Page 31 - MFMJan 2016
P. 31
Meet Your Deputy Grand Master
Lewis K. Smith
This year at the Annual Communication you We guide the Craft by ensuring compliance with the
elected Lewis K. Smith to be your Deputy Grand Code and Constitution and assisting with our Ritual
Master. So who is he and what crazy ideas does he work. We lead the Craft by inspiring and assisting
have in store for us in 2016? I was born in Missoula Lodges and Brothers to succeed. That being said
in 1956 to Kelsey and Edie Smith, the oldest of four we cannot make your lodge successful or bring you
children. Kelsey worked for the Forest Service and new Brothers. That is the role of the local lodge
the family moved around a lot the first 10 years, living and its officers and members. The District Officers
along the Clearwater River in Idaho, Condon, North are tasked to work and interact with the Lodges
Fork of the Flathead and Hungry Horse in Montana. and Brothers and to communicate with the Grand
They moved to Trout Creek in 1963 and I attended Lodge Officers situations which require assistance or
Trout Creek Elementary and three years of high guidance. The Grand Lodge Elected Officers are to
school at Noxon. In 1973, Kelsey was transferred provide guidance to the lodges, enforce the Code and
to Wallace, Idaho and I graduated there in 1974. The Constitution and to facilitate success of the Lodges.
Bunker Hill zinc smelter provided funds for college While some must necessarily lead, they are elected
and I attended two years at North Idaho College and by their brothers for a time and will eventually return
two years at the University of Montana, graduating to join their brothers in the Lodge. Think of those
in 1980 in Business Administration. I worked in the important words when jealousies and disagreements
smelter, managed Wendy’s restaurants and sold real lead to criticism of your leaders within your Lodge
estate before going to law school at the University and Grand Lodge. Until you have walked a mile in
of Montana, and graduating in 1988. Following law his shoes extend not criticism, but the Masonic hand
school I clerked for the Montana Supreme Court, of friendship, a helpful word and a pat on the back.
worked for the Montana Personnel Division and The relationship between Grand Lodge Officers
then joined the Smith Law Firm in 1990. I ran for and the Lodges should not be an adversarial one if
the position of Powell County Attorney in 2006 and everyone does their job and recognizes their roles
am currently in my third term in that office. in perpetuating the Fraternity. Masonry teaches us
to think before we speak, to organize our thoughts
and to craft solutions, and not to tear “them” and
Lewis married Lisa Warburton Smith in 1990 and ourselves down. The greatest gift you can get from
we have one son, Kelsey “KC” Smith. Lisa is the Masonry in my opinion, lies in learning to use the
Vice President of Administration and Finance at attentive ear and understand the problem and then
Miles Community College in Miles City. KC attends to apply the instructive tongue to build bridges, not
Miles Community College as a freshman and plays walls.
golf for the Pioneers. Family recreation activities
include golf, fishing, hunting and camping. IDEAS
Going through 10 years of service as a District
Lewis was initiated, passed and raised to the and Grand Lodge Officer will expose you to a lot
sublime degree of a Master Mason in Helena Lodge of different ideas, programs and issues in Montana
No. 3, the same Lodge that raised his grandfather Masonry. As you approach the position of Grand
and father. He proceeded through the chairs and was Master you reflect on what you saw, what seemed
Worshipful Master of Helena No. 3 in 1996-1997. to work, was too complicated or not understood and
I received the Scottish Rite Degrees in the Helena what may assist the Craft to do better work, bring in
Valley in 1997 and am a 320 Mason and am a life more Brothers and have more successful Lodges. A
member of Algeria Shrine Temple in joining in few years ago, I seriously considered doing no new
1997. In 2007, Lewis demitted from Helena No. “programs” during my year and to just let the dust
3 and affiliated with Deer Lodge No. 14, where I settle for a year. There are a few things, however,
have been Worshipful Master twice. I also belong to that I believe would be helpful to the Craft and so
Mullan Pass Historic Lodge No. 1862. I wish to float them past the Craft during my year
as DGM to see if you like them, don’t like them
MASONIC PHILOSOPHY or don’t care. I believe that any successful change
The purpose of the Grand Lodge of Montana is must come from the Craft itself either proposing an
to serve, guide and lead the Craft. We serve the idea or buying into an idea. Otherwise, we can give
Craft by coordinating Grand Lodge functions like you a gold plated widget and it will just sit in the
the Annual Communication, District Meetings and secretary’s bottom drawer and collect dust. That is
process paperwork from the Lodges and collect dues what happened with the Trestleboard, Membership
and pay bills associated with operating Grand Lodge.
Page 31
