Page 305 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 292

The Grand Secretary had the busiest time during the year in publishing
a revised constitution and getting out the reprint of the Proceedings
of the first seven annual communications. Our Proceedings were
still printed in New York, and the reprint in Springfield, Illinois.
The extra expense for printing and distributing Proceedings and
reprints were more than double the usual amount, and we came out
in debt to our Grand Treasurer, but only to the moderate amount of
$48.76. It was a busy year for the Grand Secretary but the results
were satisfactory.
Brother Julian M. Knight of Montana Lodge, No. 2, who had been
Grand Treasurer, one of the oldest of resident Masons and universally
esteemed both in and out of the Lodge, was elected Grand Master. In
the selection of the next place of meeting which on my motion had
been postponed till all other business had been completed, there was
much of the early spirit of contention, amendments and roll-calls,
but the result was in favor of Helena.
The Thirteenth Annual Conclave was held in Helena, October 2,
1877, with Grand Master Knight presiding, the constituency now
being nineteen Lodges with a membership of 664, showing a gain of
seventeen over the previous year. The address of the Grand Master
was brief and modest, but full of good advice on many subjects,
and coming from one who illustrated the principles and truths of
Masonry in his daily life made a deep impression upon his hearers.
Of the notable events of the session, I will mention but two. The
first was the claim of the Eureka Lodge, of California, against our
Silver Star Lodge, No. 17. A member of the latter Lodge named
Nixon fell sick in California and the Lodge advised Silver Star of
the fact and asked advice, receiving in reply assurance that he was in
good standing and asking it to render such assistance as was needed.
Time passed without further correspondence, till Silver Star Lodge
received an itemized account of expenses incurred amounting
to $692.20 in gold. Silver Star Lodge had a membership of only
seventeen and none of them were well-to-do and there was no money
in the treasury. They simply wrote back that they were totally unable
to pay. Eureka Lodge applied to the Grand Master of California and
he wrote to our Grand Master to interpose to secure the payment.
According to Eastern Masonic ethics, our Grand Lodge was not
in any manner bound to assume the liability incurred without their
knowledge or consent. But our Grand Lodge took a different view
of its duty.