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Jurisdictions, through the Grand Lodge of Montana, to France, on March 29, 1919, under a Proxy from Most
confer 103 courtesy degrees. With most of these requests, Worshipful Grand Master E. M. Hutchinson for the
it was impossible to comply as the candidates were never, purpose of installing Right Worshipful Brother R. E.
due to the exigencies of war, near enough to the Lodge Hathaway as Senior Grand Warden.
to present themselves. A number of such requests were
complied with, and we would have been only too glad to The following is the record of the work of the Lodge
care for them all had circumstances allowed. during its period of activity from December 21st, 1917,
to January 18, 1919:
In the eyes of the writer, the greatest benefit of the
Army Lodge was the fact that within its sacred precincts Elected to receive the degrees of Masonry:
alone could soldiers of all ranks meet on an equal footing, Orville L. Anderson, Kalispell, MT
free from the somewhat undemocratic restrictions of Alexander G. Swaney, Kalispell, MT
army regulations governing the associations of officers
and men. In an army made up, as was ours, of men from Leigh E. Sloan, Kalispell, MT
all walks of life, the rule of the old regular army that Oliver S. Perry, Kalispell, MT
there must be no social intercourse between the enlisted Frederick A. Draper, Billings, MT
and the commissioned personnel proved galling, and Wayne Campbell, Billings, MT
nowhere save in such a place as was provided by the Army Chauncey R. Founier, Belton, MT
Lodge could this condition be avoided. The Mason is a Orsino F. Newkirk, Helena, MT
social being; he wants to meet his brothers on the level, William T. Masten, Anaconda, MT
and he does not want a little thing like a General’s stars or Albert Jorgenson, Shelby, MT
a Corporal’s chevrons to make any distinction between
him and them. When he was on the drill field or in the Of this number, Orville L. Anderson was killed in
trenches, he believed in as strict compliance with army action before being initiated. Chauncey R. Fowler was
regulations as he did in the Landmarks of his Lodge, elected at the last meeting of the Lodge but was not
but he wanted a place where all rank could be forgotten, initiated; Louis N. Fournier and Albert Jorgenson were
where he could meet his brother who wore the stars or the initiated, but owing to being transferred to another
eagles and his brother who distinguished the insignia of a Division were not passed. All the others were initiated,
private soldier as equals. Such a place he found in the Army passed and raised in Due Form. The following degrees
Lodge, where the Tyler looked upon military rank as in the were conferred by courtesy upon proper authority form
same class with cowans and eavesdroppers, and where the this Grand Lodge:
military salute was displaced by the fraternal handclasp.
S. Clarke Kennett, M.M. Degree for Helena No. 3,
Helena, MT.
The following report of Major Foot, Master of our William V. Flvans, E.A., F.C., and M.M. Degrees for
Army Lodge in France during the war, as given during Livingston No. 32, Livingston, MT.
the 1919 Annual Communication. Leonard S. Beard, E.A. Degree for Starr King No.
344, San Francisco, CA.
Walter W. McDonald, E.A. and F.C. Degrees for
Work Of Montana Army Lodge While in France Bozeman No. 18, Bozeman, MT.
21 December 1917 - 18 January 1919 D. S. Lewis, E.A. and F.C. Degrees for Three Forks
No. 73, Three Forks, MT.
Montana Army Lodge was instituted at Helena, Stanely Arkwright, E.A., F.C. and M.M. Degrees for
Montana, September 8, 1917, with a charter membership Yellowstone No. 26, Miles City, MT.
of twenty-three Master Masons, all at that time
members of the Second Montana Infantry, later known The Lodge received requests and authority to confer
as the 163rd United States Infantry. one hundred and three courtesy degrees but was unable
to comply with more than those above listed.
The first meeting was held in Stateroom 325 of the
U.S.S. Leviathan, formerly the Hamburg-American The meeting places of the Lodge were various.
liner “Vaterland,” then the largest ship afloat. This Several meetings were held in a school building in St.
meeting was held on the evening of December 21st, Aignan, France until the trustees of the school entered
1917, the being at that time just off the south coast of an objection to the use of the building by Freemasons.
Iceland.
Thereafter meetings were held in a building rented
The Lodge held, all together, eighteen meetings. The by the United States Army for an Officers Mess. While
last being held at St. Aignan, France, on January 18, 1919. the Lodge was meeting at , three different places were
The nineteenth meeting was a special communication utilized, viz: A cave, a mushroom canning factory and
of the Grand Lodge of Montana, held at St. Aignan, a warehouse.
Montana Freemason Page 30 April/May 2020 Volume 96 No.3