FREEMASONRY AND THE LATTER DAY SAINT MOVEMENT

The relationship between 'Freemasonry and the Latter Day Saint movement' began early in the history of Mormonism. Mormonism began during the wave of Anti-Masonry that struck the United States in the 1830s and 1840s. Despite this, Joseph Smith, Jr. and many of the Church founders were Freemasons, and started a lodge in Nauvoo, Illinois. There are parallels claimed between Mormon worship and symbolism and the stories and symbols of Freemasonry. In modern times, the LDS Church holds no position for or against the compatibility of Masonry with LDS doctrine.

Contents

Parallels

Freemasonry and modern Mormonism

See also

Notes

References

External links

Parallels

The relationship between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Freemasonry began early in the history of Mormonism. Some historians believe that the secret combinations, like those of the Gadianton Robbers referred to in the Book of Mormon, were symbolic for Freemasonry, although Joseph Smith Jr. never explicitly confirmed such beliefs.
While a number of early Church members such as Heber C. Kimball were Masons prior to becoming Mormons, Joseph Smith Jr. and the Church had no formal relationship with Freemasonry until the early 1840s, when Smith was urged to form a Masonic Lodge by those members who were Masons. It appears that John C. Bennett, a newcomer to the church, had a particularly strong influence in the spread of Freemasonry. LDS historian Reed Durham writes:

"By 1840, John Cook Bennett, a former active leader in Masonry had arrived in Commerce and rapidly exerted his persuasive leadership in all facets of the Church, including Mormon Masonry. ... Joseph and Sidney [Rigdon] were inducted into formal Masonry ... on the same day..." ("Is There No Help for the Widow's Son?" by Dr. Reed C. Durham, Jr., as printed in "Joseph Smith and Masonry: No Help for the Widow's Son", Martin Pub. Co., Nauvoo, Ill., 1980, p. 17.)

In 1842 Smith became a Master Mason, as indicated by his journal entries:

Tuesday, 15. — I officiated as grand chaplain at the installation of the Nauvoo Lodge of Free Masons, at the Grove near the Temple. Grand Master Jonas, of Columbus, being present, a large number of people assembled on the occasion. The day was exceedingly fine; all things were done in order, and universal satisfaction was manifested. In the evening I received the first degree in Freemasonry in the Nauvoo Lodge, assembled in my general business office. (''History of the Church'', by Joseph Smith, Deseret Book, 1978, Vol.4, Ch.32, p.550-1)

Wednesday, March 16. — I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree. (History of the Church, Vol.4, Ch.32, p.552)

In ''The Mormon Church and Freemasonry'' (2001), Terry Chateau writes:

[The Joseph Smith family] was a Masonic family which lived by and practiced the estimable and admirable tenets of Freemasonry. The father, Joseph Smith, Sr., was a documented member in upstate New York. He was raised to the degree of Master Mason on May 7, 1818 in Ontario Lodge No. 23 of Canandaigua, New York. An older son, Hyrum Smith, was a member of Mount Moriah Lodge No. 112, Palmyra New York.

Smith could have learned about Masonry from one of his wives, Lucinda Morgan, the widow of William Morgan, author of ''Illustrations of Freemasonry'' (not to be confused with the book of the same title by William Preston). Morgan disappeared in 1826, and a body washed up on the shores of Lake Ontario in October 1827 that was at first claimed as Morgan's, but later was claimed as someone else's. Morgan was later given a post-death baptism into the Church of Latter-Day Saints. In 1830, at the time Joseph Smith, Jr. published the ''Book of Mormon'', the United States was enveloped in an anti-Masonic movement sparked by Morgan's disappearance.
On May 4, 1842, just a couple of months after his initiation to Freemasonry, Smith instructed other LDS Church leaders "in the principles of and order of the Priesthood, attending to washings, anointings, endowments, and the communication of keys pertaining to the Aaronic Priesthood, and so onto to the highest order of the Melchizedek Priesthood...." (History of the Church, vol. 5, pg. 1, May 4, 1842).
Mormon temple worship does share some common symbols, signs, and clothing with Freemasonry, although a few of the similarities have been eliminated from temple ceremonies in recent years. It is not necessarily the case that these shared symbols represent similar ideas or are interchangeable with each other. Greg Kearney, LDS member and Mason, argues that Joseph Smith initially borrowed from the Masonic ritual in order to teach the temple endowment, presumably because so many people of the time and area were Masons. ^[1] Thus, aspects of the ritual can be considered distinct from the temple endowment, which has in later years shed some of the Masonic symbolism, as it is not as relevant to today's audience.
When Smith was killed in 1844, it was recorded that he raised his hands in the air and proclaimed, "My Lord and my God" before he was shot. This phrase could be the beginning of an appeal to God or it could be--as is often thought--the beginning words of a Masonic line that is to be used as an emergency call for help. The speculation is that Smith was making a last-ditch effort to identify himself to other Masons, should any have been in the mob that then assassinated him.

Freemasonry and modern Mormonism

In past years The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah had an often contentious relationship with Freemasonry in general and the Grand Lodge of Utah in particular. The Grand Lodge of Utah was founded in 1872 as an openly anti-Mormon organization. It eventually prohibited Latter-day Saints from joining its constituent Lodges. The Church responded by prohibiting Freemasons from holding priesthood leadership positions in the church.
However, in 1984 the Grand Lodge of Utah officially dropped its anti-Mormon positions and allowed church members to join. That same year Church President Spencer W. Kimball removed all remaining prohibitions against Freemasonry. Today there is no formal obstacle preventing members of the Church from becoming Freemasons or vice versa.^{[2] [3]}
There is no official statement by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as to whether or not Freemasonry is compatible with Mormonism. This position dates from the church presidency of Brigham Young. However, see the following statement by the ''Salt Lake Tribune'': "There is no specific Mormon prohibition of Masonry, but church spokesman Don LeFevre said the church discourages it members from joining it or similar groups. 'The church strongly advises its members not to affiliate with organizations that are secret, oath-bound, or would cause them to lose interest in church activities.'" (Section D1, Monday Feb. 17, 1992).

See also

★ Master Mahan

Notes

1. ''The Message and the Messenger: Latter-day Saints and Freemasonry'' Accessed May 5 2007.
2. Mormon Church and Freemasonry'' Accessed May 19 2006.
3. ''An Introduction to Mormonism and Freemasonry'' Accessed May 19 2006.

References

★ ''Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration''

★ ''Joseph Smith's Quorum of the Anointed''; edited by Devery S. Anderson and Gary James Bergera; Signature Books: Salt Lake City; 2005; ISBN 1-56085-186-4

★ Chateau, Terry. The Mormon Church and Freemasonry. 2001, California Freemason On-Line. Available: [1].

★ .

★ ''Freemasonry in Context: History, Ritual, Controversy'' by Arturo de Hoyos and S. Brent Morris; Lexington Books; Lanham, MD; 2004

★ ''The Mysteries of Godliness: A History of Mormon Temple Worship'' by David John Buerger; Signature Books: Salt Lake City; 2002; ISBN 1-56085-176-7

★ Wife of Two Martyrs: Lucinda Pendleton (Morgan Harris Smith)'' In Sacred Lonelines: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith'' by Todd Compton; Signature Books: Salt Lake City; 1997; ISBN 1-56085-085-X

External links

★ Mormonism and Freemasonry by Nicholas S. Literski

★ The Masonic Moroni: Exploring the Historical Relationship Between Early Mormonism & Freemasonry.

★ Anthony W. Ivins, ''The Relationship of "Mormonism" and Freemasonry'' (Salt Lake City, UT, Deseret News Press, 1934). online version

★ No Help for the widow's son A look at parallels between Mormonism, the Book of Mormon and Masonry. Also contains a legend that has striking parallels to early Mormon history and the Laban account in the Book of Mormon.

★ Essay discussing possible Masonic influences on Mormonism titled, "Captain Morgan and the Masonic Influence in Mormonism"

★ Apologetic discussion of Mormonism and freemasonry, similarities of the two, and what in Masonry was introduced similar to Mormonism after Temple rites were established.]