TITLE: Commemorating the 2011 Masonic Oak ceremony.

SUMMARY: Commemorating the 2011 Masonic Oak ceremony.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The 2011 Masonic Oak ceremony and picnic is taking place on May 15, 2011, at Masonic Oak Park in Brazoria; and WHEREAS, In March of 1835, before the establishment of the Republic of Texas, John A. Wharton, Asa Brigham, James A. E. Phelps, Alexander Russell, J. P. Caldwell, and Anson Jones gathered under an oak tree near Brazoria and made the decision to petition the Grand Lodge of Louisiana for a dispensation to form a new lodge in Texas; the dispensation was granted and the inaugural meeting of Holland Lodge No. 36, the first Masonic lodge established in the state, was conducted later that year; and WHEREAS, Mr. Jones, who took part in the Battle of San Jacinto with the charter for the new lodge in his saddlebags, went on to become the first Worshipful Master of the Holland Lodge and the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas, which was founded in 1837; he also served as the last president of the Republic of Texas before annexation to the United States; other renowned Masons have included Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, Paul Revere, George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Douglas MacArthur, and Harry Truman; and WHEREAS, The oak tree under which the six Texas founders met is now known as the Masonic Oak, and each year, Masons from throughout the State of Texas come together to commemorate the founding of that first lodge; today there are more than 90,000 Masons in the Lone Star State, who enjoy fellowship at over 900 lodges; and WHEREAS, With an emphasis on helping those less fortunate, Masons provide more than $1.5 million each day to worthy causes in the United States; and WHEREAS, From its establishment in Texas 176 years ago to the present day, Freemasonry has significantly benefited communities across this state, changing countless lives for the better through its members' many good works; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the 2011 Masonic Oak ceremony and picnic and extend to all those taking part in the event sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable observance. Kleinschmidt Miller of Erath Miller of Comal Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1026 was adopted by the House on April 6, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House