The Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas, however, was born from a Convention held on June 24, 1856 in Huntsville, Texas. Events leading up to the Civil War began to take their toll on Grand Council activities from 1861 to 1864. Finally, at the Grand Assembly of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas held in Houston on June 16, 1864, a resolution was adopted by the representatives present to dissolve the Grand Council, and to transfer jurisdiction of the Council Degrees, subordinate Councils and their members, and all funds and properties of the Grand Council of Texas to the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas.
The existing Councils were then made appendant bodies of Royal Arch Chapters in Texas. Later, in the years following 1877, the action of the Grand Council of Texas to dissolve itself was followed in kind in eight other states, namely Mississippi, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Carolina, and North Carolina. During the 43 years following the demise of the Grand Council of Texas, Cryptic Masonry experienced a steady growth under the jurisdiction of the Grand Chapter, eventually establishing appendant Councils for each of the more than 203 Chapters of Royal Arch Masons in Texas.
By 1907, of the nearly 12,000 Royal Arch Masons then in Texas, almost all had become Royal and Select Masters. Despite this phenomenal growth, the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, in its Annual Convocation at Waco, Texas, on December 3, 1907, adopted a resolution requesting that the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas should reconvene and again take jurisdiction over the Degrees of Royal and Select Master. Brenham Council No. 22's charter was issued on this date.
On that same day a Convention of Royal and Select Masters, attended by representatives of 120 Texas Councils, was held at Waco, Texas, when it was decided to comply with the request of the Grand Chapter. A resolution was subsequently adopted by the delegates in attendance establishing rehabilitation of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas. It has continued to operate in peace and prosperity since rehabilitation.
On that same day a Convention of Royal and Select Masters, attended by representatives of 120 Texas Councils, was held at Waco, Texas, when it was decided to comply with the request of the Grand Chapter. A resolution was subsequently adopted by the delegates in attendance establishing rehabilitation of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas. It has continued to operate in peace and prosperity since rehabilitation.
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