ance at the meeting, or else previous notice of such action
has been given.]

The Chairman should not take the chair till a quorum is present, except
where there is no hope of there being a quorum, and then no business can
be transacted, except simply

=== Page 94 ============================================================

to adjourn. So whenever during the meeting there is found not to be a
quorum present, the only thing to be done is to adjourn--though if no
question is raised about it, the debate can be continued, but no vote
taken, except to adjourn.

In committee of the whole, the quorum is the same as in the assembly; in
any other committee the majority is a quorum, without the assembly order
otherwise, and it must wait for a quorum before proceeding to business.
If the number afterwards should be reduced below a quorum, business is
not interrupted, unless a member calls attention to the fact; but no
question can be decided except when a quorum is present. Boards of
Trustees, Managers, Directors, etc., are on the same footing as
committees, in regard to a quorum. Their power is delegated to them as
a body, and what number shall be present in order that they may act as a
Board, is to be decided by the society that appoints the Board. If no
quorum is specified, then a majority constitutes a quorum.

44. Order of Business. It is customary for every society having a
permanent existence,

=== Page 95 ============================================================

to adopt an order of business for its meetings. When no rule has been
adopted, the following is the order:

(1) Reading the Minutes of the previous meeting [and their approval].
(2) Reports of Standing Committees.
(3) Reports of Select Committees.
(4) Unfinished Business.
(5) New Business.

Boards of Managers, Trustees, etc., come under the head of standing
committees. Questions that have been postponed from a previous
meeting, come under the head of unfinished business; and if a subject
has been made a "special order" for the day, it shall take precedence of
all business except reading the minutes. If it is desired to transact
business out of its order, it is necessary to suspend the rules [Sec. 18],
which can only be done by a two-thirds vote; but as each subject comes
up, a majority can at once lay it on the table [Sec. 19], and thus reach
any question which they desire to first dispose of.

The order of business, in consideri