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Why I JoinedIt took many years of my life to come to two very important conclusions. First to conclude who I was as a person, and what the world truly is (not just the way I want it to be.) Upon coming to these two conclusion I immediately knew that I need to be associated with "like minded" men.
I sought to become a Mason after, as a young adult, I discovered that there was a common element shared by a great many of the men whom I came to respect the most. Some were professional colleagues and some were friends on a personal level. These men came from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and had varying educational, religious, and political views. However, they all shared one thing in common. I joined out of profound gratitude to the Masons of Texas. As a orphan of a Texas Mason, I was placed in the Masonic Home & School in Fort Worth in 1962 and provided a wonderful environment to grow up and begin my life. I knew at that early age that any organization that would do something that charitable and good for mankind was an organization I wanted to be a part of. I joined when I turned 21 years old. To this day, I thank Masonry for the opportunities I was given by being raised at the Masonic Home. Since I was a very young man I had an interest in becoming a Mason, mainly from the influence of my Great-Grandfather who was a Mason as well as a man whom I highly respected & loved dearly. My Great-Grandfather passed away before I was old enough to ask him for a petition & I felt my only ticket to becoming a member of the fraternity was gone forever. My formative years were spent at Buckner Orphan’s Home near Dallas, and R.C. Buckner Lodge No. 1176 met on campus during my stay at Buckner Home. R.C. Buckner Lodge was named after Dr. Robert Cooke Buckner, an ordained Baptist Minister who founded the orphanage to care for orphaned children following the devastating hurricane which struck Galveston Island in 1900. Daniel Walling
My best friend at that time father is a Mason and is very active in the Shrine, the way he conducted himself and when he talked about masonry, I was very impressed and interested. I was 19 when I asked him how to become a Mason; he laughed and said I just took my first step, but would have to wait a few years. So a few days after my 21st birthday I was initiated at Waco Lodge # 92. Sam Whitley
David Melear
William Gerald Harris Born: 1952 Raised: 1977 Landmark Lodge #1168
I became a mason because I knew several men in my youth who were all Masons. I noticed early on that these men were diffrent from others. They were always upright and they also helped one another. Both my Father and Grandfather were in the Fraternity. If the Fraternity was good enough for them it certainly was good enough for me. |
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The Grand Lodge of Texas Ancient Free and Accepted Masons
715 Columbus Ave.
Waco, TX 76701
e-mail: gs@grandlodgeoftexas.org
254.753.7395
Fax: 254.753.2944