Congratulations Illus. Brother James Dillman, 33°

by Christopher Hodapp

I'm furious that a stupid stumble wound up keeping me home from an event that was so important to the four portly gents in this old picture.

Fifteen years and way too many banquet dinners ago, there were these four Indiana troublemakers: an extremely overweight Dummy, WB Jim Dillman, RW Roger VanGorden PGM, and WB Nathan Brindle. The photo above was shot on a very hot summer afternoon in 2007, behind the Indianapolis Scottish Rite Cathedral. Jim, Nathan and I had just started serving together on the Board for the Indianapolis Masonic Temple. We were still two years away from founding The Masonic Society, of which Roger would become the first president, Jim its second, Nathan its Secretary/Treasurer, and I would edit the quarterly magazine. Several years later, Roger, Nathan and Jim would all go on to have officer positions in the Indianapolis Valley of the Scottish Rite.

Over time, we would all have incredible honors bestowed upon us by the fraternity that we never anticipated. Roger, Nathan and I would all be honored with the 33° by the Scottish Rite NMJ. (In my own case, I'm still bewildered and convinced someone snuck mine in accidentally. There's no chance it could have been done on purpose.)

And so it came to pass on Tuesday that now-Illustrious Brother James Dillman stood among his peers at Louisville's Palace Theater and was coroneted with the 33rd degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, NMJ. I would have given anything to have attended that ceremony, but my freshly broken ankle put a sudden kibosh to that plan. My deepest regrets, Jim. I really really wanted to be there.

In a further development amongst our little merry band of Hoosier Masonic cabal members, Illus. Roger VanGorden was named as an Active Member of the Supreme Council NMJ for Indiana.

I don't know what deeds I ever accomplished over the years to be associated with these esteemed brethren of such rare and varied talents, but I thank the GAOTU every day for it.