Page 6 - Sojourner Newsletter-Spring 2025_Final

6 THE SOJOURNER

HISTORIAN’S CORNER

Edward W. Nolte, National Historian

100-plus Years of Constitutions, Bylaws, Regulations, and Resolutions

Have you ever wondered how many forms of National Directives have guided the Order over the last 106
years? What did these Directives require? How often were they changed? What were the significant changes?
Constitution and By-Laws (11 Jun 1919-1982): This Directive (one document) served the Order from its
first Chapter (Chicago) to having chartered 521 Chapters (156 active and 365 dissolved). At-Large and In-
Memoriam Chapters did not yet exist, and the highest number of active Chapters (260) occurred in 1962. This
C&BLs was amended 192 times in 63 years (3 per year average). Key amendments included adding or
changing the following: Honorary Members, USC&GS, USPHS, National Trustees, and National HQ to D.C.
(1922); The Sojourner (1924); Committee of Thirty-Three (1925 and spelled until 1958); Order name changes
(1927, 1931); Delegates (1 per 50 Active Members, 1927); Colors and Flag (1928); Regional Representatives
(1933); N3VP (1935); Americanism Committee (1941); Executive Committee (1942); Air Force (1948); Army
Warrant Officers (1950); Perpetual Membership (1953); Area Commanders (1955); Honor Awards Committee
and Legion of Honor Award (1961); NP-E (1965); Delegates (1 per 35 Active Members, 1966); and Bridge of
Light Committee (1972).

By-Laws and National Regulations (1982-2022): These Directives (43 documents) served the Order from
chartering Yosemite Chapter #520 through Night Stalkers Chapter #567 in 2021. The Centennial Year (2018-
19) saw 14 Chapters chartered/rechartered—the most since 1957, and 4,282 memberships added—the most
ever in a single year. These Directives were amended 97 times in 40 years (2.4 per year average). Key
amendments included National Resale Activity Board (1982), Clubs and SEM Fund (1985), Memphis Cup
(1986), CR&CC (1988), In-Memoriam Chapters and Odie Howell Award (1994), exempting all Elected
Grand Lodge Officers, vice GMs & PGMs from 10% Honorary Member (HM) Limit (1997), increasing HM
Limit to 15% (1999), HM Delegate vote and hold National Office (2000), Senior NCOs (2001), Three-Year
Rule for Resolutions (2006), National Progressive Line Officer Qualifications (2009), IT Committee (2012),
All-Ranks Membership (2016), and U.S. Space Force (2020).
National Constitution and Bylaws (2022-Present): The “ink had barely dried” on the National C&BLs
after being overwhelmingly adopted by more than 90% of the Delegates, when some Sojourners refused to
accept the change and the “will of the overwhelming majority for the harmony of the whole.” They presented
10 Resolutions in 2023 and another 14 Resolutions in 2024. The results were that four 2023 Resolutions were
approved, and all 2024 Resolutions were rejected for multiple issues. Again, in 2025 a similar number of
Resolutions is expected.

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Resolutions: As of the 104 National Convention, Sojourners have submitted 612 Resolutions to change the
National Directives, with 293 (47.9%) being adopted. For comparison, the U.S. Constitution is, for the Nation,
what the National Directives are for the Order; however, the similarity ends there. The U.S. Constitution was
ratified in 1788, and the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791. Since 1791, these founding documents have been
amended 17 times for an average of once every 13.76 years. The Order’s National Directives have been
revoked and replaced twice and amended 293 times in 106 years for an average of 2.78 each year. This means
NSI changes its National Directives 38.3 times as much as the Nation amends the U.S. Constitution. Brother
Ben Franklin said it best when asked, “What type of government do we have?” He replied: “A Republic if you
can keep it.” You have a National Constitution and Delegates (republic). Can you keep it?