Masonry and the Mormon
Mormon
Few Mormons
realize that the LDS temple ceremony is not of ancient origin, nor of modern
revelation. Instead, the ceremony originated around 1790 when the Masons first
conceived it for use in their secret society.
Until 1990 the
In 1827 Capt. W. M. Morgan, a
disillusioned Mason, published a book entitled Freemasonry Exposed, which
reveals a detailed description of their ceremonies in word and illustration. Because of this exposé, Morgan was murdered
three months later by members of his lodge. (We have a number of period upstate
After Morgan's death, his widow, Lucinda
Pendleton Morgan, a very pretty and intelligent woman married George W. Harris
on January 12, 1831. While married to Harris, Lucinda
became one of the first plural wives of the prophet Joseph Smith in 1838.
(We can add
here to Joseph Smith’s list of crimes Adultery) It seems likely that Smith married her while
living at the Harris home. This
circumstance would seem to corroborate the story of Mrs. Sarah Pratt, who related in an interview with
Mormon leaders proclaim that the temple endowment was given to Joseph Smith by revelation, but after reading the book Freemasonry Exposed, I seriously questioned the validity of the Church's claim.
After reading only a few pages of the book I could see the unmistakable similarities between the Masonic Initiation Ceremony and the Mormon Temple Ceremony.
Joseph Smith
became a Mason on March 15, 1842 and rose to the sublime degree the
following day. This initiation took place in his upper business office or
Masonic lodge room (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 550-551). Only a few weeks after Joseph's initiation
into Masonry, he taught the other
There is no doubt that Joseph's primary interest in Masonry was because of its ritual. Like Solomon, he became a temple builder. Joseph Smith's own temple records indicate his temple endowment took place on May 4, 1842, just seven weeks after his Masonic initiation. In Smith's own words he said: "In the evening I received the first degree in Freemasonry in the Nauvoo Lodge." The next day he stated: "I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree." This qualified Joseph to be a Master Mason. (Ibid. 1842 vol. 4, p. 552)
Joseph Smith Sr., Joseph Smith Jr., Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Newel K. Whitney, John C. Bennett, John Taylor, Sidney Rigdon, and other Mormons were ALL Masons.
Shortly after their temple endowment
ceremonies, Joseph Smith Jr. and other Mormons were
expelled from the Masonic order for violating their oaths. It
was May 4, 1842 that Joseph Smith introduced the Masonic Ceremony as the
When
Dr. Reed Durham, director of the LDS Institute of Religion, made this discovery
in 1974 and gave a speech on the subject of the Mormon-Mason connection before
the
He also showed the Jupiter talisman during that speech, and explained that Joseph had carried it on his person since 1826 (the same year he was convicted of money-digging charges and being a believer in magic), and that he had the Jupiter talisman on him at the time of his death.
The
talisman contains symbols relating to astrology and magic, and there were other
(Mormon venerated) magical
items discovered at the same time that belonged to Hyrum Smith.
Although most Mormon historians do not mention these facts in their
church-authorized writings (including
Mormon deception, intimidation, repression, theft, and violence as well as
other matters that might call into question the sacred nature and integrity of
the Mormon experience), they have to admit that the endowment ceremony contains many
details that are similar to the Masonic initiation rites of the 1800's,
especially since Joseph became a Mason such a short time prior to the
"revelation."
Similarities Between
the Masonic
and the Mormon
1) Masonic Preparation Room
The candidate is ushered into the preparation room where he meets the Junior
Deacon and Stewards who divest him of all his clothing except his shirt. He is
then handed an old pair of drawers, which he puts on.
Mormon Dressing Room
The initiate is divested of all his clothing, and then directed to the washing
and anointing dressing rooms where he eventually puts on a special pair of
under garments.
2) Masonic Compass
The candidate then enters, the Senior Deacon at the same time pressing his
naked left breast with the point of the compass.
Mormon Compass
The point of the compass is sewn into the left [breast] of the garment.
As the candidate enters, the angle of the square is
pressed hard against his naked right breast.
The square is sewn into the right side of the garment.
4) Masons Washing Ceremony
Master orders the basin of the perfumed water and a clean napkin to be brought
to him, and directs candidate to wash his hands, which he does...Master takes a
box of perfumed ointment and anoints candidate on his head, eyes, mouth, heart,
the tip of his right ear, hand, foot, and says - "You are now, my dear
brother, received a member of our society."
Mormon Washing Ceremony
The initiate is washed, and various organs of his body (head, lips, breast,
ears, hand and feet, etc.) are anointed with holy consecrated oil.
5) Masons Presenting New Name To Candidate
"I also present you with a new name; it is CAUTION"
Mormon Temple Worker Presents New Name To Candidate
" I give you a new name which you should always remember, and which you
must keep sacred, and never reveal ... The name is ____."
6) Man Representing Adam In Masonic Ceremony
Thrice Puissant Grand Master, representing Father Adam, is stationed in the
east. (This occurs in the Knight of the Sun Degree.)
Man Representing Adam In
Mormon Ceremony
Elohim -- (Turning to the audience) - "This man
who is now being operated upon is Michael who helped form the world. When he
awakes ... he will be known as Adam"
7) Man Representing Deity In
Masonic Ceremony
One of the members now personates the Deity, behind the bush, and calls out
"Moses! Moses!" (This occurs in the Royal Arch Degree.)
Man Representing God In Mormon Ceremony
A temple worker dressed in white clothing, representing Elohim,
comes from behind the curtain.
8) Masons Use A Mallet
He gives a rap with the common gavel or mallet.
Mormons Use A Mallet
One of the temple workers, ... gives three raps with a
mallet.
Masonic entered apprentice vs. First token of the Aaronic Priesthood
9) Masonic Penalty Sign
Made from the due-guard by dropping the left hand carelessly; at the same time
raise the right arm and draw the hand, still open, across the throat, thumb
next [to] the throat, and drop the hand perpendicular by the side.
Mormon Penalty Sign
"The Execution of the Penalty is represented by placing the thumb under
the left ear, the palm of the hand down, and by drawing the thumb quickly
across the throat to the right ear, and dropping the hand to the side."
10) Masonic Grip
The right hands are joined together as in shaking hands and each sticks his
thumb nail into the third joint or upper end of the fore finger.
Mormon Grip
The token is giving by clasping the right hands and placing the joint of the
thumb directly over the first knuckle of the hand.
11) Masonic Wording Concerning The Grip
The Master and candidate holding each other by the grip, as before described,
the Master says.
"What is this?"
Ans. "A grip."
"A grip of what?"
Ans. "The grip of an Entered Apprentice Mason."
"Has it a name?"
Ans. "It has."
"Will you give it to me?"
Ans. "I did not so receive it, neither can I so impart it."
Mormon Wording Concerning The Grip
Peter - "What is that?"
Adam - "The second token of the Melchizedek Priesthood."
Peter - "Has it a name?"
Adam - "It has."
Peter - "Will you give it to me?"
Adam - "I can not, I have not yet received it.
12) Masonic Oath
"... binding myself under no less penalty than to
have my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by the roots ..."
Mormon Oath
"We and each of us, covenant and promise that we will not reveal any
secrets of this... Should we do so, we agree that our throats be cut from ear
to ear and our tongues torn out by their roots."
Masonic fellow craft vs. Second token of the Aaronic Priesthood
13) Masonic Oath
"...binding myself under no less penalty than to
have my left breast torn open and my heart and vitals taken from thence and
thrown over my left shoulder."
Mormon Oath
"We and each of us do covenant and promise that we will not reveal the
secrets of this ... Should we do so, we agree to have our breasts cut open and
our hearts and vitals torn from our bodies "
14) Masonic Penalty Sign
"The sign is given by drawing your right hand flat, with the palm of it
next to your breast from the left to the right side with some quickness, and
dropping it down by your side"
Mormon Penalty Sign
"This is the sign. The Execution of the Penalty is represented by drawing
the thumb quickly across the body and dropping the hands to the side."
15) Masonic Grip
"Take each other's hands as in ordinary hand-shaking and press the top of
your thumb hard against the space between the first and second knuckles of the
right hand."
Mormon Grip
"This token is given by clasping the right hand and placing the joint of
the thumb between the first and second knuckles of the hand."
16) Masonic Name Given
"Brother, I now present you with my right hand, in token of brotherly love
and confidence, and with it the pass-grip and word of a Fellow Craft Mason ....
the name of it is Shibboleth."
Mormon Name Given
"The Name of this token is your own first given name."
Masonic Master Mason vs. First and second token of the Melchizedek Priesthood
17) Masonic Sign
"The sign is given by raising both hands and arms to the elbows,
perpendicular, one each side of the head, the elbows forming a square."
Mormon Sign
"The sign is made by raising both hands high above the head."
18) Masonic Penalty Sign
"The Penal Sign is given by putting the right hand to the left side of the
bowels, the hand open, with the thumb next to the belly, and drawing it across
the belly, and letting it fall; this is done tolerably quick."
Mormon Penalty Sign
"The Execution of the Penalty is represented by placing the right hand on
the left breast, drawing the hand quickly across the body, and dropping the
hands to the sides."
19) Masonic Oath
"binding myself under no less penalty than to
have my body severed in two in the midst..."
Mormon Oath
"We and each one of us do covenant and promise that we will not reveal any
of the secrets of this... Should we do so, we agree that our bodies be cut
asunder in the midst and all our bowels gush out."
20) Masonic Grip
Grasp each other's right hands very firmly, the spaces between the thumb and
first finger being in interlocked and the tops of the fingers being pressed
hard against each other's wrist where it joins the hand, the fingers of each
being somewhat spread.
Mormon Grip (Slightly Different Method of Grip)
The Grip is made by grasping the hand, the forefinger on center of the wrist
and little fingers locked.
21) Masonic Grand Hailing Sign And Due Guard
The sign is given by raising both hands and arms to the elbows,
perpendicularly, one on each side of the head, the elbows forming a square.
The due guard is made by holding both hands in front, palms down.
Mormon Pay, Lay, Ale
The sign is made by elevating both the arms above the head ... the arms dropped
to the square,... and then to the sides.
22) Masonic Apron
While the Wardens are examining the candidate, the Master returns to the east
and gets an apron, and as he returns to the candidate... The Master then says
to the candidate, "Brother, I now have the honor to present you with a
lamb-skin or white apron..."
Mormon Apron
Adam-- (Turning to the audience)--"Brethren and sisters, put on your
apron."
Masonic raising of Hiram Abiff vs. Mormon Veil
23) Masonic Five-Points of Fellowship as Hiram Abiff's
Dead Body is Raised
He (the candidate) is raised on what is called the five points of fellowship,
which are foot to foot, knee to knee, breast to breast, hand to back and mouth
to ear.
Mormon Five-Points of Fellowship at The Veil
"The five points of fellowship are "inside of right foot by the side
of right foot, knee to knee, breast to breast, hand to back, and mouth to
ear."
24) Master Mason Raising Candidate
The Master, in raising him, is assisted by some of the brethren, who take hold
of the candidate by the arms and shoulders; as soon as he is raised to his
feet, they step back, and the Master whispers the word "Mah-Hah-Bone," in his ear, and causes the candidate to
repeat it, telling him that he must never give it in any manner other than that
in which he receives it. He is told that Mah-Hah-Bone
signifies marrow in the bone. They then separate.
Mormon Passing Through The Veil
At the five points of fellowship ... one putting his mouth to the other's ear,
in which position The Lord whispers: "This is the name of the token:
Health in the navel, marrow in the bones, strength in the loins and in the
sinews, power in the priesthood be upon me and upon my posterity through all
generations of time and throughout all eternity." The patron repeats the
token and then they separate...
It may seem surprising that Joseph Smith would incorporate so much Masonry into
the endowment ceremony in the very weeks when all his leading men were being
inducted into the Masonic lodge. They would have been blind indeed not to
see the parallelism between the costuming, the grips, passwords, keys, and
oaths. However,
Smith covered his bases when he told the men that the endowment ceremony had to
be restored to the original and pure form of Adam's time. (This is the identical false claim Smith, Spalding, and Cowdery made concerning the bible at the beginning of the
religious scam they created to dupe the followers of a dead “prophet” who
called themselves The Pilgrims. The
scam was for Smith to play the prophet and purloin the money the members had gained from selling their
houses and lands [ To be used to build The New Jerusalem] Had Spalding and Cowdery’s plan come off as first planned their would have
NEVER been a book of Mormon and Mormonism. What happened was it took Judge Spalding
and Publicist Cowdery too long to find their young [criminal]
easy to control] charismatic actor, Joseph Smith and train him for the part. The
Pilgrims by then broke up and used the money to build their new community. One thing we can learn from
Mormon history is that once some form of the scam had worked it would be
employed again, and again and again) According to
Smith the Masons had corrupted the ceremony originated by God in Solomon's time
by removing and changing many parts. (Again and again and again)
Smith also made free use of other Masonic symbols--the beehive, (
When I was a young on fire for God believer I had the great opportunity
to witness to and to help bring William Morton to the feet of Jesus Christ. – When
we first met it was quite apparent that Christ was already at work in his life.
As we became good friends I also brought him to the church I
attended at the time:
Billy was at first very fearful about leaving the lodge but as he gained
strength in Christ he one day went to his father and confessed his conversion
to Jesus Christ, and his renouncing of Masonry. His father kicked him out of the house, disowned
him and refused to have anything to do with Billy. This was difficult at first
but Billy continued as a good soldier in the Lord.
A year or so later after I had left for bible school Billy was
killed one night in a hit and run in which he was thrown 200 feet. His death has always been questionable in my
heart. The woman that killed him was located several days later and claimed in
court that she had thought she hit a bag of garbage. Odd also was that the
woman did no time in jail. While editing this article and especially the
Masonic threat of disembowelment Billy Morton flashed into my consciousness,
making me wonder once again about his sudden death.
I hope to see Billy again one day in heaven with Jesus Christ.
Former BYU historian Michael Quinn has done extensive research on rites and
ancient mysteries related to occultism. Quinn states, "The following are
ten essential characteristics common to both occult rituals and the
1) They are revealed by God from the beginning, but distorted through
apostasy.
2) They place an emphasis on the worthiness of initiates.
3) They include washings and anointing, a new name and garments.
4) They emphasize vows of non-disclosure.
5) There are both lesser and greater rituals.
6) They feature presentation of the ritual through drama.
7) They contain an oath of chastity requiring strict purity and virtue of the
participants.
8) They feature prominent use of the sun, moon and stars as key symbols.
9) The purpose of the ritual is to assist the mortals to godhood.
10) They employ titles and offices of prophets, priests and kings to those in
leadership.
Michael Quinn commented that the ancient occult mysteries and the Mormon endowment manifest both philosophical and structural kinship.
While Mormon apologists have a hard time explaining the fact that the Bible does not support the doctrine of baptism for the dead or temple marriage, they are faced with an even greater problem when they turn to The Book of Mormon. Since The Book of Mormon is supposed to contain the fullness of the gospel, why doesn't it contain even one passage to support either of these two doctrines?
It's interesting to note that the same revelation in the Doctrine and
Covenants that contains the information concerning
The
Blacks...
Until 1978, persons with any known trace
of black African ancestry were not permitted to enter a Mormon temple, even if
they were otherwise worthy members of the Church. Joseph Smith taught that
Negroes (blacks) are the descendants of Cain. (J. S. History, vol. 4, p.
501)
Brigham Young was equally adamant
about the status of the blacks. Young said; "Blacks are cursed with a flat nose
and black skin". (Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, pp. 290-291) "Shall
I tell you the law of God in regard to the African Race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his
blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death
on the spot. This will always be so."
Brigham Young also said "…that if the priesthood was ever given to the Blacks, on that very day and hour, if we should do so, the priesthood will be taken from this church." (Brigham Young Addresses, p. 61)
Pres. Joseph Fielding Smith said: "They are an inferior race, and their intelligence is stunted." Apostle Bruce McConkie said: "The Negroes were less valiant in the preexistence, and therefore spiritually restricted."
In spite of earlier revelations concerning the blacks, in 1978 the leaders of the Mormon Church announced that they had received a revelation allowing all worthy male members to receive the Priesthood. (D&C, p. 293).
On June 13, 1978 the Salt Lake Tribune reported that President Kimball
refused to discuss the revelation that changed the Church's 148-year-old policy
against ordination of blacks, saying it was a personal thing. Kimball said: "The revelation came at this time
because conditions
and people have changed. It's a different
world than it was 20 or 25 years ago. (As part of it’s consequences
the 1964 Civil Rights Bill brought Mormonism to the place that it seen
as the racist organization it was. And try as they might the Mormon leadership
could not explain away that doctrine, so it was suddenly superseded with the
revelation that all men were created equal in the sight of God – a very novel
though in 1978) The world is ready for it. (Talk
about being behind the times)