Commander-General (ad vitam)
Very Honorable Lt. Commander-General
Very Honorable Captain-General
Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Records
Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Door
Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Mat
3. The High Council shall select from its number a Commander-General, ad vitam, upon the decease, resignation or incapacity of the Commander-General, who will then fill the High Council by appointment.
4. All members taken into the Order shall pay two dollars to the Keeper of the Bath Records, which will be considered a Life Membership fee. A membership card and certificate will be issued to each Knight.
5. All applicants to the Order shall be approved by the Commander-General, and they must be Master Masons in Lodges recognized as “regular”.
6. The insignia of the Order is a gold feather and the Jewel the design found on the membership card.
7. The holding of public demonstrations or dissemination of information about the Order is prohibited, unless approved by the Commander-General.
8. Changes in these Ordinances are made only by the Commander-General or by a majority vote High Council.
9. All previous Ordinances of the Order of the Bath of the U.S.A. are hereby annulled and are void of this date.
December 1, 1970
THE HIGH COUNCIL
By HENRY EMMERSON
Commander-General
AMENDMENTS
On January 30, 2003, Ordinance No. 2 was amended to provide for eight officers, seven of which are appointed by the Commander-General, as follows:
Most Honorable Commander-General (ad vitam)
Very Honorable Deputy Commander-General
Very Honorable Lt. Commander-General
Very Honorable Captain-General
Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Keys
Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Records
Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Door
Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Mat
On January 30, 2003, Ordinance No. 4 was amended to delete the word “two” and insert the words “twenty-five”, and to issue a jewel and an emblem to each Knight.
Note: The above two amendments were made by the then-Commander-General Allen L. Bruner on January 30, 2003, and were endorsed and ratified by the High Council at the 81st Annual Assembly on February 14, 2003, in Washington, D.C.
On February 13, 2004, at the 82nd Annual Assembly of the High Council in Washington, D.C., Ordinances No. 2 and 3 were amended to delete the provision of Ad Vitam for the Most Honorable Commander-General.
On February 13, 2004, at the 82nd Annual Assembly of the High Council in Washington, D.C., Ordinance No. 3 was amended to read as follows:
The High Council shall select the officers to serve the Order. The Officers shall serve a term of three years. All offices except Keeper of the Bath Keys and Keeper of the Bath Records shall be progressive offices. The term of office shall begin in a year evenly divisible by three.
On February 9, 2007, at the 85th Annual Assembly of the High Council in Washington, D.C., Ordinance No. 2 was amended to read as follows:
This Order shall be administered by a High Council consisting of eight elected officers and Past Commander Generals both Actual and Honorary. The eight elected officers are as follows:
Most Honorable Commander-General
Very Honorable Deputy Commander-General
Very Honorable Lt. Commander-General
Very Honorable Captain-General
Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Keys
Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Records
Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Door
Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Mat
On February 9, 2007, at the 85th Annual Assembly of the High Council in Washington, D.C., Ordinance No. 3 was amended to read as follows:
The High Council shall elect from its number a Commander-General who shall serve a term of office of one (1) year. Officers of the High Council, except for the Keeper of the Bath Records and the Keeper of the Bath Keys, shall be a progressive line of offices. The High Council shall elect from the membership of the Order such Knights as may be necessary to fill any vacancies in office in the High Council as may then exist. If a vacancy in office of the High Council exists between Annual Assemblies, the same may be filled by the Commander-General on an ad interim basis. The offices of Keeper of the Bath Records and Keeper of the Bath Keys may be elected from the High Council and/or from the Knights of the Order.