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Friday, June 01, 2007

Interesting Ballot box... on eBay

Hello Brethren and readers,

Today I have an item that presents a few questions. It is a ballot box with glass sides from a Masonic Lodge in the US. The ballot box is stated as being from the 1800's in the listing. To add to the mystery is a newspaper clipping on the bottom of the box with details of the officers of the lodge at that time. They are from Lotus Lodge. (In the eBay listing you can see the photo of the clipping and read it.)

So my questions are:
Is this really a ballot box? In my jurisdiction the ballot box is closed to keep the balloting secret. Could this have been for another purpose?
Does anyone know anytihng about Lotus Lodge? Is the lodge still operating? I can assume the ballot box or whatever it is is here because the lodge went into darkness but I'd be interested to find out.

So brethren let's do some research and see if we can get to the bottom of this Masonic Mystery. Comment here on anything you find out or your opinion on the box.

Here is the link to the listing:
Click here to see the ebay listing with photos

3 comments:

Chris said...

According to a Google search there was a Lotus Lodge no. 625 in Toledo, OH. The Grand Lodge of Ohio website is down so I haven't been able to fathom whether it's still operating.

Chris said...

I spoke too soon. It has been merged into Paragon Lodge #788 in Oregon, Ohio, according to
this link

Bro. Ken said...

Certainly doesn't look like any Ballot box that I've ever seen.

Ken
www.MasonicTravels.com