Bro. Keith Stephens, DI recently visited a Lodge in MO and shared his masonic journey at our last stated meeting, in his travels

he learned of some linkage to Texas through the masonic tiler's sword.

This is the history of the Tiler's sword being used at Table Rock Lodge #680 in Kimberling City, Missouri. 

The sword being used by the Tyler is a Knights Templar Grand Lodge of Texas ceremonial sword gifted to the

Lodge by Chuck Stone of Kimberling City. Chuck is not a Mason, but his grandfather, father and uncle were.

As a child, Chuck said he used to play with the sword at his uncle's law office in Woodbury, Tennessee and was given the sword in the 1970s.

He gifted it to the Lodge in January 2012 via Brother Chuck Pittman.

The sword was made for Samuel Hale Jennings about 1920 by the Henderson-Ames Company. Brother Jennings was born in 1876 in Triplett,

Missouri northeast of Kansas City. He and his family moved to the Ft. Worth, Texas area where he was initiated as an Entered Apprentice on April 19, 1918,

passed to Fellow Craft on May 19, 1918 and raised to a Master Mason on June 19, 1918 at Julian Field Lodge N. 908.

He entered the York Rite, Texas Chapter 362, Royal Arch Masons in Tarrant County, Texas and passed through the degrees in August of 1918.

He was "greeted" in Texas Council No. 321, Royal & Select Masons in November of 1919. Brother Jennings ascended to the

Celestial Lodge above in October of 1927 in Ft. Worth, Texas

The sword carries the distinctive Texas Star in the center of the cross-guard, and a medieval knight battling a Saracen warrior on the reverse of the blade.

The scabbard has the Knights Templar emblem as part of the middle decoration.

John Richmond, Tyler

Thanks to all the brethren who came out on a hot Saturday, August 11 to help contribute to our lodge blood drive goals for this year.

Bro Tim Erwin has set a goal of surpassing our historic goals for this year and plans several more blood drives with Coordinator Cathy Anderson of the

Carter Blood Center.

This event was run in conjunction with the City of Wylie back to school program to provide school supplies to the cities needy children.

Did you know that over 3,000 children in our school district are in need of basic supplies and are considered eligible for support.

East Fork Lodge provided funding of $250 for pencils and pens to the children,

along with the concerted efforts from Wallmart, First Baptist Church, Lions Club, Boy Scouts, and many more supporters.

We received a  gracious thank you from the organizers for our participation.

We made our quota of approx. 25 units of blood that will benefit the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital children blood needs.

We had a great day and even a little  breeze under the sun tents to keep us going.

For more information on our blood drive contact Tim Erwin our blood drive chairman.

Note: We will not be doing a blood drive at the Wylie Rodeo/City of Wylie Hope County Fair event in Old City Park this year.

Next blood drive will be taking us back to the American National Bank