Page 291 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 278

Lodge, which had been No. 10 under the jurisdiction of Colorado,
became No. 3 under that of Montana. The evening of the third day
was devoted to conferring the three degrees of Masonry upon Mr. C.
M. Davis, by virtue of the prerogative powers expressly conferred
by our constitution on the Grand Master.
Grand Master Hull was a fine ritualist and that gave him his popularity
among the Masons of Virginia City. The work as taught by him and
those who learned from him, was the standard until many years later
the Webb work was adopted and still remains the only standard, and
that ritual has been committed to cipher under the custodianship of
the principal officers of Grand Lodge.
We started without any money in the treasury. We received eighty
dollars for the degrees conferred and fifty dollars for a charter,
which was used for Grand Secretary’s supplies. Mileage and per
diem were allowed on generous scale and the Grand Secretary was
authorized to draw scrip therefore. It was some time before it was
paid. Dues to Grand Lodge were fixed at three dollars for each
member. Representatives were allowed twelve and a half cents per
mile in scrip for travel — just what they paid in gold. It is now four
cents per mile by rail and ten by stage. It was some years before we
had any money in our treasury.
Our first Proceedings were printed in New York at considerable
cost and delay. Only two hundred and fifty copies were
printed and they are full of mistakes, especially in names of
members. We could get no Proceedings from other jurisdictions
except by paying letter postage from St. Joseph, Missouri.
Before we could send down the money to prepay the letter
rate of postage the Proceedings would be lost or destroyed.
After having been in session since first convening, in all six
days, we closed on the 29th of January (1866) with an address
by Bro. T. J. Dimsdale, our Grand Orator. This brother was a man
of considerable literary ability, who wrote a brief history of the
“Vigilantes of Montana.” He died a few days before the opening
of the Second Annual Communication, which had been fixed to be
held October 1st, 1866. At that time I was on my way to the states
to renew my acquaintance with my family from whom I had been
separated for two and a half years, uncertain whether I could induce
them to return with me to such a wild country as Montana still was.
Brother N. P. Langford had become a resident of Helena and
connected himself with Helena Lodge. In his very competent
hands I felt that the interests of the Lodge would well be cared for.