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Montana Freemason May 2015 Volume 91 Number 2

2. In the event of a lodge consolidation or surrender of a lodge charter the applicable lodge will be adjusted
in the above list without amendment.

C. The Grand Master shall appoint a District Officer for each district; selection of District Officers shall
be made from the following: Deputy Grand Master, Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden, Senior
Grand Deacon, Junior Grand Deacon, Grand Marshal. Senior Grand Steward, Junior Grand Steward, Grand
Standard Bearer, and Grand Sword Bearer. Each District Officer shall serve for a term of one year, commencing,
on the day following the Grand Master’s installation and terminating on the day of the installation of
the successor to the Grand Master. The District Officer shall, in the performance of his duties, be the
representative of the Grand Master in his district, and on official visits he shall be received with Grand Honors.

D. It shall be the duty of the District Officer to:
A. 1. Hold schools of instruction and instruct the officers of the lodges in the ritual, the Constitution and
Statutes, and the policies of the Grand Lodge;
B. 2. Promote Masonic education;
C. 3. Visit each lodge in his district whenever he deems it necessary for the faithful performance of his
duties;
D. 4. Examine the books and records of each lodge in his district, to determine if its manner of transacting
business conforms to Masonic law, and to report to the Grand Master any
violations of law; and
E. 5. Report the working condition of each lodge in his district to the Grand Master. [2005 Proc.
(R-2005-6); 2009 Proc. 91, (FIN-2009-01)]

Resolution submitted by Hiram Lodge No. 52, AF&AM
Original Resolution signed by Maurice M. Rademacher, III, Worshipful Master, and Billy B. Millhollin,
Secretary.

Proponent’s rationale:
It is sound reasoning to codify the Masonic Districts of the Montana Grand Lodge in order to maintain
continuity in the Grand Lodge, and to preserve peace and harmony among the Craft. The State of Montana
is so vast and varied in geography, and the distances between the lodges so great, that anything less than
ten Masonic Districts does not serve the Craft adequately and well. It is very important for the constituent
Lodges to be able to call on their district officer for help. Having Masonic Districts that stretch from Canada
to Wyoming, some 350 miles long, makes it nearly impossible for a district officer to visit all of his lodges
each year. This is certainly not conducive to maintaining a good relationship between the constituent lodges
and Grand Lodge. Personal visits to constituent lodges are the best way of all to convey the programs and
wishes of the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge and to assist that Lodge in their implementation. The
district officer knows much better than anyone what goes on in his district and the wants and desires, along
with the complaints, of his district Lodges. It makes no sense to be cutting the number of districts if you are
trying to keep Masonry alive in Montana.
In addition, consistency and continuing of the districts from year to year is important in building relationships
between lodges and their district officers. By codifying the districts it will allow Grand Lodge itself to
either maintain the status quo or to redistrict itself by resolution at Grand Lodge. Either way, it will be the
collective wisdom of the Grand Lodge delegates which will decide the course of action, if and when changes
are necessary.

Committee on Jurisprudence Comments:
This resolution seeks to amend Section 3130 of the Code of Statutes to require that the jurisdiction be
divided into ten districts, to specify the composition of the ten districts, and to require passage of a Code
amendment to change the composition of the districts, unless there is a consolidation or surrender of a
lodge charter, in which case no Code amendment will be required.
This resolution seeks to amend the Code of Statutes. In accordance with Code Section 50320, a two-thirds
favorable vote is required for passage.

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