About Dallas Lodge No. 760
For over 125 years, each generation of Dallas Lodge No. 760 has sustained its namesake through devotion to the the virtues of faith, hope, and charity, supported on the three great pillars of wisdom, strength, and beauty.
From its beginning, on the 27th of May, 1895, Dallas Masonic Lodge was destined to parallel the growth and development of Dallas County. Charter members were exclusively prominent citizens and included: Anson Rainey, Chief Justice, 5th Supreme Court of Appeals, Charter Master; Bishop Alexander C. Garrett, our second Master, who later became the Presiding Episcopal Bishop of the United States; and publisher Louis Blaylock, our third Master, who later served the city as a 2-term Mayor.
Over the years, five members of Dallas Lodge have served as Grand Master of Masons in Texas. In addition to Brother Rainey, they include Sam P. Cochran (1912), Mike H. Thomas (1923), Hiram F. Lively (1930), and Robert L. Dillard, Jr. (1962). Samuel Poyntz Cochran was the man most responsible for the formation of the great Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, the building of the Scottish Rite Temple and the creation of the Texas Masonic Retirement Center. Brother Dillard, a lawyer, served as President of the Board for the Masonic Home and School and was Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Dallas Scottish Rite bodies.
Through the years, Dallas Lodge has contributed to the community with dynamic men in so many fields: Banking – Nathan Adams, A. V. Lane, W. H. Gaston; Business – Alex Sanger, Edward Titche, Max Goettinger, Arthur Everts, Ben Griffin, Clarence Talley, Harmon Schepps, Henry S. Miller; Law – Sheriff Bill Decker, Judges Anson Rainey, William M. Holland, Towne Young, Dee Brown Walker; Education – DISD presidents R. L. Dillard and Gabe P. Allen, DISD superintendant W. T. White, and others (13 schools in DISD are named for Dallas Masonic Lodge members); and Religion – Dr. George W. Truett of First Baptist Church, Most Reverend Alexander C. Garrett, Rabbi David Lefkowitz of Temple Emanu-el, East Dallas Christian Church pastors John G. Slayter, Dr. W. A. Welsh and Dr. Sloan Gentry. Six Masonic Lodges are named for members of Dallas Lodge.
Since the 1920’s, Dallas Lodge has benefited from receiving distributions from a trust established from the will of Louis Antonio Pires that allows us to provide educational assistance to a number of students, as well as provide an annual M. B. Lamar Medal (and cash award) in education, and to contribute to local organizations for beneficent purposes (current recipients include Jubilee Park and Recreation Center). All Texas Masons are known for their pride in the fraternity and our country, but Dallas Masonic Lodge members can be justifiably proud of our long-standing commitment to education and charity and our ongoing efforts on behalf of the communities of Dallas County.
Watch the ‘Becoming a Mason’ Video Series Above For More Information on Joining,
or Scroll Down to Read a Message from the Master of Dallas Lodge No. 760
A Welcome Message from the Master
Welcome to Dallas Lodge.
We are a proud and storied member of the fraternity of Freemasons in Dallas, Texas. For more than 120 years, each generation of this lodge has devoted itself to the central principles of the Craft: Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. Freemasonry extols the virtues of kindness, freedom of thought, tolerance, and personal integrity. Life is a path. Happiness, fulfillment, and satisfaction come from choosing one's path wisely. Our personal choices are made easier if we can rely on fellow travelers. We do not seek to make bad men good, but to make good men better. Masons strive to become better for themselves, their families, and their communities.
To become a member of a Masonic lodge, one must be of good character and express a belief in the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, and accept some expression of divine law. In Texas, the minimum age is eighteen. Masonry is non-sectarian and has no religious dogmas. We do not question any member about what form his beliefs take; only that he have them, for the principle tenet of the fraternity is that it is upon such beliefs that a moral life must be constructed. We tell no one what to think, but we expect that each man's path should be guided toward the light and that it respect the ideals of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.
As with any human endeavor, meaning is where you find it. Some brothers are more drawn to our rituals and the lessons they provide; some to our education programs; others more to charitable activities. All of them are drawn to the fellowship the fraternity provides. Within its bounds, we are brothers. No differences of income, class, race, religion, or politics come between us. We journey life's paths in different ways, but always together. Along the way, we also have a lot of fun.
Dallas Lodge holds a monthly stated meeting on the first Tuesday of each month. If you are interested in learning more about Freemasonry in general or Dallas Lodge in particular, fill out the information on the Contact page. We will be happy to answer any questions. Joining a lodge is a personal thing. You have to be comfortable with us and we with you, so if you express an interest in us, we will want you to meet and have dinner with us. One of the rules of Freemasonry is that we cannot ask you to join. You have to express your interest and desire to join. Many Masons delayed joining because they were waiting to be asked. Many potential brothers never join for just that reason. We don't accept everyone who expresses an interest, but the first step is to ask. One of our more modern logos is: 2B1ASK1 (To Be One, Ask One).
On behalf of the lodge, we wish you good health and an interesting and fulfilling journey along whatever path you choose to take. We most fervently hope that it will be a constructive and productive one.
- Master, Dallas Lodge No. 760, A.F. & A.M.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FREEMASONRY
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CLICK BELOW LINK FOR VIDEO
THE FIRST 100 YEARS OF DALLAS LODGE NO. 760 (produced in 1995)