'Freemasons For Dummies' Masonic News by Christopher Hodapp

America 250 Celebration June 20 at Indiana's Compass Park

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Fri, 15 May 2026 02:31:56 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

Mark your calendars for this June 20th! The America250 celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is coming to Indiana!

Join the Grand Lodge F&AM of Indiana for a memorable Founding Father's Day weekend celebration as we honor America's 250th anniversary with an open-air colonial festival like no other! Taking place Father's Day weekend on June 20th on the grounds of Compass Park at the Indiana Masonic Home in Franklin, Indiana, this special event welcomes Masons, families, and friends for a day filled with history, heritage, and hands-on fun. In partnership with the Indiana Daughters of the American Revolution, guests will enjoy kid-friendly activities, period demonstrations, and lively interactions with famous colonial characters who bring America's founding era to life.

Let's celebrate the historic past, while embracing family, fellowship, and looking forward. The celebration will also reveal the Grand Master 2026 Project, marking an exciting milestone for our fraternity and our future. Come celebrate a defining moment in American history with food, fun, and festivities for all ages as we honor the past, enjoy the present, and build toward what's next. There may even be a special commemorative gift for those who attend.

More details coming next week!

Dayton Masonic Center Cornerstone Ceremony and Open House This Sunday 5/17

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Thu, 14 May 2026 23:35:57 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

Ohio's incredible Dayton Masonic Center is celebrating its 100 year anniversary. To commemorate the event, the Grand Lodge of Ohio will be performing a Cornerstone Ceremony this coming Sunday May 17, 2026 at 2PM.

This will be the 100th anniversary of the dedication of its cornerstone in 1926, two years before the Crash hit the nation. It was a feat our own members today couldn't manage if our lives depended on it (and I can make an argument that they DO depend on it... but that's another discussion).

The ground was broken on July 20th, 1925, the cornerstone was laid on May 19th, 1926, and the building was opened on April 1st, 1928.

This is a free event open to the public. There's no requirement to register before the event, but doing so at the link below will allow them to plan and make preparations accordingly.

https://www.daytonmasoniccenter.org/events/centennial-cornerstone-celebration-open-house-with-culture-works

If you've never visited this magnificent place and you're anywhere near central Ohio this weekend, make the opportunity to be there, because Masons are losing these massive Temples – built during the heady days between WWI and the Great Depression – every year. The Dayton center is really the last of its kind in the state of Ohio that's still in Masonic hands.

The Center is located at 525 W. Riverview Avenue across from the Dayton Art Institute, in the Grafton Hill neighborhood. Some details are as follows:

May 17, 2026, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

2:00 - Reenactment of the Laying of the Cornerstone
2:30 - Welcome by MWB Johnson and Congressman Mike Turner
3:00 - Guests Welcomed into the building to explore the beautiful spaces
4:30 - Grand Finale - Schiewetz Auditorium

Consider these sobering statistics: It was built by an association of 14 different Masonic lodges and related appendant organizations. Back in the day, Dayton Masons raised $1.5 million in just 7 seven days to finance the building's construction. It took nearly 3 years to complete, employing 450 workers and artisans (many of whom were Masons themselves) and would cost more than $40-million today.

The Dayton Masonic Center has beautiful lodge rooms, York Rite rooms, and a lavish Scottish Rite 1,700-seat auditorium all under one roof, along with an impressive library, stunning lobbies and social rooms, a ballroom, and much more. Sitting on a commanding hillside overlooking the city and the Great Miami River, even the beautifully landscaped piece of property it sits on gives this temple a far more impressive presence than most urban Masonic buildings jammed into downtown areas have.

It's truly worth going out of your way to see, and Sunday will be an ideal open house situation to wander the entire building and discover its many wonders for yourself. This Rooms will be open to explore with entertainment curated by Culture Works, a new event organizing partner for the Masonic Center. There will be food throughout the building, and beverages and libations will be served in various rooms. Various live performances will also take place throughout the building.

This event is just part of a $20 million campaign to continue upgrading and operating this stunning temple for the foreseeable future. Don't let it fall out of the hands of the fraternity! We lose these remaining buildings at our own peril, for we will never again even come close to competing with what came before us. As Masons flee places like this in favor of a tin shed in a soybean field, we vanish farther and farther from cultural the landscape of our communities. Yes, our forefathers should have set up foundations and long-range funding to be sure we could preserve them for future generations. But they didn't ask us to build better than they did – only to respect, repair and preserve what they already did for us.

(H/T: Daniel Fry)

GenZ Masons in the London Standard

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Mon, 11 May 2026 13:21:10 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

(UPDATE 5/12/2026: The broken link to the London Standard article has been repaired. Sorry for the error.)

An article in yesterday's London Standard features a lineup of several young GenZ English Freemasons in an apparent demonstration that Masons are far from the sinister, altogether spooky, mysterious and ooky image the press has tried to cultivate around us for the last 40 years.

See: TikTok, temples and techno: Meet the new freemasons HERE

(Notice that the UK press just can't respect our fraternity enough to capitalize the word "Freemason" in their articles and headlines.)

The reporter seems stunned to discover they're really just regular blokes after all. It's at least an improvement over the usual stories they've been printing about Masons since — I dunno — the Thatcher administration.

Congratulations to Oscar Alleyne and the GL of New York

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Fri, 08 May 2026 20:16:00 +0000

by Christopher L. Hodapp

The 244th annual communication of the Grand Lodge of New York F&AM took place this past week and I want to congratulate all of their newly elected grand officers: Most Worshipful Robert L. Hogan Jr. - Grand Master; Right Worshipful John Haslam Sr. - Senior Grand Warden; Right Worshipful William Toth - Junior Grand Warden; Right Worshipful John Hansen - Grand Treasurer; and Right Worshipful Richard Schulz - Grand Secretary.

But I especially want to congratulate a Brother known to so many Masons all over the world: Right Worshipful E. Oscar Alleyne who has just been elected to serve as Deputy Grand Master for New York. I've known Oscar longer than I can possibly remember (we first met at a Scottish Rite event in New Jersey, as I recall, where he was part of a degree cast), and he is one of the most widely-traveled, widely-read, and widely-experienced Mason you will ever encounter.

All the best, my friend and Brother. The Masons of New York are in excellent hands!

BTW, the jurisdiction of New York is so large that it's unreasonable to expect any grand officer to effectively visit a large number of their lodges in a single year, so they elect officers for two-year terms. These Brethren will serve from now until May 2028.

Arkansas GM Extends Olive Branch to the State's Shriners

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 07:25:00 +0000

Arkansas Grand Master Thomas Lampirez

byChristopher Hodapp

Ever since November 2012, the Grand Lodge of Arkansas F&AM has forbidden the Masons in its jurisdiction to be members of the Shrine. The Grand Master at that time, Robert L. Jackson, issued a letter that declared the Shrine "clandestine" in Arkansas, and all Masons in the state were immediately ordered to either quit their Shrine membership, or "self-expel" themselves from Masonry (i.e. Quit).

After fourteen years of separation, this year's Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas, MW Thomas Lampirez, has just issued an edict that restores Shriners International in that state to the status of an"affiliated organization." (Click the image below to enlarge.)

Edit No. 3 reads, in part:

"An affiliated organization, while still not fraternal, carries with it a significant increase in status and trust. An affiliated organization is more formally connected to the larger fraternal, governing body and signals that the shrine in Arkansas is no longer operating loosely on its own, but is more connected to the Masonic fraternity through its mission, values, and structure. While progress has been made, I also believe this shall be the last act of good faith given by the Grand Lodge of, Arkansas toward this shrine in Arkansas until ALL non-Mason Shriners's are Freemasons."

The situation came about in 2012 over an Arkansas Mason who held a dual membership in another state, along with belonging to an Arkansas Shrine. He was brought up on Masonic charges and expelled in Arkansas, but was not suspended by the Shrine at that time because his other state's Grand Lodge had not taken any action against him. The Shrine's position was that he was still legally a Freemason outside of Arkansas, and therefore was still entitled to remain a Shriner. MW PGM Jackson disagreed, ordered the Shrine to expel him, they refused, and so he issued his edict.

(If you don't understand about relationships between Masonic groups and why membership status affects them across the board, see the explanation below about why this is an issue in the first place.)
The result was an enormous drop in Masonic membership in Arkansas that far exceeded the comparative membership losses that any other Masonic jurisdiction has suffered in the U.S. The sheer number of expulsions in Arkansas between about 2013 and 2019 was staggering.

Jackson's order might have meant the end of the only two Shrines in Arkansas (Scimitar Shriners and Sahara Shriners). Because of the untenable situation in which they found themselves, Shriners International changed its bylaws and carved out a loophole only for Arkansas that permitted non-Masons to become Shriners there. That by-law change has been in place since 2013.

Meanwhile, PGM Robert Jackson went on to become the Grand Secretary of Arkansas in 2016. Numerous Arkansas Masons reported that his office allegedly stopped issuing letters of good standing to fleeing Arkansas Masons who attempted to transfer their membership to jurisdictions in other states like Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and elsewhere in protest. The Grand Lodges of Oklahoma and Kansas both withdrew amity with Arkansas, partially over these issues.

Jackson was suspended in 2017 by then-GM Carl E. Nelson, along with Grand Treasurer, PGM Ronnie Hedge.

But a new wrinkle developed in 2019. The outgoing 2018-19 Grand Master Bradley Phillips issued a Grand Master's Recommendation at the 2019 Arkansas annual meeting that proposed a way to end to the needless impasse with the Shrine. It reclassified the Shrine in Arkansas from a clandestine organization to a civic one for the next three years; permitted non-Mason Arkansas Shriners to petition lodges and self-expelled Arkansas Masons to petition for reinstatement, along with all other Masons in the state who had previously been expelled by former Grand Masters or trial commissions over their Shrine memberships or activities. At the end of three years, if all members of Arkansas Shrines had become Masons in that state (or in another jurisdiction recognized by Arkansas) once again, the Shrine would be classified as a fully recognized fraternal organization under Arkansas Masonic code. All remaining Shriners in Arkansas who had NOT become Masons by the end of the three year period were to be suspended by the Shrine, and the non-Mason loophole created by this whole imbroglio by the Shrine would be ended.

In response, Shriners International passed a resolution during its 2019 Imperial Session, again requiring that all new initiates for Shrine membership in Arkansas must be Master Masons in good standing.

But apparently, the problem of existing non-Masonic Arkansas Shriners was never sufficiently solved, and the Shrine remained classified as a civic organization with no connection to Freemasonry at all.

Fast-forward to today. Private informal meetings have been held in recent months between leaders to attempt to find a solution that would finally bring the Shrine back into Arkansas' Masonic fold while addressing the problem of these new non-Masonic Shriners. Lampirez' last sentence makes it clear, however, that this is as far as the Grand Lodge will extend the olive branch until the Shriners can figure out how to make all of the non-Masons who joined the Shrine over the last fourteen years join a Masonic Lodge. Hopefully, they haven't built a box they can't escape from, and I suspect Tampa will get involved now that this edict has been issued.

For readers who do not understand the connection between the two groups, it needs to be explained that all those guys wearing red fezzes in Shriners Hospitals ads, or marching and puttering around in little race cars in parades are all members of a local Shriners organization AS WELL AS a Freemason’s lodge. Everywhere else in the world outside of Arkansas, Shriners International requires men to first join a local Masonic lodge and undergo the three initiation degree ceremonies before they are allowed to then petition the Shriners for membership. Further, almost all regular, recognized grand lodges have rules that say if a man is dropped from Masonic membership for any reason - voluntarily or otherwise - he must also resign from all Masonically related, appendant or concordant organizations. If he doesn’t, that group’s administration is supposed to suspend or expel him to comply with Masonic regulations (informally referred to as the "suspended in one, suspended in all" doctrine).

Unlike state-wide grand lodges we have throughout the US, Canada and Mexico, the Shriners don't have state administrations. Local Shrine clubs and Shrine centers must answer to their national leadership in Tampa, Florida, which is also responsible for the 22 children's hospitals located in North America.

Wisconsin Couple Charged in Massive Theft of Lodge Funds

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:25:11 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

A shocking case of (alleged) betrayal has rocked the Masonic community in the Milwaukee area. Tyler Kristopeit, 39, former treasurer and officer of the George Washington 1776 Masonic Lodge in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin and his wife Katie, 37, both of Muskego, were charged last week in Milwaukee County Circuit Court with conspiracy to commit theft in a business setting exceeding $100,000 and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to court filings and news reports, the couple is accused of siphoning somewhere between $400,000 and $600,000 from the lodge over several years, with funds allegedly diverted for luxury cars, personal expenses, debts, and other items.

As I understand it, the thefts reportedly escalated around the time the lodge sold its building. Proceeds from the sale, along with additional escrow funds intended for a new lodge hall, were wired to accounts controlled by the lodge where Tyler served as treasurer. When lodge officers requested financial records after removing him from his positions, incomplete documentation was provided, raising immediate red flags about missing investments and hundreds of thousands of dollars unaccounted for. The money was laundered through accounts linked to Katie, ultimately funding two Mercedes autos and other luxury items for the couple.

This is a stark reminder of the importance of financial oversight and transparency in any fraternal organization, including Masonic lodges. Trusted positions like treasurer carry significant responsibility, and when that trust is allegedly abused, it not only harms the lodge but can erode confidence across the broader Masonic world. Lodges everywhere rely on member volunteers acting with integrity – cases like this highlight how a single breach can impact decades of goodwill and philanthropy.

The couple has been released on $10,000 signature bonds and ordered to avoid contact with the lodge (Phew! THERE'S a big deterrent, Yer Honer!) As the criminal case proceeds, the Masonic fraternity in Wisconsin and beyond will be watching closely. For Freemasons committed to the principles of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth, this story underscores that true brotherhood demands not just honor, but vigilance, accountability, and a renewed commitment to protecting the shared resources that support our shared values.

Outdoor Degrees at the Grand Canyon August 14-15, 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:28:48 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

Brethren, if you are anywhere near Arizona in mid-August, don't miss this amazing event! On August 14th and 15th, the Grand Lodges of Arizona, Nevada and Utah will jointly confer all three Blue Lodge degrees under the canopy of heaven at the breathtaking Grand Canyon!

From the registration site for Camp Cornerstone 2026:

Camp Cornerstone 2026 will be held at the Shrine of the Ages, a distinctive interfaith chapel and gathering space located on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Built in 1965, this unique venue has served as a place of reflection and ceremony for visitors from around the world seeking to connect with something greater amid one of nature’s most awe-inspiring landscapes.The Shrine of the Ages offers us a rare combination: a dignified indoor ceremonial space paired with immediate access to the grandeur of the canyon itself. Its architecture was purposefully designed to welcome people of all faiths and fraternal traditions, making it an ideal setting for this historic Tri-State event.

With the vast expanse of the Grand Canyon as our backdrop and the Shrine as our lodge room, we’ll experience Freemasonry as our pioneer brethren might have — surrounded by the natural world, under Western skies, at one of the Seven Natural Wonders. a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fellowship, tradition, and unforgettable memories.

Camp Cornerstone offers multiple accommodation options to fit your preference and budget, from rustic camping under the stars to comfortable South Rim lodging.

For brothers seeking the full outdoor experience, we’ve arranged camping at Tusayan-Montane Campground, located in Kaibab National Forest just south of Grand Canyon National Park. This Forest Service campground puts you close to the action while offering a true Western camping experience beneath ponderosa pines.

Schedule and Activities

Ladies Program

A special program is being planned for companions joining us at the Grand Canyon. See Ladies Program page for details

Weekend Schedule

Camp Cornerstone runs Friday through Sunday, featuring degree work at Shrine of the Ages, the Powell Point re-dedication ceremony, a Saturday night Festive Board, and a Friday evening steak dinner. View full schedule and itinerary

Friday night’s steak dinner, Saturday night’s Festive Board, breakfasts and more are detailed here: See meal details and menus

For pricing and registration visit the Camp Cornerstone 2026 website at CampCornerstone.us

Another Courtroom Delay in Texas Mason's Slaying

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:29:00 +0000

Photo: KRGV-TV5

by Christopher Hodapp

Julio Diaz (allegedly) shot and killed Freemason Robert Wise outside a Masonic lodge in McAllen, Texas almost three years ago. But the murder case against him has been delayed multiple times, most recently on Monday.

McAllen is a small town right on the Mexican border in the southernmost tip of Texas, just west of South Padre Island.

On the night of July 10, 2023, Brother Wise was leaving an officers’ installation ceremony at McAllen Lodge 1110 (he had just been installed as Junior Deacon) when Diaz reportedly drove into the lodge parking lot, approached him, and opened fire at close range. Witnesses inside the lodge heard gunshots and rushed outside to find Wise gravely wounded; he later died at a hospital. Authorities quickly identified Diaz as a suspect, aided in part by the video he allegedly filmed and posted online, bragging to an acquaintance about it in a text message.

After his arrest, sources familiar with the investigation said that Diaz believed Masons are "devil worshiping Illuminatists." A Facebook commenter said Diaz had previously posted anti-Masonic comments on social media, claiming the lodge "had put a curse on him."

The lodge was previously vandalized in March of 2022, when an unknown person tagged the location with graffiti reading, “Sorcery against the Holy spirit and the human race must all be stoned to death.” It's not known if Diaz was responsible for that incident, but he also faces a separate arson charge from an incident in September 2022, when he had attempted to set the McAllen Masonic hall on fire. Interior surveillance footage recorded him at that time breaking in by smashing the glass front door, pouring gasoline on the floor, and lighting a piece of cardboard on fire. Diaz admitted setting that fire to investigators after his arrest in connection with Wise’s death. Investigators obtained and examined Diaz’s camera and found evidence that also linked him to a separate February 2023 fire at Llano Grande Masonic Lodge, located about 20 miles west of McAllen in Weslaco, Texas.

The shocking nature of the crime has made the case particularly unsettling within the fraternity. Despite the seriousness of the charges, the case has been repeatedly delayed, prompting visible frustration from the court. During a hearing Monday, presiding judge J.B. "Bobby" Flores sharply questioned why a case now more than two years old has yet to go to trial, demanding, “When do we try this thing?” The latest postponement came after the defense requested more time to review a large volume of newly disclosed evidence and to pursue medical and psychological evaluations, including questions about Diaz’s competency and a reported brain condition. Diaz has also faced scrutiny over prior incidents, including alleged arson attempts involving Masonic properties, which prosecutors may use to establish motive or pattern of behavior. Ongoing disputes over evidence and mental fitness have created a procedural logjam, leaving the court, the victim’s family, the lodge brethren, and other observers still waiting for the case to finally be resolved.

Lodge Facebook page

Robert Wise leaves behind his wife, five children, and eleven grandchildren, along with brothers, sisters, numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

In a separate civil case, Wise's family filed a lawsuit against the lodge itself for failing to take security precautions that might have protected him, or at least discouraged Diaz. The lodge had purchased outdoor lighting and surveillance equipment months before the shooting occurred but failed to install them. Further, the suit pointed out the rise in recent years of attacks against lodges and individual Masons should have made the local lodge more vigilant and protective of its members' safety. The suit was settled out of court.

The judge in Diaz's case has scheduled his next hearing in August to give the defense more time to examine evidence and medical reports. Maybe then Brother Wise and his family will finally be able to receive the closure that's been so long postponed.

California Opens Starfleet Lodge U.D.

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:11:00 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

The Grand Lodge of California has officially established Freemasonry’s first Star Trek-themed affinity lodge. Starfleet Lodge U.D. was consecrated on Sunday in the Pleasanton Masonic Hall. Grand Master Garrett S. Chan was on hand for the occasion. (Photos from Jonathan Hirshon’s Facebook page)

Their location makes sense as Pleasanton is neighboring city of San Francisco, where, according to the canon of the Star Trek universe, is the location of Starfleet headquarters and the Earth location of the United Federation of Planets. Or will be in the 23rd century. No word yet on whether they can be numbered 1701 once they satisfy the requirements of being under dispensation.

WB Adam Hanin is the lodge’s founding Worshipful Master, WB Nicholas Hayworth, Senior Warden, WB Dinesh Chhabra, Junior Warden, and WB Gary Sparks, Senior Deacon. Yes, the Tyler is armed with a very sharp Bat'leth to repel boarders.

Dilithium crystal-powered gavel

Festive Board on Deck 5

As they say in Scotland, "The lodge is closed, and the bar is open!"
But where is the Saurian brandy?

Food replicator needs reprogramming: no green beans in sight.
And that spaghetti on a paper plate is "best served cold."

In recent years California has been encouraging the establishment of affinity lodges, made up of members with a special interest in common. As many as twenty years ago, my friend WB Jeffrey Naylor strongly advocated for affinity lodges based on shared outside interests of groups of Masons. He encouraged embracing ideas like a “Lionel Lodge” for train enthusiasts, arguing that common passions could attract quality men to Freemasonry without conflicting with its principles.

Many jurisdictions have hundreds of lodges, creating opportunities for unique, non-cookie-cutter experiences rather than identical ones. In England, the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) has long supported this approach with numerous affinity lodges for hobbies and occupations—such as fishermen, gamers, F1 racing fans, actors, musicians, and rugby players—alongside their Universities Scheme to attract students and faculty. A new science fiction and fantasy-themed lodge in the UK recently drew over 130 attendees at its consecration. One member noted that these lodges simply combine two passions, strengthening both the lodge and the fraternity, while maintaining standard ritual and meetings.

Sadly, affinity lodges have still not became widespread in the United States, which is a missed opportunity. My own jurisdiction of Indiana has seen a few special-purpose lodges over the years, including ones for handicapped candidates (Bartimaeus Lodge), a blood drive (Transylvania Lodge), historic preservation (Schofield Lodge No. 1818), and medical professionals (St. Lukes Lodge No. 761), plus historic foreign-language lodges in German back in the 19th century. There is, however, increasing interest in contemplative, philosophical, and esoteric-minded lodges. With so many possibilities within our basic framework, there is ample room to experiment while honoring Masonic landmarks and thinking creatively to attract (and retain) new members and revitalize the fraternity.

Fire at Indiana Masonic Home’s Compass Park: Construction Destroyed, But Residents Safe

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Photo: City of Franklin Fire Dept.

by Christopher Hodapp

On the morning of Friday, April 10, 2026, just after 5:00 a.m., a large fire broke out at the Indiana Masonic Home at Compass Park in Franklin, Indiana. The blaze rapidly engulfed Young’s Creek II, a 39-unit apartment building under construction as part of the campus expansion. The building was unoccupied at the time and just 100 days from opening.

It's been declared a total loss, with damages estimated to exceed $20 million.

Credit: WTHR-13 Video

In an interview with WTHR-TV13, Franklin Fire Chief Joshua Snyder described it as “the largest fire I’ve seen in my 20-year career in Franklin,” and possibly the biggest in the city in decades. Approximately 60 firefighters from 11 departments across Johnson County (including Franklin, Bargersville, Edinburgh, Greenwood, and Whiteland) responded. It took about two and a half hours to bring the fire under control, with crews coming back over the weekend to battle continuing hot spots. The state fire marshal is assisting with the investigation, which could take two to three months.

Cause has not yet been determined but is not considered suspicious at this time.

Thankfully, there were no injuries to residents, staff, or emergency personnel. While the fire primarily destroyed the new construction, smoke and water damage affected the occupied building, prompting a precautionary evacuation of about 55 residents. But thankfully, the firewall separating the two buildings did its job and stopped the spread - things could have been much, much worse. Mike Spencer, CEO of Compass Park, noted that staff safely evacuated residents from the adjoining Young’s Creek Phase I building in just 17 minutes—thanks to monthly fire drills and emergency training. Three staff members were checked for smoke inhalation and released.

Kudos to Mike and his staff, who executed a calm, quick and efficient evacuation.

In the official statement from Compass Park, the Masonic Home expressed deep gratitude for the swift multi-agency response and the overwhelming support from the Franklin community and Brothers across the jurisdiction:

“We have received an outpouring of support from the Franklin community and Brothers from around the jurisdiction. We couldn’t be more grateful for everyone’s willingness to be helpful.”

Most of the destroyed apartments in Young's Creek II had been pre-sold. With move-in day a little more than 3 months away, more than a few of those folks anticipated the move by selling their existing homes already, or scheduling their closings. Now, 39 families have to make new arrangements pretty quickly.

The destroyed building was adjacent to occupied housing, so the immediate focus has been on caring for the displaced residents. Many are staying with family, while others are being put up in nearby hotels. Compass Park is providing transportation for meals, activities, and services. The statement emphasizes that in moments like this, the greatest challenges are often personal rather than structural.

The statement continued:

“Our immediate priority must be to care for these Brothers, Sisters, and residents and ensure their basic needs are met… Support given now plays a vital role in restoring stability and peace of mind for residents during a period of sudden turbulence.”

Donations are being requested to help cover temporary housing, food, water, transportation, and other essential needs as circumstances evolve. This weekend coincided with the Annual Assembly of the Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of Indiana. During that event, more than $5600 was quickly collected for the relief of the displaced residents of Compass Park.

Updates on the investigation and rebuilding efforts will be shared as they become available.

How You Can Help

Brethren are encouraged to keep the Compass Park community in their thoughts and prayers as they work through this challenge together. If you’d like to support the residents of Compass Park, donations for temporary housing, meals, and essentials can be directed through the official channels of the Indiana Masonic Home.

The Indiana Masonic Home Foundation has coordinated with leadership at Compass Park and have agreed that during this challenging period donations for fire-related recovery should be sent directly to:

Compass Park
c/o Mike Spencer
690 State Street
Franklin, IN 46131

This ensures funds go immediately where they are needed most during this time.

They have also set up an official direct donations page via Square. CLICK HERE to donate online.

Speaking in Indiana and Wyoming This Week

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 17:52:00 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

I will be speaking Wednesday night at Jubilee Lodge 746 in Whiteland, Indiana at the request of WB Michael Steele, Worshipful Master. Dinner begins at 6:00PM, prepared by the indefatigable Heather Steele, and the meeting will open at 7:00. Michael and Heather have been of immeasurable help to the Masonic Library & Museum of Indiana this year and I can't thank them enough for all they've done (even if Michael DID use the silliest photo of me he could find - it was a 4th of July fireworks show and I was NOT trying to look like Rex Hutchens).

Jubilee Lodge was so named because it was the first lodge chartered in 1968, the Jubilee Year of the Grand Lodge of Indiana which was celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding in 1818.

This weekend I'll be flying to the far-flung land of the Cowboy State to speak at the Grand Master's Spring 2026 Reunion of the Grand Lodge of Wyoming in Riverton. Grand Master Greg Shiek and his education committee have assembled a great lineup of presentations.

The event will be Saturday, April 11th at Riverton Lodge 26. Registration opens at 7:00AM, and Grand Lodge opens at 9:00AM.

Christopher L. Hodapp, author of Freemasons for Dummies
"Global Influence of Masonry," Nathan Clark, SGS, Casper Lodge #15
"Part 1: Why the Nazis Targeted the Craft," Josh Thompson, Casper Lodge #15
"The Morgan Affair," John Voodward, Riverton Lodg 26 and Sheridan Lodge #8
"Part 2: Lessons from the Masonic Response & What is Facism?" Josh Thompson, Casper Lodge #15
"The Mysterious #3 for Masons,' Clifford Spoonemore, PM, Secretary, Acacia Lodge #11, Southeast Sextant Lecturer
"Security in the Lodge," Juel Leuis, WM Rock Springs Lodge #12
"Deciphering Tubal Cain," Christopher Neubauer, WM, Casper Lodge #15, East Sextant Lecturer
In case you're interested, I don't know if tickets are still available this late. Contact the Grand Lodge of Wyoming office directly, as there is no online registration available.

Rogue French Freemasons On Trial for Bizarre Murder Plot

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:16:00 +0000

IMAGE: STEFAN GLERUM FOR M LE MAGAZINE DU MONDE

by Christopher Hodapp

There's a bizarre story blowing up across French and European media this week, and it has the potential of being a public relations nightmare for the entire fraternity the likes of which we haven't seen in decades. Newsfeeds everywhere are blaring headlines about Freemasons! Mafia! Murder plots! Not since the old P2 (Propaganda Due) story in Italy in the 1980s has there been a tale so convoluted, bizarre and seriously sinister involving a group of rogue Masons. And the press is having a field day with it.

Back in July of 2020, COVID lockdowns were going on in full force all over the world. Marie-Hélène Dini was a 60-year-old business coach living in the Paris suburbs when police knocked on her door and informed her that she had been the target of an attempted murder plot being hatched by 'The Freemasons.' What unfolded was a story so bizarre, so unbelievable, so downright goofy that she couldn't believe what she was hearing. It seemed like a creepy prank cooked by imbecilic teenagers with vivid imaginations. But as it turned out, this was no ridiculous gag.

Two armed men had just been arrested near Dini's home in possession of a stolen car, guns, knives, body armor, and a tracking device. The men claimed to police that they were on a secret mission for the French intelligence service (the Directorate-General for External Security, or DGSE) to kill the lady because she supposedly worked for the Mossad, Israel's crack secret service agency.

In reality, Dini had no connection to espionage, crime, or Israel—she ran employee coaching companies and had never even visited Israel. Police quickly ruled out the Spy vs. Spy aspect of the story, but the incident left her deeply traumatized. She installed alarms in her home, hired a bodyguard, and eventually moved away from Paris, describing the event as feeling like stumbling into a “mafia-style” world driven by power and money.

As the investigation unfolded, police uncovered a much, much larger criminal network.

Six years later, some twenty-two people between the ages of 30 and 73 are now standing trial at the Paris Court of Assize, between March 30 and July 17th. It is one of the largest criminal trials in French history. Few of the suspects have any sort of prior criminal record, and they come from wildly different backgrounds: four soldiers from the DGSE, three police officers, including a retired financial crime investigator, six business leaders, a building caretaker, an engineer, a medical biologist, a gunsmith, a sports coach, and a couple of gullible security guards. What appeared at first to be isolated incidents turned out to be part of a shockingly wide-ranging crime cell run by a core group of rogue Masonic lodge members who hired others to intimidate or eliminate rivals, debtors, or just annoying inconveniences.

And here's where this story REALLY goes off the rails. Many of the alleged criminals were discovered to be members of Athanor Lodge 759, located in the Puteaux neighborhood of the Hauts-de-Seine area, a residential suburb about five miles west of Paris. The area snuggles up next to La Défense, one of Europe's' busiest financial districts where you'll find some of the tallest buildings (and wildest architecture) in the Paris metropolitan area. Now the group is accused of organizing or carrying out a wide range of crimes. The most serious charges include aggravated violence, attempted extortion, and attempted murder in an organized gang—which all turned out to have been plotted for wildly trivial reasons.

At the center of the network are three key figures who belonged to Athanor Lodge: Frédéric Vaglio (53, a former journalist turned private security entrepreneur), Daniel Beaulieu (a 72-year-old retired DGSI intelligence officer working in economic intelligence), and Jean-Luc Bagur (69, a coaching industry executive and union leader). They allegedly used their connections to sub-contract “missions” ranging from beatings and intimidation to contract killings. Beaulieu admitted to investigators that Vaglio had ordered him to arrange the murder of Marie-Hélène Dini, pretending it was a secret intelligence mission against a Mossad agent. Beaulieu then passed the contract to Sébastien Leroy, a private security officer, who recruited the two young DGSE guards (Pierre Bourdin and Carl Esnault). The guards believed they were being recruited to carry out authorized homicide operations for French intelligence.

Investigators eventually connected a link to Bagur, 69, who was a rival business coach to Dini and the Venerable Maitre (Venerable Master, the French equivalent to Worshipful Master) of Athanor Lodge. But the alleged crimes went beyond the Dini case. From an article in the U.S. Sun Monday:

The leader of the hit squad, Leroy, told cops he or his associates carried out most of the assaults, robberies and murders for the Athanor mafia, including the 2018 killing of racing car driver Laurent Pasquali.

His body was found in a forest after he allegedly failed to pay a debt to one of Vaglio’s friends.

Crimes ordered by the organised crime group escalated with time, beginning as petty revenge attacks and escalating to homicide, according to the investigation.

One of the charges relating to industrial espionage alleged that Leroy’s gang assaulted a businesswoman in the street and snatched her computer.

In 2019, the car of one of Bagur’s associates was set on fire after she found evidence of financial fraud within his company.

Leroy, a security guard, told investigators he was under the impression he had been acting on behalf of the French government.

He claimed Beaulieu had “manipulated” him using the idea of him becoming an informant for the DGSI domestic spy agency.

Jean-William Vezinet, lawyer for the targeted business coach Dini, said his client had been “terrified” that “people who are supposed to act for the good of society” were the key figures in the crime.

It remains unclear what evidence the prosecution has gathered from their interviews with Beaulieu, the accused ringleader.

He allegedly made an attempt to commit suicide in police custody.

Participants later claimed they had been manipulated or believed the jobs were legitimate French intelligence operations. The defendants frequently accused one another of lying or exerting toxic influence, with Vaglio described as particularly charismatic and controlling. The case highlights how personal, professional, or financial grudges—sometimes trivial—escalated into extreme violence within a network blending Freemasonry, private security, and former intelligence operatives. Ultimately, they abused the privacy of the lodge and trust between brethren, violating their obligations, and twisting the honorable symbolism of Masonic secrecy into a criminal enterprise.

If convicted, Vaglio, Beaulieu, Bagur and Leroy are all facing life sentences, along with 19 co-defendants. And of course, the European press is stressing the Masonic part of the story.

There's an old joke that, if you lock three French Masons in a lodge room together, they'll start arguing and form six new grand lodges...

The French Masonic landscape is enormous, confusing, and difficult for regular, recognized Masons to keep track of. There are at least 15 or more grand lodge-like governing bodies in France, but only one that is recognized as regular by the greatest number of Masons the world over—the Grande Loge Nationale Française (GLNF)—and it's not even the largest obedience in that country (that would be the Grand Orient de France, or GOdF). Consequently, there's little chance of the press having a firm understanding of its details when it comes to tedious and arcane details of regularity, recognition, and Masonic legitimacy.

Athanor Lodge 759 was legitimately chartered by the Grande Loge de l'Alliance Maçonnique Française (the Grand Lodge of the French Masonic Alliance, or GL-AMF), which was created in its present form in 2012. At the time, that grand lodge was largely formed by some 15,000 disgruntled Masons who had split from the Grand Loge National Français (GLNF) over a massive internal power struggle involving then-GLNF Grand Master Stifani. (see HERE for beginnings of that long tale). The GLNF is the French grand lodge overwhelmingly recognized throughout the world as regular, and the 2012 incident was an enormous upheaval at the time. It took years for the dust to settle, and the GLNF was never able to return to its former size.

Understand that the GL-AMF today still has about 15,400 members in 684 lodges, and a strong argument can be made that they are perfectly regular in origin. In other words, it's not some small-time, bogus grand lodge masquerading as something it isn't. Like all regular, recognized grand lodge obediences, they admit only men, require a belief in God, and work accepted rituals. So, Athanor Lodge started out as a legit lodge of Freemasons. But like the old P2 lodge scandal with gangster/terrorist Licio Gelli in Italy back in the 1980s, it got twisted into someone's private hideout for criminals.

When these stories began to hit the news six years ago, I'm told that GL-AMF Grand Master Fred Picavet suspended the lodge and all of its members, including two of those currently indicted. Online chatter in France is that the lodge's Venerable Maitre, Jean-Luc Bagur, was suspended back in 2020, even before any of these stories came out, for non-payment of dues, and that he went right on running the lodge meetings, ignoring the order.

By early 2021, the main figures in the case turned against each other while in police custody. Daniel Beaulieu later suffered a serious head injury in prison (possibly from a suicide attempt) and now has memory problems—he may not be able to testify at his own trial. Marie-Hélène Dini survived her ordeal, battled cancer, and wrote a book about her experience titled It Was Not My Time, though she has struggled to find a publisher.

As can be imagined, the press in the U.K. is eating this story up with a spoon. It plays right into their ongoing paranoia over Freemasons in police departments that has been stoked for the last couple of months. And the Italians are attempting to brand the story as a 'Masonic mafia.'

Meanwhile, the upcoming long trial will attempt to untangle the truth from the many conflicting stories in this sprawling and often absurd criminal enterprise.

There's a certain tragic irony to be found in the name of Athanor Lodge. In medieval alchemy, an athanor was a sealed stove or furnace that gave off slow, constant heat. It was used to slowly transform and refine matter, to improve it beyond its original state. Sadly, the men who joined Athanor Lodge failed to let Freemasonry refine them, improve them as men.

Oh, they were transformed, all right. But not in the way Masonry tried to teach them.

Reba McEntire's Restaurant in Former Oklahoma Masonic Temple

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 20:53:00 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

I always knew Reba McIntyre was a lady of great esteem.

Many years ago, back when the Earth cooled and dinosaurs ruled the world, I made TV commercials. One of our biggest clients was HH Gregg appliance stores, and some of our most enjoyable projects were for them. We made multiple (and VERY different) campaigns for them for many, many years.

One year, they decided to hire a celebrity spokesperson for a new campaign, and they chose country music superstar Reba McEntire to be on camera for a handful of TV spots. This meant that four times a year, Reba and her husband would fly to Indianapolis and we'd knock out the shooting in a day. What you saw on screen was the person you met behind the scenes; she was warm, funny, generous, and a pleasure to work with.

(That's me next to Reba during a location shoot, back when I weighed so much that I looked like three guys stuffed into a Chris Hodapp costume.)

What's the Masonic connection?

Photos: Reba's Place website

Turns out that Reba decided to go into the restaurant business several years ago and opened one in her birthplace, Atoka, Oklahoma, located about halfway between Tulsa and Dallas, and inside the Choctaw Nation reservation. Reba's Place is downtown in a building that began life over a century ago as a Masonic Temple, at the northeast corner of Court and Pennsylvania streets.

Opened in 2023 in collaboration with the Choctaw Nation, Reba's Place features two stories of dining areas, an antique bar, memorabilia from Reba’s personal archives, and a stage that hosts live music. The menu is full of Southern classics. The library is filled with her mom's books from when she was growing up ("Momma never threw away a single book," she explains. Sounds like a household I know.)

Reba rescuing the Masonic Hall was very big news locally. Sleepy Atoka was a dying little down, just off Oklahoma Highway 75. An estimated 3,000 tourists a year were coming through town back in 2022; in the first two months of 2023 after the restaurant opened, more than a half-million out of town guests came through, most of whom who wanted to visit Reba's Place.

Reba will be making a live appearance at the restaurant on April 9th with a VERY small-scale version of her usual big-stage show. It's a rare chance to see her VERY close up and performing in an extremely intimate setting, compared to the massive events she usually does. If you'll be near the area, CLICK HERE for details.

So what about the building?

Built in 1915, the Atoka Masonic hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was the long-time home of Ok-La-Ho-Ma Lodge No. 4, the oldest lodge in the state. (Atoka was also once the location of the Masonic Orphan's Home between 1908-1910.) I don't know when the lodge moved out, but the building was used as a hospice for a while.

Reba's and the old lodge are easy to spot - it's the only 3-story building in town, making it the most prominent place around. The Masons in 1915 wanted to make damned sure everyone knew they were there, and Freemasonry was THE fraternal group to belong to. Even with the new Reba's Place signage, a cornice plaque still proclaims 'Masonic Temple,' and there are still three small stone medallions depicting a square and compass and Royal Arch symbol over the second-floor windows.

While it's otherwise pretty plain looking outside, there were supposedly stained glass windows on the third floor, where I presume the actual meeting room was originally. Looking at construction photos of the restaurant, I see no Masonic symbolism of any kind left inside. The old hospice likely removed any of those years ago.

Just as a point of comparison, here is where the oldest lodge in Oklahoma meets today, about a mile and a half from the center of the town, where it once was central to the community.

Google Maps

One casually wonders if their steel pole barn will one day be placed on the National Register as "architecturally significant." Or if another future celebrity will snap it up because of its unique charm, character and commanding location.

"O!, but a lodge isn't a building, and a lodge can meet in a tent, and it's the INTERIOR, not the EXTERIOR that matters in Masonry, and there's great parking, and it's sure cheaper than maintaining some old place with a leaky roof, and..."

No, Chuck Norris Is Not A Freemason

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 03:00:00 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

All weekend long Masonic groups and individual Masons on social media platforms have circulated images and text snippits that claim popular actor and martial arts champion Chuck Norris was a Freemason. One especially detailed image appears to come from the Grand Lodge of Texas paying tribute to the late Norris by falsely claiming he was a distinguished Texas Mason.

Norris died suddenly on Thursday after being hospitalized in Hawaii with a medical emergency. He was 86 years old.

It IS true that Norris was granted the title of Honorary Texas Ranger in 2010 by Texas governor Rick Perry after playing a Texas Ranger in the movie Lone Wolf McQuade. He went on to star as ranger Cordell Walker in the TV series Walker, Texas Ranger. In 2017, he was also made an "Honorary Texan" in part, because he owned a Texas ranch near Navasota.

But Chuck Norris was not himself a Mason, no matter what the Intertubz may have told you. Not a single lodge or grand lodge has legitimately acknowledged Norris' Masonic membership - traditional, honorary, or otherwise.

It IS true that Norris is described in many circles as a 'grand master' in the martial arts world, which is likely the source of confusion that set off this silliness in the first place. But that term has been around for a very long time, pre-dating modern Freemasonry, appearing in ancient craft guilds and medieval orders of knighthood. We Masons don't have a corner on the term.

'Solomon's Builders' Now Available As Audio Book

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 18:12:00 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

To my surprise, my 2006 book, Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers, and the Secrets of Washington D.C., has just been released as an unabridged audio book and is now available from Amazon/Audible for $18.18. Unfortunately for fans of audio books, there are many photos and illustrations in the print edition, so your enjoyment of Solomon's Builders may be less than ideal, unless you use it as a companion to the dead tree version. That's not me trying the old Chico Marx sales tactic, "One's no good - you gotta have the whole set." I'm just saying it's tough to contemplate the street plans of Washington DC or Sandusky, Ohio without actually seeing them.

Be aware that Solomon's Builders was written before novelist Dan Brown's hotly awaited Da Vinci Code sequel, The Lost Symbol, was released. Still, I actually enjoyed writing it more than any other book I've done. At the time, Dan Brown mania was in full force, and second-guessing his anticipated 'Masons in Washington DC' storyline was a cottage industry.

Shortly after Freemasons For Dummies was released in 2005, I received an obscene phone call from an editor at Ulysses Press who made me an offer few new authors can refuse: they wanted to pay me to write anything I wanted, as long as they could promote it as an unauthorized tie-in to Brown's sequel. I spent 10 days in Washington interviewing, researching, taking photos, and even getting threatened with arrest by the CIA in Reston. (Yes, really.) And, unlike the Dummies books with Wiley, Ulysses gave me little in the way of a deadline.

Brown's Masonic-themed The Lost Symbol finally came out in 2009, almost 9 years after his blockbuster DaVinci Code was released, and much of the speculation about his plot points that I made in my book turned out to be wrong. Brown – or his publisher – had leaked early on that his upcoming book was to be called The Solomon Key, hence my own title, which I ultimately liked, whether it tied in or not. But I wrote it in such a way that it was more of an overview of the Masonic backgrounds of the Founding Fathers and a Masonic guidebook to the city than the sort of "I'll bet he writes this" ripoff that so clogged up bookstore shelves at the time (usually with the word 'Code' in the title). Consequently, most of the book's content has withstood the lapse of time, and remains useful and informative.

BTW, as was done with Freemasons For Dummies several years ago, the publisher never asked me to narrate the recording - it's read by someone named Charles Constant, who does a fine job. I just wish an invitation had been extended to me, since I am an experienced voice-over artist who's recorded many commercials over the decades. I've encountered many Masons who have been disappointed when the recording wasn't me, but that's show-biz.

Just to clarify something else: Ulysses Press' owner called me the day the news services breathlessly reported that Brown had finally turned in his sequel's manuscript in 2009 and that they finally had a publication date. The owner wanted ANOTHER tie-in book written within six weeks after I actually read The Lost Symbol to update my previous guesses and explain the actual Masonic references Brown DID include in his new novel. That new book was released in January 2010 as Deciphering the Lost Symbol, and is still floating around out there.

Rise In Anti-Semitism May Bring More Anti-Masonic Attacks With It

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 20:46:00 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

Weekend vandalism at the Oleeta-West Dade Masonic Center in Miami Springs, Florida, is a stark reminder that Masonic buildings—and the Brothers who gather in them—are increasingly becoming targets in today's volatile climate.

Late last week (Friday night into early Saturday morning), surveillance video captured a young man climbing onto a low roof ledge to reach and badly damage two exterior signs at the Masonic center. The footage, shared by WSVN-TV7, shows the suspect pulling himself up to get at the sign and twist one expensive sign off the wall. Damage has been estimated at around $3,000.

Thankfully, Miami Springs police acted quickly: 20-year-old Brian Guanche was charged with one count of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and one count of criminal mischief. He's since bonded out, but the incident is under investigation.

This wasn't some random act of mischief—it's part of a troubling pattern. Over the last few years, there has been a noticeable uptick in violent attacks, arsons, and vandalism against Masonic buildings around the world, with more than a few tied directly to antisemitic motives. We've seen lodges targeted in places like Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and even Vancouver (where one arsonist hit three buildings in a single morning, causing millions in damage). Overseas, halls in Ireland and Greece have faced similar assaults, and doubtless there have been many more that simply have not hit the news services. Some perpetrators have acted out of bizarre delusions—like believing Masons placed curses on them or controlled minds—while others have been fueled by outright hatered.

That hate often bleeds over from the dramatic and alarming rise in anti-Semitism across the United States (and beyond) in recent months, especially since the outbreak of the war involving Iran. Unfortunately, Freemasonry is getting swept up in the crossfire. Our symbolism—drawing from ancient Jerusalem, King Solomon's Temple, and Old Testament imagery—has been twisted into anti-Jewish conspiracy theories since the 19th century. It doesn't help when historical figures like Pope Leo XIII, influenced by the admitted hoaxes of anti-Catholic prankster Léo Taxil in the 1880s-90s, lumped Masons in with phrases like "Synagogue of Satan" (originally from the New Testament letters, referring to persecutors of early Christians who falsely claimed Jewish identity). Leo clearly bought into the nonsense that a bunch of middle-aged Protestant gentlemen cosplaying as Old Testament figures in ritual were somehow undermining the Church. That old canard still echoes today.

And right now, it's getting amplified by noisy voices with big platforms. Candace Owens, who has somehow amassed nearly three million YouTube subscribers by peddling increasingly outrageous claims, has ramped up her attacks on Freemasonry. Owens (a recent convert to Catholicism) is a certifiable attention-seeker at this point, jumping on every fringe theory that drives clicks and eyeballs—whether it's moon landings, celebrity deaths tied to "sacrifices," or wild Masonic plots.

Similarly, Shawn Ryan has leaned into kookball anti-Masonic conspiracy content on his show, hosting guests who push debunked nonsense about "Masonic Bibles" and secret influences. Countless lesser imitators follow suit online.

I don't care where you fall on the political spectrum—left, right, or somewhere in the never-never land in between. Spreading this stuff is dangerous. My wife and I wrote a book on conspiracy theories years ago, and Owens is a textbook example of madness given a megaphone and free rein on the internet. There's no filter of responsibility anymore: anybody can launch a podcast, build a persona, and attract an audience of the credulous or the angry by using sensationalistic 'made you look' tactics. There are no qualifications required. People who swallow her brand of "research" don't just nod along—they act. We've already seen real-world consequences, including threats, violence, attacks on our buildings, and worse.

Texas Freemason Robert Wise was murdered outside of his lodge in 2023 precisely because of this delusional thinking. His killer told police that he shot Wise because Masons were "devil worshiping Illuminatists."

With geopolitical tensions boiling over and antisemitism surging, we have to be vigilant. Masonic temples aren't fortresses, but Brothers and lodge officers need to take practical steps: review security cameras, lighting, and alarms; coordinate with local law enforcement; avoid leaving valuables or regalia visible; and report suspicious activity immediately. Most of these incidents happen at night when buildings are empty, so proactive measures can make a real difference.

Freemasonry has endured worse for centuries, and we'll keep doing what we do—meeting in peace, practicing brotherly love and relief, and building better men. But ignoring the threats won't make them disappear. Stay aware, stay safe, and let's look out for one another.

If you're a Mason reading this, talk to your lodge about security. If you're not, but you value fair-minded institutions that promote charity and moral improvement, know that the same bigots targeting synagogues and Jewish communities are increasingly turning their gaze toward Masonic halls too.

Going, Going... St. Louis Scottish Rite Cathedral

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 20:51:00 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

The historic Scottish Rite Cathedral in St. Louis at Lindell Blvd and Olive Street was just listed for sale for $25 million. The Greek-Classical Cathedral was designed by prominent St. Louis architect William B. Ittner and built between 1921-1924 for $3.17 million (roughly $200 million today).

Ironic, since the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis just celebrated its 100th anniversary with a building rededication a year and a half ago.

The Cathedral has a 3,000-seat auditorium/theater, dining facilities seating up to 2,000 with a commercial kitchen, meeting rooms, galleries, terrazzo floors, ornamental ironwork, and even fireplaces. Sadly, however, I suspect the Cathedral's most attractive feature to modern developers is its 558-space multi-level parking garage.

The Valley of St. Louis wants to relocate operations to the suburbs of St. Louis County to be closer to current membership — a trend other Masonic bodies in the area followed decades ago. The urban Center's location no longer aligns as well with where most members live. And the membership is substantially smaller than it was in the 1920s.

Once it's gone, I believe this will mean the Masons will have fled the downtown area completely. The Cathedral is quite literally right next door to the former home of St. Louis' most prosperous lodges, the 'New Masonic Temple' (that's what they called it), which sat on the market for many years. Parts of that mighty building were never finished due to the Great Depression, and the 14-story building included its own unfinished theater designed for 2,200 seats. At one point, the Temple was the home of former Grand Master Harry S Truman’s office.

St. Louis' 'New Masonic Temple' was sold in 2018.

The Temple was sold back in November of 2018 to St. Louis investor Bryan Hayden, known for developing luxury apartments and condos. Construction of the 'New Masonic Temple' began in 1924, the year after the Cathedral opened, and it was dedicated in 1926. More than 10,000 people attended its opening ceremonies back then, and these two gigantic monuments to the fraternity side by side made a formidable sight in the city.

Our forebears designed and created stately and magnificent temples because they wanted the world and their own members to know that great men had entered their doors, and that great things went on inside of them. Sadly, an abandoned temple is a symbol that the Masons who once inhabited it gave up.

Soon, there will be little left of a Masonic presence downtown in this great city on the Mississippi, apart from a stone monument erected in memory of Freemasons Meriwether Lewis and William Clark who departed here on their expedition of the Louisiana Purchase territory two centuries ago.

UPDATE: A Brother now informs me that the Lewis & Clark stone was removed to the suburbs, as well, several years ago...

All photos: Chris Hodapp

Indiana's Masonic Museum Gala Was Great Success!

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 07:28:00 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

Our Night At the Museum Gala fundraiser in the Indianapolis Masonic Temple on Saturday night went off even better than we ever dreamed! We had a fantastic turnout- more than 160 people - touring the Temple and the Masonic Library & Museum of Indiana, and participating in our silent auction. In 27 years as a Mason, I’ve never seen so many people in the dining room before!

My heartfelt gratitude to everyone for coming out and generously supporting us. We have to pay all the bills, count all the donations, and make the final determinations, but I do know that the initial money taken in from the Gala's tickets and donations before expenses was close to $30,000! We had many startup costs that won't be needed in subsequent years, but this was an astonishing figure for a first-year attempt.

My deepest appreciation goes to Grand Master Randy Seipel for his inspiration and support. And it was an honor to have our city councilman Nick Roberts at our table as my guest. Thanks also to the brethren and their ladies from Broad Ripple Lodge 643 for their great support and such great turnout!

Alice Hodapp, Heather Steele, and especially Thea Emard Campbell did an incredible job, not just with the silent auction setup, but with the decor that brought class and elegance to the dining room it’s never had before. Our interns Lauren Frieje, Taylor Porter and Nathan Dowell were tremendous, helping to make the auction itself run so smoothly. WB Bill Sassman, the Indianapolis Masonic Temple's building superintendent, was of incredible help to us in the weeks running up to the event.WB Barry White handled much of the check in which went pretty smoothly, considering we were making it all up as we went along!

My deepest appreciation to Tom Fallis at the Indianapolis Scottish Rite Cathedral for recommending the string quartet from their orchestra, for providing the free parking, and for saying yes to anything else I asked for.

Our caterers, musicians, bartender, the rest of our committee - everyone did a fantastic job, and I owe all of you big time.

I also want to thank WISH-TV8 reporter Hernan Guttierez for interviewing Michael Brumback and I last week. (See the video HERE)

I have long believed that Masons would support efforts to support the Museum and our historic Temple if we simply asked them. For more than a quarter century, naysayers across the state have said, "Oh no, the membership outside of Indianapolis don't give a damn; they have their own buildings to worry about; they won't support this one, even if it is the headquarters of the Grand Lodge." They said it to me time after time. But the funny thing is that they never ASKED the members if they really felt that way. It was clear Saturday night that it simply isn't so.

Thanks again to everyone. We'll see you next year!

LAST CHANCE FOR TICKETS! A Night At Indianapolis' Masonic Library & Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 04:43:00 +0000

This Saturday, March 7th, spend A Night at the Masonic Museum — and tickets MUST be purchased by 5:00 PM TOMORROW (Wednesday)! Don't miss your last shot at this unforgettable evening!

Peer behind the closed doors of the Masons and peek behind the scenes of the Masonic Library & Museum of Indiana after hours in the historic 1909 Indianapolis Masonic Temple for mystery, history, and pure fun:

Hosted by Grand Master Randy Seipel — this is your LAST CHANCE to spend an evening with the Grand Master himself!
Cocktail hour with drinks
Delicious prime rib dinner (chicken/pasta options too)
Guided tours, scavenger hunt, and access to incredible rooms like the Egyptian Room & Knights Templar Room

A special program presented by Christopher Hodapp, best-selling author of Freemasons For Dummies and president of the Masonic Library & Museum of Indiana

The SILENT AUCTION is chock full of incredible items you won't find anywhere else:

• 7 nights in a Tuscan villa
• 4 nights in an Irish castle
• Luxury stays in the Mayan Riviera & a private Great Smoky Mountains lodge
• A private tour of the Scottish Rite Cathedral + dinner with Grand Master Randy Seipel and his wife
• Rare Masonic treasures (aprons, rings, Templar swords, artisan pipes)
• Indianapolis 500 memorabilia signed by winners/drivers
• Autographed items from Brother Shaquille O’Neal & Brother Carl Erskine
• Vintage Disney watches, National Treasure shooting scripts, rare books (including Vatican Secret Archives), Old Masters and Robert Burns Scotch whisky, and much more!

100% of auction proceeds support the Museum and restoring and preserving this National Register landmark. Credit cards and checks accepted so don't go home empty handed!

THIS IS IT! — the clock is ticking! Grab your tickets NOW before they're gone forever:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-night-at-the-masonic-museum-tickets-1981830481319

See you Saturday for an evening of history, mystery, great food, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences!

Dr. Paul Rich Named Blue Friar #114

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:50:00 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

I have been incredibly remiss in not reporting this story from Masonic Week 2026. My friend and Brother Paul J. Rich has been named this year as Friar #114 in the Society of Blue Friars at Masonic Week 2026 in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Society of Blue Friars was founded in 1932 for the express purpose of recognizing outstanding Masonic authors throughout the world. Traditionally, the Society convenes each year during Masonic Week in the Washington, D.C. vicinity to induct a new Friar, and its gatherings are open to the public, unless the presenter specifies otherwise.

Authors like Arthur E. Waite, Harold V.B. Voorhis, Dwight L. Smith, Brent Morris, Allen Roberts, Thomas Jackson, Yasha Beresiner, Alain Bernheim, Robert G. Davis, Alton Roundtree, Mark Tabbert, Shawn Eyer, Michael R. Poll, Robert D. B. Cooper, Josef Wäges, Piers Vaughan, Adam Kendall and Rick Berman are just a few prior Blue Friar honorees. In a rare moment of weakness, they even let a Dummy in. (After all - their prior Abbott is an Idiot, so I was in good company.) Sadly, I was unable to attend this year, and I truly wish I'd been there to congratulate Paul in person.

Paul's presentation was such a great idea that I'm ashamed that none of the current lineup of my fellow Friars have ever thought to do this over the last 20 years, at least (and possibly never before): he has researched the English origins of the first organization of Blue Friars that likely influenced Masonic Week's founders (largely the North Carolina Lodge of Research guys led by J. Raymond Shute back in the 1930s) to create the current Society.

Never heard of Paul Rich?

Dr. Paul J. Rich may be the most intellectually accomplished modern Freemason you've never heard of, and he has an incredible life story and astonishing list of accomplishments, beyond his Masonic writings. Let me put it this way: there's no possible way to make a comprehensive listing of all of Paul's accomplishments, honors, titles, memberships, diplomas, or even mailing addresses.

He's currently a Harvard professor, businessman, publisher, philanthropist, and much more, and his interests and travels span the globe. He's lived in Mexico, Quatar, Saudi Arabia, worked with universities in Australia and Canada. His resumé lists more accomplishments than any five people I know: He established the International Policy Studies Institute and is its president. He's been the US representative for the Dali Llama. Member of Government House Foundation. Served on the board directors of the Roosevelt Institute. Written for the Hoover Institution. Fellow in the Royal Society of West Australia, Royal Society Arts, Royal Microscopical Society (history section), Royal Numismatic Society, Royal Society Antiquaries, Royal Anthropological Institute, Royal Asiatic Society (Hong Kong branch), Royal Geography Society, Royal Meteorological Society.

He's a compulsive fraternalism enthusiast, belonging to scores of clubs, societies, orders, and every other kind of voluntary associative body you've never heard of. Most recently, he organizes International Masonic symposia in the US and France, called the World Congress on Fraternalism, Social Capital, and Civil Society.

Whenever I've visited him in Washington, it's always a dilemma as to which private club he wants to dine at - he belongs to most of them in the city. In addition, he has what is probably the largest collection of memorabilia of President (and Mason) James Garfield, and even lives in Garfield's former home in D.C.

And finally, his publishing company, Westphalia Press, has an enormous catalogue on a wide range of topics, and that includes a growing list of Masonic related titles.

Allow me to quote WB Shawn Eyer's introduction at the Blue Friars meeting at Masonic Week this year:

"Paul Rich was born in Buffalo, New York, where his family has been connected with the food business and philanthropy for over 100 years. He entered Harvard from the Tonbridge School in England and got his AB kumlaude at Harvard where he was chair of the junior common room and secretary of the liberal union and he also got a Harvard master's degree in educational administration at Harvard. He worked for the Adlai Stevenson campaign and has been active in the Democratic Party for many years. He was a research professor at the University of Western Australia in Perth where he obtained his PhD and was on the university council for 13 years. He was head of supervisory programs at the Emirate of Qatar and adviser to the royal family. He was then a fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution and senior professor of the University of the Americas in Mexico, developing the country's largest postwar sculpture park. He's president of the policy studies organization and its Westfailia press in Washington which includes governments, think tanks and political science departments and is an advisory organization to the United Nations. It publishes well-known titles such as world affairs and world medical. Westfallia now publishes the entire Masonic Library collection, keeping all the titles since its inception in print. He is a life member of St. John's Lodge in Boston, both the Northern and Southern Scottish Rites, and numerous research lodges and collateral bodies. He's active in Harvard alumni activities. He is the author or editor of three dozen books, including several involving Freemasonry. Paul is life governor of Harris College in the University of Oxford. Past president of five Beta Delta International, recipient of the Cameron Medal Medal for Scholarship, Chancellor of Pi Alpha Alpha, fellow of the Royal Historical Society and fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries."

Let's just say, his being named to the Society of Blue Friars is LONG overdue.

Congratulations, my friend and Brother. Next time, dinner's on me for a change.

Speaking at Greenville, Ohio Tomorrow Night

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 23:17:00 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

I'll be speaking at Greenville Lodge 143 in Greenville, Ohio tomorrow night, Friday, February 27th. Dinner begins at 6PM and is $15. This close to the event, you should probably contact the lodge to be sure there's space available. Call 937-621-9320.

Greenville is about 35 miles northwest of Dayton on U.S. 36 and just east of the Indiana border. The lodge is located at 200 Memorial Drive in Greenville.

I'm looking forward to being there!

Breaking: GL of Mississippi Rejects Prince Hall Recognition

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 02:00:00 +0000

By Christopher Hodapp

Reports on Facebook tonight are that the assembled members of the Grand Lodge F&AM of Mississippi have voted against recognition of the Most Worshipful Stringer Grand Lodge F&AAM of Mississippi (Prince Hall Affiliated) at their annual communication in Flowood, MS.

The vote was 200 in favor, 617 against.

It's taken seven long years to get to this vote since the first contact between the two historically segregated grand lodges in 2019, and it has now failed by a substantial majority. The irony of the motto on their official seal is almost breathtaking.

The so-called "mainstream" state grand lodges of Mississippi and South Carolina are the last two remaining U.S. Masonic jurisdictions that have not voted in favor of some kind of Prince Hall recognition since Connecticut first achieved joint amity 36 years ago, in 1989.

Masonic Gavel Used By George Washington For Capitol Cornerstone At Tonight's State of the Union Address

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:30:00 +0000

Allyn Cox 1955 mural at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial

by Christopher Hodapp

President Donald Trump's State of the Union message is taking place tonight, and there will be an important Masonic artifact there for this special occasion.

The famous gavel used by George Washington at the Masonic cornerstone ceremony for the new U.S. Capitol building in 1793 will be displayed on the Speaker's podium in the House of Representatives tonight during the joint session of Congress.

Speaker Mike Johnson requested the gavel be present at the State of the Union address for the first time in history. The gavel is owned by Potomac Lodge No. 5 in Washington, DC.

The ceremony has been depicted several times by artists. The image at the top of this article was painted by Allyn Cox as a massive mural at the George Washington Masonic National Monument in Alexandria, Virginia. Installed in 1955, the mural underwent careful restoration in 2017. Cox also painted another version of the ceremony that is in the Cox Corridor of the U.S. Capitol.

From a press release on the Capitol History website:

Today, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society proudly announced that Speaker Mike Johnson will become the first House Speaker in history to display George Washington’s Gavel during the State of the Union Address to Congress. The historic Gavel was first used in 1793 to lay the cornerstone of the United States Capitol building: “The People’s House” and the physical manifestation of our democracy. Since that ceremony, the Gavel has been in the care of Potomac Lodge No. 5, the oldest Masonic Lodge in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Capitol Historical Society worked diligently with the Lodge and Speaker’s Office to enable the Gavel to rest on the rostrum during this year’s Address—marking the 250th anniversary of America’s founding.

“The U.S. Capitol Historical Society would like to thank Speaker Johnson and Potomac Lodge No. 5 for working with us to ensure the display of a historic treasure for this year’s historic Address,” said Roswell Encina, President & CEO of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society. “Complementing the State of the Union with George Washington’s Gavel beautifully reflects the importance of preserving and sharing the Capitol’s history; helping Americans connect with the people, places, and traditions that continue to shape our nation. A significant part of the Society’s mission is to bring Congress to the People. During America250, it is especially satisfying to have helped bring the People to Congress.”

In 1793, U.S. President and Master Mason, George Washington, laid the cornerstone of the United States Capitol Building. At the time, a growing schism between “Federalists” and “Republicans” threatened the American experiment in its infancy. Washington therefore lent his prestige to such events as the laying of the Capitol cornerstone to give credence to the new U.S. Government: established in 1789 after our Constitution was ratified.

Allyn Cox painting of the Masonic cornerstone ceremony in the Cox Corridor
of the U.S. Capitol.

On the morning of September 18, 1793, Washington and a procession of artillery and Masonic lodges crossed the Potomac River to the new Federal City. They did so, a newspaper reported, “with music playing, drums beating, colors flying, and spectators rejoicing.” At the Capitol site, Washington stepped into a dug trench, laid a silver plate onto the ground, and set the cornerstone atop it. He was accompanied by brethren who conducted a Masonic ritual with corn (a symbol of nourishment), wine (a symbol of refreshment), and oil (a symbol of joy). Witnesses then chanted and celebrated until night.

After the ceremony, Washington bestowed the Gavel to Valentine Reintzel, the head of Potomac Lodge No. 5, who assisted that day and cared for the artifact until his death. In the two centuries since, Potomac Lodge No. 5 has been the Gavel’s custodian, loaning it to other cornerstone ceremonies, including the Washington Monument, National Cathedral, and Smithsonian Institution.

<snip>

As Washington himself told Congress in his first State of the Union Address:

“Knowledge is in every Country the surest basis of public happiness…To the security of a free Constitution it contributes in various ways: By convincing those, who are entrusted with the public administration, that every valuable end of Government is best answered by the enlightened confidence of the people: And by teaching the people themselves…to discriminate the spirit of liberty from that of licentiousness, cherishing the first, avoiding the last, and uniting a speedy, but temperate vigilence against encroachments, with an inviolable respect to the laws.”

In addition to the gavel, another artifact from that same ceremony is owned by Virginia's Alexandria-Washington Lodge 22: a large silver trowel used to symbolically spread the cement of Brotherly Love.

England's Masons Lose High Court Challenge Against Metropolitan Police Disclosure Policy

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:46:00 +0000

by Christopher Hodapp

The witch hunt will continue until further notice, I'm afraid.

The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), the Order of Women Freemasons, the Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons, and two London Metropolitan Police(Met) officers who are Freemasons have had their request for judicial review rejected by the High Court. Their challenge targeted the Met’s Declarable Associations Policy, introduced in December 2025, which requires all officers and staff to confidentially declare past or present membership in “Masonic orders or appendant bodies” — or any similar organization with confidential membership, hierarchical structures, and mutual support obligations.

Officers not complying can be dismissed for misconduct.

The policy was driven by recommendations from the 2021 Daniel Morgan Independent Panel report into the unsolved 1987 murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan and long-promoted concerns about "public perception" of police impartiality among Masonic cops. Although the panel found no evidence that Freemasonry influenced the murder investigations, it described Masonic membership as “a source of recurring suspicion and mistrust.” The Met argued that requiring declaration of Masonic membership serves the purported goal of maintaining and enhancing public trust in policing.

Claire Darwin, a lawyer arguing for the plaintiffs, said the Met's decision allowed it to create a "black list," calling the move an "institutional signal of suspicion" which breached Freemasons' human rights and was based on 'limited, opaque and heavily perception-driven' evidence. She added the police appeared to rely on 'long-standing conspiracy theories and/or prejudicial tropes about Freemasons' as a reason to introduce the measure.

Regardless, Mr. Justice Chamberlain ruled on Tuesday that the measure is proportionate and that fears of discrimination and human rights breaches against Masonic officers were not "reasonably arguable." In his 17-page ruling on Tuesday, he claimed the policy's purpose was "eliminating the potential for actual bias, where officers discharge their functions improperly, and perceived bias, where there is a perception or suspicion that officers are discharging their functions improperly."

Perception. Potential for. Perceived. In other words, imaginary.

Says the fellow whose reputation isn't at risk purely because of his private membership in the world's oldest fraternal organization that stresses honor, adherence to the cardinal virtues, square dealing, and acting on the level.

A lopsided survey taken in January of a small proportion of police officers in the Met showed concern that involvement in the Freemasons could "compromise impartiality or create conflicts of loyalty." After publicly flogging this nonsense for decades now, I'm not surprised. But not a single situation investigated by authorities over the last 50 years has ever proved that Masonic police officers have conspired to cover up misdeeds, promoted each other, or engaged in any other kind of improper behavior. There have only been assertions and allegations by non-Masons that never pan out to have any merit. But someone always runs to the press with their allegations of imaginary horribles and the headlines trumpet the claims in 96 pt. type with plenty of exclamation marks.

In the UK, many Masons do not publicize their membership in professional settings to avoid unfounded prejudice or baseless assumptions from fellow colleagues. In this atmosphere, stoked by the media and a sensationalistic press that has promoted Masonic conspiracy theories for almost a half century now, any police officer who declares himself to be a Mason is immediately regarded with suspicion for... something. From now on, any criminal who wants to allege that he was framed or mistreated by a Met officer need only find out that the poor plod is a bloody Mason to get an early release. Any fellow officer who gets passed over for promotion need only discover that the guy who DID get promoted rolls up his trouser leg and straps on an apron on Thursday nights to immediately lodge a discrimination complaint. And any fool can see this is exactly what will begin happening.

UGLE has announced it will not appeal the judgment, saying, despite what it views as legal and factual errors in the ruling, an appeal would not be in the best interests of Freemasonry.

#EnoughIsEnough

A Night At The Masonic Museum in Indianapolis - March 7th

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher Hodapp) — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 05:24:00 +0000

The Masonic Library & Museum of Indiana and the Grand Lodge Free & Accepted Masons of Indiana’s Grand Master Randolph L. Seipel cordially invite you to A Night at the Masonic Museum — a black-tie gala fundraising dinner, cocktail reception and silent auction on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the historic Indianapolis Masonic Temple, 525 N. Illinois Street, in downtown Indianapolis.

Every day, hundreds of people drive past the massive, windowless limestone building wondering at its purpose. It’s possible your father, grandfather, uncle, great-grandfather or other relative may have been a member of the Freemasons but you never knew what they were. Or they may be a complete mystery to you, calling to mind spooky images from History Channel shows.

A rare public opportunity to step inside one of Indianapolis’s most magnificent and enigmatic architectural landmarks. The evening will feature:

Tours of the Temple’s grand spaces and behind-the-scenes Museum areas (available pre-dinner and post-dinner)
Scavenger hunt in the Museum
Cocktail reception
Dinner (prime rib, with chicken or vegetarian pasta options)
Silent auction with rare Masonic books, antique artifacts, premium items, travel packages, and unique Indiana experiences
Program featuring Grand Master Randolph Seipel and best-selling author Christopher Hodapp (Freemasons For Dummies)

The Goal

The Temple’s prominent downtown location within the Mile Square was intended from the start to be a community resource. But decades of declining fraternal membership nationwide have led to deferred maintenance, creating urgent restoration needs. Proceeds from the March 7th gala will fund critical projects, including:

Elevator modernization (approximately $350,000 per elevator)
Auditorium restoration
Air conditioning/climate-control study and upgrades for the Museum, auditorium, and other public spaces
Major donors will be thanked on a new lobby donor wall.

This gala represents our next major step to raise funds while rekindling public awareness of the Museum and the Temple’s historic and cultural significance.

The gala is open to the public, and we hope you’ll join us! Individual tickets are $75 per person, $140 for couples, $550 for a full table of 8 (tickets are available now via Eventbrite): https://tinyurl.com/MLMIndiana . Doors will open at 5:00PM, with cocktails at 6:00PM, and dinner at 7:00PM, followed by the program.

The Temple

The 1909 neo-classical Temple was designed by Rubush & Hunter during the City Beautiful Movement and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has served as both Indiana’s Masonic headquarters and a vibrant cultural hub for the city. At its dedication, so many people turned out that the governor couldn’t reach the stage for his planned speech. During World War II, the Masons operated a USO-style Masonic Army-Navy Service Center supporting thousands of servicemen, and in the 1950s it hosted U.S. citizenship swearing-in ceremonies, exemplifying Freemasonry’s values of religious and political tolerance, brotherly love, charity, mutual assistance, civic pride, and democratic governance.

Since 1818, at least 29 of Indiana’s 50 governors have been Masons, along with sports figures, business and civic leaders, actors, musicians, authors, scholars, and more. Locally, Hoosiers like aviator Weir Cook, Vice President Thomas Marshall of Indiana, comedian Red Skelton, Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas, auto legend Harry Stutz, civic leader Bill Mays, former Mayor Bill Hudnut, shopping center developer Sidney Eskenazi, and current Senator Jim Banks have all been members of the Indiana fraternity.

In addition to the Library & Museum, Today, the Temple remains the headquarters for the Grand Lodge F&AM of Indiana, the state’s oldest men’s charitable fraternal organization. Highlights of the building include:

An impressive grand marble staircase
Seven ceremonial lodge meeting rooms
A banquet hall
The unique Egyptian-themed Red Cross lodge room
Indiana Freemasons Hall — a 1,100 seat auditorium that hosted plays, concerts, lectures, political debates, literary figures, and early Butler University theater performances.

The Library & Museum

The Museum preserves one of the top collections of Masonic objects and related rare books in the U.S. You’ll find Masonic artifacts from the White House and President Harry Truman, Masonic aprons from the early 1800s, and discover some of Indiana’s famous Masons. Displays dispel the many myths about the Freemasons; explain the mysterious symbols that appear in Masonic rituals; explore associated Masonic groups like Shriners, Scottish Rite, Order of the Eastern Star, and Knights Templar; and describe the unique history of Prince Hall’s formation of the first Masonic lodge for black men in America in 1776. The Museum serves as an educational resource for the public, members, and researchers, especially highlighting Freemasonry’s role in Indiana history. It is open to the public during weekly hours.

We hope you will be a part of this exciting event! For tickets, sponsorships, donations, or media inquiries, please contact us directly at the Masonic Library & Museum of Indiana.