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Nothing daunted by cramped quarters, the Lodge was
duly opened. Two petitions for degrees were received, and
other business transacted, and the Lodge was duly closed,
somewhat hurriedly, however, as a bad sea had risen, and
some of the “sea legs” were found to be not as stable as
their owners had fondly believed.

The two petitions were subsequently favorably acted
upon, and both candidates elected, one of whom was
killed in action before any degrees could be conferred.
The other was duly raised and is now a United States
Consul in China.

No further meetings were held for several weeks, during
which the 163rd Infantry, and necessarily the officers of
the lodge, were scattered about over France, but finally,
2nd Montana, 163rd Infantry Company F the regiment was re-assembled in the St. Aignan area on
leaving for France, October 24, 1917. Helena, Montana.
the Cher River, and meetings were resumed. The Division
Commander, General Robert Alexander, himself a
Brother of the Jurisdiction of Kansas, gave the Lodge
permission to meet in a room in a school building which
was in use in the daytime for military purposes, and
seven meetings were held there in a fairly good room that
was secured on the third floor of a school building. Here
several brothers received their degrees and learned their
lectures, until finally the trustees of the school entered
objections to its use as a lodge room by Freemasons and it
had to be abandoned. Threee more meetings were held in
the Officers Mess Hall in Saint Aignan.

2nd Montana, 163rd Infantry
leaving for France, October 24, 1917. Helena, Montana. School building, Saint Aignan
On Dec. 14, 1917, the regiment sailed from Hoboken, e Lodge met in the top oor in room two windows on right.
N.J., onboard the “Leviathan,” formerly the Hamburg-
American Liner “Vaterland,” for France and the great At the first meeting held in this schoolroom, a general
adventure. Being un-convoyed, the vessel took a course notice was sent out to all Masons in the area, and the
far north of the usual lines of travel. result was four solid hours of examining visitors before
the lodge would be opened. There was no work for this
The day of Dec. 21 found the ship somewhere off the meeting, so the time after the lodge was opened was
coast of Iceland, and all members of the Lodge feeling devoted to a “get acquainted” meeting, the W. M. calling
that they had their “sea legs.” The first meeting was the roll of the states and brethren present answering
held in the stateroom occupied by our Senior Warden, for their respective jurisdictions. The result was almost
which not being designed for lodge purposes, caused an unbelievable, as 23 states and Porto Rico were represented
overflow of the brethren into the bathroom. The Master by brethren at the meeting.
and Senior Warden were provided with chairs, but the
Junior Warden was compelled to occupy a seat on the At the second meeting a third degree was conferred
side of the berth, while the Secretary and other officers by courtesy for Helena Lodge No. 3 of Montana. Both
and brothers made themselves comfortable on the floor. Wardens of the Army Lodge were absent on military

Montana Freemason Page 27 April/May 2020 Volume 96 No.3