| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 443 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, Masons from across Texas are assembling at the |
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| 3 | 3 | | State Capitol to celebrate Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas Day on |
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| 4 | 4 | | April 8, 2015; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Following the Texas Revolution, a group of |
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| 6 | 6 | | Freemasons gathered in Houston in December 1837 to found the |
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| 7 | 7 | | Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas; since then, the Texas Grand |
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| 8 | 8 | | Lodge has remained a constant and enduring presence in the Lone |
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| 9 | 9 | | Star State, with a tradition of leadership and service that has |
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| 10 | 10 | | been continued by each new generation of members; and |
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| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, The organization benefits from the able guidance |
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| 12 | 12 | | of the 2015 grand master, Dr. Michael L. Wiggins, who earned his |
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| 13 | 13 | | bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. from Texas A&M University and is |
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| 14 | 14 | | president of an international oil and gas consulting firm; since |
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| 15 | 15 | | becoming a Mason in 1978, he has served the Grand Lodge in many |
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| 16 | 16 | | key roles, and he received the honorary 33rd Degree of the |
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| 17 | 17 | | Scottish Rite in 2005; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, The other officers of the Texas lodge are Thomas |
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| 19 | 19 | | W. Ellison, Tommy D. Guest, James L. Kessler, Pierre G. Normand |
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| 20 | 20 | | Jr., Scott L. Mills, Lawrence E. Tucker, Don Paul Payton, Donald |
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| 21 | 21 | | R. Sudduth, Bradley S. Billings, Ronald E. Lawrence, Barry D. |
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| 22 | 22 | | Brunk Sr., Jeffrey K. Haven, and Kenneth C. Curry; notable Masons |
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| 23 | 23 | | can also be found in the Texas Legislature, including |
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| 24 | 24 | | Representatives Drew Darby, DeWayne Burns, John Raney, and Doug |
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| 25 | 25 | | Miller and Senators Troy Fraser and John Whitmire; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, The Grand Lodge of Texas encompasses a number of |
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| 27 | 27 | | long-standing local lodges; among these, seven are celebrating |
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| 28 | 28 | | their centennial in 2015, namely the Army No. 1105, New Braunfels |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1109, McAllen 1110, Fraternity 1111, Broaddus 1112, Southside |
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| 30 | 30 | | 1114, and Richards 1116; additionally, the Washington 1117, |
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| 31 | 31 | | Texas City 1118, and Zanderson 1120 lodges are marking their |
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| 32 | 32 | | 100th anniversary in 2016; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Throughout the organization's long and |
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| 34 | 34 | | distinguished history, the members of the Grand Lodge of Texas |
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| 35 | 35 | | have sought to banish ignorance, promote peace, and relieve |
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| 36 | 36 | | distress, and in so doing, they have made innumerable |
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| 37 | 37 | | contributions to the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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| 38 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th |
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| 39 | 39 | | Legislature, hereby recognize April 8, 2015, as Masonic Grand |
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| 40 | 40 | | Lodge of Texas Day at the State Capitol and commend all those |
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| 41 | 41 | | involved for their civic engagement; and, be it further |
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| 42 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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| 43 | 43 | | prepared for the Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas as an expression of |
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| 44 | 44 | | high regard from the Texas Senate. |
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| 45 | 45 | | Fraser, Whitmire |
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| 46 | 46 | | ________________________________ |
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| 47 | 47 | | President of the Senate |
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| 48 | 48 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 49 | 49 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 50 | 50 | | the Senate on March 30, 2015. |
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| 51 | 51 | | ________________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 53 | 53 | | ________________________________ |
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| 54 | 54 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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| 55 | 55 | | ________________________________ |
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| 56 | 56 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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