W:.B:. Carson Smith Nominated for AASR MSA

The Indianapolis Valley of the Scottish Rite has nominated our own WBro. Carson Smith, PM for the Meritorious Service Award and his own red hat. The award will be given at the 2012 Council of deliberation meeting in French Lick, IN.

Since 1937, Councils of Deliberation have been authorized by the Supreme Council, NMJ, to annually present this award to a limited number of members who have distinguished themselves by outstanding service, leadership, and dedication to the AASR. Together with the Jewel of the MSA, the red hat is a decoration that can proudly be worn on any official occasion. It is a lifetime achievement, and the holder of this award becomes a permanent member of the Council of Deliberation and is entitled to place "MSA" after his signature.

Well done, and well deserved, Brother!

Robert Burns Night July 26th, 2011

"Then fill up a bumper and make it o'erflow,
And honours Masonic prepare for to throw;
May ev'ry true Brother of the Compass and Square
Have a big-belly'd bottle when harass'd with care."
—Robert Burns, No Churchman Am I

Brother Robert Burns (sometimes referred to as Rabbie Burns) is Scotland's favorite son and is regarded as the poet laureate of Freemasonry. He was born on January 25, 1759 and died on July 21, 1796. He was a prolific poet and lyricist and may be best known for writing the New Year's anthem, Auld Lang Syne, which is also frequently sung in Masonic lodges and gatherings.

The officers and brethren of Lodge Vitruvian #767 in Indianapolis cordially invite all Freemasons of any degree and their ladies to join us for our annual Robert Burns night on Tuesday, July 26th. The stated meeting will open at 7:00 P.M. at the temple of Broad Ripple Lodge located at 1716 Broad Ripple Ave., Indianapolis. The business meeting is restricted to Master Masons, but brethren of any degree and the ladies may join us for the festive board and program scheduled to begin at 8:00 P.M. at the Snooty Fox Restaurant, 1435 E. 86th St., Indianapolis. This is just west of the intersection of 86th St. and Westfield Bl. on the south side of the street. A buffet dinner will be served and there will be a cash bar. The menu will be the classic roast beef and tatties (with a pasta dish for those so inclined), served buffet style. The price for dinner is $20 per person, and there will be a cash bar available.

Dress for the evening will be tuxedo for officers and members and tuxedo or business attire for visitors. And kilts are certainly in order.

The evening's program will commence immediately after dinner. There will be a short presentation on the life of Robert Burns, featuring Samuel Lawson (see notes below). This will be followed by the reading of several Burns poems, the toast to the laddies and the lassies, and will conclude with the seven traditional toasts. There will be pipers to provide musical entertainment.

This is always the highlight of the Lodge Vitruvian year. In past years, this celebration has been held in January near the date of Burns's birthday of January 25. In order to avoid the inclement weather that has plagued us in recent years, we have moved the date to our July stated meeting to correspond closely to the date of Burns's death on July 21. The evening is always a lighthearted affair, with plenty of good food and lots of laughs. Polish up your most bilious Scottish brogue, bring your favorite Burns poem, and join us for what promises to be another night to remember. Please send your RSVP's to James Dillman, WM at jrdill1955@yahoo.com

Program Notes:

Every traditional Burns' Dinner features some words to the immortal memory of Scotland's Ploughman Poet-Laureate, Robert Burns. This presentation will include a traditional telling of the story of certain facts and episodes of Burns' life, but with an added inclusion of a taste of his influence outside the borders of Scotland from just a few years after his death. Italian guitarist/composer Mauro Giuliani and Spaniard Fernado Sor composed solo guitar works for classical guitar based on Burns' songs, The Soldier's Return, This is No My Ain Lassie, and Ye Banks and Braes of Bonnie Doon. To conclude the presentation, all are welcome to join in singing a traditional rendering of 'Ye Banks and Braes'.

Samuel Lawson is a classical guitarist with the degree of Master of Music from Butler University in Indianapolis, IN, and has recently entered the Doctor of Arts program at Ball State University. He has made his own way performing, teaching, and writing music in Indiana, South Carolina, and Pittsburgh, PA, and has toured performing classical and jazz guitar with his wife and vocalist, Rebekah, through the south-eastern U.S., parts of California and the hostels of Scotland. While studying under Brett Terrell, professor of guitar, and Dr. James Briscoe, professor of music history, at Jordan College of Music, Butler University, Samuel gained a preference for a lecture-recital format rather than a traditional recital. Recently he has also started gaining a reputation as a public speaker for the Scottish Society of Indianapolis, the Indiana Society of the Classical Guitar, and his own recital-lectures. One of these concert-lectures demonstrates parallel movements in music and visual art history, and another leans more towards his cherished Scottish heritage. He also performs on Sunday afternoons 12:30-2:30 at Barcelona Tapas restaurant in downtown Indianapolis.

April 26, 2011 Stated Meeting: WBro. Ken Davis on "Tarot and Freemasonry"

Lodge Vitruvian No. 767, Indiana's only European Concept Lodge, will have its next meeting on Tuesday, April 26, 2011, beginning at 7:00PM. Vitruvian meets in the Broad Ripple Masonic Temple at 1716 Broad Ripple Avenue, on the north side of Indianapolis, Indiana.

WBro. Ken Davis, Master of this Lodge in 2009, will be with us from New Mexico and will provide the evening's Masonic education on Tarot and Freemasonry.

Festive Board to follow the meeting at the nearby Capri Restaurant, 2602 Ruth Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana, (off Keystone Avenue between 71st and 75th Streets)

Each attendee will be responsible to the Lodge for the cost of his meal. The cost for the Festive Board is $30 per person, exclusive of alcoholic beverages, payable to the Secretary. Gratuity will be paid by the Lodge.

Tuxedo, Regalia and White Gloves for Members, Tuxedo or Business Attire for Visitors.

If you are interested in visiting, contact Secretary, WB Nathan C. Brindle at secretary@vitruvian.org

Vitruvian Crop Circle

My fellow brethren of Indianapolis' Lodge Virtuvian No. 767 should find inspiration from this crop art spotted on Google Maps in the north edge of Utting am Ammersee, Germany (see here).

January 2011 Summons

Dear Sir and Brother,

As a member of this Lodge, you are hereby summoned to attend the Stated Communication and Annual Election of Officers of Lodge Vitruvian No. 767, F. & A. M., holden in the Hall of Broad Ripple Lodge No. 643 F. & A. M., located at 1716 Broad Ripple Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana, opening on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. precisely. Please notify me if unable to attend.

By command of the Master,
Nathan C. Brindle, P.M.
Secretary

Informal Wear This Evening.

Next Stated Meeting: Tuesday, 26 April 2011

Speaker Notes for 25 January 2011

No speaker this evening. The Lodge will hold a planning session instead.

The Festive Board

Festive Board to follow the meeting
at Union Jack Pub
924 Broad Ripple Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana

The Lodge will cover the cost of pizza and soft drinks this evening.

Brethren wishing to imbibe are responsible for the price of their drinks. Please drink responsibly.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, April 26, 2011 Stated Meeting
Opening at 7:00 PM
Festive Board to Follow

Tuesday, June 28, 2011 Called Meeting
Opening at 7:00 PM
Festive Board to Follow

Secretary's Notes

As ever, if you know of any Brother Masons who would like to become affiliated with us in our "great and good work", or of any gentlemen who would like to take the Degrees of Masonry in our Lodge, "this is the hour and this is the place." Your secretary will be pleased to supply you with the appropriate petitions and information.

Nathan C. Brindle, P.M., Secretary
Lodge Vitruvian No. 767, F. & A. M.
Indianapolis, Indiana
http://www.vitruvian.org

Masonic Society Semi-Annual Meeting Indianapolis 10/24

• Charles Marlowe, Grand Master of Indiana - Keynote Address

• Jeffrey Naylor – The Gentleman Mason

• Mark Tabbert – The George Washington Masonic Memorial and electronic records for researchers

• Roger VanGorden – All Masonry is Local

• Jose Diaz – Notes on teaching the Craft: The Millennials’ view of American Freemasonry

• George Haynes – Working the Plan: Lodge Models and Model Lodges

• Christopher Hodapp – Reviving a failing lodge, and a discussion regarding the coming “Dan Brown Effect” on the fraternity

Other presentations are in the works. If you wish to make a presentation please contact Jay Hochberg as soon as possible at articles@themasonicsociety.com

Plus, tours of the 100-year-old Indiana Freemasons’ Hall and the Indianapolis Scottish Rite Cathedral, the largest of its kind in the world.

Event Registration: $65, includes luncheon and banquet. Both members of the Society and non-members are welcome to register and attend. Be sure to invite the brethren of your lodge! Your Lady or Other Guest may attend the conference and banquet for an additional $65 per person.

To make reservations, see the official Semi-Annual meeting webpage.

Please make reservations as soon as possible!

July 28, 2009 Meeting

Next Stated Meeting: Tuesday, 27 October 2009

Speaker Notes for 28 July 2009

WBro. Jim Dillman, JW, will present a paper outlining differences in proficiency requirements across various jurisdictions.

Festive Board to follow the meeting
at the Capri Restaurant
2602 Ruth Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana
(Keystone Avenue between 71st and 75th Streets)

Due to the nature of our Masonic presentation,
the Festive Board will be tyled.

Each attendee will be responsible to the Restaurant for the cost of his meal and drinks. Please drink responsibly.

Upcoming Events
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 Stated Meeting and Annual Election of Officers
Opening at 7:00 PM, Festive Board to follow
Masonic speaker to be announced

Secretary's Notes

As ever, if you know of any Brother Masons who would like to become affiliated with us in our "great and good work", or of any gentlemen who would like to take the Degrees of Masonry in our Lodge, "this is the hour and this is the place." Your secretary will be pleased to supply you with the appropriate petitions and information.
Nathan C. Brindle, P.M., Secretary
Lodge Vitruvian No. 767, F. & A. M.
Indianapolis, Indiana
http://www.vitruvian.org ______________

Vitruvians and The Masonic Society

The brethren of Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 are an eclectic gathering of Masons. But we all share a love of Masonic learning, combined with the proper helping of social and gastronomic activities.

Thus, it is hardly surprising to discover that the Masonic Society has more than a few Vitruvians working in its trenches. Roger VanGorden, PGM is the president of the Society; Nathan Brindle, PM is the Secretary/Treasurer; Chris Hodapp, PM is the Editor in Chief of the Journal of the Masonic Society; James Dillman, PM is on the Board of Directors; Jeff Naylor, PM, and Eric Schmitz, PM are both Founding Fellows. And the Summer 2009 issue of the Journal features an article by WM Kenneth Davis, taken from his paper presented in April on the subject of Ulysses' character Leopold Bloom and Freemasonry.

July Vitruvian Hubub

Lodge Vitruvian had an outstanding one-two punch over the last few days.On Saturday, we initiated a new Brother at Schofield House, the tavern where Indiana Freemasonry was first organized in 1818. Schofield House is located in beautiful Madison, Indiana, and it has been restored and maintained by the Grand Lodge of Indiana since the 1970's.

Tuesday evening was our stated meeting and quarterly Festive Board, and we were honored by a visit from a delegation from Michigan: MWB:.Richard H. Sands, PGM of the Grand Lodge of Michigan; and from Golden Rule Lodge No. 159 in Ann Arbor were WB:. Robert L. Murphy, PM, Secretary; WB:.Raymond L. (Ray) Holcomb, PM, Senior Warden; and William B. (Bill) Krebaum, Tiler. I had the great pleasure of meeting most of these brethren at the Midwest Conference on Masonic Education in Evansville earlier this year, and they made the trek down to see just what we're up to at Vitruvian.

Our Worshipful Master Phillipe Garver received deliver of our special, imported Lodge Vitruvian firing glasses, so we could at long last provide "good fire" with our ceremonial toasts at the always outstanding Capri Restaurant.

Vivat! Vivat! Vivat!<>/i>