Was Joseph Smith A Mason?

[halconero]

Having been a Master Mason and been through both Scottish and York Rites, I know of nothing in Masonic lore that supports the idea that either Jesus or Joseph were masons or engineers. What is the basis of this belief?

 

I can't say what the Masons believe about Joseph and Jesus' occupations, but the notion that Joseph and Jesus were builders and workers in stone does have some credence:

 

Markus Bockmuehl (8 November 2001). The Cambridge Companion to Jesus. Cambridge University Press. pp. 14–. ISBN 978-0-521-79678-1.

 

Archaeological records also indicate a lively grape and stone cutting trade in Nazareth at the time of Jesus. A lot of construction (mostly in stone) was occurring in the regional capital of Caesarea.

[Calm]

The best parables/analogies IMO are the ones we base on what we are familiar with...it makes sense that if Jesus used many stone metaphors and little to none carpentry, that he more likely worked with stone more than wood.

Is there a comparable term for cornerstone in carpentry?

[halconero]

Not really. Especially considering that the Greek word literally means "foundation-stone".

[Sevenbak]

it makes sense that if Jesus used many stone metaphors and little to none carpentry, that he more likely worked with stone more than wood.

Well, there is the mote and the beam thing...   And he did use that "take my yoke upon you" metaphor.  

 

Then there's the whole being hung on a tree thing... I'm just saying...

[halconero]

Well, there is the mote and the beam thing...   And he did use that "take my yoke upon you" metaphor.  

 

Then there's the whole being hung on a tree thing... I'm just saying...

 

Mote and Beam in our modern language refer more to specks and logs, than construction material.

 

I think those speak more to the existence of wood, execution methods and farm implements than the knowledge on how to make them.

 

The references to stone as spoken by Jesus are much more specific to stone-masonry and architecture than any particular skill in wood-crafting.

[halconero]

Gold!!

 

I just found this four minute video from National Geographic describing the home and economic life of Nazareth, and the idea of Jesus the Stonemason vs. Jesus the Carpenter:

 

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/videos/jesus-the-stone-mason/

[Storm Rider]

yes, and yes.

 

although when i went through the temple i was told that Adam invented the temple ceremony, and its been passed down through him, occasionally corrupted into what we call "freemasonry" and then restored to its celestial form through joseph smith, brigham young, and the 10-20 changes that have been made between Brigham Young and now.

 

Personally, I think Joseph Smith believed in Light and Dark Masonry (see George Miller's podcasts with Mormon Expression to learn more about this ) and it also explains how the Book of Mormon can rail against secret combinations, but also be pro-masonic.

 

That would depend on a wildly creative use of the label "secret combination".

[omni]

feromony opinie Brytyjscy Bras owo obfity interes Nowe marki na rynkuCo jest specjalnego w brytyjskich biustonoszy ? W ciagu ostatnich 15 lat w Wielkiej Brytanii , nie bylo , oraz jest nadal w toku , o rewolucji bielizny zawierajacej dwie aspekty:ludzkie ihandlowych. Od polowy lat 1990 , dotychczasowy ogromne zmiany w damskiej garderobie postawy przy ich bielizna i ich zdolnosci az do wydawania pieniedzy na siebie. Spowodowalo to boom bielizna . Obecnie brytyjskie kobiety kupuja wiecej biustonosze, lepszej jakosci a z wiekszym natezeniem seksownego niz na poczatku lat 1990 . Ostatnie strategia przeprowadzone za sprawa Rigby & Peller ( corsetiere az do krolowej ) pokazuja, zeBrytyjczycy wydaja wiecej na bielizne anizeli dowolny dalszy nacja w Europie. Co wywola to rewolucje w Wielkiej Brytanii? To jestzlozony komplikacja . Po pierwsze , glob teraz jest w wyzszym stopniu zorientowany niz 15 lat temu . Na poczatku lat 1990 , kobiety nie toneli w wyborze , jakie sa w tej chwili , stad z trudem sie dziwic, ze statystycznie , ale wrecz kupil pewien biustonoszroku . Jednaknajwazniejszym czynnikiem boomu biustonoszy , zas ten, kto jest najtrudniejszy az do oszacowania , jest to, iz kobiety nie sa takie same , jak poprzedni w rocznych 1990. Wedlug niedawnego artykulu w Telegraph Jo Cravena , dwaj wydarzenia w 1994 dramatycznie zmienilo historie brytyjskiej biusthalter : ' chlopcow do widzenia " Eva Herzigova w Ogloszenie Wonderbra iotwarcie malego sklepu w Soho nazwie Agent Provocateur , sposrod skapo ubrane manekina w oknie. Przyciemnione szyby w sklepach z bielizna przeszla az do historii . Dzis niehigh street w kraju jest bez ' zblizac sie nadciagac ' sklepach sposrod bielizna rywalizuja o nasza uwage . W 2001 r. byl kolejnym wydarzeniem w rewolucji bielizny jaki wstrzasnal najlepsze pol narodu : WJak sie nie ubierac telewizyjny show , Trinny oraz Susannahs bezwzglednym atakiem na bielizne smiesznie tandetny zaklopotanie wielu z nas az do podjecia mozolnie twarde przeswiadczenie na lokalny boobs zas uswiadomilismy sobie, ze tez potrzebne na sprawunki . Noszenie odpowiedniego rozmiaru stanika cudownie sprawil, ze czulismy sie pewniej - daje nam lepsza postawe a czyni nas wygladac szczuplejsze . Brytyjki w tej chwili kupowac statystycznie czworka biustonoszeroku - w najwiekszym stopniu na glowe w Europie. Te dni kobiety wiedza az w srodku akuratnie , co chca , maja zamierzenie zawezwac o to , oraz sa one na niechybnie nie czeka naczlowieka, zeby kupowac owo w ciagu nich . Kobiety nie czuja potrzebe poszukiwania dobra dla kazdego, mimo to same w sobie a o ile wazna persona ceni swoja bielizne , oraz potem , iz tobonus. Czy jest pewnosc seksualna ewentualnie zmiany spoleczne , miala kobieta obfity wplyw na psychologii przecietnego shopper stanik . "Kobiety dzien dzisiejszy istnieja w" posiadac suma " zbiorowosc ludzka , mowi Franceska Luther ,dyrektor obdarzony wyobraznia Myla . Staramy sie bycnajlepsze, co mozemy istniec - takze w pracy , kiedy iw domu . Chcemy w najwiekszym stopniu fantastyczne ubrania, najlepsze kosmetyki a to musi utrzymywac sie uzupelnione przy uzyciu najlepszych bieliznie . Nawet o ile nie mozemy sobie pozwolic na 79 az do biustonosza , jestesmy sponiewierac az do zakupu owo tak. Zwiazku kobiety brytyjskich meska sposrod bieliznie przeniosl sie sposrod bycia o funkcjonalnosci. Oni w tym momencie kupowac az do niego na swojej Feelgood czynnika. Bielizna stala siemodnym dodatkiem . Rewolucja bielizna prestiz byle jaki brytyjski wielkosc stanika . Naglowek wiadomosci jest to, iz narod dydki sa coraz wieksze. Tam, dokad kiedyssredni format stanika byl brytyjski 34B , w tej chwili 36D czy tez 38C badz 34E w zaleznosci , ktory mowi . W rzeczywistosci, projektanci twierdza , ze o biustonosz 80-85 procent kobiet w Wielkiej Brytanii nosi biustonosze niewlasciwym rozmiarze . Tak wiec,tajemniczy stanik wielkosc wzrost nie oznacza , iz przy uzyciu ostatnie 15 lat , nacja cycki sa slowo w slowo co chwila srodkow biggerthis , iz za posrednictwem ostatnie 15 lat , brytyjskie bufory , tymczasem ich przepis -size biustonosze . Bad side ofnoszenie stanika byle zbyc wielkosci jest to, ze przypadkiem to prowadzic az do plecow, szyi oraz postawy problemow. Bielizna w Wielkiej Brytanii biznes Jestmeczace energii w kraju biusthalter . Od poczatku 1990 roku kwota marek bielizny dostepne w wysokiej ulicy sklepow wzrasta wykladniczo. W tym samym czasie ,cena bielizny projektanta zszedl , jaki sprawia, ze ??zakup w duzym doswiadczeniu marki przystepne. Firm sposrod biustonoszy jest coraz to bardziejmiejscem przejec , dokad male etykiety zmagaja sie modyfikowac zas wspolzawodniczyc . W 2006 roku , spedzilismy 2480000000 na naszej bielizny w Wielkiej Brytanii. Od tego czasuna rynku bielizny rosnie o 2,6 odsetek rocznie . Marks & Spencer sprzedala 20.000.000 biustonosze w roku 2007 - 10 odsetek wiecej niz w roku 2006. Wzrost jest smialosc sie utrzymac . Biustonosz nie jest nazbyt drogie, co kupowac , azeby domyslac sie sie dobrze, kiedy czujesz sie kryzysu kredytowego . Najnowsze przyspieszenie firm internetowych doniosle zmienil nasze metoda az do zakupow . Wiekszosc ludzi woli sklep w internecie siedzac wygodnie w domu - mniej stresu , tansze, wiekszy wybor, 24 godziny na dobe natomiast 365 dni w roku. Sprzedaz online sa zdecydowaniesila rosnie , w tym rynku bielizny . Kazdy brand jest dozwolone rozumowac jest dozwolone w tej chwili nabywac online. Sklepy internetowe , abykonkurencja logotyp sprawiedliwszy : malych , niezaleznych marek bielizny moga wspolistniec , natomiast nawet wspolzawodniczyc z duzymi te , zajmujac pewna nisze na rynku Wielkiej Brytanii . W wielu przypadkach , kochanie sie stan / wyplata w biustonosze a gatki z malogabarytowych marek bielizny jest lepsza anizeli znanych marek . Placisz wrecz przeciwnie w srodku artykul , nie za obszerny , marka tudziez produktami z przed zwiazane . Nowe marki odziez spodnia na rynku brytyjskim Nowe marki odziez spodnia pozniej przekluc sie na rynku brytyjskim. Drozsze Russian bielizny interes Wild Orchid , jaki ma obroty 50000000 sposrod 216 sklepow w calej Rosji oraz Ukrainy , wykonane w ostatnim czasie jego brytyjski debiut. Wild Orchid jest pierwszym rosyjskim siec detaliczna wlamac sie na europejskim rynku . Wloskie Tezenis biznes otworzyla ostatnimi czasy na Regent Street sprzedazy konkurencyjnych cenach bielizne . Tezenis ma 100 sklepow we Wloszech i agresywnie rozwija w calej Europie . Mid -size marki bielizna pukanie az do drzwi brytyjskiego rynku nadto . Nowo uruchomionej stronie internetowej EliteBraLingerie.com przedstawia brytyjskiej publicznoscinowy ALUR logo bielizny . W francuskiej wymowy, Alur brzmi jednakowo az do Allure , kanadyjski projektanci marki bielizny , z ktorych w wyzszym stopniu skoncentrowac sie na seksapilu bielizny , glownie w skorze . Jak Wild Orchid , Alur jestEast European marki i wielce popularne tam. Co sprawia, iz ??ALUR biustonosze popularne jest ich forma , konkurencyjne ceny natomiast game kolorow . Sa niezmiernie praktyczne natomiast trwale. Dziewieciu lat Alur jest jednym sposrod pierwszych , o ile nie pierwszym , jaki zaczal uzywac wielkogabarytowych zywe modele przedstawic swoja bielizne . Mowia, iz nie jest konieczne, gigantyczny niemily dla oczu szeroki przypadkiem egzystowac plus piekne ( patrz dymisja ) . ( Model bielizny Alur na wystawie miedzynarodowej mody w Kijowie 42DD biustonosz. ) Czego pragna kobiety ? Perfect bra : fiszbiny , azali nie? Charlotte Williamson w swoim 2006 towar w Telegraph opisal swoja wyjazd az do Paryza , azeby odwiedzic popularny stanik projektanta Poupie Cadolle jaki sprawia, iz ??recznie robione staniki zwane " Cara " . To kosztuje 550 euro ( ? 380 w tym czasie) , ma trzy miesiace, izby dokonac tudziez ma skonstruowac swietny biust. Ale jestna zlecenie " Cara " naprawdeostatecznym bra ? " OK , co chcesz odkad stanika ? ptak pania Cadolle podczas gdy spotykaja . Charlotte odpowiada: Chce odsiecz oraz winda zas wspanialy ksztalt. " Nastepnie powinno sie sie Cara ! Jest owo perfekcyjny stanik . mowi kobieta Cadolle . Po kilku miesiacach ( tudziez jeden pomocniczy zestaw w miedzyczasie ) , Charlotte otrzymala Cara poczta. Jej definitywny moral jest taki, iz Cara nie przypadkiem znajdowac sie ostatecznym biusthalter , niemniej jednak przynajmniej jest to idealne jakis . Cara jestbiustonosz . Podczas spotkania w Paryzu , Mme Cadolle wyjasnil, iz powinny byc w uzyciu dwa, trzy , cztery lata , sposrod nalezyta starannoscia . " Jaka jestwlasciwa konserwacja ? " Trzeba recznie myc cios w tygodniu , co bynajmniej . Nie mozna hulac detergentow . Uzyj czystego szampon . Szampon az do wlosow ? "Dlaczego nie ! Co zostanie uszkodzony jestelastyczna. I nie Woolite ! Jestzabojca gumek . W Paryzu , Mme Cadolle zaznaczyl i , ze "Wlosi kochaja kolorowe biustonosze , nie maja kompleksu o kolorze. English zabarwienie milosci, nadto - ich kupic czerwony, niebieski natomiast szmaragd . Co sposrod kryzysu kredytowego ? Tak totez , pomimo kryzysu kredytowego , prawdopodobnie kobiety jest jak gdyby chciwy chetka na bielizny sprawiaja, ze odporne na recesje ? " Niektore kobiety moga dokonywac transakcji sie na biustonosze inwestycyjnych , oraz niektore moga zajmowac sie handlem w zdolowanie na cos tanszego . Jesli placisz na odwrot ? 5 do biustonosza owo jest tobez winy uczta , ' Mintel Sally komentarzy Bain . Ale ano krocie dowodow na konkurencyjne ceny , Michelle Mone kategorycznie twierdzi, iz "biustonosz, kto wykonuje prace przetrwa jednakze biusthalter , jaki jest po prostuzupelnie zniknie . Osiagniecie wzrostu gospodarczego jest na bodaj bedzie trudniej bedzie . Iprzepychanki miedzy innowacji produktu, ceny , moda oraz ergonomia w stanik , ktory musi dodatkowo czujemy sie a wygladac prawidlowo w tym samym czasie jestdelikatna balans . Jedno jest pewne, nie ma odwrotu , owo jestwalka , iz bedzie biegac oraz biegac. To wlosc informacja gwoli marki Alur .

Oh great, thanks for stealing my thunder, I was totally just about to post that. This clearly shows I was right, no need for any more discussion.

Edited November 18, 2013 by omni

[Antoni]

Of note is that Joseph Smith was made the Chaplain of his lodge without having first served as the Lodge's Master. This is highly unusual. It speaks volumes for how the rest of lodge viewed him personally and spiritually in my view.

 

The chaplain of the lodge has very little to do in the rituals and therefore JS was ideally placed to observe and retrieve what needed retrieving for the Temple Endowments. There is huge speculation into Freemasonry's origins. 

 

Thanks to Halconero for the info regarding word "tekton" - fascinating - now there's a load more research for me to do! 

[pogi]

Essekantisa, I dare you to say that at the pulpit at testimony meeting!  I've always wanted to hear someone speak in tongues at testimony meeting.

[theplains]

I never knew about the gold plate reference, do you have a link? That's very interesting. I think Mormonism and Masonry are nearly the same. Both want to climb the ladder, so to speak, to Godhood, and do good in the world, but doing work for the dead is different.

 

You may have missed the link to the scribd document. I'll quote it.  From the 13th Degree:

 

Royal Arch of Solomon

 

“The older versions [of this degree] recount that the True Word was engraved on a triangular

plate of gold which was cast into a dry well; but the new versions related that the True Word,

also engraved on a golden plate, was deposited in a purposely prepared place to be found

centuries later by three masters" (Pillars of Wisdom, p. 88).

 

He adapted this into his account of the Book of Mormon and then later adapted the masonic

temple ceremonies.

 

Regards,

Jim

[Stone holm]

Of note is that Joseph Smith was made the Chaplain of his lodge without having first served as the Lodge's Master. This is highly unusual. It speaks volumes for how the rest of lodge viewed him personally and spiritually in my view.

 

The chaplain of the lodge has very little to do in the rituals and therefore JS was ideally placed to observe and retrieve what needed retrieving for the Temple Endowments. There is huge speculation into Freemasonry's origins. 

 

Thanks to Halconero for the info regarding word "tekton" - fascinating - now there's a load more research for me to do! 

 

That's why the Masons themselves refer to that history as Speculative Masonry.

[Tacenda]

You may have missed the link to the scribd document. I'll quote it. From the 13th Degree:

Royal Arch of Solomon

“The older versions [of this degree] recount that the True Word was engraved on a triangular

plate of gold which was cast into a dry well; but the new versions related that the True Word,

also engraved on a golden plate, was deposited in a purposely prepared place to be found

centuries later by three masters" (Pillars of Wisdom, p. 88).

He adapted this into his account of the Book of Mormon and then later adapted the masonic

temple ceremonies.

Regards,

Jim

Is this enough to give anyone pause? Or does it strengthen a testimony even more? I can see how it could go either way.

[strappinglad]

"-He adapted this into his account of the Book of Mormon and then later adapted the masonic

temple ceremonies."

Ssssssssstttttttrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeettttttttttcccccccccchhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Calm]

Is this enough to give anyone pause? Or does it strengthen a testimony even more? I can see how it could go either way.

Having read numerous mythologies over the years with many similar characteristcs, I don't see how it is very relevant myself.  If one is going looking for outside sources, there are tons to appeal to, including biblical.  If one is going looking for spiritual wisdom and knowledge, there is only one source to appeal to for that.

Edited November 19, 2013 by calmoriah

[Stone holm]

Is this enough to give anyone pause? Or does it strengthen a testimony even more? I can see how it could go either way.

No. Recommend reading the book, Mormonism and Masonry. The co existence of the two is not only consistent, but should have been expected.

[VideoGameJunkie]

The Stonecutters episode of The Simpsons poked fun at the Masons.

[omni]

No. Recommend reading the book, Mormonism and Masonry. The co existence of the two is not only consistent, but should have been expected.

As a former master mason and current LDS, would you mind sharing your beliefs on why there are so many similarities?

[rick7475]

More discussion on the origin of Masonic symbols and the Temple here:

 

http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/60499-ancient-origins-of-lds-temple-esoteric-rites/page-2?hl=mason#entry1209243996

[VideoGameJunkie]

The temple ceremony regardless of if it's Mason influenced, is still very wonderful and I get a good feeling. I wonder if what we do in the temple, we have to do again to get into heaven.

[Stone holm]

As a former master mason and current LDS, would you mind sharing your beliefs on why there are so many similarities?

The Temple Endowment is actually ancient, most likely given to Adam and Eve shortly after they were banished from the Garden. It would be highly questionable if there were no traces of it elsewhere since something like it would surely have survived. Mason believe theater train keys were lost in the slaying of Hiram Abiff. Joseph claimed to have received the lost keys. However, the meaning of things in Masonry were lost. However, as the endowment has evolved, it has grown to be less and less like Masonic rituals. I find nothing inconsistent with the two coexisting, and rather than assume something was borrowed, it appears more likely something was just cleaned up from its corrupted state. Masonry is not a religion, it is an ethical system, but it was critical to the founding of this country. Virtually all of the important Founding Fathers were Freemasons, George Washington was the Worshipful Master of his Blue Lodge and much of the planning which led up to the Revolution occurred after Lodge meetings. Modern Freemasonry was very much part of the Enlightenment and though many of the leaders were Deists, and not Necessarily devout Christians, they were active Masons.

[Tacenda]

The Temple Endowment is actually ancient, most likely given to Adam and Eve shortly after they were banished from the Garden. It would be highly questionable if there were no traces of it elsewhere since something like it would surely have survived. Mason believe theater train keys were lost in the slaying of Hiram Abiff. Joseph claimed to have received the lost keys. However, the meaning of things in Masonry were lost. However, as the endowment has evolved, it has grown to be less and less like Masonic rituals. I find nothing inconsistent with the two coexisting, and rather than assume something was borrowed, it appears more likely something was just cleaned up from its corrupted state. Masonry is not a religion, it is an ethical system, but it was critical to the founding of this country. Virtually all of the important Founding Fathers were Freemasons, George Washington was the Worshipful Master of his Blue Lodge and much of the planning which led up to the Revolution occurred after Lodge meetings. Modern Freemasonry was very much part of the Enlightenment and though many of the leaders were Deists, and not Necessarily devout Christians, they were active Masons.

I've seen photos that show a couple of church leaders giving a handshake that resembles a masonic handshake to a few of the past leaders of our country. I'm sure it's the anti's who are posting them, but interesting all the same.

[Tacenda]

Dbl post

Edited November 20, 2013 by Tacenda

[canard78]

yes, and yes.

 

although when i went through the temple i was told that Adam invented the temple ceremony, and its been passed down through him, occasionally corrupted into what we call "freemasonry" and then restored to its celestial form through joseph smith, brigham young, and the 10-20 changes that have been made between Brigham Young and now.

 

Personally, I think Joseph Smith believed in Light and Dark Masonry (see George Miller's podcasts with Mormon Expression to learn more about this ) and it also explains how the Book of Mormon can rail against secret combinations, but also be pro-masonic.

 

I'm struggling to find the quote, but Joseph Smith didn't claim to reveal a "right first time" endowment. He asked Brigham Young to keep working on it. It has evolved considerably over the last 200 years. I look forward to the next round of changes with interest.

[canard78]

The Temple Endowment is actually ancient, most likely given to Adam and Eve shortly after they were banished from the Garden. It would be highly questionable if there were no traces of it elsewhere since something like it would surely have survived. Mason believe theater train keys were lost in the slaying of Hiram Abiff. Joseph claimed to have received the lost keys. However, the meaning of things in Masonry were lost. However, as the endowment has evolved, it has grown to be less and less like Masonic rituals. I find nothing inconsistent with the two coexisting, and rather than assume something was borrowed, it appears more likely something was just cleaned up from its corrupted state. Masonry is not a religion, it is an ethical system, but it was critical to the founding of this country. Virtually all of the important Founding Fathers were Freemasons, George Washington was the Worshipful Master of his Blue Lodge and much of the planning which led up to the Revolution occurred after Lodge meetings. Modern Freemasonry was very much part of the Enlightenment and though many of the leaders were Deists, and not Necessarily devout Christians, they were active Masons.

 

Do you have some references for that, that the endowment was given to Adam and Eve on leaving the Garden? I'm aware of the content within the endowment ceremony, but anything else outside that?