The Golden Trowel Award is an award that is given out by lodges within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Texas to deserving brothers. It is an award to recognize brethren who display extraordinary efforts and service to their lodge on a regular basis. Each recipient can only receive it once per lodge; and each lodge can only award one per year.

The idea for this award originated in a place called “Armadillo Acres”—the get-away home of Past Grand Master Leonard P. Harvey.  In the Fall of 1989 while at Armadillo Acres for a bit of breather before the up-coming Grand Lodge Session, the Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, and Grand Senior Warden were discussing the fact that nearly every lodge has brothers who day-in and day-out accomplish the “little things” for Masonry and for their lodges.  The cement, if you will, that unites a building in one common mass or, in our case, unites us as a true brotherhood.  While sitting in “the red chair” twiddling between his fingers a small golden trowel that was given to Brother Harvey’s father-in-law several years previously, the proverbial light came on and the Deputy Grand Master declared, “We can call it the ‘Golden Trowel Award.’”  And thus began the creation of this highest honor that a lodge can bestow.

It requires a committee of five of the most recent past masters of the lodge to vote on a worthy brother. The award is presented in an open meeting at lodge and friends and family members of the recipient are invited to attend this high honor.

https://txfreemasonry.org/golden-trowel-award/

https://www.wacomasonic.org/golden-trowel-award/

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order. The Elks began in 1868 as a social club for minstrel show performers, called the “Jolly Corks”. It was established as a private club to elude New York City laws governing the opening hours of public taverns. The Elks borrowed rites and practices from Freemasonry.

Until 1995 the Elks had been exclusively a men’s fraternal organization. However, due to pressure from individual states and several lawsuits, the national organization voted to extend membership to women.

The current requirements include belief in God, American citizenship, willingness to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, willingness to salute the flag of the United States of America, willingness to support the laws and Constitution of the United States of America, being of good character and being at least 21 years of age.

Today there are still about 1,900 local lodges, and about 1,000,000 members.

https://www.elks.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benevolent_and_Protective_Order_of_Elks

The International Order of Rainbow Girls is a Masonic youth organization. It teaches young women, between the ages of 11-20 years of age, leadership training through community service. They learn about the value of charity and service through their work and involvement with their annual local and Grand (state or country) service projects.

It was founded in 1922 by Reverend W. Mark Sexson, a Freemason, was asked to make an address before South McAlester Chapter #149, Order of the Eastern Star, in McAlester, Oklahoma. He had studied the Masonic youth organization for boys: “DeMolay” and he suggested that a similar organization for girls would be beneficial.

Members are expected to serve their community, be law-abiding, acknowledge the authority of the Supreme Assembly, and show loyalty to the other members.

https://www.gorainbow.org

To live a full life and make the most of our time. It is a reminder to work for a life of compassion, honesty, and integrity so that we may improve not only our own lives but those in our community as well.

The hourglass is an ancient tool to measure time. This tool was in common use before the invention of clocks. The hourglass includes two glass bulbs with a narrow passage through which the sand passes. Each grain of sand indicates the passing of time. The wings symbolize that time is fleeting.

In masonic literature this symbol is used to remind the Mason that his life is continuously passing by. The present will be the past. And each moment that passes leaves less sand in the top part of the hourglass that indicates how much time is remaining.

It is used as a Memento Mori, like the skull and crossbones, or the sprig of acacia. It tells the Freemason to live a full life and make the most of his time. It is a reminder to work for a life of compassion, honesty, and integrity so that each one may improve not only their own lives but those in their community as well.

In right-angled triangles the square from the side subtending the right angle is equal to the squares from the sides containing the right angle.

Euclid was a Greek philosopher who is called the father of Geometry. He lived in Egypt around 300 BC. He wrote one of the most influential mathematical textbooks in all of history: the “Stoicheion” or Elements. In it he captured much of the mathematical achievements of ancient Greece.

It is also referred to as the 3:4:5 ratio, or the Pythagorean Theorem. It is related to the concept of sacred numbers. This mathematical principle is used to create perfect squares, and was highly important in the laying of foundations during the building of temples and palaces in the ancient times, including ancient Egypt, Babylon, Greece and Rome.

It is also used to remind Freemasons to “square their square when it gets out of square”.

https://www.masonic-lodge-of-education.com/47th-problem-of-euclid.html

http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/euclid_unveiled.html

After a Worshipful Master has finished his term in office he will become a Past Master. This is a position of great honor. Depending on the  jurisdictions Past Masters have differing responsibilities. In some lodges the junior Past Master, or most recent Worshipful Master, becomes the Tiler. In others they become the incoming Marshall or Secretary. Even if a particular lodge does not have any such formalized progression, each Past Master is still put into an position of trust and leadership. He will be expected to provide counsel and guidance to the active Worshipful Master.

Past Masters are the only ones who are eligible to wear the special emblem of the Sun, Compasses and Quadrant. The Quadrant replaces the traditional Square. The sun represents the Masonic Light, or Wisdom, that a Past Master encompasses and is supposed to pass on. It also signifies that the Past Master has observed the Sun at Meridian height, (the South), setting (the West), and Rising (the East).

The Quadrant, or Protractor, is opened to 60 degrees. This is the angle of an equilateral triangle, where all three sides are the same length.

In some European jurisdictions, mostly in Great Britain, the 47th Problem of Euclid suspended by a square is used as a past Master symbol. The 47th Problem of Euclid is used to prove a square, a vital skill to ancient builders. Suspended by the square, the symbol represents knowledge and wisdom that a Past Master has gained from his service to his Lodge and Freemasonry in general.

In the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Texas Past Masters are allowed to wear a special apron that includes the emblem of their office. This is one of the few officially recognized aprons that are allowed by the Grand Lodge of Texas.

The Anchor is a symbol of well-grounded hope and a life well spent. It has long been a symbol of stability. It is believed that the anchor became a symbol of hope with early Christians. Drawings and carvings in the catacombs of Rome depict the early usage of this symbol in the Christian faith.

Early Freemasons were enamored with Antediluvian, or pre-flood, symbolism. This included Noah’s Ark, rainbows, doves, and more. The ark reminds us of the rough and unpredictable seas that we have to traverse in life. A strong belief in deity helps provide the safe passage.

“The anchor and the ark are emblems of a well-grounded hope and a well-spent life. They are emblematical of that Divine ark which safely wafts us over this tempestuous sea of troubles, and that anchor which shall safely moor us in a peaceful harbor where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary shall find rest.”
(quote: Albert Mackey, Encyclopedia of Freemasonry)

Ark and the Anchor

Incense is not typically burned in a Masonic lodge, but the symbol of a pot of incense is used as an allegory for a pure heart (the pot or censer) and the prayers that arise from it to heaven, symbolized by the clouds of rising smoke.

“The Pot of Incense is an emblem of a pure heart; this is always an acceptable sacrifice to the Deity; and as this glows with fervent heat, so should our hearts continually glow with gratitude to the great and beneficent author of our existence for the manifold blessings and comforts we enjoy.” (quote by Thomas Smith Webb)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_use_of_incense

The Independent Order of the Odd Fellows is a fraternal order that was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, MD. It is based on the original Order of the Odd Fellows that was founded in London, England in 1730. The International Order has over 600,000 members in 10,000 lodges, in 26 countries.

The three links represent: Friendship, Love and Truth. The organization is non-political and non-sectarian, and is open to both men and women for membership. Beyond fraternal and recreational activities, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows promotes the ethic of reciprocity and charity, by implied inspiration of Judeo-Christian ethics.

Similar to Freemasonry the order offers progressive degrees to attain ever more enlightenment and philosophical insight.

Several theories aim to explain the etymological background of the name “Odd Fellows”, often spelled “Oddfellows” in British English. In the 18th century United Kingdom, major trades were organised in guilds or other forms of syndicates, but smaller trades did not have equivalent social or financial security. One theory has it that “odd fellows”, people who exercised unusual, miscellaneous “odd trades”, eventually joined together to form a larger group of “odd fellows”.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Order_of_Odd_Fellows

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odd_Fellows

The Widow’s Sons are Masonic Riders Association, and NOT a motorcycle club or MC. It was founded by Bro. Carl Davenport from Chicago, IL in 1998. The riding association is open to Masons who ride a street or highway-legal motorcycle and are in good standing with their blue lodge. The purpose of the organization is to allow Master Masons in good standing to join together and enjoy their hobby of riding motorbikes. It has a charitable purpose of offering aid and assistance to Masonic Widows and Orphans.

Due to the issues with the 1% or outlaw motorcycle clubs, there is some controversy about the idea of having a motorcycle organization that is associated with and officially approved of by a local Grand Lodge. Several Grand Lodges, including Texas, do not condone or officially allow for such organizations within their jurisdictions.