The Official Bylaws of the Ancient Gnostic Order of Knights of the Temple of Solomon have been revised and adopted September 7th, 2018.
Article I :
Section 1: Our full name of our Order is as follows. Ancient Gnostic Order of Knights of the Temple of Solomon. We are the Gnostic branch of the Order of the Temple de France. The dispensation of our Grand Master was passed in due and proper form and transmission from Grand Master Sir Jean de Palatine in 1978 just prior to the passing of this Grand Master that year. In the previous year our current Grand Master was himself Knighted into the Gnostic branch of the Order of the Temple. At that time, the Order was exclusively hereditary having many members from Noble and Royal House's (Maisons).
Section II :
The Membership Contribution fee is standard with all legitimate Order's. The entire submission fee with the membership application is $350.00 which includes your Mantle, Passport, and Knight Member Jewel. There are no added fees for dues throughout the year as with other Order's. Membership is Lifetime unless there is a expulsion from the Order for a breach of trust or disloyalty or all around bad deportment upon the part of the Knight Member. A Knight should conduct themselves always with honor and respect toward others.
Elections of Knight Officers will take place once a year after a Priory/Commandery has been chartered by the Office of the Grand Master. The Knight Officer over a overseas country is designated and entitled as the Knight Grand Prior for their respective country. Here in the USA the Knight Officer in charge is the Knight Commander. Overseeing those Knight Officers is the Knight Grand Council. The Knight Grand Council of the overall Order is limited to 7 Knight Grand Officers but can be smaller in number of Knights holding this great honor for the Order. A proper number of Knight Officers is needed to form a Priory/Commandery. That listing will be added to our website soon but can be found in our Group Page on Facebook in our Files Area. A Priory/Commandery may have as many Knight Members as they may wish. The Knights that are not Knight Officers are called side line Knight Members while the Knights that are called Knight Officers participate in the ceremonials of the Order in a direct sense. Knights in good standing may join more than one Priory/Commandery.
Article II
Section I : Special dispensations can be granted where we dispensate both Grand Master's and Deputy Grand Master's in some of the European countries and they are granted that they may serve as the highest Knight Officer of our Order in their personal respective country. Where this happens those accepting the Office of GM for their country must select a Deputy of their Office. The Deputy GM assists the GM of the AGOKTS of their country with both of these Knight Officers working directly with the Office of the Grand Magisterium USA. They are charged with organizing their Priories/Commanderies and the well founded selection of Knight Membership.
Section ll : Knight Officers are granted to wear the mantle sporting the Cross of Lorraine. All of our Knight Officers are dispensated in this manner. Regular Knights in a Priory/Commandery sport the Mantle bearing the Templar Red Cross of Honor. Knight Officers must practice the Law of Chivalry and we are charged with helping the Poor and Homeless with support of food and shelter. Each Priory or Commandery should select a reputable Charity to send their support to. If you do not have a selected Charity, the Order has three Charities you can select from as well.
Section III : A Manual for the Opening and Closing Ceremonials of the Order can be obtained by the presiding Knight Officer of a given Priory/Commandery. This will be sent via regular mail by the Office of the Grand Magisterium USA. This includes the actual floorplan or layout of a Priory/Commandery in a Preceptory setting.
Section IV : Study the Rule of the Templar Order as written by St. Bernard de Clervaux. Then study the New Rule of the Order that will be presented in our website. Both of these will be added pages in the Official Website of the AGOKTS.
Article III :
Section I : Meetings of a chartered Priory/Commandery should take place either monthly or bi-monthly. A Investiture Ceremony for a individual Priory/Commandery operating in a Preceptory setting should take place once to twice a year. A Vigel should take place the night before Investiture no matter which Priory or Commandery they become the Accolade in before being allowed the true Font of Honorum and Investiture of Knighthood. At these events (Monthly or Yearly) we are required to wear the regalia of the Order (as a Knight Member) as well as our Knight Officer regalia (If a Knight Officer). A Knight Inspectress can and will at times review the attire of the Knight. Keep your regalia as sacred. This includes the Jewel of the Order. These are the true badges of the Order and it is indeed a great honor to be known as a Knight Templar. Your conduct and deportment as either a Knight or Knight Officer in our Order is important. People will be quick to judge us even upon only a first glance at someone.
Section II : Networking with other Templar Orders. While networking with other Order's be careful enough to take a very good look at them. There will be a accurate listing added to our Order's main website that will show the Order's we have Treaty of Amity and Cooperation with. In short, the Order's we are affiliated with. These are ALL legitimate Order's. When in doubt about a person or Order, use your best judgement as it is most likely telling you something. Listen to your own Knightly intuition in these matters.
The above Bylaws of AGOKTS are subject to change from time to time for the good of the Order. When we change anything in our Bylaws we will always inform our Knight Membership of any changes made. +++
Approved by the Knight Council on September 7th, 2018 in the Year of our Gnostic Lord Jesus the Christ and our Most Holy Mother. Amen. +++