Reflections from the 2025 Midwest Conference on Masonic Education

 

 The 2025 Midwest Conference on Masonic Education, Hosted by The Grand Lodge of Indiana was held May 2-4, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Midwest Conference is a great gathering of Masonic educators and enthusiasts from various Grand Lodge jurisdictions across the Midwest. Since its founding in 1949, the conference has served as a place to come together to exchange ideas, learn from each other, foster discussions, provide valuable networking opportunities and strengthen Masonic education.

The conference accommodation was at the Embassy Suites in downtown Indianapolis, which was centrally located within easy walking distance to the Masonic Temple and Restaurant.

Registration for our conference was in the hotel lobby. The lobby and atrium area were alive and buzzing with people. Because there were 20,000 people in town that had registered for the IU Health 500 festival Mini Marathon that was going to take place one block from our hotel Saturday morning.

The Friday evening was a dinner and program at the Rathskeller German Restaurant which has been serving authentic cuisine since 1894. The restaurant is in the historic Athenaeum building which was built in the German Renaissance Revival style. This old-world classic charm set the stage for our lively and meaningful discussions.  

The conference attendees were directed to a private room on the second floor. Upon arrival I found the room buzzing with energy as 95 Brothers gathered from 17 different jurisdictions, many having traveled great distances to be there. I had the pleasure of meeting Brothers from as far as Winnipeg Canada, Florida, Alabama, and Montana. Though we were tightly packed at our tables, and the warmth of the room was undeniable, the conversations were nothing short of electric engaging, thought provoking and full of brotherly love.

After a hearty German dinner. President James Buckhorn made a welcoming statement and introduced the program for the evening. “An Idiot and a Dummy” Brent Morris and Chris Hodapp.

It was good to see my two old friends, and their names and faces were known by most in the audience. There was some gentle joking from the audience as they took to the stage.

For those of you unfamiliar with Morris and Hodapp they are both authors of two best-selling books about our fraternity.

“The Complete Idiots Guide to Freemasonry” by Brent Morris

“Freemasons for Dummies” By Chris Hodapp

Neither author had known each other at the time of writing, and they both had separate publishers. They both were writing their books at the same time.

Chrises book “Freemasons for Dummies” was published July 2005 and Brents book “The complete Idiots Guide to Freemasonry” was published four months later.

They both met at Masonic Week in Washington DC to promote their book. They both have been good friends since.

The focus of their talk was how their books came about, and the methods they used for researching and writing, and their toils and tribulations of producing a book.  Which was perfect for the audience, which was made up of Masonic scholars, writers and educators. Giving us a different perspective.

On Saturday the conference itself was held in the heart of the city at the Indianapolis Masonic Temple. It is an eight-story building in the shape of a cube fashioned in Classical Revival Architecture. It is made of Indiana limestone and is adorned with rows of Ionic columns. The building was completed in 1909 and is a testament to early 20^th century design and craftsmanship.

As I stood before the building, seeing it for the first time looking at its sheer size and the architectural beauty stirs a quiet respect for the craftmanship an vision in its construction.

When you first step inside the main lobby entrance. You are struck by the classical elegance of Masonic Architecture. This space is more than just a building-it is a treasure chest that holds the jewels of history, tradition and knowledge.

Stepping into the elevator was like stepping back in time to my childhood. The journey upward to the fifth floor was slow and deliberate. Then without warning it jerked to a sudden stop. The old elevator had some character. It was a breathtaking experience.

After stepping off the elevator and walking into the reception area of the museum-library I was met and greeted by the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Indiana David G. Morgan. I enjoyed our time together and had a chance to get to know him.

The conference itself was held in the Lodge room across the hall. When stepping into such a grand and historic lodge room is like entering into a world suspended in time-where craftsmanship and tradition whisper from every corner. Seeing the pipe organ with its golden pipes hints at the past ceremonies and melodies that fill the air of mystery and solemnity. I was informed that there are seven such pipe organs in the building and six of them are fully functional.

Later I looked behind the gold curtain behind the Senior Wardens chair and saw a backdrop to aid the dramatic effect in the Third Degree.

The first speaker was Author Steven L. Harrison, who shared the fascinating journey of writing his book, The Perfect Storm. His work delves into the stolen secrets of the Freemasons, the most infamous cold case of the 19th century, and a modern-day key to unraveling the mysteries of the baffling crime known as the Morgan Affair.

The William Morgan Affair remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in American history. It fueled enduring conspiracy theories and historical intrigue—much like the cases of organized crime figure Jimmy Hoffa or the daring airplane hijacker D.B. Cooper in more recent history.

But the Morgan Affair was more than just a local scandal. It reshaped American politics, sparking the rise of the Anti-Masonic Party—the very first third party in U.S. history. It transformed public attitudes toward Freemasonry and left an indelible mark on the nation's political landscape.

Over the past 200 years, the Morgan Affair has inspired countless books, articles, and pamphlets, each attempting to shed new light on the story. Steven L. Harrison approached writing his book much like a detective working a cold case—carefully piecing together fragments of information, uncovering hidden truths, and following leads until the full story took shape. His meticulous process took over three years, driven by patience, persistence, and deep investigative work to ensure every detail contributed to the final narrative.

As someone who has worked on cold cases myself, I was particularly intrigued by Steven's relentless pursuit of original documents. What stood out most was his discovery of corroborating testimony from a living descendant of William Morgan—an incredible breakthrough in unraveling this historical puzzle.

I enjoyed his presentation so much that I bought the book and plan to prepare a Lodge Education Program based on his research.

 The second speaker was Dr. Heather K. Calloway of the Indiana University Fraternal Center. The title of her talk was Hands-on History; Volunteer to Save Our Fraternal Heritage.

She provided a historical overview of the role of fraternal organizations in America. The Golden Fraternal Era was from 1870-1930. It was estimated that there were approx. 600-850 different fraternal organizations in America during that time, and how the role of the fraternal lodges were the centers of social life, civic service and mutual aid.

Dr. Calloway emphasized how important it was for us to preserve our history. One important hint was to make sure our records stay safe through changing technology is key. The files we once stored on floppy disks, and CD are already difficult to retrieve, and memory cards and flash drives might not be reliable either in the near future. Thinking ahead can help us protect what matters.

She informed us as Lodge Educators that we are the Guardians of our history. She encouraged us to build a culture of preservation, by including our Masonic history into our lodge education programs.

After lunch Daniel Gardiner presented “Research for Anyone”. His talk began with various examples of just ordinary Masons who had the desire to make significant discoveries in their research.

He also provided several online resources that could be valuable aids to one’s research.

The final Speaker of the day was Adam Kendell. His presentation was “Historical Content and the Fraternal Experience”

Brother Kendall’s busy schedule kept him from being present with us. He appeared to us from his Oakland California home via a live Zoom Video.

After the scheduled speakers wrapped up, we headed to the second floor for the evening program and dinner, where the election of officers for the upcoming 2025-2026 year took place.

Our dinner speaker was the esteemed Brent Morris, who delivered his thought-provoking talk, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Lodge.” He shared valuable insights into his work with the Scottish Rite, discussing membership trends, retention challenges, and the ever-evolving dynamics of our organization.

One of the evening’s standout moments was the recognition of Grand Lodge Education Officer Bradley Phelps, who received the prestigious Edward Rund Memorial Masonic Education Award for 2025. This honor celebrates his dedication to promoting Masonic learning and leadership, reinforcing the vital role education plays within Freemasonry. His contributions have enriched the fraternity, and the heartfelt applause he received spoke volumes about his impact.

The night concluded with an exciting announcement: The 2026 Midwest Conference on Masonic Education will be hosted by the Grand Lodge of Nebraska A.F. & A.M.,
taking place April 24-26 at the stunning Scottish Rite Temple in downtown Omaha, Nebraska.

Looking back on the weekend, I found that the conference truly embodied the fraternity’s unwavering commitment to lifelong learning and personal growth among its members. And of course—A Good Time Was Had by All!

The Minnesota Delegation