‘A lovely evening with Jim Dillman’

    

Yes, they need to work on their logo.

While it’s hard to stay current with all the Masonic podcasts, I had to budget some time to listen to the November 26 episode of That Other Masonic Podcast for the simple reason that the guest is…Bro. Jim Dillman!

Jim is an old friend; I think we go back twenty or so years, starting with the Masonic Light group, then the Knights of the North, and on to the Masonic Society, where he served as president a decade ago. He was made a Mason in 2000 at Royal Center Lodge 585 in Indiana, but might be better known through Lodge Vitruvian 767, the European Concept lodge in Indianapolis founded by Jeff Naylor, with Roger VanGorden, Chris Hodapp, Jim, and other conspirators endeavoring to introduce a high style of lodge experience to the Masonic scene there. That’s how I found these gifted Masons. I had the idea of organizing a similar lodge in my area, and their know-how was invaluable (although I ultimately failed to get such a lodge launched).

All I can say about Jim is already said by the co-hosts of the show; quoting VanGorden, they describe him as “the definition of what a Mason should be.” (Not even an old man in dotage or a madman would say that about me, so it impresses.) Jim has a colorful Masonic past to share, although talking about himself does not come naturally. The co-hosts mention bringing Jim back another time, and with some show prep, they could pose the questions that would elicit his story better.

This podcast is carried on the usual platforms. The show runs almost ninety minutes, so choose a double corona from your humidor, keep the decanter and ice near, and enjoy a pleasant chat on the Level.

     

‘Number 8’

Issue No. 8 of The Journal of the Masonic Society is reaching the members of the Society as I type this.

The Journal is a quarterly magazine containing Masonic information written by authors from all over the world. Speculative papers, academic writings, news stories, history, fiction, poetry, great photography, insightful opinion and other editorial elements reviving the golden age of Masonic publishing. Features in the new issue include:


Masonic Week: Let It Snow, by The Editors

The Grand Constitutions of 1786 and the ‘Scottish Rite War,’ by Michael Poll

Restructuring American Freemasonry Part III: The Scottish Rite, by Mark Tabbert

The Seven Liberal Arts & Sciences, by David E. Amstutz

Masonic History Unfolds at Historic Ft. Buford, by Jim Savaloja

The Mystery of Pre-European Freemasonry, by Ron Hartoeben

The Quest by Steve Osborn

Here’s Your Hat, What’s Your Hurry? by Roger VanGorden

Masonic Treasures: National Treasure Pipe by Chris Hodapp

A new section: Books, Arts, Styles and Manners, featuring:

Stephen Dafoe’s Morgan: the Scandal that Shook Freemasonry, reviewed by Kevin Noel Olson; Tobias Churton’s The Invisible History of the Rosicrucians: The World’s Most Mysterious Secret Society reviewed by Randy Williams; and Jay Kinney’s The Masonic Myth: Unlocking the Truth About the Symbols, the Secret Rites, and the History of Freemasonry reviewed by Jay Hochberg.

Plus Masonic news, reports of the Masonic Society’s activities at Masonic Week, new by-laws, Fellows for 2010, new advertisers, and more!

This issue’s cover features Solomon Dedicates the Temple at Jerusalem c. 1896-1902, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot (1836-1902). In the 1890s, Tissot left Paris and traveled extensively in Palestine, where he painted a series of what would become more than 700 watercolors based on the Hebrew Bible and the life of Jesus.

It is impossible for me to be objective about the value of membership in The Masonic Society, so I won't pretend. Since introducing ourselves 24 months ago, membership has grown beyond 1,100. The Journal is a top quality publication that, frankly, has inspired other national Masonic periodicals to revise their own operations by improving content and modernizing style. And a subscription to this magazine is only one of the benefits of membership. Members are granted access to the Society’s on-line forum, where hundreds of Masons from around the globe interact every day, helping each other learn more about our fraternity. As of right now, the Forum is buzzing with 734 members discussing 3,623 topics!

And of course it wouldn’t be a Masonic organization without goodies like pins and membership cards, but the Society cranks up the quality of these items, producing elegant symbols of membership that earn accolades. In addition, each member receives an 11x14 patent, personalized and highly stylized that you’ll want professionally framed. It is a very impressive document, on parchment with a hand-stamped wax seal.

But the true benefit of membership in The Masonic Society is the learning experience. Whether it’s an eye-popping topic in the magazine, or just simple conversation in the forum, there is no end to what a Mason can learn from his brethren in this organization. It’s the best 39 bucks I’ve ever spent in Masonry.

Our new President is Michael Poll, the publisher of Cornerstone Books. Our Editor-in-Chief is Chris ‘Freemasons for Dummies’ Hodapp. And our Directors, Officers and Founders include many leaders in Masonic education, including authors, publishers, curators, lecturers and regular Master Masons like you and me.

Brethren, there is a lot of confusion in the Temple over Freemasonry. ‘Dan Brown this,’ ‘Templar treasure that’ and all kinds of superstitions never should distract the brethren from Truth. The Masonic Society offers one way to uphold Truth with like-minded Masons from all over the world, and have some fun doing it. I hope you’ll check us out.

Starting another great year!

I want to tell you about the progress enjoyed by The Masonic Society, the research and education foundation created last year to serve the Craft in North America.

Since introducing ourselves last May, membership in the Society has grown to nearly 850! Issue No. 5 of The Journal will arrive in our members’ mailboxes in the next two weeks, and our on-line discussion Forum is buzzing with 541 members discussing 2,496 topics. And we’re getting ready for our Semi-Annual Meeting, to take place Oct. 24 in Indianapolis.

For the Magpie Mason, it is especially great to see so many New Jersey Freemasons (46 at last count) joining the Society. Plans are in the works for a local gathering, consisting of a great meal and a thoughtful program to advance our Masonic knowledge. (Members will receive invitations soon.)

The Journal is a quarterly magazine containing Masonic information written by authors from all over the world. Speculative papers, news stories, fiction, poetry, great photography, insightful opinion and other editorial elements reviving the golden age of Masonic publishing.

Features in the new issue include:

The Two Confessions of John Whitney: an examination of the conflicting theories as to the fate of William Morgan by Stephen Dafoe.

Brother Bloom, The Most Influential Mason Who Never Lived by Kenneth W. Davis.

Debunking Reality: Solomon's Temple and the Power of Allegory by Randy Williams.

Multiple Dimensions of Silence in Freemasonry by Shawn Eyer.

The Orders of the Secret Monitor and the Scarlet Cord By Richard L. Gan.

International Conference on the History of Freemasonry 2009 by Christopher Hodapp.

Masonic Treasures: The Washingtons of Donald De Lue by Marc Conrad.

Plus news of current events, info on terrific Masonic events this fall, and other news from around the Masonic world. It is a top quality publication that, frankly, has inspired other national Masonic periodicals to rethink their own operations.

A subscription to this magazine is only one of the benefits of membership. Members are granted access to the Society’s on-line Forum, where hundreds of Masons from around the globe interact every day, helping each other advance in their Masonic knowledge.

And of course it wouldn’t be a Masonic organization without goodies like pins and membership cards, but the Society cranks up the quality of these items, producing elegant symbols of membership that are earning accolades. In addition, each member receives an 11x14 patent, personalized and highly stylized that you'll want professionally framed. It is a very impressive document, on parchment with a hand-stamped wax seal.

But the true benefit of membership in The Masonic Society is the learning experience. Whether it’s an eye-popping topic in the magazine, or just simple conversation in the forum, there is no end to what a Mason can learn from his brethren in this organization. It’s the best 39 bucks I’ve ever spent in Masonry.

Our President is MW Roger VanGorden, Past Grand Master of Indiana. Our Editor-in-Chief is W. Bro. Chris “Freemasons for Dummies” Hodapp. And our Directors, Officers and Founders include many leaders in Masonic education, including authors, publishers, curators, lecturers and more.

Brethren, there is a lot of confusion in the Temple over Freemasonry. ‘Dan Brown this,’ ‘Templar treasure that’ and all kinds of superstitions never should distract the brethren from Truth. The Masonic Society offers one way to uphold Truth with like-minded Masons from all over the world, and have some fun doing it. I hope you’ll check us out.