Temple Oaths Mormon and Masonic

18 September

Masonic LodgeAs many people already know, oaths taken in the Mormon temple are almost identical to the oaths in the Masonic temples. We believe it’s always a good practice to look at things in context with a full disclosure of facts so that’s what we’re doing here.

In our objective we’re posing three questions;

Is it true the Mormons got their oaths from the Masons and if so how did that come about?

Exactly what are the oaths of each organization?

What does the Lord think of these groups with their secret ceremonies?

In History of the Church it tells us that Joseph Smith felt compelled to attend a meeting held in the Nauvoo Lodge of which his brother Hyrum was already a member.

History of the Church 4:550-551; “Tuesday, 15.—I officiated as grand chaplain atMoroni 5 the installation of the Nauvoo Lodge of Free Masons, at the Grove near the Temple. Grand Master Jonas, of Columbus, being present, a large number of people assembled on the occasion. The day was exceedingly fine; all things were done in order, and universal satisfaction was manifested. In the evening I received the first degree in Free Masonry in the Nauvoo Lodge, assembled in my general business office.”

Take notice of the date – it was March 15, 1842.

1 Timothy 6:3-5; “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.”

The very next day lodge members met again and once again, Joseph Smith was in attendance instead of heeding the Lord’s voice.

History of the Church, 4:552; “Wednesday, March 16.—I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree.”

The date was March 16, 1842

James 5:12; “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.”

Forty-nine days later Smith got himself a revelation from his god. As he relayed the message from the heavens to the Saints you’ll notice how they’re told to wait on Joseph’s every word until he comes up with more “revelations” from God.

History of the Church 5:1-2; “Inauguration of Endowment Ceremonies… And the communications I made to this council were of things spiritual, and to be received only by the I spiritual minded: and there was nothing made known to these men but what will be made known to all the Saints of the last days, so soon as they are prepared to receive, and a proper place is prepared to communicate them, even to the weakest of the Saints; therefore let the Saints be diligent in building the Temple, and all houses which they have been, or shall hereafter be, commanded of God to build; and wait their time with patience in all meekness, faith, perseverance unto the end, knowing assuredly that all these things referred to in this council are always governed by the principle of revelation.”

This took place on Wednesday, May 4, 1842. 

Matthew 5:33-34; “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:  34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne.

Could it be a coincidence the revelation was instituted into the temple endowment ceremony a mere six or so weeks after Smith became a Mason?

Now let’s look at those oaths.  We’re listing the oaths taken in the Masonic temple, oaths taken in Mormon temples from 1931 and prior, and oaths in Mormon temples in 2005. We also compared the similar arm and body gestures in prayers and oaths, the handshakes and passwords.

You’ll notice how these oaths went from the very graphic promise of cutting their own throats ear to ear and disemboweling themselves to a mere promise of not revealing secrets.  A Mormon convert today would have no idea the Church endorsed such violence unless they read up on its history.

Aside from the fact Jesus told us not to take oaths there’s also the issue of the Church never repenting for incorporating such things into their “holy” ceremonies. As always they “quietly” changed the oaths like they’ve done with their scripture and it’s never acknowledged any such thing took place.

 

Masonic

Temple

LDS

Temple

1931 &

Earlier

LDS

Temple

2005

First Degree

(Entered

Appren

tice)

of Free

masonry/

First Token

Of Aaronic

Priest-

hood

 

“I will . . . never reveal any part or parts, art or arts, point or points of the secret arts and mysteries of ancient Freemasonry . . . binding myself under no less penalty than to have my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by the roots. . . .”

“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”

“I, _________, covenant

before God, angels, and these witnesses, that I will never reveal the first token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name and sign.”

The name of this token is the New Name that you received in the

temple today.

Second Degree

(Fellow Craft)/

Second Token

of Aaronic

Priest-

hood

“I . . . most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear . . . that I will not give the degree of a Fellow Craft Mason to any one of an inferior degree, nor to any other being in the known world . . . binding myself under no less penalty than to have my left breast torn open and my heart and vitals taken from thence . . . to become a prey to the wild beasts of the field, and vulture of the air. . . .”

“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.”

“I, ______,

solemnly

covenant

before God, angels, and these witnesses that I will never reveal the second token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name and sign.”

The name of this token is your own first given name if you are

going through the temple for your own Endowment, or, if you are going

through for the dead, it is the first given name of the person for whom

you are officiating.

 

Masonic

Temple

LDS

Temple

1931 &

Earlier

LDS

Temple

2005

Arms to the

Square

When taking oaths holding the right arm up to the square indicates truth and morality.

The following obligations are now taken with the right arm at the square…Law of Sacrifice…Law of Chastity for Men…Law of Chastity for Women…Law of Vengeance…

Sisters, arise.Each of youbring your right arm to the square…Brethren, arise. Each of you bring your right arm to the square…

Five Points of

Fellow

ship

Candidate is “raised” on the Five Points Of Fellowship by the Master: 1) inside of right foot to inside of right foot; 2) right knee to right knee; 3) breast to breast; 4) left hand to back; 5) mouth to ear. In this position he receives the secret word

whispered, while hands are clasped in the Master’s grip.

Secret Master’s word, whispered to candidate on the Five Points of Fellowship: “Mah-hah-bone”, which he is told means “marrow in the bone.”

The five points of

fellowship are

given by putting

the inside of the

right foot to the

inside of the

Lord’s, the inside

of your knee to

his, laying your

breast close to his,

your left hands on

each other’s backs,

and each one

putting his mouth

to the other’s ear,

in which position

the Lord whispers

LORD: This is the name of the Token–”Health in the navel, marrow in the bones, strength in the loins and in the sinews, power in the Priesthood

be upon me, and upon my posterity through all generations of time, and throughout all eternity.”

LORD: You shall receive it through the veil.

[Still holding the patriarchal grip, the initiate and the person embrace through the veil. The initiate’s left arm passes through the mark of the compass, and the left arm of the person representing the Lord passes through the mark of the square. The person representing the Lord speaks into the initiate’s ear the name of the token.]

Will you give it to me?

PATRON: I will, upon the Five Points of Fellowship

through the Veil.-

Health in the navel, marrow in the bones, strength in the loins and in the sinews, power in the Priesthood be upon me, and upon my posterity through all generations of time, and throughout all eternity.

Two Grips

Name of the grip is “BOAZ”.

Name of the grip

is patron’s new name.

Name of the grip is patron’s new name.

“Has it a name”

password

“What is this?”
Ans. “A grip.”
“A grip of what?”
Ans. “The grip of an

Entered Apprentice

Mason.”
“Has it a name?”
Ans. “It has.”
“Will you give

it to me?”
Ans. “I did not so

receive it, neither

can I so impart it.”

(Morgan, pp.

23-24).

Peter–”What is that?”Adam–”The firsttoken of the AaronicPriesthood.”

Peter–”Has it a

name?”

Adam–”It has.”

Peter–”Will you

give it to me?”

Adam–”I cannot,

for it is

connected with

my new name,

but this

is the sign.”

LORD: What is that?PETER: The first token of the Aaronic priesthood.LORD: Has it a name?PETER: It has.

LORD: Will you give it to me?

PETER: I will, through the veil.

The person then gives, through the veil, the name of this token, which is the new name received in the temple today.

It’s believed by the most that Smith took the oaths from the Masonic temple, but more specifically some believe he used the writings of William Morgan who wrote an exposé of the fraternity’s bloody oaths (Freemasonry Exposed 1827). Morgan’s writings were based on oaths from the York Rite’s Craft Degree.

William Morgan’s life and subsequent disappearance (and death) remains a legend of folklore in the world of the Masonic Lodge. After becoming a member of the craft he enlisted two other people to help him with funding so he could publish a tell-all book exposing the secret oaths taken at the temples.

Just before the book was set to go public Morgan disappeared. To date his remains have never been found, his whereabouts unknown.  The book however, was published in 1827 in spite of his death.

Another interesting item of note is the marriage of Joseph Smith to William Morgan’s widow Lucinda in 1838.

Smith had Morgan baptized by proxy into the Church in 1841.

After Smith joined the lodge the Masonic population boomed.  Before the influx of Mormons who joined, nationwide there were approximately 2,000 Masons so having 1,500 Mormons join within a matter of months raised a few eyebrows. (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg 527 & H.I.S. Ministries, Intl)

Because of protocol and how the Lodge is run Mormon Lodge membership numbers were looked upon with suspicion and skepticism. But it didn’t take long for the buddy-buddy love-fest between Mormons and Masons to come to a screeching halt.

In 1867 Brigham Young announced in a sermon that because of polygamy Mormons were no longer allowed to join the Lodge (JD 11:328) and in 1903 the Improvement Era published an admonition to Mormons they weren’t allowed to join the fraternity. According to the Lodge the reason Masons weren’t to join Mormonism is because of what happened in Nauvoo.

In January 1984 the Lodge ended its long standing ban on Masons joining the Church or that Mormons couldn’t join the Lodge.

A few more questions arise from the development of the deteriorated relationship that must be asked.

If the Masons are no longer an acceptable people group to associate with then what does that mean about their oaths?

Are the oaths unacceptable as well?

Why would a righteous god direct Smith to incorporate this unacceptable group’s oaths into the Mormon temple?

Did he not know they’d be unacceptable in the future?

If you’re LDS we’re praying you take some quiet time and ask Jesus about these things. If the original oaths are now condemned by the Church, why are these things still part of the temple ritual?

There’s no harm in asking questions and in fact, the Lord encourages people to do so!

With Love in Christ;

Michelle

Tags: , , ,

No comments yet.

Leave a Reply