Theos-Talk Archives (January 1996 Message tl00001)

Adyar Rules (File 5)

30. Lodges and Fellows within a National Society

Lodges (Branches) and Fellows, whether unattached or attached to
a Lodge (Branch), residing within the territory of a National
Society, shall normally belong to that National Society, unless
coming under Rule 31.

Provided that with the consent of the General Secretaries
concerned a member who belongs to one National Society may,
while retaining his membership of that National Society, belong
to another National Society as an Affiliated or Honorary
Member, but he shall not cast a vote in matters relating to The
Theosophical Society in the National Society in which he is an
Affiliated or Honorary Member.

When a National Society under its own rules provides for Life
Membership in that National Society, such Life Membership shall
no longer be effective where a Member resides in the territory
of or transfers his membership to another National Society,
unless the specific approval of the General Secretaries
concerned has been granted.

31. Lodges and Fellows within a National Society but attached
direct to Adyar or to another National Society

(a) When an individual Fellow in good standing, for any serious
and weighty reason, sufficient in the opinion of the President
to justify such action, is desirous of leaving the National
Society to which he belongs, but is not desirous of leaving The
Theosophical Society, such individual Fellow may become directly
attached to Headquarters, Adyar, severing all connection with
the National Society.  Such application must be made through the
General Secretary of the National Society concerned who shall be
under obligation duly to forward such application to the
President as expeditiously as possible. This shall equally apply
in the case of the admission of any new member.

(b) A Fellow of The Theosophical Society in good standing who is
desirous of leaving the National Society to which he or she
belongs or ought to belong under Rule 30 and of joining another
National Society, may be permitted by the President to do so
provided such Fellow presents reason sufficient in the opinion
of the President to justify such action, and provided further
that the application for transfer is submitted with the approval
of the General Secretaries of both National Societies concerned.

This rule shall apply equally in the case of the admission of a
new member.

(c) When a Lodge (Branch), for any serious and weighty reason,
sufficient in the opinion of the President to justify such
action, is desirous of leaving the National Society to which it
belongs, but is not desirous of leaving The Theosophical
Society, such Lodge (Branch) may become directly attached to
Headquarters, Adyar, severing all connection with the National
Society. Such application must be made through the General
Secretary of the National Society concerned who shall be under
obligation duly to forward such application to the President as
expeditiously as possible.  Before any Lodge (Branch) shall have
the right to apply to be directly attached to Headquarters,
Adyar, it shall have mailed to each of its members individually
a notice that such application is about to be considered. Such
notice must be mailed not less than two weeks before the meeting
at which such consideration is to take place, and voting on the
application shall be deferred until two months after that
meeting. If at such first meeting, or any succeeding meeting
pursuant thereto, it is decided to bring the application to a
vote as herein provided, a full report of the reasons for such
action shall at once be sent to the General Secretary of the
National Society concerned.

Any application for separation from the National Society to
which a Lodge (Branch) belongs shall be ineffective unless
two-thirds of the members of the Lodge (Branch) vote in favour
thereof.

(d) In the event of any undue delay in the transmission of any
application under any of the foregoing provisions of this Rule,
a correct copy of such applica tion (duly signed or otherwise
authenticated) may be transmitted directly to the President by
the Fellow or Lodge (Branch) concerned, and the President may
act on such copy if in his absolute discretion it appears to him
to be fit or proper that he should so act. Any action so taken
by the President shall be as valid and effectual, for all
purposes, as if it had been taken on the original application
submitted for transmission to the President. The Fellow or Lodge
(Branch), when forwarding such copy to the President directly,
shall state the full grounds and reasons for the direct
transmission.

32. Lodges and Fellows where no National Society exists

Lodges (Branches) or Fellows-at-large, in countries where no
National Society exists, must apply for their Charters or
Diplomas (Certificates) directly to the Secretary, and may not,
without the sanction of the President, belong to National
Societies within the territorial limits of which they are not
situated or resident.

33. Formation of a Lodge

Any seven Fellows may apply to be chartered as a Lodge (Branch).
In a country where no National Society exists the application
must be forwarded to the President of the Society through the
Secretary.

The Presidents, Secretaries and other Officers, including
Committee Members, of Lodges (Branches) shall have been members
in good standing for not less than two consecutive years
immediately prior to their election. In the case of newly formed
Lodges (Branches), or in other special circumstances, the
General Secretary or National Council or Committee, or the
international Secretary, as the case may be, shall have the
power to waive the requirements of this rule.

Three or more members, but less than seven, may apply for
certification as an Official Study Centre, but such Official
Study Centres shall not be considered as units to be counted in
application for the formation of a National Society.

34. President grants, refuses Charters

The President shall have authority to grant or refuse
applications for Charters, which if issued, must bear his
signature and that of the Secretary, and the Seal of the
Society, and be recorded at the Headquarters of the Society.

35. Formation of a National Society

(a) A National Society may be formed by the President, upon the
application of seven or more chartered Lodges (Branches)
consisting of at least 70 members of the Society in good
standing.

Formation of a Section

(b) Upon the application of seven or more chartered Lodges
(Branches) in areas which are territorially adjacent and in
which there are not sufficient Lodges (Branches) for each
national group to form a National Society, the President shall
have authority at his discretion to issue (and to cancel) a
Charter constituting such Lodges (Branches) into a Section. The
Charter shall confer the same powers as one issued to a National
Society. In all respects the rules applying to National
Societies shall apply to any group of Lodges (Branches) holding
a Charter under this rule.

Formation of a Regional Association

(c) The President shall have authority at his discretion to
issue (and to cancel) a certificate of Regional Association to
any national or territorially adjacent group of Lodges
(Branches) not sufficient in number or otherwise unable to form
or to maintain a National Society, as defined in these Rules, or
where in his judgement territorial division or other causes have
made such Regional Association necessary or desirable. Any such
Regional Association may elect an Organizing Secretary or other
executive officer or officers for the purpose of further
organization and the transaction of business.

A Regional Association shall not appoint a General Secretary (as
the term is used in these Rules) nor be represented on the
General Council. In all other respects the Rules applicable to
National Societies and to General Secretaries shall apply to
Regional Associations and to their chief executives.

Appointment of Presidential Representatives

(d) The President shall have authority at his discretion to
appoint and to withdraw appointments of Presidential
Representatives to act under his instructions for the purposes
of conducting the business and administration of the Society in
any place and in any respect not inconsistent with these Rules.
Each such appointment and the power delegated to each such
Representative shall be evidenced by a Letter of Appointment
referring to this Rule.