Trestle-Board

Bugsport

Fans of aliens, Area 51, Studebakers and Freemasonry all have reason to
rejoice. Brother Ted Bastien has returned at last with a new Bugsport entry. We hope all has been well for him.

Ted has a new home for Bugsport. Obviously, we members of Lodge Vitruvian approve.

Thanks to all of you

The last stated meeting of 2006 for Lodge Vitruvian was a terrific evening of fellowship, fun and enlightenment. Many thanks to our speaker, Wbro. Jon Porter, Past Master of Mystic Tie Lodge No. 398 in Indianapolis, for his fascinating and entertaining paper on the origins of Masonic Templarism. This was Jon's first visit to Vitruvian, and we hope it will not be his last.

I am honored to report that our lodge's newest member by affiliation is Wbro. James Dillman, Past Master of Major General John A. Logan Masonic Lodge No. 575 in Indianapolis. Jim is one of the most accomplished, talented and well-traveled Masons in the state, and his services are in constant demand for degrees. More important, Jim is a good friend and an outstanding Mason, and we are privileged to welcome him as our newest member.

Tyson Johnston, star of the Grand Lodge of Indiana's video and a member of Calvin Prather Lodge No. 717 made his first visit to Vitruvian as well.

As always, dinner at Capri was outstanding. Arturo and his talented, friendly and very efficient crew always do an excellent job for us, and his restaurant just keeps getting more beautiful with each new addition and expansion. I can't recommend it enough.

Most important, last night we held our elections, and I want to congratulate Brother Phillip A. Garver on his election as the fourth Worshipful Master of Lodge Vitruvian. He is an endlessly fascinating man with an impressive and extensive background in religion, philosophy, history and initiatic societies, and we are all looking forward to the coming year working under his leadership.

Congratulations also to Wbro. Dale Adams, PM on moving to the SW position, and to Wbro. W. Keith Stiner, PM, our new JW. Wbro. Timothy R. Brinkmeyer, PM, will be our Chaplain. I will be loitering in the Treasurer's chair, and Wbro. Nathan Brindle, PM, will remain in the Secretary's position.

On a personal note, as I said at last night's meeting, I thank all of you for the opportunity to serve as Vitruvian's Master for two years. It is interesting to note that had it not been for my association with this lodge, the events of the last four years of my Masonic life would have been very different, and undoubtedly I would not have had the chance to write a certain book. I value the friendships I have made in this lodge, and I am proud to be associated with each of you.

The influence of this little lodge literally worldwide is beyond comprehension for me. I commonly receive notes from all over the Masonic world asking about some of our practices, customs and vision for masonry's future. Visitors come from all over to see what we are doing.

No, we are not taking the world by storm with hordes of new members joining us. In fact, they are NOT joining us - they are doing something far more important. They are taking what they see us doing back to their own lodges and making changes there. They propose what others in their own lodges may believe to be radical, and saying "I've seen it work at Vitruvian." Brethren, that is a greater success than if we packed our lodge with new members. What we do here is indeed spreading. Our mission is succeeding. And for my money, that's something of which we can all be proud.

So thank all of you for your support. I am very much looking forward to the coming year, and beyond.

WBro. Chris Hodapp on the Wireless

WBro. Chris was interviewed today by host Julie Kredens on WFPL-FM in Louisville's State of Affairs program. Their blurb:

Freemasonry

At one time or another we’ve all heard of the organization called the Freemasons. Maybe your grandfather or uncle is one, or a neighbor or friend; but have they ever told you what the Freemasons stand for, what their purpose is, or what goes on in their meetings? The history of Freemasonry begins in London, in June 1717, with the formation of the Grand Lodge of England. Freemasonry in America was established in the 1740’s and the first Grand Lodge of Kentucky was formed in 1788 in Lexington, four years before Kentucky was admitted into the Union. So, what is a Mason? How does one become a Mason? What’s with all the rituals and symbols? Why does Masonry seem so secretive? Join us Thursday, as we learn more about the Freemason from Chris Hodapp author of “Freemasons for Dummies”. Call us with your questions.

For those who could not listen live, the streaming audio is archived here -- click on the link for the October 19th show. An audio player capable of handling MP3 streaming audio is required.

Welcome, Brother Kenneth Davis

Permit me a moment to brag on our lodge. Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 raised our newest Master Mason yesterday, Brother Kenneth Davis.

Our philosophy at Vitruvian is to bring a man through the degrees slowly, and it took Ken a year to do so. He knew this from the start, and I remember a year ago that he said something that made what we do seem worthwhile. He said that he had looked around the internet at other lodges, and if he hadn't seen ours and read about our philosophy, he probably wouldn't have petitioned the Masons.

Vitruvian is Indiana's only European Concept lodge. When we started the lodge back in 2002, we were top-heavy with Past Masters, and frankly, past everybodys - brethren who were involved in literally everything in the state, the compulsive joiners of the Craft who were looking for something different. That was a tremendous help to get us started and up and running. We couldn't have done it without them.

But as the years began to pass, the truth was that we still had things we had to do that were part of the day-to-day job of running a lodge, those mundane, boring tasks that aren't new and exciting. As a result, we lost many of those early members and had to survive or fail on our own merits.

We have short business meetings, outstanding feasts, the best in Masonic education and speakers. We believe in formal dress, because while it is the internal and not the external parts of Man that Masonry regards, the external is a reflection of what a man is like on the inside. Dressing in tuxedo and gloves is actually the great leveler in a lodge - who can then say who is the banker, the bricklayer, the Ph.D. professor or the plumber? Which was the whole point when our English brethren adopted this custom centuries ago...

Best of all, we have many visitors who come and see what we do and take our ideas home to their own lodges.

A case in point was our degree yesterday. We had visitors who drove all the way from Nashville, Tennessee to see what we were up to. We had brethren from all over the state. We were short some members for parts, so brethren stepped up to help. Because of our unique membership from across Indiana, we chose to go on the road and confer the degree at Delaware Lodge No. 46 in Muncie. Theirs is one of the most magnificent Masonic facilities anywhere in the country, and it was an honor to perform the work in this beautiful lodge.

And in keeping with the uniqueness of our lodge and its members, after Brother Davis was presented with several gifts from the lodge, in return he distributed a gift to the brethren present - a medallion depicting the symbol of our lodge, Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. It was the first time I had ever seen such a thing done, and I will cherish it forever. Ken is the second member we have initiated at Vitruvian, and the first while I have been Master.

The design of Vitruvian has always been to remain small - no more than 36 members. The reason is to strengthen the personal bond between its members. I can't get to know 200 members of a lodge. But I can know and care about fifteen or twenty. As a result, the events of today will stay with me always. Bringing a new brother into our small family means so much to us all.

My personal thanks go out to Wbro. Jim Dillman, without whom we would have been lost; Wbro. Tim Brinkmeyer, Master of Delaware No. 46, whose tireless work allowed the day to be a great one; Wbro. Dale Adams, for his strength and assistance; Wbro. Fred Dusel and Brother Jay from Nashville, for their kindness and their interest in what we're doing; to the many members of Delaware No. 46, and the other brethren from all over who stepped in to help; and of course to my friend, brother and evil twin, Wbro. Nathan Brindle, for all that he does.

And congratulations to Brother Ken Davis, our newest Master Mason.