Parliamentary
Procedure
In organized Moorish Science Temple of America societies the constitution
always prescribes his title (Grand Sheik and the chairman
of the Moorish Science Temple of America), that of President being most
common. In debate he is referred to by his official title and is addressed by
prefixing Chair, as the case may be, to that title. In referring to
himself he should never use the personal pronoun; he generally says, "The chair," which means the
presiding officer of the assembly (Grand
Body), regardless of whether his position is permanent or temporary. If his
position is only temporary he is called the chairman.
The Divine Constitution
and By-Laws
Act 1.—The Grand Sheik
and the chairman of the
Moorish Science Temple of America is in power to make law and enforce laws with
the assistance of the Prophet and the Grand Body of the Moorish Science Temple
of America. The assistant Grand Sheik is to assist the Grand Sheik in all
affairs if he lives according to Love, Truth, Peace, Freedom, and Justice and
it is known before the members of the Moorish Science Temple of America.
Chairman duties are generally as
follows:
1. To open the session
at the time at which the assembly (Grand
Body) is to meet, by taking the chair and calling the members (Moorish Americans) to order.
2. To announce the
business before the assembly (Grand
Body) in the order in which it is to be acted upon.
3. To recognize members
(Moorish Americans) entitled to the
floor.
4. To state and to put
to vote all questions which are regularly moved, or necessarily arise in the
course of the proceedings, and to announce the result of the vote.
5. To protect the
assembly (Grand Body) from annoyance
from evidently frivolous or dilatory motions by refusing to recognize them.
6. To assist in the
expediting of business in every way compatible with the rights of the members (Moorish Americans), as by allowing brief
remarks when uneatable motions are pending, if he thinks it advisable; to
restrain the members when engaged in debate, within the rules of order; to
enforce on all occasions the observance of order and decorum among the members,
deciding all questions of order (subject to an appeal to the assembly (Grand Body) by any two members unless when in doubt he
prefers to submit the question for the decision of the assembly to inform the
assembly (Grand Body), when
necessary, or when referred to for the purpose, on a point of order or practice
pertinent to pending business; to authenticate, by
his signature, when necessary, all the acts, orders, and proceedings of the assembly (Grand
Body) declaring its will and in all things obeying its commands (The Divine Constitution and By-Laws).
7. In
case of fire, riot, or very serious disorder, or other great emergency, the
chair has the right and the duty to declare the assembly (Grand Body), adjourned to some other time (and place if
necessary), if it is impracticable to take a vote, or in his opinion, dangerous
to delay for a vote.
8. The
chairman should rise to put a question to vote, except in very small
assemblies, such as boards or committees, but may state it sitting; he should
also rise from his seat (without calling any one to the chair) when giving his
reasons for his decision upon a point of order, or when speaking upon an
appeal, which he can do in preference to other members.
9. During debate he
should be seated and pay attention to the speaker, who is required to address
his remarks to the presiding officer. He should always refer to himself as
"the chair," thus, "The chair decides," etc., not "I
decide," etc.
10. When a member (Moorish Americans) has the floor, the
chairman cannot interrupt him excepting as provided in, so long as he does not
transgress any of the rules of The
Divine Constitution and By-Laws.
11. If
a member (Moorish American) of the
assembly (Grand Body), he is
entitled to vote when the vote is by ballot (but not after the tellers have
commenced to count the ballots), and in all other cases where the vote would
change the result. Thus, in a case where a two-thirds vote is necessary, and
his vote thrown with the minority would prevent the adoption of the question,
he can cast his vote; so, also, he can vote with the minority when it will
produce a tie vote and thus cause the motion to fail; but he cannot vote twice,
first to make a tie, and then to give the casting vote.
12. Whenever a motion
is made referring to the chairman only, or which compliments or condemns him
with others, it should be put to vote by the Vice President if in the room, or
by the Secretary, or on their
failure to do so, by the maker of the motion.
13. The chair should
not hesitate to put the question on a motion to appoint delegates or a
committee (Grand Body) on account of
his being included.
14. The
chairman cannot close debate unless by order of the assembly (Grand Body), which requires a
two-thirds vote; nor can he prevent the making of legitimate motions by
hurrying through the proceedings.
15. If members (Moorish Americans) are reasonably
prompt in exercising their right to speak or make motions, the chair cannot
prevent their doing so. If he has hurriedly taken and announced a vote while a
member (Moorish American) is rising
to address the chair, the vote is null and void, and the member (Moorish American) must be recognized.
16. On the other hand
the chairman should not permit the object of a meeting to be defeated by a few
factious persons using parliamentary forms with the evident object of
obstructing business.
17. In such a case he
should refuse to entertain the dilatory or frivolous motion, and, if an appeal
is taken, he should entertain it, and, if sustained by a large majority he may
afterwards refuse to entertain even an appeal made by the faction when
evidently made merely to obstruct business.
18. But the chair
should never adopt such a course merely to expedite business, when the
opposition is not factious. It is only justifiable when it is perfectly clear
that the opposition is trying to obstruct business.
19. If
it is necessary for the chairman to vacate the chair the first Vice President
(Assist Grand Sheik), if there is one, should take the chair, and in his
absence the next one in order should take it. If there is no vice president in
the hall, then the chairman may, if it is necessary to vacate the chair,
appoint a chairman pro tem.,
but the first adjournment puts an end to the appointment, which the assembly
can terminate before, if it pleases, by electing another chairman.
20. But the regular
chairman, knowing that he will be absent from a future meeting, cannot
authorize another member (Moorish
American) to act in his place at such meeting; the secretary, or, in his
absence, some other member (Moorish
American) should in such case call the meeting to order, and a chairman pro tem. be elected who would hold office
during that session, unless such office is terminated by the entrance of the
president( Grand Sheik) or a vice president (Assist Grand Sheik), or by the
election of another chairman pro tem., which may be done by a majority vote.
21.
The chairman sometimes calls a member (Moorish
American) to the chair and takes part in the debate. This should rarely be
done, and nothing can justify it in a case where much feeling is shown and
there is a liability to difficulty in preserving order.
22. If the chairman has
even the appearance of being a partisan, he loses much of his ability to
control those who are on the opposite side of the question. There is nothing to
justify the unfortunate habit some chairmen have of constantly speaking on
questions before the assembly (Grand
Body), even interrupting the member who has the floor. One who expects to
take an active part in debate should never accept the chair, or at least should
not resume the chair, after having made his speech, until after the pending
question is disposed of. The
presiding officer of a large assembly should never be chosen for any reason
except his ability to preside.
23. The
chairman should not only be familiar with parliamentary usage, and set the
example of strict conformity thereto, but he should be a man of executive
ability, capable of controlling men.
24. He should set an
example of courtesy, and should never forget that to control others it is
necessary to control one's self. A nervous, excited chairman can scarcely fail
to cause trouble in a meeting. No rules will take the place of tact and common
sense on the part of the chairman.
25. While usually he
need not wait for motions of routine, or for a motion to be seconded when he
knows it is favored by others, yet if this is objected to, it is safer
instantly to require the forms of parliamentary law to be observed.
26. By general consent
many things can be done that will save much time, but where the assembly (Grand Body) is very large, or is
divided and contains members (Moorish
Americans) who are habitually raising points of order, the most expeditious
and safe course is to enforce strictly all the rules and forms of parliamentary
law.
27. He should be especially
careful after every motion is made and every vote is taken to announce the next
business in order. Whenever an improper motion is made, instead of simply
ruling it out of order, it is well for the chairman to suggest how the desired
object can be accomplished. [See "Hints to Inexperienced Chairman"
below.]
28.
The by-laws sometimes state that the
president (Grand Sheik) shall appoint all committees. In such case the
assembly may authorize committees, but cannot appoint or nominate them. The
president (Grand Sheik), however, cannot appoint any committees except
those authorized by the by-laws or by a vote of the assembly (Grand Sheik).
29. Sometimes the by-laws make the president ex-officio a member of every committee.
Where this is done he has the rights of other members of the committees but not
the obligation to attend every committee meeting.
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