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.