Page 295 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 282

And so, too, the jewels presented to the Grand Masters as they
retired from office were for many years no charge upon the treasury.
Office was not held for its emoluments. Up to this time there had
never been a dollar in our treasury that legitimately belonged
there. Members attended at their own expense, paid in gold, and
took scrip payable in greenbacks at some indefinite future. Some
critics remarked the “boyish looks” of the man. It was more than
a boy, who six years before, after the trial of George Ives, the first
road agent hung in Virginia City, stood up before a motley throng,
largely desperadoes of the worst type, and moved that the verdict of
“guilty” be carried into immediate execution, and it was done. The
chances of escape on a bloody battle-field were many to those that
Colonel Sanders took in the contest to free Montana from the bloody
tyranny of the road-agents. Again there was a full representation
of all the Lodges and all had made returns and paid dues. It has
been a rare thing in the entire history of our Grand Lodge that this
has not been the case, though we have had some weak Lodges on
account of the shifting fortunes of mining camps. Bro. Sanders’s
administration was a very conservative one, contrary to what many
anticipated. Part of the time he was in the East. But the Masters of
our Lodges weremore than ordinarily intelligent and independent,
and few were the cases occurring that they could not settle at home.
The possession of high prerogative powers was no temptation to use
them as personal favors and for any but good and sufficient reasons.
Unlike many new Grand Lodges, we never indulged to any great’
extent in multiplying Grand Representatives.
Montana steadfastly refused to be involved in the controversy
between the Grand Lodge of Nevada and Mount Moriah Lodge
of Salt Lake, its offspring, which it was disciplining for accepting
petitions from avowed Mormons.
At the election several changes occurred. Bro. Langford was chosen
Grand Master, not less for eminent services than for eminent fitness.
Bro. J. R. Weston of Diamond City was made Deputy Grand
Master, and succeeded me as Grand Master. Bro. John T. Henderson
of Virginia City Lodge was made Senior Grand Warden, and T.
M. Pomeroy, Junior Grand Warden. Bro. Henry Telling of No. 1
succeeded Bro. J. M. Knight of No. 2 as Grand Treasurer, and Bro.
Sol. Star, now of Deadwood, South Dakota, continued as Grand
Secretary.