Volume 51, Number 1 e-mail: [email protected] Web Page: www.aasr-indy.org Winter 2001 he call came in 1985 from Dick Muir -- a brother Five years ago we privatized our food service who has been in the fraternal trenches for years operation which stopped hemorrhaging of about TKingKinghelping to put ClearstheClears Masonic Home Foundation HisHis on $150,000 TTr ra yearestleboarestleboar to a healthy $250,000 positive cashdd solid footing. At the other end was a colleague in the flow. banking community. The need: financial controls and computer integration at the Indianapolis Valley. And, Fiscal responsibility was primary, but his real labor of so it began with Bob King and our fraternity some 15 love was the Cathedral building itself. His care and years ago. concern that the Cathedral should be the most beautiful fraternal edifice set Bob's expertise has served us well him on a solid course of maintenance over the years; but even he wouldn't and preservation. know how much creativity it would take to keep declining membership from he tower windows had buckled sinking the ship. and were repaired and replaced, T the outside of the building was During his tenure, membership thoroughly cleaned, new exterior dropped from 36,000 to 22,000 -- but lighting was added, the auditorium, we are in an even stronger financial library, main floor lounges, directors condition than when he first arrived due room, and banquet hall were restored. to his God-given abilities that he honed Finally, just this summer, the Cathedral over a career in the banking industry. was completely air-conditioned and the Bob's ability to network with leaders in auditorium stage was stripped and the community and in the Valley replaced with state-of-the-art equip- provided him with the skills to meet the ment. These final two pieces puts us in changing needs of society and our an enviable position of making our members yet keep us fiscally sound. Ill. Robert L King, 33º facility competitive for rental income to outside groups. uring those years, the Executive Committees have quadrupled the number of activities such Always taking brother's "temperatures", well-re- Das banquets, plays, dances, Halloween and spected by other Secretaries across the United States, Christmas parties for our children, besides enhancing and so, after 15 years, Bob King will be missed. He the Valley's already great reputation in the Northern was the right person at the right time to right our ship Masonic Jurisdiction for our outstanding lineup of of state. Now Bob, you have earned your place in the degree presentations during the April and November Valley and you have earned your retirement with your Convocations. beloved Ginny. Godspeed! Page 2 Double Eagle Winter 2001 CathedralBy MarkAvailable Sims for Public and Private Events Events Manager tish Rite members wishing to rent the building for their personal use. Room charges will be dis- any members may not realize that the counted by 15% for contracts written in the name Scottish Rite Cathedral is open to the of the member. Rates are based on a basic Mpublic for various events ranging from rental charge for each room used plus set-up weddings and receptions to business and social charge and charges for personnel required, such programs. Responsibility for scheduling and as Tilers, auditorium technical staff, etc. Rates executing rental contracts rests with the Events are graduated based on the size of the group but Manager. Arrangements for food and beverages an average weekend wedding reception for 100- are made directly with Indy Anna’s Cathedral 300 people would cost around $1,600 depending Catering. on length of time needed, size of crowd, set-up requirements, etc. If the wedding and reception The Cathedral has been host to several promi- are both in the Cathedral some discounted nent events over the last several years, including: combination pricing is available. n Indianapolis Ballet Ball With the building now fully air conditioned, summer dates are filling fast and most reserva- n International Violin Competition Finals tions are made 9-12 months in advance. If you n IHSAA Basketball Finalist luncheons would be interested in having an event at the Cathedral, please call Mark Sims at (317) 262- n IHSAA Volleyball Finalist dinner 3100, ext. 240. n U.S. State Department Meetings n Annual Law Review Classes n Indiana Commission on Community Service Seminars n Herron School of Art Janus Ball Classic Car Club of America n The Double Eagle (USPS 015-686) is published five times each year in January, March, June, Ben Davis Madrigal Dinners September, and November by the Ancient n Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Indianapolis at 650 N Meridian St, Indianapolis IN 46204-1294. Indianapolis Woman Magazine Bridal Periodicals postage paid at Indpls IN. n POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Showcase above address. Editor Jerry B Collins, 33° Several groups such as Sertoma, Optimist and Officers Thrice Potent Master J David Hollingsworth Kiwanis also regularly meet in the cafeteria. Sovereign Prince Thomas A Fallis Arrangements for luncheon meetings in the Most Wise Master Carl E Culmann Commander-in-Chief Robert E Hancock, III rooms on the mezzanine are scheduled directly Secretary Jeffrey K Saunders, 33° Treasurer Robert M Danielson, 33° with Indy Anna’s Cathedral Catering. Weddings Tiler Raymond L Schwartz and receptions are extremely popular in the Hospitaler John W Duncan, 33° Auditorium, Ballroom, and Banquet Hall and this Trustees year the Cathedral will host 28 weddings and/or William C Brandt, Jr, 33° Philip S Kappes, 33° receptions. Marvin C Maguire, 33° Recently, the Trustees approved a simplified price structure which provides benefits for Scot- Double Eagle Winter 2001 Page 3 The Column ByThe TheWilliam K. Bissey GrGreateatinvention LightLight of moveable typeofof and MasonryMasonryment. The meaning of furniture Editor Indiana Freemason the acceptance of the Holy as equipment is an archaic Bible as a fixture in the life of a meaning of the word with no s an Entered Apprentice Christian, the Bible became a disrespect intended toward any we learned that the first part of the ceremony of the Volume of Sacred Law. AGreat Light of Freema- Operative Masons. sonry is the Holy Bible. As we he Indiana Monitor con progressed This is clear from various mid- tinues its commentary on through the seventeenth century manu- Tthis Ancient Landmark by degrees of the scripts (Colne MS No. 1 that is stating that “In our jurisdiction it Symbolic dated to about 1685, the (the Volume of Sacred Law) is Lodge, we find Watson MS with a date of 1687, usually the Bible, but any the Holy Bible to and the Lodge MS that is dated candidate not a Christian may be constantly to about 1650) that the Opera- have substituted for it any other present and in tive Masons had the custom of volume he considers sacred…” the center of the the candidate swearing an ritual. obligation on the Holy Bible. This means that the Jewish candidate may be obligated on If we wished his practice of a candi the Tanakh (the Old Testa- further light in date swearing an obliga ment). Or the Islamic candidate Masonry, we petitioned the Ttion on the Holy Bible may be obligated on the Qur’ various Masonic appendant was carried over into Specula- an, the Volume of the Sacred of bodies. tive Freemasonry. With the the Islamic faith. Other candi- development of Speculative dates may request to be obli- So how did the first Great Freemasonry it became clear gated on the Vedas or the Laws Light become an essential part that enlightened men who were of Confucius. As the Indiana of Freemasonry and the Ma- not Christian were interested in Monitor states “The candidate sonic appendant bodies? becoming Freemasons. As …may be obligated on the book Speculative Freemasonry of his choice.” or the answer to that became more universal, the question, we need to Great Light became the Volume or most Indiana Masons, Fexamine the Old Charges of Sacred Law and one of the it is the King James or Gothic constitutions of the Ancient Landmarks of the Ftranslation of Holy Bible Operative Masons of the Middle fraternity. that is the first of the Great Ages. The earliest extant manu- Lights of our fraternity. The script of the operative craft is the This is evident from reading rituals of the Symbolic Lodge Regius Poem or the Haliwell the Indiana Monitor and and the Masonic appendant manuscript that is dated to Freemason’s Guide published bodies contain readings from about 1390 A. D. In that docu- by the Grand Lodge of Free this translation. And the read- ment there are many references and Accepted Masons of the ings also include verses from to the Holy Bible and a descrip- State of Indiana. “The Volume the books of Esdras and Tobit. tion of an obligation. It is not of the Sacred Law is an indis- If you search in the King James clear as to the position the Holy pensable part of the furniture of translation of the Holy Bible, you Bible, if any, may have occupied a Lodge.” It should be noted will search in vain for the books in the brief ceremony in the that the furniture used in this of Esdras and Tobit. But that is Regius Poem. However, with the sense means essential equip- the subject of another column. Page 4 Double Eagle Winter 2001 Deputy's Message MASONRY Has Demonstrated That It Can Attract Members -- It Must Now hat I haveDemonstrate to say applies to both Scottish That Rite It ¨ SomeCan are Keepseeking an opportunityThem to serve.