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Hands of the Workman

John Kain, Grand Master 1936-1937

John Kain was born at Dalbeattie, Scotland, the fraternity chose him to represent Montana at
on October 2nd, 1867. As a young lad, John the Bi-centennial Celebration of the Grand Lodge
apprenticed to the stone cutting business of Scotland in 1936-1937 his appreciation and
operated by his father. In 1872 his family moved to enthusiasm knew no bounds; he consorted with
Quincy, Massachusetts; however, they returned to Kings and Princes and the elite of the Masons of
Liverpool England in 1875. The lure of the United the World; he felt honored that he went back to
States was strong, and John and his older brother the land of his birth as the head of the Masons of
emigrated to Montana in 1888 and engaged in Montana; this just pride had for him a touch of
the stone-cutting business. Two years later, the humility as well as thankfulness to his God, that
rest of their family again moved and joined them a poor lad of Scotland came back full of honors,
in Montana. The brothers and their father opened and associated with the nobility of the land.
the Kain Granite Company and were the first to
develop the quarries in this section. The Kain's As the Grand Master of Montana, he visited
quarries were located at Shingle Gulch on the most of the Lodges in the state; to each, he
Great Northern and Baxendale on the Northern Pacific. The carried the most eloquent and earnest messages; and spoke
cutting plant was in Helena was equipped with pneumatic with truth and breathed the spirituality of the enthusiast into
machinery and was one of the most up-to-date in the country. the hearts and minds of his brothers. In 1937 there were 135
The Kain Granite Company had offices and a salesroom at Lodges in Montana with a total membership of 18,060. In
Seventh Avenue and Jackson Street in Helena. Previous to 2022 we have 78 Lodges with a total of 3,564 members.
its incorporation in 1911, the company was known as Thomas
Kain & Sons, an average force of seventy-five employees was In his personal life, he was an example of a Christian
required to carry out the company's work. In connection with dedicated to the welfare of his fellow man. At the time of
the quarries, the company also maintained a monumental his death, he had completed fifty-four years as an active
business, the most extensive in the state. The great buildings member of the First Baptist Church of Helena. Words are
of Montana, including the State Capitol, temples of education inadequate to give due praise to Brother Kain; his attachment
of several units of the university of Montana, and public and to his church, his unstinted service to the Y.M.C.A. and other
private buildings of Montana, are examples of his master civic organizations; his ready assistance with his wonderful
craftsmanship as an operative Mason and builder. The black gift of song, his service to Masonry in all its branches cannot
granite cornerstone of the Grand Lodge building in Helena is be sufficiently portrayed; he was a living exemplar of a man
a gift from Brother Kain. and Mason; his solid moral fiber permeated his being, and yet
he was a charitable man with the frailties of his brothers; his
Brother Kain's Masonic record bespeaks of a life devoted to purse is ever ready to aid the needy; his valuable time was
the service of his brothers. He was Initiated in Helena Lodge given to visiting the sick and afflicted; no demand on his
No. 3 on October 15th, 1909, Passed on November 19th, services was ever refused; he was level-headed and quickly
1909, and raised on December 3rd, 1909. He was Worshipful grasped the problems confronting the various organizations
Master of Helena Lodge No. 3 in 1915. He received the several in which he held interested in, and his counsel was ever timely
degrees of Helena Chapter No. 2 Royal Arch Masons in 1917 and sound; he was hospitality personified and his friendships
and in 1923 presided as High Priest. He was admitted, passed, were grappled with hoops of steel; he was honorable in all his
and greeted a member of Helena Council No. 1, Royal and dealing; his generosity knew no bounds.
Select Masters in 1925, and served as Master in 1938. He
received the degrees of Helena Commandery No. 2, Knights Most Worshipful Past Grand Master John Kain died in
Templar in 1918, and served as Commander in 1936-1937. He Helena on July 27th, 1947, and was buried at Forestvale
was a member of Algeria temple A.A.O.N.M.S. and served in Cemetery.
the office of Orator for many years. He was also a member of
Josephine Hepner Chapter No. 89, Order of the Eastern Star,
and served as Worthy Patron. He was a Scottish Rite Mason of
the thirty-third degree. At the time of his retirement in 1946,
he had served thirty-one years as a trustee of the Masonic
Home.

The pinnacle of his fraternal life was reached when he
became Grand Master; proud of the dignity was expression
of his feelings at the honor conferred on him; he showed it in
every action and devotion to Masonry; when the members of

Montana Freemason Page 9 March/April 2022 Volume 98 No. 2