Mormons, Temples, And Masonry

the Truth about the origins of both Mormon Temple Ordinances and Freemasonry

1. Mormons, Temples, and Masonry
The Truth is Not Hard to Find.

2. Remember the Knights
Templar?

3. They were a Military-Religious
Order…
1.That Guarded the Route to the Holy
Land during the Crusades.
2.That Governed The Holy Land.
3.That Heavily Excavated The “Temple
Mount” while in Jerusalem.

4. They were also the “Bankers
of Europe….”
They were accused of numerous crimes
through the mechanations of “Philip the
Fair” in France, who also owed them a
very large amount of money.

5. Who Had His “French Pope”…
Subject the Templars to the Tortures
and Fire of the Inquisition.

6. All Went Underground…
Some became good.
Others “not so good”

7. Many Scholars Have…
Shown that the Masonic Movement was
born from the Underground movement
of the Knights Templar.

8. One Thing is Clear…
The Knights could have stumbled across
the Ancient Temple Rites while in
Jerusalem…
Or, they could have received a remnant
of those rites from the “Holy See” at
Rome or the Patriarch at
Constantinople.

9. Joseph Smith’s Family…
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.

10. Joseph Smith
Was exposed to Masonry well before he
published the Book of Mormon in
August, 1829.
Yet, the Book of Mormon is anything but
a Masonic Manual. If Freemasonry had
such an impact on Joseph Smith, it
would be evident in the Book of
Mormon.

11. Free-Masonry Teaches
There are three levels of Freemasonry:
2.Apprentice
3.Fellow Craft
4.Master Mason

12. These are taught through…
An allegory that refers to one Hyrum
Abiff and the unfinished completion of
the allegorical Temple at Jerusalem.
Hyrum Abiff is killed by treachery in the
allegory and his work remains
uncompleted.

13. This Allegory Applies:
To the Knights Templar who were
trying to “restore” the fullness of
Christianity and the Temple of
Solomon’s ordinances before they were
disbanded and destroyed. The allegory
served to remind Templars and their
offspring of their true purpose…

14. As an Underground Organization…
The Templars relied on handshakes and
other symbols that would not be
recognizable to outsiders; but, would
help them to recognize one another.

15. Yet, much of these “Templar
Practices” are of older origin…
“The handclasp continued in early Christian ritual, both gnostic
and "orthodox." According to Galatians 2:9, "the right hand of
fellowship" (dexias koinoas didonai tini) is given "as a sign of
friendship and trust," though this does not necessarily suggest
ritual practice, such as we found in the Sabazian and Mithraic
mysteries. The handclasp as marriage rite, however, continued
in Christian surroundings. The salvific handclasp is nearly the
trademark of the iconography of Christ's postcrucifixion descent
into Hades. One of the most frequent scenes in this tradition is
that of Christ grasping the hands of Adam and Eve to lift them
up out of hell and to resurrect them. While sometimes he
grasps their wrists, . . . in other depictions he lifts them with a
true dextrarum iunctio.

16. ….
The fifth-century Gospel of Nicodemus describes a true
handclasp: "And the Lord . . . took the right hand of Adam and
went up out of hell (tenens dexteram Adae ascendit ab inferis),
and all the saints followed him. . . . He went therefore into
paradise holding our forefather by the hand, and delivered him,
and all the righteous, unto Michael the archangel." Here the
[handclasp] starts the ascent, continues it, and ends it on the
threshold of paradise. A similar handclasp is used in the
apocalyptic 1 Enoch: "And the angel Michael, . . . seizing me by
my right hand and lifting me up, led me out into all the secrets
of mercy; and he showed me all the secrets of righteousness."
"The Handclasp and Embrace as Tokens of Recognition," in By Study and Also by Faith: Essays in Honor of Hugh W. Nibley on
the Occasion of His Eightieth Birthday, 27 March 1990, John M. Lundquist and Stephen D. Ricks, eds., 2 vols. (Salt Lake City and
Provo: Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1990), 1: 620 - 631.). Here is a excerpt (pp.
620-621):

17. Clothing, Washing and Annointing:
“And I saw seven men in white clothing, who were saying
to me, "Arise, put on the vestments of the priesthood, the
crown of righteousness, the oracle of understanding, the
robe of truth, the breastplate of faith, the miter for the
head, and the apron for prophetic power." Each carried
one of these and put them on me and said, "From now on
be a priest, you and all your posterity." The first anointed
me with holy oil and gave me a staff. The second washed
me with pure water, fed me by hand with bread and holy
wine, and put on me a holy and glorious vestment. The
third put on me something made of linen, like an ephod.
The fourth placed . . . around me a girdle which was like
purple. The fifth gave me a branch of rich olive wood. The
sixth placed a wreath on my head. The seventh placed
the priestly diadem on me and filled my hands with
incense, in order that I might serve as priest for the Lord
God.” (Testament of Levi 8:2-10)

18. Other Customs From Catholic
Religious Orders:
“the giving of new names to those entering monasteries
the ancient practice of keeping men and women separate in the
church, just as they were kept separate in the temple at
Jerusalem
the use of a veil or covering for women's heads
the atrium of the church as a symbol of paradise or the garden
of Eden
the porter at the door of the chapel in the primitive church to
ensure that only worthy persons entered
details of ritual clothing and related symbolism
altars and veils in church buildings
the use of the All-seeing Eye as a symbol in Renaissance and
Baroque churches (shown in photographs of two old churches in
Germany)”

19. Cont…
the raising of the hands of the priest done anciently
the hand symbol of a hollowed palm in the left hand when
approaching the altar (see Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical
Lectures, 23:21-22)
the prayer offered for the church and the world by the priest
which was repeated by the congregation, praying for names of
people written on folded parchments (diptychs), especially for
those who were ill or needed special consideration
the ritual embrace and "kiss of peace" to welcome the initiate
into the community
ritual knocking (three times) with a hammer on the portal of a
door, now acted out in the ritual of the Porta Santa at St. Peter
in Rome, representing entry of the children of God into the
presence of the Lord.”
"The Catholic Liturgy and the Mormon Temple" by Marcus von Wellnitz in BYU Studies, Vol. 21, No. 1, Winter 1981, pp. 3-35.

20. The Comparison…
Often relies on the symbols of the “all
seeing eye” and “Square” and
“Compass” being used by both
Mormons and Masons.
Yet, when one considers the influence of
the Knights Templars on Masonry one
thing becomes evident….

21. This is also easily explained…
“We have received some precious things through the
Prophet on the priesthood that would cause your soul to
rejoice. I can not give them to you on paper for they
are not to be written. So you must come and get them
for your self. We have organized a lodge here of Masons
since we obtained a charter. That was in March. Since
that there was near two hundred been made masons.
Br. Joseph and Sidney [Rigdon] was the first that was
received into the lodge. All of the twelve apostles have
become members except Orson Pratt. He hangs back.
He will wake up soon, there is a similarity of
priesthood in Masonry. Bro. Joseph says Masonry
was taken from priesthood but has become
degenerated. But many things are perfect." (quoted
in Kimball, p. 85)

22. Joseph Smith’s Involvement?
I assert to you that the evidence given by masons
themselves proves conclusively that Joseph Smith never
knew the first thing of masonry until years after he had
received the visit of Elijah, and had delivered to men
the keys of the holy priesthood, and the ceremonies
and ordinances had by us in these sacred temples, and
had given the endowments to men long before he
knew the first thing pertaining to the ordinances
and the ceremonies of masonry. What is masonry?
Why, a fragment of the old truth coming down perhaps
from Solomon's temple of ancient days, and but a
fragment, as Christianity is but a fragment of the
Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was only to be had
and enjoyed by those who hold the holy priesthood. The
prophet Elijah revealed these truths; he possessed
them anciently and he gave them in their perfectness,
and simplicity and purity to the Prophet Joseph Smith.

23. Mormon Temples Also Have:
baptisms for the dead
washings
anointings
the keys of the Holy Priesthood
memorials of Levitical sacrifices
solemn assemblies
oracles, conversations, statues and
judgments
ordinances that have been kept hidden
the fullness of the priesthood

24. It is a mistake to suggest that Joseph and Sidney
received "only the first three of over 30 degrees in
Masonry," or that the additional Scottish Rite degrees
(the other 30), confer anything above the degree of
Master Mason. I will briefly explain. Grand Master
Abraham Jonas only had the authority to administer the
three degrees of "Ancient Craft Masonry" (Entered
Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason). He did not
have the authority to confer the 30 degrees of the
Scottish Rite. In fact, the Scottish Rite was not
established in Illinois until after the martyrdom. (See Alphonse
Cerza, A History of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in Illinois, 1846-1965 [Bloomington, IL: Pantagraph,
1966]).
Non-Masons frequently--and incorrectly--assume that
the degrees of the Scottish Rite are "higher" than those
of the Grand Lodge, but this is incorrect. In other
words, a Master Mason is as "high" as a 33d degree. All
appendent bodies of Masonry (such as the Scottish Rite,
the York Rite, the C.B.C.S., the A.M.D., the Royal Order
of Scotland, etc.) are subordinate to the Grand Lodge,
and only attempt to explain the teachings of the three
Craft degrees.
Joseph and Sidney had all the "Masonry" they needed
to make them as "high" as any Mason living.

25. And Yet…Joseph Contributed Little to
Freemasonry
"The Prophet was so busy with Church matters that he
never took an active part in lodge work. It seems from
the meager records that are extant, that Joseph Smith
attended as many meetings on those two days as he
did during the rest of his lifetime [about 6 total].
Initiated in haste and hurriedly promoted through
three degrees, he learned scarcely nothing about
the secret practices and elaborate ritual of the
Masons. In the months that followed, he left the lodge
work in the hands of others, never attending more than
three subsequent meetings and never receiving a
higher degree. . . . It was not his plan to neglect
Church business in order to promote the lodge. The
morning of March 17 [1842], he attended a meeting of
the high council. . . . Later on that historic day, he
organized the Relief Society. From the moment, he
never took an active part in Masonry."

26. Which Could Explain…
Why, in-spite of hailing the mob that
killed him (most were fellow Masons)
with the Masonic Distress Call of “Oh
Lord My God” they killed him anyway.
Joseph was a Mormon First and a
Mason second.

27. The Truth of the Matter is…
Free-Masonry came from the Knights
Templar who had nothing but a small
remnant of the Ancient Temple Rituals.

28. Mormon Temple Worship…
Came through Revelation from a man
who was a Prophet of God and received
them in their pure and uncorrupted
state through Revelation.