Grand Lodge of Indiana
The Grand Lodge of Indiana Free & Accepted Masons (F&AM) was established on January 13, 1818 at the Schofield House in Madison, and is the governing body today for nearly 400 Masonic lodges throughout the state. There is no national or international administrative body for the worldwide Masonic fraternity. Most countries have a single grand lodge of their own, but in the United States, each state has a major grand lodge that oversees its jurisdiction.
Masonic lodges are operated independently in their local areas, but the Grand Lodge assists them with different programs and membership initiatives. Each lodge is part of creating the legislation that guides the operation of our fraternity.
The offices of the Grand Lodge of Indiana are located in downtown Indianapolis on the first floor of the Indianapolis Masonic Temple at 525 N. Illinois Street.
APPENDANT AND DEPENDENT BODIES
Scottish Rite Cathedral Indianapolis, Indiana
The Scottish Rite
The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite seeks to strengthen the community and believes that each man should act in civil life according to his individual judgment and the dictates of his conscience.
Scottish Rite Freemasonry is a way for the Mason to build upon the ethical teaching and philosophies offered in the Blue Lodge, which consists of the first three degrees of Masonry: Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason. The Scottish Rite continues these degrees, from 4° to 32°. While there is no degree ‘higher’ than that of a Master Mason, 32° Scottish Rite Masonry offers additional light to the studious Master Mason. Scottish Rite reveals a wealth of knowledge about Masonry not found in the other degrees. It seeks to enrich the philosophy of the Symbolic Lodge to help good men become even better. A Scottish Rite Freemason may obtain the 33° for outstanding service to the brotherhood.
The York Rite
Masonic history, both real and legendary, has centered around the search for the true Word. The lessons taught in the Lodge leave the initiate with the sense of having almost, but not quite, discovered the much-to-be-desired object of his quest. The first steps to take along this road should naturally tie in closely and enrich the degrees you have already received. Such are the Chapter and Council degrees and the Orders of the Commandery in the York Rite. These Masonic degrees are not merely degrees, but are exemplifications of homely virtues often neglected and lost sight of in the busy lives we now live. See the links below for more information.
Murat Shrine Temple Indianapolis, Indiana
Shriners
In 1882, the world was changing. The last bare-knuckled championship fight was held. Jesse James was shot in the back. In Indianapolis John Brush decided on another project that would change the face of Indianapolis forever. Brush, who was raised to the sublime degree in New York, pulled five of his Masonic brothers together and traveled to Cincinnati to visit the sixth temple in Shrinedom, Syrian Temple, established February 6, 1877. They wanted a Shrine temple in Indianapolis. At the time there were 450 symbolic lodges in Indiana.
Right from the start, the Indianapolis Shrine was special. While we don't know why the name was chosen, our name was the first to not have Arabic origin. The founders chose the name of the son of an innkeeper in France who left theological studies at the outbreak of the French Revolution. His name was Joachim Murat (Mur-ah) and he became a general serving Napoleon in Italy and Egypt. He was so good he was proclaimed the king of Naples in 1808. In the Nubian Desert, there is also an oasis called Bir Murat the general visited often to refresh his soldiers. Actor Rene Auberjonois, most noted for his shape shifter roles in Star Trek, is General Murat's great-great-great grandson. Murat was executed by a firing squad after a failed attempt to regain control of Naples.
Shriners International is a fraternity based on fun, fellowship and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief and truth. There are approximately 375,000 members from 191 temples (chapters) in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Republic of Panama.
Shriners International support Shriners Hospitals for Children, a one-of-a-kind international health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing specialty pediatric care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs. Since 1922, Shriners Hospitals for Children have significantly improved the lives of more than 865,000 children. The Shrine was originally founded in New York City in 1872.
Murat (Indianapolis)
Mizpah (Ft. Wayne)
Hadi (Evansville)
Zorah (Terre Haute)
Orak (Michigan City)
The Grotto
The man who comes to the Grotto had his Masonic origin in a Symbolic Lodge. Where he was taught to revere the name of God and pray for guidance. He came on through the degrees where his knowledge of the dignity of Masonry was expanded and the Grotto was provided for him as a place where he might join with his brothers in letting human instincts for fun, pleasure and amusement prevail.
The Grotto was not and is not a place for Masons to exercise practices that would not be tolerated in the Masonic bodies, or which are taboo among gentleman. The Grotto stands for all of Masonry and wholesomeness in life. It stands for letting in the sunshine on discouragement, grief and woe and it stands for substituting hope for despair at all times.
Without the formalities that attend the Degrees in Masonry, it brings members in close fraternal touch and it breeds confidence among wearers of the Fez. The Grotto has always been made up of men from all walks of life …men you are proud to know …men who travel by preference along the sunny side of the street and who play a fair game all the time.
Membership in the Grotto gives a man the right to wear its emblem and to participate in its good work, as well as enjoy all its pleasures. For more information click on the link below.