George W. Truett served as pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas from 1897 until his death in 1944. He was president of the Southern Baptist Convention (1927-1929), president of the Baptist World Alliance (1934-1939), and trustee of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Raised a Mason in 1920 at the age of 53 years, he received his Scottish Rite Degrees, Valley of Dallas, Texas, in 1921.

At a recent meeting of Mainstream Alabama Baptists, Joel Gregory, also a former pastor of First Baptist Dallas and a fellow student of mine at Southwestern Seminary, had this to say of Truett: "Truett knew the servant's heart. Octogenarian deacons at First Baptist Church said he couldn't keep a coat during the Depression. They said they wanted to give him the deed to the parsonage but were afraid he would give that away [also]."

Will we Masons also be remembered for our servant hearts?

Reprinted with permission from: Gary Leazer, 32°, CIS Masonic Report, a publication of the Center for Interfaith Studies, Inc. (Volume 7, Number 4; March 2003)