Christopher L. Hodapp's Blog, page 38

Christmas Fire Burns Prince Hall GL of Rhode Island Masonic Temple

Photo: WLNE


by Christopher Hodapp

Fire broke out early Christmas morning at the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Rhode Island's headquarters in Providence. According to news reports, the fire started in the basement of the building and spread quickly throughout the structure, whipped by strong winds. The three-alarm fire was described by the local public safety commissioner as "stubborn," and some 59 firefighters were eventually called to the scene to battle the blaze.


No one is known to have been in the...

Merry Christmas

Back between 2005 and 2008, I was asked to contribute to my brother-in-law's monthly Texas organic gardening magazine,  Living Natural First . As I protested at the time,  I didn't know the first dang thing about organic gardening, which was just fine with Bobby. He wanted some lighter relief from the rest of the magazine's monthly dose of compost, leaf mold remedies, and the gardener's astrology chart. The result was an ongoing column entitled Pilgrim's Progress: Rustic Tales of an Organic Greenh...

Revived Masonic Book Club Announces First New Volume

by Christopher Hodapp

Back in September, it was announced that the Masonic Book Club, which went defunct in 2010, was being resurrected under new management by Brent Morris and the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction. 
Today it was announced that the first volume of the newly reactivated Masonic Book Club is now ready for pre-publication purchase: The Perfect Ceremonies of Craft Masonry and the Holy Royal Arch. The 392-page hardback book will include marbled covers, a satin ribbon, and rubricated ...

R.I.P.: Ishmael D. Ison, Sr., Past Grand Master of Indiana

by Christopher Hodapp

Indiana Past Grand Master Ishmael D. Ison, Sr. passed away in his sleep on December 17, 2020, at the age of 81. 

Most Worshipful Ison served the Freemasons of the State of Indiana between 1999 and 2000 as its 149th Grand Master. MWB 'Ish,' as he was known locally, became Grand Master just a month and a half after I was raised as a Master Mason. During that time, he commissioned an Indiana Masonic Flag which is now proudly displayed in almost all Indiana Lodges and at many hom...

R.I.P.: Illus. Deary Vaughn, Sovereign Grand Commander of Prince Hall AASR-SJ

by Christopher Hodapp

The Secretary-General of the Southern Jurisdiction of the United Supreme Council, 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation, has officially announced the death this morning of their longtime Sovereign Grand Commander, Illus. Deary Vaughn, 33°. 
Click to enlarge

From: The Office of the Secretary-General, H∴E∴, Ill∴ Marvin D. Chambers, 33°

To: Supreme Council Officers, Actives and Emeriti, Grand Inspectors General, Sublime Princes, Loya...

Robert G. Davis Elected as Grand Master of Oklahoma Last Month

by Christopher Hodapp

Nobody tells me anything anymore. I have to pick things up in the street from the rough kids these days.
My belated congratulations to my friend and Brother, MW Robert G. Davis who was elected in November as the 2021 Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma AF&AM. 
I wouldn't have known had it not been for Masonic Revival announcing their creation of a special bow tie for the occasion.
If you have ever heard him speak or read his books and other writings, you know that MWB D...

Prince Hall Inspires New Portrait and Cigars

Portrait of Prince Hall by Ryan Flynn
(In progress - Please do not reproduce)

by Christopher Hodapp

New Hampshire Mason Ryan Flynn is one of the most talented and well-known American Masonic artists working today. On his Facebook page this past week, Brother Flynn announced his latest project a large portrait depicting Boston's Prince Hall, who is regarded as the 'founding father' of African-American Freemasonry in America. 

The portrait depicts MWB Hall in the 1780s holding the...

This Week's Inharmonic, Histrionic, and Cacophonic Escapades

by Christopher Hodapp

Oh, Fie! accursed, cruel and foul 2020, most abominable and scurvy of all years!
Folks probably assumed we'd be rolling into California long about now after leaving over a week ago and spending 10 days on the road. You would, of course, be correct in a normal year. But no.
When we left Indianapolis last week and headed West on the Gomorrah Highway, we had barely made it beyond our own county line when we were trapped on an exit ramp in a construction zone traffic jam....

Lechworth's Masonic Shop Remodeled in London's Freemasons' Hall

by Christopher Hodapp

The United Grand Lodge of England's Facebook page announced this week the remodeling of their Masonic shop inside of Freemasons' Hall on London's Great Queen Street.

For those of us whose only interaction with a Masonic merchant is over a folding table in a darkened convention lobby, these photos may engender a case of acute retailer envy. I think most of us can agree that this is exactly the way a shop dedicated to the world's oldest and most storied gentlemen's organization...

Pandemic Shutdowns Convince Men of the Need for Deeper Friendships

by Christopher Hodapp

An article in the Washington Post Monday (and circulated on MSN news) puts a spotlight on the emotional effects the COVID pandemic shutdowns have had on men. And apparently one of the most damaging is that isolation from in-person, male human contact is plunging them into deeper depression.
See ' No game days. No bars. The pandemic is forcing some men to realize they need deeper friendships.' by Samantha Smith.
Men were already spiraling into greater depths of depression over t...