This building on the north side of Milford has served as the home for Masonic Lodge 418 since 1992.

Jack Elam has been a fixture at Milford’s Masonic lodge for 48 years.

Now a 32nd degree Mason (he went through the Scottish Rite), Elam described his half-century attraction to the organization in down-to-earth terms. “It is a thing where, say, you were in high school, you had one group you wanted to be with,” he said. “That’s the way Masonry is. You kind of think the same way.”

A devotee of history, Elam recently co-authored “A History of Kosciusko Lodge 418 Free and Accepted Masons 1870-2105” with fellow lodge member Karl Keiper.

The book chronicles the development of the local chapter and includes informative photos, documents and lists of information.

Elam’s knowledge of the genesis of the Masons spans centuries. “In the middle ages when they were building cathedrals in Europe, the stonemasons formed kind of an organization where they greeted each other with a secret word or handshake,” he said.

“The masons would go from city to city and anyone wanting to work needed to know the secret greeting.”

When the cathedral construction business dried up, the Masons “started taking in other professionals like doctors and lawyers,” Elam said. “Then by the time the 13 colonies came around they were taking the common man.”

Elam cited notable Masons such as George Washington and the county’s namesake, Thaddeus Kosciusko, a general during the Revolutionary War. “At least eight to 10 presidents have been Masons,” he said.

The Milford lodge is one of several in the county. Though some chapters have closed through consolidation, there are still lodges in Warsaw, Mentone and Pierceton.

One misconception Elam is eager to dispense is Masonry’s supposed conflict with religion.

“In a good way, the Masonic lodge is a crutch in helping the churches. Members must be believers.

“After getting your master Mason degree you get a King James Bible and are told to take it and read it. In other words ‘get to your church,’” he said. “There is no bar in the lodge and we maintain high consistent moral standards.”

Elam noted Jacob Felkner, brother to founder Charles Felkner, started the first Christian church in Milford and his son was the lodge’s first worshipful master.

Explaining that compatibility is one reason Elam included in his book this quote from “The Indiana Freemason” magazine:

“Freemasonry lacks the basic elements of religion:

“(A) It has no dogma or theology and by forbidding religious discussion at its meetings will not allow a Masonic doctrine to develop.

“(B) It offers no sacraments.

“(C) It does not claim to lead to salvation by works, secret knowledge or any other means (the secrets of Freemasonry are concerned with modes of recognition, not with salvation).

“Freemasonry supports religion — Freemasonry is far from indifferent to religion. Without interfering in religious practice, it expects each member to follow his own faith, and to place his duty to God (by whatever name he is known) above all other duties. Its moral teachings are acceptable to all religions.”

Saturday the lodge will host its annual dinner for the wives and widows of members. “Once a year we cook for the ladies,” Elam said.

Anyone wishing to purchase the book may contact Elam at (574) 529-0807 or any known member of the Milford lodge.

This shows the cement nameplate (named for Charles D. Felkner, one of the founders of the Milford lodge) affixed to the original lodge (which met on the second floor), now the corporate headquarters of The Papers Inc.