27 Minimum required to confer degrees
No. 27. Minimum Required To Confer Degrees
Decision: Upon the question as to whether the second degree could be conferred when only six brethren were present? I replied that while I should think it advisable under such circumstances to postpone work, yet I was not aware of any regulation of this Grand Lodge or in the General Regulations of Freemasonry that would forbid it. That while it required seven members of a lodge to ballot for initiation or membership, yet according to the old rituals three Master Masons could open a Lodge of Master Masons, for work, provided they possessed the necessary constitutional qualifications.
Constitution, Article VII, Sec. 1.7.19. May 15, 1882. (Freeman, GM)