Regulation 48 outlines the structure and election procedures for officers and members of a Royal Arch Chapter in Freemasonry. A complete Chapter consists of 72 members, including Three Principals, two Scribes, a Treasurer, and various other officers, with additional members eligible for election but without the right to hold office if the Chapter exceeds 72. Officers are elected by ballot on designated election days, with the exception of the Principals and Treasurer, who must be elected. If only one candidate is likely for an office, the Principals may declare that candidate elected unless a ballot is demanded. Installation of Principals occurs according to Chapter By-Laws, followed by the investiture of other officers in a specified order. The Janitor, a Royal Arch Mason, is elected by show of hands, and only subscribing members may hold office, except for the Janitor. By-Laws may allow the Scribe E.'s service to count as a subscription.
December 8th, 2025
February 10th, 2026
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Regulation 48: Officers and Members of a Chapter. According to ancient custom a complete Chapter of this Order of Freemasonry consists of the Three Principals who, when in Chapter assembled are to be considered conjointly as the Master, and each severally as a Master, two Scribes, a Treasurer, a Principal Sojourner, two Assistant Sojourners, and other companions, making up the number of 72 as a Council: and no regular Chapter can consist of more; but any number may be elected, exalted and received as Companions with all the privileges of membership save that they are not to hold the staff of office or to be considered as Councillors when more than 72 are present.
In addition to the above Officers, a Director of Ceremonies, an Almoner, a Charity Steward, a Mentor, an Assistant Director of Ceremonies, an Organist, an Assistant Scribe E. and Stewards may be elected or appointed as the case may be.
The Officers shall be elected by ballot on the regular day of election prescribed by the By-Laws of the Chapter, provided that, except for the Principals and Treasurer who must be elected, it shall be in order for the Chapter on the day of election to resolve that they may be appointed by the Principals so elected. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Principals shall be of the opinion that in the case of any Officer who falls to be elected by ballot in accordance with this Regulation there is only one Companion who is likely to be a candidate for election to the Office, they may direct that the summons for the Convocation at which the election is to take place shall state that such is their opinion (together with the name of the Companion concerned), and that unless any member of the Chapter demands that a ballot be taken for the Office, the named candidate will be declared elected; when the election of Officers takes place any candidate so named on the summons shall be declared elected unless a ballot be demanded for that Officer.
The installation of the Principals, if present, shall take place in accordance with the By-Laws of the Chapter and shall be followed by the investiture of the Officers. Any Principal not so installed shall be installed at the next Convocation of the Chapter at which he may be present or as provided by Regulation 53.
The Officers shall take precedence for investiture and otherwise in the following order: the Three Principals, the Scribe E., the Scribe N., the Treasurer, the Director of Ceremonies (if any), the Almoner (if any), the Charity Steward (if any), the Mentor (if any), the Principal Sojourner, the Assistant Sojourners, the Assistant Director of Ceremonies (if any), the Organist (if any), the Assistant Scribe E. (if any), Stewards (if any) and Janitor.
Janitor The Janitor, who must be a Royal Arch Mason registered as such in the books of the Grand Chapter, shall be elected by show of hands on the regular day of election. A Chapter may, however, resolve that a subscribing member of the Chapter shall be Janitor without emolument, in which case he may be either elected or appointed as in the case of the other Officers. No Companion who is not a subscribing member of the Chapter may hold any office therein except that of Janitor. A Chapter in its By-Laws may provide that the service of its Scribe E. be equivalent to the appropriate subscription to the Chapter but shall remit to the Grand Chapter and to the Metropolitan, Provincial or District Grand Chapter the requisite payments due in respect of his membership of the Chapter.