It's About Friendship

It's About Friendship

 By Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor

Gregory J. Knott, 33°

Midnight Freemason Editor Emeritus Darin Lahners and I recently were invited to speak at the May meeting of the Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research, which is the research lodge for the Grand Lodge of Indiana. This meeting was held in conjunction with the Grand Lodge of Indiana Free and Accepted Masons 2026 annual communication.

Darin and I got there about an hour early and were looking around the Grand Lodge of Indiana building in downtown Indianapolis. This is a magnificent masonic building that was built during the golden age of fraternal building construction.

We made our way upstairs to see the Indiana Freemason Library and Museum. There are several outstanding exhibits that tell the story of Freemasonry. There is a library that is available for browsing. I highly recommend a visit sometime.

But what really made our visit to the museum special, was getting to talk with Chris Hodapp and Jim Dillman. Chris of course is the renowned author of Freemasons for Dummies and Jim is the Past President of The Masonic Society. I've known Chris and Jim for many years, meeting them at Masonic Week in Washington DC many years ago. I worked with both of them as a board member in The Masonic Society and I can tell you unabashedly there is no finer men in Freemasonry than Chris and Jim.

As time was getting closer to our presentation time, Darin and I made our way to the lodge room where our presentation would be given. We were greeted by WB James Buckhorn, who is the current Worshipful Master of the lodge and invited us to speak. Darin and I had met James several years ago when we visited Lodge Vitruvian in Indianapolis and was later a guest on our Meet, Act and Part podcast on episode 67.

Before the meeting began MW John A. Bridegroom, the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Indiana Freemasons for 2026-27 came by to say hello. MW Bridegroom had been installed earlier in the day. He will be an outstanding Grand Master! He has been a friend for many years and we offer our heartiest congratulations on his elevation to Grand Master! He presented us with one of his challenge coins for this year! What an honor on our part to be there on his special day.

We met many other new friends at the meeting, some of whom we knew virtually, but hadn't had the pleasure to meet in person.

We even had a conversation with the painting of MWB Roger Van Gordon, past Grand Master of Indiana and our other co-host on Meet, Act and Part!

My point in all of this is that for me, one of the greatest strengths of this fraternity is friendship. In a time and era where we consistently hear of declining social interactions, increased anxiety and the male loneliness epidemic, freemasonry stands as a shining beacon of where you can have trusted friends to interact with.

So when someone asks you, "what do you get out of that", tell them that you have brothers throughout the world who stand ready to walk with you in friendship.

~GJK

Greg Knott is a Senior Contributor to the Midnight Freemasons and has been a Freemason since 2007.

The Sun Rises in the East

 

The Sun Rises in the East

By Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor

Gregory J. Knott, 33°

One of my hobbies is photography.  Since retiring three years ago, I have spent much more time with a camera in my hand.  I find that it causes me to slow down and focus on the moment.   Slowing down hasn't been something I have been very good at in life.  But I am getting better at it, with a long way to go.

This particular picture was taken recently as the sun came up over Ogden, Illinois.  It was a semi-foggy morning and the temperature was about 65 degrees.  There was no wind, so it was perfectly calm.   

I stopped along a country road as the sun was rising.   It's remarkable how fast it really comes up over the horizon.  Each minute gives you a different view of the rural landscape.   But you can only really see it, if you slowdown, stop for a moment and watch.

As the sun rises in the east to open and govern the day, take a moment to enjoy it.

~gjk

Does Charcter Still Matter?

 Does Character Still Matter?

By Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor

Gregory J. Knott, 33°

Editor Note:  These remarks were given by Greg Knott at the 106th Memorial Day Observance at the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery in Homer, Illinois on May 26, 2025. 

Good morning everyone. Today, as we gather to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, I want to talk about something deeply intertwined with their service: character. And I want to ask a simple, but profound question: Does character still matter?

Why do I ask this question today, on Memorial Day? 

Memorial Day is more than just a day off; it's a time to reflect. It's a time to remember those who stood tall in the face of adversity, who displayed courage when fear was overwhelming, and who held onto integrity when it would have been easier to compromise. Their actions speak of a character forged in commitment and fueled by a sense of duty.

Let me tell the story of one such individual who displayed character and has a cenotaph marker here in the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery.  William Louis Slayton was born October 6, 1922 in Fithian the son of James Calvin Slayton and Flora McClellan Slayton.  After graduating from Homer high school in 1940, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in October 1940, about a year before the attack on Pearl Harbour.  He was first stationed in Iceland and in 1942 was transferred to the south Pacific.   There he fought in the ferocious battles at Guadalcanal and Tarawa. 

While serving with Company F, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division he took part in the Battle of Mariana Islands.  The Battle of the Mariana Islands was a significant campaign during World War II, occurring from June to November 1944, where U.S. forces aimed to capture the Mariana Islands, including Saipan, Guam, and Tinian, from Japanese control. This campaign was crucial as it allowed the U.S. to establish air bases for strategic bombing missions against Japan, ultimately contributing to the Allied victory in the Pacific.

Sgt. Slayton’s parents received a letter from their son dated June 6, 1944, where he wrote that he was on a ship headed to a location he could not disclose.  A few weeks later, his parents received a telegram that no one wanted to receive.  On June 14, 1944, Sgt. Slayton was killed in action in Marianas Islands in Saipan. He was temporarily buried in the 2nd Division Marine Cemetery and was later moved to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and laid to rest on June 15, 1949.

So what does the sacrifice of Sgt. Slayton and thousands of others mean as we observe Memorial Day 2025?  We often think of courage as facing bullets on a battlefield, but it’s also the courage to stand up for what’s right, the courage to be honest, and the courage to care for others. Integrity means upholding our values even when no one is watching. Resilience is about getting back up when we fall. And compassion? It’s about seeing the humanity in everyone around us. These are the building blocks of strong character.

So, does it still matter? Absolutely. Perhaps now more than ever. In our world of rapid change and complex challenges, character provides a steady anchor. It builds trust within our communities, it inspires ethical leadership, and it fosters a sense of stability. On a personal level, strong character leads to fulfillment, stronger relationships, and the resilience we need to overcome life's hurdles.

In today’s world, character manifests as ethical decision-making, active civic responsibility, and empathy. When we honor those who served, we’re not just remembering their sacrifice; we’re acknowledging the values they lived by. We can honor their memory by striving to embody those same virtues in our own lives. By being better people, we honor the best in them.

Philippians 4:8-9 (CSB)says -

Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable ​— ​if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy ​— ​dwell on these things. 9 Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. 

In closing, let me affirm that character mattered deeply to those we honor today, and it matters just as much now. As we reflect on their sacrifices, let us also recommit ourselves to cultivating strong character, both for our own sake and for the sake of the nation they served. Thank you.

~GJK

Greg Knott is a Senior Contributor to the Midnight Freemasons and has been a Freemason since 2007.

Why Are We Here Again?

 by The Midnight Freemason

Todd E. Creason, 33°

Do you remember the very first time you walked through the doors of your lodge?  Do you remember that feeling? That feeling that this place, these people, were doing something that actually mattered.

Maybe someone personally invited you. Maybe you showed up on your own because you'd heard about the work they were doing in the community. But whatever brought you there, something made you stay. Something clicked with you.

You found a place where you belonged.  And that feeling wasn't an accident. It was the result of an organization operating with a clear, compelling sense of purpose. They knew who they were. They knew why they existed. And that clarity of purpose is what made them strong. 

I want to talk today about what happens when that clarity starts to fade. When we drift from our original purpose.  And more importantly, what we can do together to get it back.

Here's the thing nobody wants to say out loud—most organizations don't drift on purpose. Nobody says in a meeting, "You know what, let's slowly abandon everything that made us great."

It happens gradually. Quietly. One small compromise at a time.  I’m a pastor, and I’ve seen churches make this mistake.  A church (or even a whole denomination) starts to notice the seats getting a little emptier. So they soften the message, just a little bit at first, to make it more comfortable for visitors. Then a little more. Then a little more after that. Before long, the people in the pews are hearing something that feels less like the gospel and more like a motivational seminar. The message that once changed lives has been watered down so it can't offend anyone — but it can't truly transform anyone either. 

Or take a fraternal organization — a lodge, a civic club, a brotherhood built around a specific mission of service and community. Somewhere along the way, they get pulled into a heated internal debate. And suddenly, every meeting, every newsletter, every conversation is about that one issue. The original mission sits quietly on the back burner while everyone argues about everything except the reason they exist. 

So focused on being relevant and current that they miss they’re destroying the very thing they’re trying to build.  And the energy fades.  Members are going through the motions, but the passion was gone. Membership starts to decline. Volunteers are harder and harder to recruit. You have fewer and fewer people involved.  You may even notice the people who've been around the longest start to quietly step back. 

And why?  What brought them to begin with is gone.

And here's the sad truth: when an organization drifts away from it’s purpose, it doesn't just lose members. It loses its voice. It loses its impact. It loses the very thing that made it strong in the first place. 

But here's the good news! That purpose doesn't disappear. That need doesn’t go away.  It just gets buried. And anything that's buried can be uncovered.

Think about a house that's been renovated one too many times. Layer after layer of paint, wallpaper, and new flooring have been added as each generation has tried to modernize it.  But underneath all of that? The original foundation is still solid. The bones are still good. 

That's what I genuinely believe about most organizations that have drifted. The foundation isn't broken. It's just been covered up.  The path back starts with something almost embarrassingly simple: go back and discover the original intent.

Now, I'm not talking about being stuck in the past. I'm not saying every organization needs to do things exactly the way they did them fifty years ago. Times change, and how you fulfill your mission absolutely can, and should, evolve.

But what you're called to do, your core purpose, your reason for existing, that doesn't change with the times. That's your compass. Not your map.  Returning to your purpose isn't nostalgia. It's courage. It takes real courage to look honestly at where you are, compare it to where you started, and say, "We've drifted — and we need to find our way back." That's not weakness. That's leadership. And that kind of honesty is exactly where transformation begins.  Go back to the blueprint. Reclaim your why. And watch what happens when an organization finally remembers who it is.

~TEC

Todd E. Creason, 33° is the Founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog and is a regular contributor. He is the award-winning author of the Famous American Freemasons series.  He is a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL) and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He is also a member of St. Joseph-Ogden Lodge No. 970 (IL).  He is a Past Sovereign Master of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. He is a Fellow at the Missouri Lodge of Research. (FMLR). He is a charter member of Admiration Chapter No. 282 and a Past EHP.  You can contact him at webmaster@toddcreason.org

Cleaning Up the Decades

 Cleaning up the Decades

By Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor

Gregory J. Knott, 33°

The Moving Crew

Items moved to St. Joseph

More items that were moved.

The recent merger of the Ogden lodge and St. Joseph lodge to form the new St. Joseph-Ogden Masonic Lodge no. 970 (name change pending grand lodge approval), came the task of cleaning out the Ogden lodge building.   A small committee had been appointed to coordinate the sale and the move. The building sold quickly and we had to get to work on the clean-up.

Ogden lodge itself was the product of a merger with Broadlands Lodge in 2008, which had merged with  Sidell Lodge 1983.  So within the Ogden building we had items and records from all three lodges that needed to be gone through.

After our passing of the light ceremony, we moved everything in the building into the dining room to use it as a staging area.  At that point we could begin sorting through what was going to St. Joseph and what was not going to be needed.   Furniture, member records, financial records, proceedings, masonic regalia, kitchen ware, tables, chairs, etc.   It was overwhelming.   But methodically we went through everything and began the sorting.   We ordered a dumpster, as there was just a bunch of stuff that had no value or reuse.   

We made contact with the local volunteer fire department and were able to donate a stockpile of tables and chairs, kitchen equipment and more that they will be able to reuse in their events with the community.  I took a load of items to the Salt and Light ministries retail store, which benefits their outreach programs.  Many individual items were given to brothers or other local people that could use them.    But there was still a large amount going to the St. Joseph Lodge.

I went through all of the paper records to ensure that all items of historical value such as petitions, minute books, register books etc were saved.  These include records dating back into the late 1800’s.   At a later time, we will go through all of the records in detail and consider a large digitization project to further preserve the information.  I will also be reaching out to the https://fraternalcenter.iu.edu/index.html Center for Fraternal Collections and Research at Indiana University for advice.

With everything sorted, packed and labeled, moving day was upon us.  We made contact with our local high school football coach to see if they might have any players who could assist us with moving.   Five players came to assist us and they did an awesome job!  We loaded and moved an entire moving truck full and had the items in St. Joseph Lodge all within two hours.   We are making a generous donation to the football program for their assistance.

With the contents taken care of, the closing of the sale of our Ogden building will be taking place in a couple of weeks. Numerous brothers helped in this process and it was truly a team effort.  I want to thank all of them who played a role.  It was a ton of work, but as I mentioned to someone, I have this as part of my Masonic experience now!

I am looking forward to the strong lodge we are forming in St. Joseph-Ogden Masonic Lodge no. 970!

~

Gregory J. Knott, 33° is the Senior Contributor for the Midnight Freemasons.  He is Past Master of both Ogden Lodge No. 754 and St. Joseph Lodge No. 970.   He is also an avid photographer since retiring.  You can see more of his photography at https://whyknottmedia.com/ 

Civility: Can We Talk?

 by The Midnight Freemason

Todd E. Creason, 33°

Can we talk?  Too often in our society today, the answer is no.  Scroll through your social media feed for five minutes. Read the comments on any news article. We even struggle to talk around the table during family gatherings. What you will find, more often than not, is not a conversation—it is a collision. 

I’ve never seen it this bad in my lifetime.  And I can almost hear people reading this assigning blame to one person or another, or this political party or the other, or this news media source or another.  And that’s the problem.  And unfortunately, the world has seeped into some of our Lodges creating debate and dissention amongst the Brethren—in fact it’s a big part of the reason I took a step back for a few years. 

I’m sure it’s not the same everywhere, but in general, I think a step back is what the Fraternity itself needs.  There’s a reason we’ve been around as long as we have.  We have a vital mission.

Freemasonry, and I’m talking traditional Freemasonry, could actually do a great deal of good in promoting the ideas of civility in the world.  Our history and our traditions would certainly show that civility has been important to us going back centuries.  That’s because our primary goal, our main purpose, has been character development.  To encourage and build men of strong character, principles and values.

But we seem to have shifted our focus.  If we want to continue being relevant, we have to get back to building men of good character.  We spend so much time being a charity these days we’ve drift away from our primary purpose, which is being an institution of learning.  In the beginning the charitable side of Freemasonry was the natural result from building men of character.  Now it’s all fund-raising and very little enlightenment or personal development. 

The world has plenty of charities.  What the world lacks is morality, decency, virtue, and character—which would include civility.  What the world needs is what we used to focus on a lot more.

Let’s get back to building.

~TEC

Todd E. Creason, 33° is the Founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog and is a regular contributor. He is the award-winning author of the Famous American Freemasons series.  He is a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL) and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He is also a member of St. Joseph-Ogden Lodge No. 970 (IL).  He is a Past Sovereign Master of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. He is a Fellow at the Missouri Lodge of Research. (FMLR). He is a charter member of Admiration Chapter No. 282 and a Past EHP.  You can contact him at webmaster@toddcreason.org

Passing the Light

By Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor

Gregory J. Knott, 33°

It was the day we had hoped to avoid, but reality said otherwise, Ogden Lodge No. 754 voted to merge with St. Joseph Lodge No. 970.

The last few years for Ogden Lodge have been a struggle.  Not unlike many lodges right now, our membership was aging, costs to operate the building had risen dramatically and consistently obtaining a quorum to open and meet was a constant challenge.  St. Joseph Lodge was facing similar challenges and members from both lodges began conversations about merging.  

Ogden and St. Joseph are two small communities about five miles apart in east-central Illinois.  We share a long history together.  Ogden Lodge was chartered in 1877 and St. Joseph Lodge in 1914.  When the St. Joseph lodge was formed, most of the original members had been members of Ogden Lodge.

In 1963 our two communities voted to merge our high schools, forming St. Joseph-Ogden High School.  It was a similar story at that time: both high schools were challenged to offer all they could to students, were already sharing teachers and classes and finally the public decided they would be stronger together.  63 years later St. Joseph-Ogden High School is one of the premier public schools in our area.

Our conclusion was also similar for the two lodges, coming together would make us both stronger and ensure that Freemasonry could thrive in our communities for the generations ahead.  Through numerous discussions, we decided to sell the Ogden Lodge building and meet in the St. Joseph Lodge building.   As of this writing the Ogden building was listed for sale and sold quickly to a local business.

At Ogden, we held a short ceremony to pass the light from Ogden to St. Joseph.   Written by PM Steve Guess, this ceremony was a meaningful way to pass the light.  The ceremony said in part: 

Brethren, we assemble tonight not in sorrow, but in reverence.

For one hundred and forty-nine years, the light of Masonry has

burned in this place through the labors of the Brethren of Ogden

Lodge No. 754.

Generations of good men have entered these doors seeking light.

Here they met upon the level, worked upon the square, and

parted upon the plumb.

Within these walls friendships were formed, lessons were learned,

and the timeless principles of Masonry were passed from one

generation to the next.

Tonight, we honor the legacy of this lodge, and we celebrate the

continuation of its spirit as our brethren join with St. Joseph Lodge

No. 970 to make the new St. Joseph – Ogden Lodge.

At the closing, we ceremonially passed the light to St. Joseph Lodge WM Jeff Baine who will carry the light from Ogden to St. Joseph.   We are planning a similar ceremony in the near future that we will receive the light in the St. Joseph Lodge as we welcome our new combined membership.

It was an emotional day for me personally.  I am a member of both lodges, but I was raised in Ogden Lodge and began my journey in Freemasonry at the Ogden altar.  Looking ahead, I foresee a new combined energy for the St. Joseph-Ogden Lodge.  We will be able to better serve our membership and communities. 

The WM said the following words as we closed the work of Ogden Lodge:

Brethren of Ogden Lodge No. 754,

Tonight, we stand at a moment that few lodges ever reach.

For one hundred and forty-nine years, the doors of this lodge

have opened to men seeking light. Within these walls, good men

knelt at the altar and took solemn obligations. Here friendships

were forged that lasted lifetimes. Here we mourned our departed

brothers and welcomed new ones into the fraternity.

Think of the men who sat in these very seats before us.

Farmers… soldiers… teachers… fathers… grandfathers.

Men who came here after long days of work, not for glory or

recognition, but because they believed in something greater than

themselves — Brotherhood, Charity, and Truth.

They lit the lights of this lodge long before any of us were born.

And tonight, we are the stewards of that light.

A lodge is more than a building.

It is more than a charter on the wall.

It is the spirit of the men who gathered here.

That spirit cannot be closed…

and it cannot be extinguished.

The work of Ogden Lodge does not end tonight.

Instead, it continues as our brethren join with the brothers of St.

Joseph Lodge.

The light that has burned in Ogden for nearly a century and a half

will not go dark.

It will simply shine in a new place.

And someday, years from now, when future Masons meet in St.

Joseph - Ogden Lodge… they may not know all our names.

But they will still be working by the same principles.

They will still stand upon the same foundation.

And part of that foundation will always be Ogden Lodge.

So mote it be.

~GJK

Gregory J. Knott, 33° is the Senior Contributor for the Midnight Freemasons.  He is Past Master of both Ogden Lodge No. 754 and St. Joseph Lodge No. 970.   He is also an avid photographer since retiring.  You can see more of his photography at https://whyknottmedia.com/