Tag: Masonry

  • True Masonry

    True Masonry

    Excerpt from a lecture ‘Latter-day Saints and Freemasonry’ (2005): 1

    Q: Wouldn’t it be more correct to say that Masonry came out of the endowment?

    KEARNEY: It would be if you believed that Freemasonry has a continuous historical line from King Solomon’s Temple to the current. Unfortunately, there is no historical evidence to support a continuous functioning line from Solomon’s Temple to the present. We know what went on in Solomon’s Temple; it’s the ritualistic slaughter of animals.

    Excerpt from ‘Manuscript History of Brigham Young’, 13 November, 1858, Church Archives: 2

    “We have the true Masonry. The Masonry of today is received from the apostasy which took place in the days of Solomon, and David. They have now and then a thing that is correct, but we have the real thing.”

    References

    References
    1 The Message and the Messenger: Latter-day Saints and Freemasonry – https://www.fairmormon.org/conference/august-2005/the-message-and-the-messenger-latter-day-saints-and-freemasonry
    2 ‘Heber C. Kimball and Family, The Nauvoo Years’, Stanley B. Kimball – https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1737&context=byusq
  • Masonic Endowment

    Masonic Endowment

    Excerpt from History of the Church, Vol. 4 Pg. 550 (March 15, 1842): 1

    “In the evening I received the first degree in Free Masonry in the Nauvoo Lodge assembled in my general business office”

    Excerpt from History of the Church, Vol. 4 Pg. 552 (March 16, 1842): 2

    “Wednesday, March 16.—I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree.”

    Excerpt from History of the Church, Vol. 5 Pg. 1,2 (May 4, 1842): 3

    “Wednesday, 4.—I spent the day in the upper part of the store, that is in my private office (so called because in that room I keep my sacred writings, translate ancient records, and receive revelations) and in my general business office, or lodge room (that is where the Masonic fraternity meet occasionally, for want of a better place) in council with General James Adams, of Springfield, Patriarch Hyrum Smith, Bishops Newel K. Whitney and George Miller, and President Brigham Young and Elders Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards, instructing them in the principles and order of the Priesthood, attending to washings, anointings, endowments and the communication of keys pertaining to the Aaronic Priesthood, and so on to the highest order of the Melchisedek Priesthood…”

    Duncan’s Masoic Ritual and Monitor, by Malcom C. Duncan, [1866]: 4

    References

    References
    1, 2, 3 History of the Church, Vol. 4 – https://byustudies.byu.edu/content/volume-4-chapter-32
    4 Duncan’s Masoic Ritual and Monitor – http://www.sacred-texts.com/mas/dun/dun01.htm
  • Give and Take

    Give and Take

    Image: LDS Temple sealing room

    Excerpt from the LDS temple marriage ceremony (sealing of spouses). [footnote]The LDS Endowment, Sealings [/footnote]

    [The sealer sits at the head of the altar with two witnesses, one seated at his right and the other at his left. The bride and groom kneel at opposite sides of the altar, facing one another, clothed in the robes of the holy priesthood. They take each other by the right hand in the patriarchal grip.]

    SEALER: Brother _________, do you take Sister _________ by the right hand and receive her unto yourself to be your lawfully wedded wife, for time and all eternity, with a covenant and promise that you will observe and keep all the laws, rites, and ordinances pertaining to this holy order of matrimony in the new and everlasting covenant; and this you do in the presence of God, angels, and these witnesses of your own free will and choice?

    GROOM: Yes.

    SEALER: Sister _________, do you take Brother _________ by the right hand and give yourself to him to be his lawfully wedded wife, and receive him to be your lawfully wedded husband, for time and all eternity, with a covenant and promise that you will observe and keep all the laws, rites, and ordinances pertaining to this holy order of matrimony in the new and everlasting covenant; and this you do in the presence of God, angels, and these witnesses of your own free will and choice?

    BRIDE: Yes.

    SEALER: By virtue of the holy priesthood and the authority vested in me, I pronounce you, _________ and _________, legally and lawfully husband and wife for time and all eternity; and I seal upon you the blessings of the holy resurrection, with power to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection, clothed in glory, immortality, and eternal lives.
    I seal upon you the blessings of kingdoms, thrones, principalities, powers, dominions, and exaltations, with all the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and say unto you: be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, that you may have joy and rejoicing in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    All these blessings, together with all the blessings appertaining unto the new and everlasting covenant, I seal upon you by virtue of the holy priesthood, through your faithfulness, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

     

    Crash Course:

    The LDS Endowment, Sealings

    Temple Oaths – Mormon Think

    Mormonism and Masonry (Podcast) – Mormon Expressions

    Occultic and Masonic Influence in Early Mormonism

    Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo – LDS.org

  • Arm to the Square

    Arm to the Square

    Image: Nauvoo Illinois, LDS Temple.

    Masonic First Degree, Duegard of a fellow craft mason:[footnote]DUNCAN’S RITUAL AND MONITOR OF FREEMASONRY.[/footnote]

    The left arm, as far as the elbow, should be held in a horizontal position, and the rest of the arm in a vertical position, forming a square. The right hand detached from the stomach, fingers extending outward.

    PENALTY

    Draw the right hand rapidly across the neck, as represented in the cut, and drop the arm to the side.

    ‘All this I most solemnly, sincerely promise and swear, with a firm and steadfast resolution to perform the same, without any mental reservation or secret evasion of mind whatever, binding myself under no less penalty than that of having my throat cut across, 1 my tongue torn out by its roots, and my body buried in the rough sands of the sea, at low-water mark, 2 where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours, should I ever knowingly violate this my Entered Apprentice obligation. So help me God, and keep me steadfast in the due performance of the same.’

    The Sign and Penalty of the First Token of the Aaronic Priesthood, LDS Endowment Ceremony (note: the penalty was removed in 1990)[footnote]Handshakes, signs and penalties of the LDS endowment ceremony[/footnote]

    Is made by bringing the right arm to the square, the palm of the hand forward, the fingers close together, and the thumb extended.

    PENALTY, pre 1930

    The participant placed his or her right hand palm-down with the thumb extended and the tip of the thumb just under the left ear. The execution of the gesture was made by drawing the tip of the thumb swiftly across the throat until the thumb was just under the right ear, then dropping the hand and arm quickly to the side of the participant’s body.

    ADAM : “We, and each of us, covenant and promise that we will not reveal any of the secrets of this, the first token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign or penalty. Should we do so, we agree that our throats be cut from ear to ear and our tongues torn out by their roots.“

     

     

     

    Crash Course:
    Temple Oaths – Mormon Think
    Secret Masonic Handshakes, Passwords, Grips And Signs Of Blue Lodge Masonry 
    Mormonism and Masonry (Podcast) – Mormon Expressions
    The LDS Endowment – For Latter-day Saints, the endowment serves as a rite of adult initiation.
    Masonic Symbols and the LDS Temple – Sandra Tanner
    Masonry and Mormonism, an Interview with Greg Kearney (Podcast) – Mormon Stories
    Similarities between Freemasonry and the Mormon endowment – Richard Packham

  • Has it a name?

    Has it a name?

    Image: Salt Lake City LDS Temple

    To anyone who has knowledge of both the LDS Temple Ceremony (especially the pre-1990 temple ceremony) and Mason Rites it is very apparent that they have many similarities. Many things are exactly the same. Even knowledgeable Mormons admit that the endowment ceremony (especially in its earlier versions) contains many details that are similar to the Masonic initiation rites of Joseph Smith’s day. The symbols, oaths, handclasps, and terminology resemble the Masonic ritual in hundreds of ways.

    Masonic pass grip of a fellow craft:[footnote]Secret Masonic Handshakes, Passwords, Grips And Signs Of Blue Lodge Masonry [/footnote]

    The hand is taken as in an ordinary hand shake, and the Mason presses the top of his thumb against the space between the first and second knuckle joints of the first two fingers of his fellow Mason; the fellow Mason also presses his thumb on the corresponding part of the first Mason’s hand.
    The name of this grip is “Shibboleth”. When a candidate is imparted with this grip and its usage it is done in this manner:

    First, the Worshipful Master says to the candidate:

    “I now present my right hand in token of the continuance of friendship and brotherly love, and will invest you with the pass-grip, pass-word, real grip and word of a Fellow Craft. As you are uninstructed, he who has hitherto answered for you, will do so at this time. Give me the grip of an Entered Apprentice.”

    As previously explained from the Entered Apprentice degree, he then has this exchange with the Senior Deacon, who is standing next to the candidate, who is still kneeling at the altar, after having assume the obligation of this degree):

    WM: Brother Senior Deacon.
    SD: Worshipful Master.
    WM: Will you be off or from?
    SD: From.
    WM: From what and to what?
    SD: From the grip of an Entered Apprentice to the pass-grip of a Fellow Craft.
    (At this time, the candidate is shown the Pass Grip)
    WM: Pass. What is that?
    SD: The pass-grip of a Fellow Craft.
    WM: Has it a name?
    SD: It has.
    WM: Will you give it to me?
    SD: I did not so receive it; neither will I so impart it.
    WM: How will you dispose of it?
    SD: Letter or syllable it.
    WM: Syllable it and begin.
    SD: You begin.
    WM: Begin you.
    SD: Shib
    WM: bo
    SD: leth
    WM: Shibboleth, my Brother, is the name of this grip. You should always remember it, for should you be present at the opening or a Fellow Crafts Lodge, this pass-word will be demanded of you by one of the Deacons, and should you be unable to give it, it would cause confusion in the Craft.

    From the LDS endowment ceremony, Second Token of the Melchizedek Priesthood:[footnote]LDS Endowment Ceremony – Second Token of the Melchizedek Priesthood[/footnote]

    PETER: The Lord then gives the second token of the Melchizedek priesthood, the patriarchal grip, or Sure Sign of the Nail, and asks:
    LORD: What is that?
    PETER: The second token of the Melchizedek priesthood, the patriarchal grip, or Sure Sign of the Nail.
    LORD: Has it a name?
    PETER: It has.
    LORD: Will you give it to me?
    PETER: I cannot. I have not yet received it. For this purpose I have come to converse with the Lord through the veil.
    LORD: You shall receive it, upon the five points of fellowship, through the veil.
    PETER: 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. The Lord then gives the name of this token and asks:
    LORD: What is that?
    PETER: The second token of the Melchizedek priesthood, the patriarchal grip, or Sure Sign of the Nail.
    LORD: Has it a name?
    PETER: It has.
    LORD: Will you give it to me?
    PETER: I will, upon the five points of fellowship, through the veil.The person then repeats back to the Lord the name of this token as he received it, whereupon the Lord says:
    LORD: That is correct.

     

    Crash Course:
    Temple Oaths – Mormon Think
    Secret Masonic Handshakes, Passwords, Grips And Signs Of Blue Lodge Masonry 
    Mormonism and Masonry (Podcast) – Mormon Expressions
    The LDS Endowment – For Latter-day Saints, the endowment serves as a rite of adult initiation.
    Masonic Symbols and the LDS Temple – Sandra Tanner
    Masonry and Mormonism, an Interview with Greg Kearney (Podcast) – Mormon Stories
    Occultic and Masonic Influence in Early Mormonism – Joel B. Groat

  • Secret not Sacred

    Secret not Sacred

    Excerpt from the pre-1930 endowment ceremony:[footnote]Why the need for secret death oaths in the LDS Temple Endowment Ceremony?  [/footnote]

    ADAM : “We, and each of us, covenant and promise that we will not reveal any of the secrets of this, the first token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign or penalty. Should we do so, we agree that our throats be cut from ear to ear and our tongues torn out by their roots.”

    ADAM: “All bow your heads and say Yes.”

    TEMPLE PATRONS: “Yes.” (All patrons sit down.)

    PETER: “The brethren and sisters will now stand, push back the seats, place the robe on the left shoulder, and receive the Second Token of the Aaronic Priesthood. We and each of us do covenant and promise that we will not reveal the secrets of this, the Second Token of the Aaronic Priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign, grip or penalty. Should we do so, we agree to have our breasts cut open and our hearts and vitals torn from our bodies and given to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.”

    “All bow your heads and say yes.”

    TEMPLE PATRONS: “Yes.” (All patrons sit down.)

    PETER: “We and each of us do covenant and promise that we will not reveal any of the secrets of this, the First Token of the Melchizedek Priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign or penalty. Should we do so, we agree that our bodies be cut asunder in the midst and all our bowels gush out.”

    “All bow your heads and say yes.”

    TEMPLE PATRONS: “Yes.” (All patrons sit down.)

     

    Crash Course:

    Why the need for secret death oaths in the LDS Temple Endowment Ceremony?
    Temple Oaths – Mormon Think
    Mormonism and Masonry (Podcast) – Mormon Expressions
    The LDS Endowment – For Latter-day Saints, the endowment serves as a rite of adult initiation.
    Masonic Symbols and the LDS Temple – Sandra Tanner
    Masonry and Mormonism, an Interview with Greg Kearney (Podcast) – Mormon Stories
    Occultic and Masonic Influence in Early Mormonism – Joel B. Groat