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Did Smith get the "Temple Ceremony" from Free

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  • Did Smith get the "Temple Ceremony" from Free

    FairMormon attempts to deal with this allegation here.

    Source: fairmormon.org


    In order to understand this issue, a few facts need to be understood:

    Joseph Smith, Jr. was initiated as a Freemason in Nauvoo, Illinois on the 15th and 16th of March 1842; his brother Hyrum and (possibly) his father Joseph Sr. were Masons before the Church's organization in April 1830.
    A few of the early leaders of the Church were Masons before the Church's organization while many others were initiated into the Masonic institution after the Prophet was in 1842.
    Masonry was a well-known social institution in mid-19th century America.
    There are similarities between the rituals of Freemasonry and those of the LDS Temple endowment. These similarities center around

    the use of a ritual drama—the story of Hiram Abiff is used by the Masons, while the LDS endowment uses the story of Adam and Eve and the creation (the LDS versions have parallels to ancient Israelite temple worship).
    some similar hand actions in the course of the rituals (the LDS versions having distinct parallels to ancient Israelite temple worship and early Christian usage).

    Symbolist F. L. Brink suggested that Joseph Smith successfully provided an "innovative and intricate symbology" that suited well the psychic needs of his followers.

    © Copyright Original Source

    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

  • #2
    From the article....

    Joseph Smith: "The secret of Masonry is to keep a secret".

    Anybody think of "Fight Club"?
    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

    Comment


    • #3
      It may be worthwhile to repeat that we are not to discuss the SPECIFICS of the "Temple Ceremony", though the contents can easily be discovered with a cursory search of the internetzweb.
      The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

      Comment


      • #4
        yeah I always thought that mormonism had stolen a lot of ideas from Free Masonry.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Sparko View Post
          yeah I always thought that mormonism had stolen a lot of ideas from Free Masonry.
          Even the special garment.
          The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
            FairMormon attempts to deal with this allegation here.

            Source: fairmormon.org


            In order to understand this issue, a few facts need to be understood:

            Joseph Smith, Jr. was initiated as a Freemason in Nauvoo, Illinois on the 15th and 16th of March 1842; his brother Hyrum and (possibly) his father Joseph Sr. were Masons before the Church's organization in April 1830.
            A few of the early leaders of the Church were Masons before the Church's organization while many others were initiated into the Masonic institution after the Prophet was in 1842.
            Masonry was a well-known social institution in mid-19th century America.
            There are similarities between the rituals of Freemasonry and those of the LDS Temple endowment. These similarities center around

            the use of a ritual drama—the story of Hiram Abiff is used by the Masons, while the LDS endowment uses the story of Adam and Eve and the creation (the LDS versions have parallels to ancient Israelite temple worship).
            some similar hand actions in the course of the rituals (the LDS versions having distinct parallels to ancient Israelite temple worship and early Christian usage).

            Symbolist F. L. Brink suggested that Joseph Smith successfully provided an "innovative and intricate symbology" that suited well the psychic needs of his followers.

            © Copyright Original Source

            Joseph and Hyrum Smith were both Masons. So was Rigdon, Young and Kimball. If you go to Nauvoo, Illinois, you can atually see the Masonic temple where the Mormons met. The Freemasons' rites served as a model for Joe Smith's temple rites.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Doctrine Matters View Post
              Joseph and Hyrum Smith were both Masons. So was Rigdon, Young and Kimball. If you go to Nauvoo, Illinois, you can atually see the Masonic temple where the Mormons met. The Freemasons' rites served as a model for Joe Smith's temple rites.
              And Smith rocketed to high positions of authority in the Masons, just like he became a 'General'.
              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Doctrine Matters View Post
                Joseph and Hyrum Smith were both Masons. So was Rigdon, Young and Kimball. If you go to Nauvoo, Illinois, you can atually see the Masonic temple where the Mormons met. The Freemasons' rites served as a model for Joe Smith's temple rites.
                Let's not forget Joseph Smith's attempt to give the masonic Grand Hailing Sign of Distress when he was killed that would have required them to come to the aid of a fellow Mason (or at the very least stop them from attacking). This is something confirmed by Mormon leaders including those who were on the scene.

                According to FairMormon:

                Source: Question: Were Joseph Smith's final words, "O Lord, my God!" a cry for help or mercy from Freemasons in the mob at the Carthage jail?


                Those who knew Joseph Smith believed that this was an attempt to save his life and the life of his friends by calling out to Freemasons in the mob

                Those who knew Joseph Smith believed that his use of the phrase "O Lord, my God!" was an attempt to save his life and the life of his friends by calling out to Freemasons in the mob. (Joseph and the other Mormons in the jail were Masons, Joseph himself having been inducted on 15 March 1842.)

                Among the brotherhood of Freemasons, there is the Grand Hailing Sign of Distress: "Oh Lord, my God, is there no help for the widow's son?" According to Masonic code, any Mason who hears another Mason utter the Grand Hailing Sign must come to his aid.

                Most adult men in Hancock County, Illinois, were Masons, and there were Masons in the mob that attacked the jail. If Joseph was attempting to give the Grand Hailing Sign, they would have been obligated to stop their attack and defend Joseph, Hyrum, John Taylor, and Willard Richards.[3]

                John Taylor, a Master Mason himself, wrote:

                ...[T]hese two innocent men [Joseph and Hyrum] were confined in jail for a supposed crime, deprived of any weapons to defend themselves: had the pledged faith of the State of Illinois, by Gov. Ford, for their protection, and were then shot to death, while, with uplifted hands they gave such signs of distress as would have commanded the interposition and benevolence of Savages or Pagans. They were both Masons in good standing. Ye brethren of "the mystic tie" [Masonry] what think ye! Where is our good Master Joseph and Hyrum? Is there a pagan, heathen, or savage nation on the globe that would not be moved on this great occasion, as the trees of the forest are moved by a mighty wind? Joseph's last exclamation was "O Lord my God!"

                If one of these murderers, their abettors or accessories before or after the fact, are suffered to cumber the earth, without being dealt with according to law, what is life worth, and what is the benefit of laws? and more than all, what is the use of institutions which savages would honor, where civilized beings murder without cause or provocation?[4]

                According to Heber C. Kimball:
                Masons, it is said, were even among the mob that murdered Joseph and Hyrum in Carthage jail. Joseph, leaping the fatal window, gave the Masonic signal of distress. The answer was the roar of his murderers' muskets.[5]

                Zina D. H. Young wrote in 1878:
                I am the daughter of a Master Mason [Heber C. Kimball]! I am the widow of a Master Mason [Joseph Smith] who, when leaping from the window of Carthage jail pierced with bullets, made the Masonic sign of distress; but...those signs were not heeded.[6]

                From the above it appears the last words of Joseph Smith were believed by at least some people who knew him to be the Masonic cry of distress.

                Source

                © Copyright Original Source



                As footnote #3 makes clear: "Masons in antebellum America took the Grand Hailing Sign very seriously. Many accounts exist of it being used during the Civil War."

                Further, the month after Smith's death the Mormon publication, Times and Seasons (vol. 5, p. 585) reported:
                "...with uplifted hands they gave such SIGNS OF DISTRESS as would have commanded the interposition and benevolence of Savages or Pagans. They were both MASONS in good standing. Ye brethren of 'the mystic tie' what think ye! Where is our good MASTER Joseph and Hyrum? Is there a pagan, heathen, or savage nation on the globe that would not be moved on this great occasion, as the trees of the forest are moved by a mighty wind? Joseph’s last exclamation was 'O LORD MY GOD!'"

                John D. Lee, the "adopted son" of Brigham Young, an official scribe for the Council of 50 and almost certainly a member of the highly secretive Danites vigilante group (he was executed for his role in the Mountain Meadows massacre) claimed that "Joseph left the door, sprang through the window, and cried out, 'Oh, Lord, my God, is there no help for the widow’s son!'"

                I'm always still in trouble again

                "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                  Let's not forget Joseph Smith's attempt to give the masonic Grand Hailing Sign of Distress when he was killed that would have required them to come to the aid of a fellow Mason (or at the very least stop them from attacking). This is something confirmed by Mormon leaders including those who were on the scene.
                  Many of the members of "the mob" were former followers who were swindled out of their life savings either through the phony bank Smith set up, or some of his other scams. I would imagine there were husbands of women Smith "married" as well... It wasn't just a mob of anti-Mormons.
                  The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                    Many of the members of "the mob" were former followers who were swindled out of their life savings either through the phony bank Smith set up, or some of his other scams. I would imagine there were husbands of women Smith "married" as well... It wasn't just a mob of anti-Mormons.
                    I particularly liked John Taylor's complaint that Smith and his gang were "deprived of any weapons to defend themselves" while they were "confined to jail." Did he think that it was standard practice for those locked up in jail to be allowed weapons? And the fact was that Smith did have a firearm while he was locked up, which he discharged striking two. It is on display at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City.

                    I'm always still in trouble again

                    "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                    "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                    "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                      And Smith rocketed to high positions of authority in the Masons, just like he became a 'General'.
                      I think Smith became a 33 degree Mason in a day! Quite a joke.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Doctrine Matters View Post
                        I think Smith became a 33 degree Mason in a day! Quite a joke.
                        Because he appointed himself the Grand Poobah, just like he appointed himself a General, just like he appointed himself a prophet.
                        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I hereby appoint myself a 99th level PaidMason. Please send me your bacon as payment.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            This is how most false prophets operate - they get their authority from themselves, and then impose their rule on the credulous.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Doctrine Matters View Post
                              This is how most false prophets operate - they get their authority from themselves, and then impose their rule on the credulous.
                              Hariytick!!! Give me your bacon or you will spend eternity in Canada!

                              Comment

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