FREEMASONRY AND THE PANHANDLE SPIRIT
The Masonic Fraternity was present at the birth of the United States- the independence of the 13 colonies and the freedoms we have today are direct results of the basic tenants of Freemasonry. Nine signers of the US Constitution were Freemasons. From Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, in 18th Century France, during the age of enlightenment as men began thinking of a new world, to the planning of the Boston Tea Party, at the place called the “headquarters of the American Revolution”, the Green Dragon Tavern in Boston, where early Masons met, Masons have brought about the changes that shaped this country.
The Masonic Fraternity was present at the birth of Texas, too. Over 200 Masons died at the Alamo- Bowie, Crockett, Travis, Bonham, to name a few. The original Charter to form the Grand Lodge of Texas was brought to Texas from Louisiana and carried in the saddlebag of Anson Jones during the Battle of San Jacinto. Our first Grand Master and Officers were installed by Sam Houston in 1838.
Masons are woven into the fabric of the Texas History.
As our Nation grew, our country was settled by pioneers who brought with them the traditional principals that historically shaped our nation. Dr. Walter Wendler, President of West Texas A&M University said “The places we live shape us, and then we shape the places we live. The principles carried by the early settlers and pioneers of the Panhandle were forged by the adversities of frontier settlement.
And so it is with our Texas Panhandle and its history. Many, many of the early pioneers were Masons. These men who settled here, were self-reliant out of necessity. Independent, yet recognizing their dependence on others and ultimately on God was the commonality that unified them, and gave them the strength for the great project of settling the Panhandle Frontier. This led to a trust in each other and in democracy akin to religious faith. This trust and faith was adopted in the frontier communities as the foundation for survival. The importance of family and fraternity was emphasized, and adapted into their way of life, and it enabled them to govern themselves with dedication to future generations, thereby building the very foundations upon which we stand today.
These tenets are the universal and timeless building blocks of Freemasonry, unchanged for hundreds of years. But we as Masons aren’t the only ones who share these beliefs. It should be said that men are not Masons first- they are good men first, God fearing men of faith and integrity, who become members of a fraternity that shows and teaches them the ways to become better men. Here’s a Masonic secret for you- you must possess these values before admission to the fraternity.
We take Good men and make them Better.
In looking back at this particular time in history, we are particularly conflicted. Buffalo hunting, native Americans being moved onto reservations. The US Army was fighting a war right here in the Panhandle, and it continued north across the great prairie for the next few years. Let us use caution and not view the actions of these pioneers through the lens of presentism. Let us be careful not to use the bias of judging history by our modern standards. It is unfair to judge past events and people in terms of modern-day values, because the knowledge we possess today comes on the heels of the wisdom that was gathered by the generations before us.
It is important to us as Masons to be here today in this wonderful museum to be able to remember Billy Dixon and his contributions to the Panhandle. We honor him as a recipient of our Nations highest Honor, The Medal of Honor. We have a quote from an unknown author on our Panhandle Masonic Cowboy Hall of Fame website that says “A museum is a place to explore the world around us, to be transported to another time and place, and to be inspired by the stories within.” Museums ground us to our past and hold us true to our values through the art and the artifacts. This storytelling shapes our ideals and molds our standards.
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This museum is crucial to the continuation of the future we’ve been given. It is the vault in which we hold our patriotism, our civic virtue, our faith, family life, and our individualism. The gifts we must guard to share with those who come after us.
It protects and nurtures the legacy of the Panhandle Spirit. The Panhandle Spirit is unique. It is a kaleidoscope of courage, virtue, honor, and integrity, mixed with family values, initiative, perseverance, responsibility, and self-reliance. Our enduring commitment to these characteristics is the heart and soul of the Panhandle.
Freemasons helped shape the Panhandle at its beginning, and without their influence we wouldn’t be the communities we are today. These founders, as Buffalo hunters, Plainsmen, Army Scouts, Pioneers, Texas Rangers, Ranchers, Farmers, and Businessmen based their opinion of what we and this Texas Panhandle should become on their faith and Masonic ideals. Undoubtedly, who we are and the Spirit we each share today, is the result of their Masonic influence on the Panhandle. It is the commitment to these principles that strengthens our resolve to continue to make the Panhandle the best part of Texas.
In recommending Billy Dixon and the other men for the medal of honor after the Battle of Buffalo Wallow, General Nelson Miles used these words:
Honor. Cool Courage. Self-sacrifice.
Those that came before us passed down these traits to their sons and daughters, and they in turn entrusted their sons and daughters with these traits.
We now are the beneficiaries of the communities they built. The essence of this trust, this faith, that lives in the Panhandle, continues to have an impact on our communities. It is not only the Masonic way, but the way the good people of the Panhandle choose to live. The tenants of Charity, Benevolence, Community, Morality, Education, Belief, Truth, and Justice are manifested daily, through how we live and care for each other. That is the element that makes us proud to be who we are: it is the Panhandle Spirit.
Keeping alive this Spirit we’ve been given is critical to our future. At our strongest, we are communities bound together by the ties of our past, together linked to our future.
That is our inheritance -The Panhandle Spirit- it is truly who we are.
