Brother Tom B. Johnson of Houston is the author and sponsor of a very special program permitting Texas Masons to select seats in the Grand Lodge Auditorium in Waco to memorialize those whom they wish to recognize. The program was explained and seat layouts and an order form were printed in The Texas Mason, Vol. 6, No. 2, Spring 97- Order forms are always available by writing to P.O. Box 446, Waco, Texas.

Brother Johnson explains the Grand Lodge Seat Program as follows:

"Texas Masons, you are needed to participate in the recently created Grand Lodge Seat Program. At $100 per seat, you will have a brass plate placed on the seat(s) you choose: 1) In your own name, 2) in honor of another living person, or 3) in memory of a deceased person. Think of the display on the seat you have been using over the years with the adjacent seats honoring friends and/or family. Lodges - think of brass plates on the seats where you, as a Lodge group, have been sitting at the Annual Communications over the years. "Purchases" are made through the Grand Secretary, R:.W:. James D. Ward, P.O. Box 446, Waco, TX 76703, Phone 1-254-753-7395. By the resolution, as I drafted it, accumulated funds will not be touched as to interest or principal for 15 years and afterward only the Interest will be available. Any interest not used in a year will become part of the principal."

"It goes without saying, Brethren, you should not consider that you own the seat(s). When you find someone else sitting in that seat, just come earlier next time."

"The idea is to bolster the financial strength of our Grand Lodge especially if there are to be lean years ahead. For the individual Mason. the idea is to afford a long term memorial or evidence of permanent participation in the perpetuation of Texas Masonry. The Seat Program is for you and the Lodges of Texas. Go ahead Brethren, act now. Get your future memorials on record right away."