MASONIC ASSOCIATIONS
Act 1 of 1895
AN ACT to provide for the incorporation of Masonic Associations; and to impose certain duties upon the department of commerce.

History: 1895, Act 1, Imd. Eff. Feb. 15, 1895 ;-- Am. 1982, Act 95, Imd. Eff. Apr. 19, 1982

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

457.221 Masonic associations; incorporation.

Sec. 1.

That Masonic associations may be incorporated under the provisions of this act.

History: 1895, Act 1, Imd. Eff. Feb. 15, 1895 ;-- CL 1897, 7970 ;-- CL 1915, 10408 ;-- CL 1929, 10609 ;-- CL 1948, 457.221

457.222 Articles of association; execution, contents.

Sec. 2.

Any 10 or more residents of this state, who are members of any chartered body, or of different chartered bodies of the order of Free and Accepted Masons, may make and execute articles of association under their hands and seals, which said articles of association shall be acknowledged before some officer of this state having authority to take acknowledgment of deeds, and shall set forth:

First, The names of the persons associating in the first instance, their places of residence and the name and location of the Masonic body or bodies to which they severally belong.

Second, The corporate name by which such association shall be known in the law.

Third, The purpose of the association, which shall be to provide a building or buildings to be used for Masonic purposes, and the period for which such association is incorporated, not exceeding 30 years.

History: 1895, Act 1, Imd. Eff. Feb. 15, 1895 ;-- CL 1897, 7971 ;-- CL 1915, 10409 ;-- CL 1929, 10610 ;-- CL 1948, 457.222

457.223 Filing copy of articles with department of commerce; signers of articles, associates, and successors as body corporate; evidence of existence and incorporation.

Sec. 3.

A copy of said articles of association shall be filed with the corporation and securities bureau of the department of commerce and thereupon the persons who shall have signed said articles of association, their associates and successors, shall be a body corporate by the name expressed in such articles of association. A copy of such articles of association, under the seal of the corporation and securities bureau of the department of commerce shall be received as prima facie evidence in all courts of this state of the existence and due incorporation of such association.

History: 1895, Act 1, Imd. Eff. Feb. 15, 1895 ;-- CL 1897, 7972 ;-- CL 1915, 10410 ;-- CL 1929, 10611 ;-- CL 1948, 457.223 ;-- Am. 1982, Act 95, Imd. Eff. Apr. 19, 1982

457.224 Property; holding, disposition; erection of buildings; borrowing power.

Sec. 4.

Every corporation organized under the provisions of this act may take, receive, purchase and hold in its corporate capacity, and for its corporate purposes, real and personal property and the same or any part thereof demise, sell, convey, use and dispose of at pleasure; and may erect and own suitable building or buildings to be used in whole or in part for meetings of Masonic bodies and may borrow money and for that purpose may issue its bonds and mortgage its property to secure the payment of said bonds.

History: 1895, Act 1, Imd. Eff. Feb. 15, 1895 ;-- CL 1897, 7973 ;-- CL 1915, 10411 ;-- CL 1929, 10612 ;-- CL 1948, 457.224

457.225 Certificates or shares of stock; issuance.

Sec. 5.

Every such corporation shall have full power and authority to provide by its laws for the issuing of certificates or shares of stock and for the manner in which the same shall be held and represented.

History: 1895, Act 1, Imd. Eff. Feb. 15, 1895 ;-- CL 1897, 7974 ;-- CL 1915, 10412 ;-- CL 1929, 10613 ;-- CL 1948, 457.225

457.226 Succession and by-laws.

Sec. 6.

Every such corporation shall have power to provide by its by-laws for succession to its original membership and for new membership; and shall also have power to provide by its by-laws for election from its members of a board of trustees and to fix the number and term of office of such trustees; but such board shall not be less than 5 in number and such term of office shall not exceed 3 years.

History: 1895, Act 1, Imd. Eff. Feb. 15, 1895 ;-- CL 1897, 7975 ;-- CL 1915, 10413 ;-- CL 1929, 10614 ;-- CL 1948, 457.226

457.226a Nonprofit corporation as manager of other corporations; evidence; trust fund for unknown interests.

Sec. 6a.

Any nonprofit corporation which occupies and manages all of the assets and liabilities of any corporation organized under the provisions of this act and such nonprofit corporation is organized for and has carried out the same purposes as the corporation organized under this act, and has paid all taxes assessed against the property thereof, shall be deemed to be validly organized for the purposes of the original corporation and where such nonprofit corporation has maintained the possession of all known existing records and stock certificate records as well as all other property, real or personal, for a period of 10 years or more without express objection of known stockholders of record of the corporation organized under the provisions of this act and such nonprofit corporation has recognized the rights of the owners of stock certificates in the corporation organized under this act as one and the same as the rights of stockholders in the nonprofit corporation and upon such nonprofit corporation establishing a trust fund for the protection of any unknown interest in the corporation organized under this act, all of the rights, title and interest to all real or personal properties and records in the possession of such nonprofit corporation shall hereafter be vested in such nonprofit corporation.

History: Add. 1956, Act 83, Imd. Eff. Apr. 5, 1956

457.227 Board of trustees, powers; officers, appointment, duties.

Sec. 7.

The management and control of the business, affairs and property of such corporation shall be vested in said board of trustees, and said board shall have power to borrow any money and cause to be made and issued any bonds and mortgages authorized by section 4 of this act. Said trustees shall appoint from their own number a president, secretary and treasurer, who shall perform the duties of their respective offices in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the board of trustees.

History: 1895, Act 1, Imd. Eff. Feb. 15, 1895 ;-- CL 1897, 7976 ;-- CL 1915, 10414 ;-- CL 1929, 10615 ;-- CL 1948, 457.227

Rendered 8/14/2025 10:25 PM
Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 5 of 2025
Courtesy of legislature.mi.gov