Claud L. Austin Masonic Lodge #1450 AF&AM

Claud L. Austin Masonic Lodge #1450 AF&AM Claud L. Austin #1450 Web Site 500 S. Harwood - Dallas, Texas 75201 - Scottish Rite Cathedral - Tel: (214) 748-9196 V O L U M E 1, I S S U E 4 May 2015 The outstanding members of Claud L. Austin lodge do it again! As we move through time we find more and more of the Claud L. Austin Lodge members doing more for Masonry than ever. Fredericksburg Cornerstone Ranger Heritage Center May 2, 2015 CLAUD L. AUSTIN Masonic Lodge #1450 A.F.A.M. Presents The Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar "Father of Education in Texas" Awards to the Following: Parish Episcopal School Katherine Keiko Dyo Jesus Esteban Sanchez Lisa Clay, Counselor Highland Park High School Caleb Reed Jeavons Shannon Lee Shiffer Becky Thweatt, Counselor R:W: Deputy Grand Master Wendell P. Miller works hard in the Quarries for Masonry in 2015. Great Job, Sir. Ok! I asked this dude for a glass of water, and he keeps bringing me bottles of water seriously, can you help me out here?????? A special thanks to Brother Ron Greene, Junior Steward and (Chairperson), Chuck Brodnax, Junior Warden, and Donnie Swango, Secretary for another outstanding job of presenting our awards. Read more about Mirabeau B. Lamar in the Texas Handbook Online The Texas Masons The Fraternity of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons in the History of Texas by Pete Normand, 1986 Book may be ordered from: Brazos Valley Masonic Library and Museum Assn. P.O. Box 1300, College Station, TX 77841 Price: $10.00 Postpaid

PAGE 2 Your New Officers-Elect for the Year 2015-2016 Please join with me in support of our new Lodge Officers. They need all that we can give them in order to make this a wonderful year. I am sure that you agree that this new line up will bring peace and harmony to all who come to Claud L. Austin in the coming year. May the future be bright for all Masonry! May every moral and social virtue cement the Officers of the Lodge and should they forever lead us in a straight and upward direction! May GOD bless them with the spirit of the Lodge and may GOD be at their right hands as they lead the Lodge forward. Amen! Amen! and So Mote It Be! OFFICERS 2015 2016 Elected: Zola B. Blicker, APM Charles T. Brodnax Stephen M. Brazeal, APM, DDGM Stephen Apple Sr., PM Lawrence A. Winkle, PM, APM Appointed: Kenoth H. Flournoy, APM Larry B. Christensen, PM Bruce B. Neustadt Bob R. Jensen, APM Ronald R. Greene, PM Jim A. Moore, APM Michel L. Reynolds, APM Peter J. Botos, APM EMERITUS OFFICERS: Plez A. Transou, PM, APM James R. Hurt, APM Worshipful Master Senior Warden Junior Warden Secretary Treasurer Chaplain Senior Deacon Junior Deacon Senior Steward Junior Steward Master of Ceremonies Marshal Tiler Secretary Emeritus Treasurer Emeritus Twenty-Eight Years of Masonic Conviviality

PAGE 3 God Bless America From the Chaplain By: Kenoth Flournoy, Chaplain, CLA The Cost of Freedom Memorial Day GOD'S WORD: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13 One can hardly turn on the television or radio these days without hearing of fatalities and casualties suffered in foreign countries and here in America as soldiers and public servants, both men and women, sacrifice their own lives in order that others may enjoy freedom and liberty. There is no greater sacrifice than to lay down one s own life for another. Yet with this reflection comes the realization of how often we casually take the high cost of freedom for granted. Such is the case with our freedom of choice that God has given us. God could have made all of us to where we could do nothing else but serve Him, praise Him, and spend all our time doing exactly as He sees fit; never making mistakes and being perfect little robots. But God didn't create us like that. Instead, He created you and me and the freedom to choose Him or not; to choose on our own will whether to accept Him or not; to follow Him or not; to love Him or not. And like most other freedoms, this too came at a costly price. May we on this Memorial Day not only reflect and celebrate the civil liberties we enjoy in this country, but also reflect on our eternal liberties given to us from God. Have a safe and blessed Memorial Day.

Notice of Claud L. Austin Spring Festive Board May 29th 6:00pm at the Dallas Athletic Club By: Zola B. Blicker, Worshipful Master-Elect, Festive Board Chairman, Claud L. Austin PAGE 4 Fraternal Greetings to the Brethren of Claud L. Austin Lodge #1450, AF&AM Claud L. Austin Spring Festive Board will be FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 29, 2015, AT 6:00 PM YOUR RSVP IS REQUIRED AND SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO ZOLA BLICKER, Festive Board Chairman. This has to be done PRIOR to May 29th in one of the following manners: Email: zbblick@ aol.com (click on the link above to RSVP by email for the May 29th Spring Festive Board) Office: (972) 661-8977 Mobil: (972) 979-7200 Res: (972) 661-5070 I CANNOT ASSUME YOUR ATTENDANCE WITHOUT YOUR RSVP!!!! Your cooperation in this regard is solicited and appreciated. This May 29th Spring Festive Board will be the last under WM L.C.'s watch. Let us continue to show him our support with a great attendance for another outstanding Festive Board (I am prejudiced!!!). I repeat my promise that your cuppeths shall runneth overeth with good cheer, conviviality, and with more than ample abundance of Brotherly love and affection. SO NOTE YOUR CALENDARS, MAKE IT AN "OBLIGATION" TO ATTEND, AND GET YOUR RSVP TO ZOLA. Cheers and Fraternal Regards To All, ZBB, SW, Chairman of the Festive Board, Claud L. Austin Installation of Officers June 29th at 12:00 Noon in the Green Room at the Dallas Scottish Rite Cathedral Hope to see you all there! May the blessings of the Supreme Architect above be with you and your household, until we gather again. Zola B. Blicker, your Worshipful Master-Elect working for you in the Masonic Light 500 S. Harwood - Dallas, Texas 75201 - Scottish Rite Cathedral in the Green Room Tel: (214)748-9196 www.cla1450.org From the Secretary s Desk Donnie Swango, Secretary, Claud L. Austin Brother Secretary says he has nothing at this time! The Grand Agitator is off to agitate someone else today!

Words from the East By: Larry B. Christensen, Worshipful Master PAGE 5 It has been a great year filled with excitement and thrills as well as a lot of good memories. Saying thanks to you will never be enough for those who have been a part of my year. It was once said that if you are really grateful, it is a process of letting those people know by your actions that you are truly grateful for them lending you their arm at a time when you really needed one. That has been my year for sure. A big thanks to all who have lent me their arm and who have supported me as the Worshipful Master of Claud L. Austin for the year 2014-2015. As Grand Master says, A few good men doing a few good deeds together. What a wonderful thought. It seems as though the year passed by right before my eyes with so many things to do, and so little time to do them. Serving as the Worshipful Master of Claud L. Austin has been a highlight in my Masonic career that will be hard to match. I do hope that the blessings of heaven rest upon you and yours in the upcoming years. If I can ever assist you or yours in a Masonic way, please feel free to call upon me for support. Very Truly Yours _tüüç UA V{Ü áàxçáxç Worshipful Master A little known fact about Masonry Did you know? Why do Masons end their prayers with So mote it be? The answer goes back to the Regius Poem of about 1390 AD, the oldest known Masonic document (now housed in the British Museum, London). It is one of the Old Charges or Gothic Constitution used by early Freemasons to regulate their trade. It has a legendary history, regulations to guide the Mason trade and rules of manners and moral conduct. The poem ends famously with this couplet: Caption: A detail from a facsimile depicting the closing couplet of The Regius Poem (Masonic Book Club, 1970) Amen! Amen! So mote it be! So say we all for charity. Thus Freemasons today end their prayers the same way they did in 1390. The next time you re in lodge and say So mote it be after the chaplain finishes a prayer, remember that you are continuing a 600-year-old Masonic tradition.

PAGE 6 Words from the South By: Charles T. Brodnax, Junior Warden Masonic Protocol Protocol is defined as the "Rules of Etiquette of the Diplomatic Corps". Masonic Protocol is therefore defined as the Rules of Etiquette of the Masonic Family. Etiquette is defined as the conventional rules for conduct in a polite society. Very simply then, Masonic Protocol may be defined as the rules or guidelines to be polite Masonically. All breaches of Masonic Protocol can be traced to the lack of common sense and courtesy. Because Masonry is rooted in the ancient English customs and procedures, its Protocol is similarly based. Masonic Protocol is actually quite simple: Use good manners and be polite, show respect to your elders and to positions of authority; be considerate and kind in all that you do. As A Lodge Office, you are expected to be the "expert" in this matter of Masonic Etiquette. You will be expected to be the perfect example of Masonic Protocol. It is therefore essential that you always act in an exemplary manner, showing due respect for your superiors. You should be the model for others to follow in the Lodge. Follow your leaders for the good of the order. God Bless. Charles T. Brodnax Words from the West By: Zola B. Blicker, Senior Warden Greetings Brethren of Claud L. Austin Lodge, I bring you further light from the West: OK, my Brethren, what about the River Jordan???? It is the longest and most important river in Palestine. It rises in the Anti-Lebanon mountains in Syria, and is some two-hundred thirty miles long, and empties into the Dead Sea. The river is mentioned in the Old Testament many times over, and fifteen times in the New Testament. It was the Jordan River in which Christ was baptized. In the Fellowcraft Degree, it is important because of Judges Xll:S-6, descriptive of the Gileadites and the Ephramites at the "passages of Jordan," in which verses are also the explanations of Shiboleth and Siboleth. The statement that "there fell at that time of the Ephramites forty and two thousand" is considered to mean two thousand and forty, and not forty-two thousand. Thank you and God Bless. Zola B. Blicker

Past Masters Night 2015 PAGE 7 If you were not at the Past Masters Night 2015, you missed a real good time with the other Brothers and their Ladies of the Lodge. Once again, it was a great meal prepared by the DAC cooking team and presented by the DAC staff. Brother Zola Blicker once again has come to the table to present a wonderful venue.

PAGE 8 Worshipful Master Larry B. Christensen, 32 KCCH From the Kitchen to the Front Row Dallas Scottish Rite Meritorious Award After working in the kitchen on the Cooking Team on May18th for the Scottish Rite Stated Meeting, Brother Larry Christensen was surprised to have been awarded this very prestigious honor from the Dallas Scottish Rite. During the Black Hat Capping Ceremony that was held during the Stated Meeting, his Lady Connie was called to the front by DSR Chairman Buck Howard and DSR General Secretary Jerry McNair (she was in on the secret of an award being given) to assist in the presentation of this award to him for his work and efforts in installing a new computer network and telephone system at the DSR Cathedral this year. It took him a year of working every day (right after he retired) but he, with the help of a few other Brothers, got it done. The Dallas Scottish Rite Meritorious Award has only been given to three individuals the first recipient was also a CLA Member, Brother Admiral Bob Smith, and the other being Brother Bob Moore, who many of you also may know from Hella Shrine. Claud L. Austin At Work In The Quarries (Grand Master s Conference 2015) Sorry Sir, but Brother Apple said I had to get a card from everyone. This guy must be new??????? What did you say? Give him the card Wendell. Seriously..??????? If you did not attend the Grand Master s Conference, you missed a great speech from Grand Master Wiggins and an outstanding presentation from Brother Charles McKay.

PAGE 9 Calendar of Events Friday, May 29th 6:30pm Spring Festive Board Thursday, June 4th 10:00am Claud L. Austin - Study Club & Meeting Thursday, June 18th 10:00am Claud L. Austin - Study Club & Meeting Monday, June 29th 12:00 Noon Claud L. Austin - Installation Officers (closed) Thursday, July 2nd 10:00am Claud L. Austin - Study Club & Meeting Thursday, July 16th 10:00am Claud L. Austin - Study Club & Meeting http://www.cla1450.org/calendar/ To stay in touch, click on the link above and go directly to the Claud L. Austin Lodge s Webpage Calendar for an up-to-date listing of events. Note: The Study Club & Meetings are not tiled and minutes are not kept. Grady Smith Goes To Town Best of Show Ok, as a good reporter, I did my due diligence by contacting my sources to make sure that Grady did not buy these trophies at the auction near his house, as a lot of us know is where he hangs around on the weekends. Yes, it is true that he has been to the car shows in Garland, Rowlett and other cities around town with Peggy s beautiful white Gold Wing and has brought home the awards that are shown in these pictures. For those of you who don t know Grady, we refer to him as Empty Tank! You will have to ask him about that. A Little Masonic Humor: Just before Lodge is about to open, an old man totters up to the Tiler and says, I'm here to receive my 2nd degree. Well, they all look at this guy, who really is older than dirt, and they ask him to explain. I was entered on July 4, 1957. Now I'm ready for my 2nd degree. So they go scurrying for the records, and sure enough, there was his name, entered on July 4, 1957. Where have you been all these years? What took you so long to be ready for your 2nd? they asked. His reply: I was learning to subdue my passions!