R.I.P. Edward Sebring

by Christopher Hodapp

          Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere:

"The sequel of to-day unsolders all

The goodliest fellowship of famous knights

Whereof this world holds record. Such a sleep

They sleep—the men I loved. I think that we

Shall never more, at any future time,

Delight our souls with talk of knightly deeds,

Walking about the gardens and the halls

Of Camelot, as in the days that were." *

So very sad today. I just received word that my longtime friend and Brother Ed Sebring passed away Thursday morning, after suffering from Mantle Cell Lymphoma for many months. Many Indiana Knights Templar probably remember Ed best as the editor of the Indiana supplement of the KT Magazine for many, many years, but he was so much more than just a name on a masthead.

I met Ed for the first time 22 summers and a thousand years ago, and since then, we've spoken more to each other in texts and emails than in person. But he was always upbeat, jovial, supportive, and so much more. 

Ed was incredibly enthusiastic about Indiana's DeMolay kids and and our York Rite bodies. When we first started Levant Preceptory as the state's first Medieval period recreation Order of the Temple team, he was our first and most vocal cheerleader.

As a longtime editor, he frequently sent me his take on this or that article or blog post I'd put up. He'd often send me a story idea or a news item to pursue. But we shared other common interests like railroads, history, the old film and video production days, France, and more. 

Health problems dogged Ed over the last decade or so, and he was being treated for cancer for many months. So, we commiserated on that topic as well, sharing stories of the horrors of being trapped in infusion room Barcaloungers, watching helplessly as endless morning chat shows and "Flip This House" reruns droned on the TV set, with no possible hope of wresting the remote control from the hands of fellow patients. 

Years ago, Jeff Naylor said, “When you're young all you ever want to be is older. No one ever explains that the price you pay for that is in the numbers of people you lose who were important in your life.” Dear God, I wish that wasn't so, because knowing it doesn't make it less painful when it happens. But as the years pass and mortality looms larger in the rear-view mirror, it takes on definable features. Ed Sebrings don't pass our way very often, and I sorely regret not having spent more time in his company. I'll miss our phone calls and messages back and forth. The loss of his wisdom, experience and good counsel will leave a void in my life not easily filled.

My heart goes out to dear Cindy Rider, who wrote this morning. She's hoping to have a Masonic service for Ed at Vincennes Lodge No. 1 soon. I'll post more when I know.

His column is broken, and his Brethren mourn.

       Then loudly cried the bold Sir Bedivere:

"Ah! my Lord Arthur, whither shall I go?

Where shall I hide my forehead and my eyes?

For now I see the true old times are dead,

When every morning brought a noble chance,

And every chance brought out a noble knight.

Such times have been not since the light that led

The holy Elders with the gift of myrrh.

But now the whole ROUND TABLE is dissolved

Which was an image of the mighty world;

And I, the last, go forth companionless,

And the days darken round me, and the years,

Among new men, strange faces, other minds."

       And slowly answer'd Arthur from the barge:

"The old order changeth, yielding place to new,

And God fulfills Himself in many ways,

Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.

Comfort thyself: what comfort is in me?

I have lived my life, and that which I have done

May He within Himself make pure! but thou,

If thou shouldst never see my face again,

Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer

Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice

Rise like a fountain for me night and day.

For what are men better than sheep or goats

That nourish a blind life within the brain,

If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer

Both for themselves and those who call them friend?

For so the whole round earth is every way

Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.

But now farewell. I am going a long way

With these thou seëst—if indeed I go—

(For all my mind is clouded with a doubt)

To the island-valley of Avilion;

Where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow,

Nor ever wind blows loudly; but it lies

Deep-meadow'd, happy, fair with orchard-lawns

And bowery hollows crown'd with summer sea,

Where I will heal me of my grievous wound."

So said he, and the barge with oar and sail

Moved from the brink, like some full-breasted swan

That, fluting a wild carol ere her death,

Ruffles her pure cold plume, and takes the flood

With swarthy webs. Long stood Sir Bedivere

Revolving many memories, till the hull

Look'd one black dot against the verge of dawn,

And on the mere the wailing died away.*

Requiescat in pace.

* From Le Morte d'Arthur by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Levant Preceptory in Detroit Last Weekend

Many thanks to the members and guests of Detroit Commandery No. 1 last Saturday for their kind hospitality as Levant Preceptory traveled to Michigan to portray the Order of the Temple in period costume. Sir Knights came from Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Canada and Trinity Commandery No. 80 in Downer's Grove, Illinois for the day, and it was a great way to spend a Saturday. Lunch and dinner were outstanding, and the Detroit Masonic Temple is the perfect place to perform this degree.

Photos thanks to Phil Whisner.



(Left to right) Chris Hodapp, Jim Dillman, Jim Iles


Front Row
Chris Hodapp, Jim Dillman, Terry Turner, Tom Tuttle, Grand Master of the Grand Encampment William H. Koon II, Grand Commander of Indiana Paul Cole, Jack Wallace, and Hermits Rob Kumpfer and Mark Haworth


Back Row
Jim Iles, Phil Whisner, Mitchell Rohrbaugh, Aaron Taylor, Carson Smith, Dale Adams, John Bridegroom, and Hermit Gary Messer

Thanks especially to Grand Commander Cole and Grand Master Koon for coming out and seeing us. Levant Preceptory is Indiana's period recreation Knight Templar team, which operates under the charter of Raper Commandery No. 1 in Indianapolis. Sir Knights participate from all across Indiana.

Indiana's Levant Preceptory in August Knight Templar Magazine

My article about Levant Preceptory, Indiana's Masonic Knight Templar medieval period recreation group, appears in the August 2011 issue of the Knight Templar Magazine, which arrived at Hodapphaüs today. Many thanks to editor and Sir Knight John Palmer.

Read it online here.

Levant is planning a trip to confer the Order of the Temple at the Detroit Masonic Center tentatively on March 24th, 2012. The combination of Sir Knights clad in chainmaille, broadswords and helms, on the floor of Detroit Commandery No. 1's exquisite medieval asylum will be the perfect combination. Details coming soon—don't miss it!

Indiana's Levent Preceptory in Illinois 6/12/2010

(Photo by John Bridegroom of Levant Preceptory after conferring 

the Order of the Temple on March 20th at Highland Commandery in Hammond, Indiana)

Levant Preceptory is a group of Indiana Knights Templar from various commanderies that confers the Order of the Temple in period Knight Templar costumes including chainmail armor, broadswords, and helmets. While we are organized under the charter of Indianapolis' Raper Commandery No. 1, Sir Knights cooperate from commanderies all over Indiana to take part in this unique presentation of the Masonic Knight Templar orders.

(Levant Preceptory after conferring the Order 

of the Temple at the Indiana Masonic Home in Franklin, Indiana)

Levant Preceptory will be traveling to Red Hills State Park Park near Sumner, IL on June 12 for an outdoor conferral of the Order of the Temple. Sumner is in southeastern Illinois approximately 20 miles west of Vincennes, IN. SK Bill Hussey is the point man for the group in Illinois and he informs us that they have commitments to attend from commanderies in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and possibly Missouri. The Right Eminent Grand Commander of Illinois, Sir Knight Joseph W. Lucas, will be in attendance, as will members of the Grand Commandery of Indiana.

The conferral is expected to begin at 2:00 P.M. local time, 3:00 P.M. Indianapolis time.

For more information about Levant Preceptory, contact Raper Commandery No. 1 Eminent Commander James R. Dillman.

64th Knights Templar Triennial Conclave

The 64th Knights Templar Triennial Conclave has been going on in Roanoke, Virginia this week. Almost 400 Sir Knights gathered at the Hotel Roanoke for drill team competitions, elections and general business meetings. There were 377 voting members representing 47 states and 6 foreign countries.

William H. Koon II has been elected as the Most Eminent Grand Master, Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America. David Godwin has been elected as the Right Eminent Deputy Grand Master, and Indiana's Duane L. Vaught has been elected as the Right Eminent Grand Captain General.

Indiana was well-represented at the Triennial by Grand Commander Larry Brown. In the Class 3 Drill competition, Greenfield Commandery No. 39 took 3rd place, and my own Raper Commandery placed 5th. Commanders Terry Terhune and Carson Smith worked together this year to share drill team members so both commanderies could place teams on the floor. There is talk of working on a battalion-wide level next time to be sure there are A and B teams three years from now, as well. This kind of cooperation could go a long way to keep drill team competition alive, if, for instance, commanderies put together C teams, battalions B teams, and states A teams. Note that there was only one A team at the triennial this year.

Indiana Knights Terry Turner, Phil Whisner and Gary Messer spent Sunday evening touring the hospitality suites in their medieval Levant Preceptory kit, spreading the word about how steel helmets, broadswords and chainmaille are generating new interest in Templars looking for something a little more unusual in their commandery. The reduced interest in drill teams evidenced this year is a barometer that shows new men coming to the door of our asylums aren't wanting to be Templar Knights out of a desire to march in formation. The biggest challenge that faces all of the York Rite bodies is keeping members participating. The York Rite arguably has some of the best written, and most affecting degrees in Masonry. But once the degrees are conferred, we all have to make damn sure there's a reason for men to come back next month. And jamming them into an officer's chair is NOT the way to do it. Unique, entertaining, interesting programming, table meetings, speakers, papers, historical presentations, road trips, cooperation between chapters for degree conferrals—we need to try everything we possibly can.

I spent most of my days hanging out selling and signing books, meeting Knights literally from around the world—Togo, Romania and France were among the countries attending this year.

Toye, Kenning and Spencer had a large vendors' table set up, as they enter the US regalia market. TKS is the world's oldest Masonic regalia manufacturer, and having them in the US at last is a great development. Charles Toye has been working for two years to set up a supply line to America, which will make US shipments much faster (good news for us at Lodge Vitruvian, since they provide our custom aprons). Brother Michael Seay, a regular tour guide at the George Washington Masonic Memorial, is officially TKS' US sales rep. Contact him at mike.seay@toye.com

(Note to Stephen Dafoe: both of your books, Nobly Born and The Compasses and the Cross were flying off Toye's table.)

Many thanks to the brethren who joined The Masonic Society this week. After some conversation with Mark Tabbert and George Seghers of the George Washington Masonic Memorial, we'll have a new development to announce in the coming weeks concerning the Society and the Memorial's digital archiving program.

For photos of the event, Sir Knight John Westervelt of Winchester, Virginia will be putting up an online photo album (check back if it is not up yet). Go to www.seeyourphotos.net , enter as the event "64th Triennial Conclave" and password "20060644"

Our road trip plans have changed a little bit, as we roll through the Virginia countryside in the Dummies Urban Mobile Assault (DUMAss) Command Center. We'll be in Williamsburg and Washington DC the rest of the week, through the weekend.