Through the Key Hole - RoseCroix.org.au

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Thus the Order having its birth in the gold rush has been meeting
in Ballarat for over 150 years, a town in which Freemasonry has
played a significant role over the years.
Just as an addendum to this article, I will mention an interesting
custom of the lodges in those early days.
In the first degree when the candidate undergoes the trying experience
of having nothing to donate when the charity box is
thrust at him, in the days I refer to, this charity box is first taken
around the lodge room and each brother present dropped a shilling
or so in the box and then it was presented to the candidate for
his contribution.
If handled with the right degree of solemnity and propriety this
must have been a very effective and meaningful presentation of
this part of the ceremony.
Morman temple worship shares ome common symbols, signs and
clothing with Freemasonry, although some of the similarities have
been eliminated in recent years.
In past years the Mormon Church in Utah, USA has had an often
contentious relationship with Freemasonry in general. The Grand
Lodge of Utah was founded in 1872 as an openly anti-Morman organisation.
It eventually prohibited Mormans from joining its constituent
Lodges, and the Church responded by prohibiting Freemasons
from holding priesthood leadership positions in the Church.
The Grand Lodge officially dropped its anti-Morman stance in 1984
and in the same year the Morman church removed all prohibitions
against Freemasonry.
This is the situation today.
Atone time, to become a member of the Morman church the joining
ritual was similar of not identical to that of Freemasonry.