Mormonism, Masonry, and their Related Temple Rituals
I participated in Mormon Temple work for over twenty years as a Mormon. I did not realize that I was actually involved in gnostic, occult pagan worship. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism became a Mason in 1842. He stated “I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree.” He introduced the Mormon temple ceremony less than two months later (Tanner 490).
Freemasonry is the world’s largest, oldest, and most prominent fraternity. It began in London in 1717. Blue Lodge Masonry is made up of three degrees: 1. Entered Apprentice (the first degree), 2. Fellow Craft (the second degree), and 3. Master Mason (the third degree). These degrees are prerequisites to the higher degrees of the York Rite, the Scottish Rite, and the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. It has been stated about Freemasonry that it is “a beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.” An allegory is a fable where moral truth is presented through fictional characters. Mormonism is also ‘veiled’ in allegory. From the hours of research I have done on early Mormon history, it is obvious that the Book of Mormon is a plagiarism from a work of fiction written by Solomon Spalding, combined with various verses of Scripture from the Bible which were added by an apostate Baptist preacher named Sidney Rigdon.
Paul warned Timothy – “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia – remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.” (1 Tim. 1: 3-4) Paul also admonished Timothy – “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (2 Tim. 4: 2-4) I was told over and over as a Mormon that the Book of Mormon was the most ‘correct’ book on earth; more correct than the Bible. I had no idea that it was no more than a fable sprinkled with some Bible verses.
Speculative Masonry uses the working tools of the operative mason, such as the 24 inch gauge, the common gavel, the plumbline, the square, compass, and trowel, and assigns each a spiritual or moral meaning in order to spread its religious teachings among its members. Masons are taught that they can interpret God anyway they want to, including the way Mormons, Muslims, Jewish believers, Buddhists, or Hindus interpret God. The Three Great Lights of Masonry are the Volume of Sacred Law (VSL), the square, and the compass. The volume of Sacred Law is viewed by Masons as the word of God. Masonry teaches that all ‘holy’ writings came from God. Masonic rituals teach that good works will merit their entrance into heaven, or the ‘Celestial Lodge’ above. Masonry, just like Mormonism teaches self-righteousness or self-exaltation. The following points show the incredible similarities between Mormonism and Masonry:
- Both Mormons and Masons have the five points of fellowship in their temples.
- When the Mormon temple endowment candidate receives ‘The First Token of the Aaronic Priesthood,’ he makes a promise similar to the oath taken in the ‘first degree’ of the Masonic ritual.
- The hand grips used in the above rituals are the same.
- The oath, sign, and grip of the ‘Second Token of the Aaronic Priesthood’ is similar to that taken in the second degree of Masonry, and in both rituals a name is used.
- The promise made when receiving the ‘First Token of the Melchizedek Priesthood’ is similar to what is used in the Master Mason degree.
- The conversation at the veil of the Mormon temple ceremony is very similar to what the ‘Fellow Craft Mason’ says when he is questioned about the grip.
- They both use a grip known as ‘the sign of the nail’ in their temple rituals.
- They both change clothing before participating in their rituals.
- They both use aprons in their ceremonies.
- They both ‘anoint’ their candidates.
- They both give a ‘new name’ to their candidates.
- They both use veils to ‘pass through’ in their temple rituals.
- They both have a man representing Adam and God in their ceremonies.
- The square and the compass are very important to Masons and there are marks of the square and compass in the Mormon temple garments.
- A mallet is used in both of their ceremonies. (Tanner 486-490)
Both Mormonism and Masonry are works based religions. They both teach that salvation is through personal merit rather than through what Jesus did for us on the cross. Paul taught the Ephesians – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Eph. 2: 8-9) Paul taught the Romans – “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 3: 21-24)
RESOURCES:
Tanner, Jerald and Sandra. Mormonism – Shadow or Reality? Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 2008.
http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/masonicsymbolsandtheldstemple.htm