The Church and Freemasonry

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latterdaytemplar
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Re: The Church and Freemasonry

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George MillerPM wrote:
Tue Jun 28, 2022 3:31 pm
The links above and in the original post should now be fixed. I hope that helps.
Thank you Brother!
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Re: The Church and Freemasonry

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⑤ AND SATAN CAME AMONG THEM. MEN BECAME CARNAL, SENSUAL, AND DEVILISH. (Moses 5:13-15)
”Moses 5:13-15” wrote:[b[MOS 5:13[/b] And SATAN CAME AMONG THEM, saying: I am also a SON OF GOD; and he commanded them, saying: Believe it not; and THEY BELIEVED IT NOT, and they LOVED SATAN MORE THAN GOD. And men began from that time forth to be CARNAL, SENSUAL, AND DEVILISH.
MOS 5:14 And the Lord God called upon men by the Holy Ghost everywhere and COMMANDED THEM THAT THEY SHOULD REPENT;
MOS 5:15 AND AS MANY AS BELIEVED IN THE SON, AND REPENTED OF THEIR SINS, SHOULD BE SAVED; AND AS MANY AS BELIEVED NOT AND REPENTED NOT, SHOULD BE DAMNED; and the words went forth out of the mouth of God in a firm decree; wherefore they must be fulfilled.
The first twelve verses (Moses 5:1-12) of the fifteen verse insertion at the beginning of Genesis 4 focus mainly on Adam and his righteous posterity. As has been demonstrated, these verses echo in many respects the retelling of the Genesis account as it appears in the Masonic text Antiquities of Freemasonry. In addition, Reverend Oliver’s work gives the added information that Adam and his righteous posterity were Masons who participated in Masonic rituals including those related to the Royal Arch ritual with its offices of prophet, priest, and king.

As we turn to the final three verses of the insertion into Genesis (Moses 5:13-15), the narrative switches from a discussion of Adam’s righteous posterity to a more sinister tale about how a portion of Adam’s posterity became unrighteous. It records that “satan came among them” claiming to be a “son of God” and endeavored to teach Adam’s posterity to disbelieve the gospel teachings of their parents. The appearance of Satan in the narrative is, at least according to modern academic scholarship, anachronistic. For those interested in why Moses narrative is anachronistic I would, for example, suggest reading Satan: A Biography written by Henry Ansgar Kelly and published by Cambridge University Press.

Next the Moses text records the success of Satan’s teachings as many of Adam’s seed began to disbelieve Adam’s teachings and “loved Satan more than God”. Thus Joseph Smith’s inspired translation of the Genesis makes the audacious claim that the anachronistic Satan actively set up amongst Adam’s posterity idolatrous Mahanic practices in which Satan was heralded as a Son of God whom they loved more than God. Thus Moses 5 records that the unrighteous branch of Adam’s posterity became “carnal, sensual, and devilish”.

To combat adherents of Satan’s counterfeit religious system, God, through the leadership of Adam and the righteous progeny of Seth and Enoch, preached to the unrighteous branch of the family and “commanded then that they should repent” because “as many as believed in the Son of God, and repented of their sins, should be saved; and as many as believed not and repented not, should be damned”. Thus Joseph Smith’s translation introduces an anachronistic narrative into Genesis of a Divine and a Diabolic religious tradition amongst the antediluvian patriarchs. As the narrative progresses through the remainder of Genesis revision it would be revealed that the Divine tradition was maintained by Adam’s righteous posterity under the leadership of Enoch while the Diabolic tradition would be propagated by Cain and his descendants. While the opposed and competing Divine Masonic and Diabolic Mahanic traditions are largely non-existent in the Old Testament, they make up one of the central narratives of Antiquities of Freemasonry as we have seen in a previous post. Let’s now look at the specific ways in which Antiquities of Freemasonry is echoed in these verses of Moses 5.

In a substantial departure and addition to the text of Genesis, the Book of Moses recorded how “Satan came among” the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve and taught spurious doctrines. Satan claimed that he too was “a son of God” and that they should doubt the divine precepts, injunctions, and sublime principles inculcated in their parents’ teachings. The Moses text further noted that Satan was successfully in spreading the spurious doctrines of Diabolical Mahanry such that many of Adam’s progeny believed not the divine teachings of their parents and instead “loved Satan more than God”. (MOS 5:13)

It should be noted no diabolical dabblings by the devil were directly described in Genesis; but, instead the Genesis text simply recorded that Cain killed his brother after Cain’s sacrifice was not accepted by God. Furthermore, Genesis makes no mention of other sons or daughters during this period nor the devils dealings amongst them. While these events were entirely absent from Genesis, just such an elaboration existed in Antiquities of Freemasonry.

George Oliver recorded that, “When men became numerous upon the earth, the evil spirit of darkness was very busily engaged in the corruption of their morals“. The story in the Book of Moses echoes Antiquities of Freemasonry in three specific ways: (1) Satan came among the sons of daughters of Adam, (2) Satan was successful with Cain and his brethren, and (3) that he taught a Mahanic system of idolatry.

First, George Oliver recorded that, “When men became numerous upon the earth, the evil spirit of darkness was busily engaged in the corruption of their morals”. Like the Book of Moses which recorded that “Satan came among” the numerous sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, Antiquities of Freemasonry discussed how the “evil spirit of darkness” was “busily engaged in the corruption of their morals” at the time “when men became numerous upon the earth”. The ministrations of the malevolent spirit of darkness were not just focused on Cain, as Satan was “very busily engaged in the corruption of their morals”.

Second, George Oliver’s expansion of the Genesis text suggested that Satan had not only engaged in the corruption of the morals of Cain and his brethren, but that he was successful. It recorded that, Satan had “succeeded in working up the malevolent passions in the heart of Cain, until he apostatized from Masonry.” Similarly, the Book of Moses described how Cain was not Satan’s only initiate. It discusses how Satan came “among them,” that “they believed,” that “they loved” Satan.

Moses 5 goes on to discuss how so many were initiated into Satan’s Mahanic practices that, “Adam and his wife mourned before the Lord, because of Cain and his brethren.” Antiquities of Freemasonry recorded that Cain’s descendants joined him in the expulsion from the community. “Cain migrated from the residence of his parents, as many had done before him, and planted a colony in the land of Nod. Here his race forsook every good and laudable pursuit, along with Masonry, and degenerated into every species of impurity and wickedness; though there were a few of his immediate descendants, who retained so much virtue as to exert the faint remains of their Masonic talents for the benefit of mankind.” This passage notes that there were enough like-minded brethren of Cain that he could “plant a colony” in the land and that his descendants were numerous enough to be considered a “race”. Intriguingly, it suggested that Cain’s “race forsook every good and laudable pursuit, along with Masonry” thus Cain’s brethren had previously become Masons. That Cain’s Mahanic brothers had previously been Masons was confirmed in the text as it noted, “there were a few of his immediate descendants, who retained so much virtue as to exert the faint remains of the Masonic talents for the benefit of mankind.” Thus the Book of Moses echoed the assertion of Antiquities of Freemasonry that Satan was not only successful with Cain, but Satan was also successful in indoctrinating Cain’s brethren.

Third, Satan in the Book of Moses seems to be spreading a Mahanic Masonic system of belief. Satan’s spurious system taught that Satan was a “son of God” and sought to substitute Satan for the Savior. Satan’s spurious system was in effect an idolatrous system of worship which acknowledged God and many sons of God which could be loved and worshiped; but this corrupted system called for its adherents to love “Satan more than God”.

In it’s discussion of Cain’s descendants practicing idolatry, the Book of Moses echoes Antiquities of Freemasonry. George Oliver wrote Cain’s “fierce and ungovernable” posterity “had either forgotten God, or were willfully disposed to act in direct opposition to his commands. Their hostility to the divine Author of their being announces the decay of primitive Masonry amongst them.” Cain’s posterity in Antiquities of Freemasonry which had “hostility to the divine Author” and thus acted “in direct opposition” to God were echoed in Cain’s brethren in the Book of Moses that “loved Satan more than God.” In addition, AoF recorded that the Cainites practiced idolatry as discussed in the Book of Moses. It recorded that Cainites practiced the “abominations of idolatry” as they “worshiped the host of heaven” and “erected shrines to the honour of imaginary deities”. Thus the Masonic myth of the “decay of primitive Masonry amongst” the Cainites was canonized in the Book of Moses story of how Satan came among the Cainites to spread idolatrous practices.

The Book of Moses next recorded that because Cain’s brethren “loved Satan more than God” that “men began from that time forth to be carnal, sensual, and devilish.”

Webster’s 1828 dictionary defined carnal as pertaining to a “being in the natural state” which was “unregenerate[d]” who indulged in activities “pertaining to flesh; fleshly; sensual; opposed to spiritual; as carnal pleasure” who was particularly “lecherous; lustful; libidinous; given to sensual indulgence”. The dictionary also referenced the Bible to convey the meaning of carnal quoting Romans 8:7 that a person with a carnal mind held “enmity against God” and Hebrews 9:10 to explain that carnal pertained “to the ceremonial law” and “carnal ordinances.”

Sensual persons were in “opposition to the spirit; not spiritual or holy” because they gratified the “sensual appetites, hunger, lust” and were thus “evil”. A person who had “communication with the devil” and partook in “the qualities of the devil” making them “diabolical” and “very evil”. Thus the brethren associated with Cain were unregenerate men who held enmity against God and enjoyed the carnal pleasures leading them to being libidinous and given to sensual indulgence all while engaging in carnal rituals of sacrifice only for enjoyment of meat and drink without reference to Christ
.
This view of Satan’s converts being carnal, sensual, and devilish mirrors the description of Cain and his followers as described in Antiquities of Freemasonry. George Oliver recorded that “the evil spirit of darkness was busily engaged in the corruption of their morals”. Antiquities of Freemasonry later detailed the extent and caliber of these corruptions when it noted that Cain and his brethren held “hostility to the divine author of their being” and were “willfully disposed to act in direct opposition” to God. Their corrupted morals caused them to be “distinguished by violence and licentiousness”. Cain brethren carnal licentiousness “increased to such a degree, that, before the flood, there existed amongst his posterity an indiscriminate community of wives, as well as a bestial intercourse with each other.” So carnal, sensual, and devilish had the Caininite sins become that, “Holy Scripture has not recorded their monstrous enormities.” Thus the AoF’s claim that Cain’s and his apostate Masonic brethren were licentious is echoed in the Book of Moses’s description of Cain’s brethren being carnal, sensual, and devilish.
”Antiquities of Freemasonry” wrote: WHEN MEN BECAME NUMEROUS UPON THE EARTH, THE EVIL SPIRIT OF DARKNESS WAS VERY BUSILY ENGAGED in the CORRUPTION OF THEIR MORALS; and SUCCEEDED in in working up the MALEVOLENT PASSIONS IN THE HEART OF CAIN, until APOSTATIZED FROM MASONRY, and slew his brother Abel.
(AoF 46)

Being, however, by the mercy of God, protected from the summary vengeance oh his fellow men, Cain migrated from the residence of his parents, as many of Adam’s posterity had done before him, and planted a colony in the land of Nod. Here his race FORSOOK EVERY GOOD AND LAUDABLE PURSUIT, ALONG WITH MASONRY, and DEGENERATED into every species of IMPURITY AND WICKEDNESS; though there were a few of his immediate descendants, who retained so much virtue as to exert the FAINT REMAINS OF THEIR MASONIC TALENTS for the benefit of mankind. Thus Jabal, the sixth in descent from Cain, invented music, Tubal Cain, his half-brother, invented the art of forging of working metals. Here Cain, with the assistance of these artists, reduced the knowledge he had acquired from Adam to practice, and constructed a city, which he named Hanock, after his eldest son.

The FAMILY OF CAIN lived in much fear of the rest of Adam’s posterity, whom they conjectured would revenge the death of Abel upon them when a favourable opportunity should present itself. LAMECH was the first who ENDEAVOURED to REMOVE THEIR APPREHENSIONS, and proposed a fortification as the most certain means of safety. By HIS advice, CAIN, the the assistance of Jabal and Tubal Cain, encompassed his city with walls, as a place of refuge, in case of interruption from the people around them. This city, being the FIRST PRACTICAL EXERTION OF OPERATIVE MASONRY, was necessarily ill constructed, and probably worse defended. The habitations were merely tents or huts, which served, indeed, to shelter them from the inclemency of the seasons, but whose conveniences were little superior to the dens and caves which had hitherto been used as their places of domestic retreat. The only great advantage derived from the construction of this city was the association, from which many important benefits resulted. The blessings of superior civilization might ensue, in a well regulated commonwealth, from an union of interests and reciprocity of benefits; which could never be obtained while men depended on their own insulated exertions for the necessities of life; and existed, if not in absolute enmity with all other of their species, at least without the conviction that each occasional companion or associate was a firm and constant friend. And if, in this solitary mode of living, the duty of laying up stores of provision and comfort for the winter was neglected, in that inclement season the improvident individual must inevitably perish with cold and hunger; unless, with the STRONG ARM OF VIOLENCE AND INJUSTICE, he wrested the miserable pittance from his more provident neighbour. This, we are assured by Diosodous Suculus, was frequently the case; and hence MURDER AND HOMICIDE WERE VERY COMMON AMONG THE ANTEDILUVIANS, and were the particular species of violence which elicited the wrath of God to sweep them from the earth.

By the formation of a SOCIETY OR COMPACT, in the bond was MUTUAL SECURITY, the evils might have been prevented; the social virtues of the heart might display themselves, traces of civil government might be visible, to RESTRAIN THE IMPETUOSITY OF HUMAN PASSION; and some notion of the moral government of the universe, by a Superior Being, become impressed upon their minds, and possess a genial influence on their morals. UNFORTUNATELY THE COMMONWEALTH OF HANOCH enjoyed but few of these benefits, from a WANT REGULARITY IN IT ITS FOUNDER. ROUGH AND UNGOVERNABLE, and more distinguished by VIOLENCE and LICENTIOUSNESS, than peace and social order. They had either FORGOTTEN GOD, or were WILLFULLY DISPOSED to act in DIRECT OPPOSITION TO HIS COMMANDS. Their HOSTILITY to the DIVINE AUTHOR of the being announces the DECAY OF MASONRY AMONGST THEM; and their subsequent DEGENERACY shews how the human HEART MAY BE DEBASED, when divested of these true principles, which so strongly stimulate to virtue and holiness.

After his this PUBLIC RENUNCIATION OF GOD’S LAWS, VICE RAPIDLY INCREASED, until it brought on man’s destruction. LAMECH, WHO APPEARS TO HAVE POSSESSED GREAT INFLUENCE IN THE CITY OF HANOCH, introduced the EVIL OF BIGAMY; and the effects of HIS EXAMPLE increased to SUCH A DEGREE, that, before the flood, there existed amongst his posterity an INDISCRIMINATE COMMUNITY OF WIVES, as well as BESTIAL INTERCOURSE WITH EACH OTHER. HOLY SCRIPTURE has NOT RECORDED THEIR MONSTROUS ENORMITIES; and as MASONRY was at length WHOLLY GIVEN UP BY THIS RACE, I return to the line of Seth, amongst whom it was yet cultivated. (AoF 47-51)
Moses 5:15 records the teachings of God that “as many as believed not and repented not, should be damned” was the fate of those that became Diabolical Mahans but promised that “as many as believed in the son, and repented of their sins, should be saved”. Thus the text claims that this two-fold doctrine promised damnation to the unrighteous and salvation to the righteous. While Cain’s posterity was damned by the carnal, sensual, and devilish dispositions, Joseph’s translation of the Genesis reveals that the Seth were “preachers of righteousness, and spoke and prophesied, and called upon all men, everywhere, to repent”. (Moses 6:23) This righteous posterity of Seth which “believed in the son, and repented of their sins” is also discussed in great detail in Antiquities of Freemasonry

It records that Seth was “educated by his father in the strictest principles of piety and devotion” and that “when he arrived at the years of maturity” that he was “admitted to a participation in the mysteries of Masonry” which he “studied with the most diligent assiduity”. It records how Seth “formed lodges, and discussed the great principles of Masonry with FREEDOM, FERVENCY, and ZEAL”. Seth and his fellow Masonic brother’s “system of Masonry was purely theological” that “inculcated the precepts of religion”. According to George Oliver these precepts “explained the nature and attributes of God, the creation of the world, and the unhappy fall of man” and “pointed out the differences between moral good and evil and compared the happiness of paradise with the pain, disease, and misery of this wretched world” so that “the mind might be incited to avoid a much greater punishment, and aspire to the enjoyment of a much higher degree of happiness in a future state.” Thus the righteous line of Seth were such upright Divine Masons that according to George Oliver they “received the appellation SONS OF LIGHT or SONS OF GOD.”

Antiquities of Freemasonry also records how these Masonic Sons of God, in particular Enoch, preached to the unrighteous Mahanic followers of Cain. George Oliver claimed that, Enoch made “repeated exhortations” and preached a “solemn warning of their dreadful punishment which awaited their obdurate iniquity” and he gave an exhortation that “was calculated to awaken mankind from their lethargy”. The text also claims that Enoch finally had to expel his Mahanic brethren from the Divine Masonic lodges as he was forced to “institute that form of excommunication known amongst the primitive Christians”. Thus through the Masonic rituals in the Divine Masonic lodges and through the teaching of the Divine Masons did the firm decree of God’s words go forth.

However, despite Enoch and his brethren's’ endeavors to press upon their brethren “the nature of their obligations”, Diabolical Mahanry prevailed. Antiquities of Freemasonry records that,
“The fascinations held out by the Cainites were too powerful for the children of Seth to resist” thus “their minds were rapidly tainted with the abominations of idolatry” such that “they worshiped the host of heaven” and “erected shrines to the honour of imaginary deities” and at length “exalted to the dignity of a god” ordinary mortals such that in the seventh generation from Adam was the first instance of a “mortal being deified”.
”Antiquities of Freemasonry” wrote: Seth, the son of Adam, was educated by his father in the strictest principles of piety and devotion; and when he arrived at the YEARS OF MATURITY was ADMITTED to a participation in the MYSTERIES OF MASONRY, to study he applied himself with the most diligent assiduity. The progress he made in the science is fully demonstrated by the purity of his life. Associating with himself the most virtuous men of his age, the FORMED LODGES, and discussed the GREAT PRINCIPLES OF MASONRY with FREEDOM, FERVENCY, and ZEAL. These MASONS in a few centuries, made such progress in the science, that they received the appellation SONS OF LIGHT, or SONS OF GOD. Their SYSTEM OF MASONRY WAS PURELY THEOLOGICAL: its illustrations EXPLAINED THE NATURE AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD, the CREATION OF THE WORLD, and the UNHAPPY FALL OF MAN. It pointed out the differences between MORAL GOOD AND EVIL, and COMPARED THE HAPPINESS OF PARADISE with the PAIN, DISEASE, AND MISERY of this wretched world; that the mind might be incited to AVOID A MUCH GREATER PUNISHMENT, and ASPIRE TO THE ENJOYMENT OF A MUCH HIGHER DEGREE OF HAPPINESS in a FUTURE STATE. It inculcated the PRECEPTS OF RELIGION, and the necessity of DIVINE WORSHIP; the SANCTIFICATION OF THE SEVENTH DAY, with other particulars which EVERY MASON IS ACQUAINTED with, who is master of our imitable FELLOW CRAFT’S LECTURE.

From general illustrations of God’s attributes, these indefatigable MASONS proceed to the study and investigation of GOD’S CREATED WORKS. Of these the CELESTIAL ORBS appeared the most prominent and splendid, and were, therefore, contemplated with an eagerness of research which produced the MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS. The rudiments of ASTRONOMY were NOT ONLY FORMED IN THESE EARLY AGES, byt the science was carried to SOME DEGREE OF PERFECTION; and certainly inspired a sublime idea of the glorious Being, who could create and govern so vast and complicated a machine.

The Jewish Rabbins, in describing the holiness of this race while engaged in these pursuits, present to the view a TRUE AND BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF THE RESULTS OF MASONRY, when practiced in its native purity. Separated, by the divine economy, from the rebellious race of Cain, they preserved the primitive sanctity of their progenitors until the year of the world 500. THEIR OCCUPATIONS WERE PURELY SPIRITUAL, for they lived almost SOLELY ON THE SPONTANEOUS PRODUCTIONS OF NATURE. The LAWS AND MOTIONS OF THE CELESTIAL BODIES CONSTITUTED THEIR CHIEF STUDY, and their unusual amusement consisted in singing psalms to God. Endued with that benign principle which we term CHARITY, the passions of envy, hatred and revenge found no place amongst them; injustice and deceit were banished from their society; sincerity and plain-dealing were their distinguishing characteristics; and they lived, daily ripening for that state which enlightened by the presence of God for evermore. To the purity of these SONS OF GOD our most excellent patron, St. John the Evangelist, compared that of the Christian converts. He addresses them by the same appellation, and contrasts their conduct with the righteous race of Cain.

Seth continued to preside over these SACRED ASSEMBLIES until the time of Enoch; and finding that the spirit of God was in that highly favoured individual, and that he excelled his brethren in wisdom and knowledge, he installed him Grand Superintendent in his stead; happy to leave science under the direction of so excellent a protector.
(AoF 51-54)

Enoch perceiving that men did not reform from his REPEATED EXHORTATIONS, instituted that form of EXCOMMUNICATIONS known amongst the primitive Christians by the name of Maranatha, being derived from Maran, the Lord, and Ath, fire. After giving them a SOLEMN WARNING OF THEIR DREADFUL PUNISHMENT WHICH AWAITED THEIR OBDURATE INIQUITY, he resigned the government to his son Lamech; and on his fervent petition for death, it pleased God to translated him from the Lodge on earth to the Lodge above, where his piety was rewarded with everlasting glory. HIS FAREWELL EXHORTATION WAS CALCULATED TO AWAKEN MANKIND FROM THEIR LETHARGY, IF THEY HAD NOT BEEN DEAD TO THE IMPULSE BIT THAT OF VICE. “Behold,” says he “the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to the convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deed which they ungodly committed, and of their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” (Jude 1:14-15)

Being liberated from a monitor whom they regarded with some degree of awe and reverence, mankind proceeded to the UNLIMITED GRATIFICATION of their REBELLIOUS PASSIONS, WITHOUT FEAR OF RESTRAINT.

The fascinations held out by the Cainites were too powerful for the children of Seth to resist, and THEIR MINDS WERE RAPIDLY TAINTED wi the ABOMINATIONS OF IDOLATRY: they WORSHIPED THE HOST OF HEAVEN; they erected shrines to the honour of imaginary deities; and at length Tubal Cain was EXALTED TO THE DIGNITY OF A GOD, under the appellation of Vulcan. This was the first instance of a MORTAL BEING DEIFIED, and it took place in the seventh generation from Adam. To this god the Egyptians afterward assigned the attributes of prescience, power, and unlimited duration of immortality. While the reign of other gods was confined within certain and specific limits, the reign of Vulcan was without end. (AoF 91-92)
Moses 5:13-15 echoes Antiquities of Freemasonry in five aspects. First, both make the anachronistic claim that Satan came among the progeny of Adam to tempt them. Second, both texts claim that Satan set up an alternative system of worship. Third, emphasize the element of “Sons of God” - an appellation given to the righteous Masons in Seth’s line and Satan’s claim as a “Son of God”. Fourth, both texts record the success of Satan’s teaching amongst both Cain who “apostatized from Masonry” and amongst the many others who followed Cain. Fifth, both describe the apostasy of the Mahanic brothers as having the aspects of being carnal, sensual, and devilish. Sixth, both Antiquities of Freemasonry record the preaching of Seth and his righteous posterity to the Diabolical Mahans. While not discussed here, there are further parallels in the above quoted passages about both the Divine Masonic and Diabolical Mahanic traditions amongst Seth’s lineage and Lamech’s lineage respectively found in later chapters of the Joseph Smith translation.
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Re: The Church and Freemasonry

Post by George MillerPM »

⑥ THE DEMONIC HIERARCHY (Moses 5:16-25)
”Moses 5:16-22” wrote:[GEN 4:1 | MOS 5:16 And Adam and Eve, his wife, ceased not to call upon God. And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bare Cain, and said: I have gotten a man from the Lord; wherefore he may not reject his words. But behold, Cain hearkened not, saying: Who is the Lord that I should know him?
GEN 4:2 | MOS 5:17 And she ]b]again conceived[/b] and bare his brother Abel. And Abel hearkened unto the voice of the Lord. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
MOS 5:18 And Cain loved Satan more than God. And Satan commanded him, saying: Make an offering unto the Lord.
gen 4:3 | MOS 5:19 And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
gen 4:4 | MOS 5:20 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering;
gen 4:5 | MOS 5:21 But unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect. Now Satan knew this, and it pleased him. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
GEN 4:6 | MOS 5:22 And the Lord said unto Cain: Why art thou wroth? Why is thy countenance fallen?
GEN 4:7 | MOS 5:23 If thou doest well, thou shalt be accepted. And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door, and Satan desireth to have thee; and except thou shalt hearken unto my commandments, I will deliver thee up, and it shall be unto thee according to his desire. And thou shalt rule over him;
MOS 5:24 For from this time forth thou shalt be the father of his lies; thou shalt be called Perdition; for thou wast also before the world.
MOS 5:25 And it shall be said in time to come—That these abominations were had from Cain; for he rejected the greater counsel which was had from God; and this is a cursing which I will put upon thee, except thou repent.
After the 15 verse addition, the Joseph Smith translation begins editing the text of Genesis 4:1. The text matching Genesis 4 is in black while the additions and emendations are in red above.

This section of Genesis tells of the conception, birth, and some events in the life of Cain and Abel. This section of the chapter tells the story of the elder brother Cain who was a farmer by profession and his younger brother Abel who was a shepherd by vocation. Both men offered sacrifices on the altar to the Lord; however, while Abel’s sacrifice was accepted by the Lord, Cain’s sacrifice was rejected. Cain became angry and the Lord spoke to Cain to try to reassure him. Genesis recorded the words of both reassurance and warning that the Lord spoke to Cain, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? If thou does not well, sin lieth at the door.” This portion of divine utterance to Cain was fairly straightforward; however, the English wording of the next portion was somewhat confusing. “And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him” (GEN 4:7) What is to be made of this portion of Genesis?

Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, which may have been available to Smith during his translation project, elucidated this passage of scripture explaining, “[Cain] shalt ever have the right of primogeniture, and in all things shall [Cain’s] brother [Abel] be subject unto [Cain]. These words, are not spoken of sin, as many have understood them, but of Abel’s submission to Cain as his superior.” Thus Cain would rule over Abel due to his place as the older brother. Thus, according to Adam Clarke, God’s “words are spoken to remove Cain's envy”.

The Joseph Smith translation does not recapitulate Clarke’s clarification of this problematic phrase. Instead, Smith and Cowdery revised and amended Genesis 4:1-5 extensively. The revision left verses six and eight virtually unchanged, with the exception of verse eight getting an unremarkable transitional clause indicating that “Cain went into the field” on the day in question. The seventh verse is more heavily revised. The Lord’s reassurance and warning are still there; however, the reassurance that Cain will retain his primogeniture over his brother, as described by Adam Clarke, is gone. In its place Satan was invoked. Cain was informed that Satan desired to have him; and, that should Cain continue to break the commandments, that Cain was to be delivered up to Satan; and Satan should have Cain. Then, in a surprise twist, Cain is told that he will rule over Satan. Thus like the heavenly hierarchy with God sitting on his throne directing the archangels and ruling over the angels, Cain is setup as the king over a demonic hierarchy who directs the archdemon Satan and rules over the demons. God then reminds Cain that like the angels and the demons that Cain “wast also before the world”. Cain then admonished that this will be a “cursing which [God] will put upon [Cain] unless he repents.”

This portion of the Joseph Smith translation of Genesis reflects Joseph Smith’s unorthodox religious beliefs about the preexistence. Throughout his religious career, Joseph Smith revealed a doctrine of preexistence in which God sat on his throne and ruled the cosmos with his priesthood power from the beginning. However, not only did God exist from the beginning, the intelligences which composed the souls of mankind had also existed from the beginning. These souls were the archangels and angels over which God ruled. During a war in heaven the archangel Lucifer/Satan and one third of the host of heaven kept not their first estate and rebelled against God. Due to their rebellion, Satan, along with a third of the angels, were cast out of heaven to become demons who had sworn fealty to the archdemon Satan. Joseph Smith’s doctrine further suggests that the archangels such as Michael and Gabriel then came down to earth as Adam and Noah. Furthermore, Joseph Smith explained that God’s divine plan of salvation was not just focused on this planet, but that the stars and planets throughout the cosmos were also people with intelligent beings. This temporally and spatially expansive theology echoed, to some extent, ideas expressed in Antiquities of Freemasonry. I have discussed much of this in a post above in response to Brother Philo Sofee.

Knowing that his claim for the multiplicity of inhabited worlds might be questioned, George Oliver argued that the “scriptures, however, are not wholly silent on this head. They proclaim the existence of God before the worlds were made; and that Great Being himself declares, that "when the foundations of this globe were laid, the morning stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for joy." Using Job 38:7 as his prooftext, Oliver argued that, “The stars referred to in this passage are the pre-existent worlds, and the sons of God are the angels of heaven.”

Like George Olvier, Joseph Smith would also use Job 38 as a prooftext for his doctrine of the preexistence. In 1840, Joseph Smith would dictate a document known as an Instruction on the Priesthood which would utilize Job 38 to make the claim for the eternal nature of the priesthood.
”Instruction on Priesthood” wrote: [T]he Melchisadeck priesthood comprehends the Aaronic or Levitical priesthood and is the Grand head and holds the hig[h]est Authority which pertains to the priesthood— the keys of the Kingdom of God in all ages of the world to the latest posterity on the earth— and is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation and every important matter truth is revealed from heaven. Its institution was prior to “the foundation of this earth or the morning stars sang together or the sons of God shouted for joy,” (Job 38:6-7) and it is the highest and holiest priesthood and is after the order of the Son [of] God, and all other priesthoods are only parts, ramifications, powers and blessings belonging to the same and are held controlled and directed by it. It is the Channel through which the Almighty commenced revealing his glory at the beginning of the creation of this earth and through which he has continued to reveal himself to the children of men and to the present time and through which he will make known his purposes to the end of time[.]
This claim that priesthood is eternal echoes the claim of George Oliver’s statement about the Masonry that “that our science existed before the creation of this globe, and was diffused amidst the numerous systems with which the grand empyreum of universal space is furnished. The great architect of the universe was the founder of masonry.”
Joseph Smith will also read from Job 38 in Sunday morning sermon on March 24, 1841 and use the section as a prooftext for preexistent souls and the power of embodied souls over the disembodied.
[Joseph Smith] ays the spirit or the inteligence of men are self Existant principles before the foundation this Earth— & quotes the Lords question to Job “where wast thou when I Laid the foundation of the Earth”2 Evedencing that Job was <​in​> Existing somewhere at that time he says God is Good & all his acts is for the benefit of infereir [inferior] inteligences— God saw that those inteligences had Not power to Defend themselves against those that had a tabernicle therefore the Lord Calls them together in Counsel & agrees to form them tabernicles so that he might Gender3 the spirit & the tabernicle togather so as to create sympathy for their fellow man— for it is a Natureal thing with those spirits that has the most power to bore down on those of Lesser power4 so we see the Devil is without a tabernicle & the Lord has set bands to all Spirits.REF
Thus George Oliver and Joseph Smith both would use Job 38 as prooftext for their expansive Masonic theology which elucidated God as a the Grand Architect of the Universe who held Masonic rule over the initiated angels who practiced Masonry. Because the angels who kept not their first estate had learned Masonry before the fall, the archdemon Satan and the other demons had knowledge of the mysteries of freemasonry.
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Re: The Church and Freemasonry

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⑦ CAIN- The DIABOLICAL MASTER MAHAN (Moses 5:26-31)
”Moses 5:26-31” wrote:[MOS 5:26 And Cain was wroth, and listened not any more to the voice of the Lord, neither to Abel, his brother, who walked in holiness before the Lord.
MOS 5:27 And Adam and his wife mourned before the Lord, because of Cain and his brethren.
MOS 5:28 And it came to pass that Cain took one of his brothers’ daughters to wife, and they loved Satan more than God.
MOS 5:29 And Satan said unto Cain: Swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shalt die; and swear thy brethren by their heads, and by the living God, that they tell it not; for if they tell it, they shall surely die; and this that thy father may not know it; and this day I will deliver thy brother Abel into thine hands.
MOS 5:30 And Satan sware unto Cain that he would do according to his acommands. And all these things were done in secret.
MOS 5:31 And Cain said: Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain. Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan, and he gloried in his wickedness.
The Joseph Smith translation continues with 6 more added verses before it begins paraphrasing Genesis 4:8. Of these six added verses, the verse that has most interested Mormon historians has been Moses 5:31. In this verse, Cain claims the title of Master Mahan. As multiple Mormon historians have noted, this title seems to be a linguistic bastardization of the term “Master Mason.” The term Master Mason comes from Freemasonry and describes a man who has been initiated an Entered Apprentice in the first degree, passed to the second degree of Fellow Craft, and raised to the sublime third degree of Blue Lodge Masonry. Lodges of Freemasons are also usually presided over by the Worshipful Master, also referred to as the Master of the Lodge.

There has been some slight disagreement amongst Mormon historians about whether or not the phrase “Master Mahan” is a Masonic allusion. However, close reading combined with historical source criticism of these verses provides compelling evidence that the phrase “Master Mahan” was meant as a Masonic allusion; and, this passage was meant to be read through a Masonic lens.

Phrasing in the verses preceding the mention of Cain’s claim to the title Master Mahan points to it being a Masonic allusion. Verse 29 records that Satan put Cain under an obligation to “swear unto me by thy throat, and if you tell it thou shalt die”. Thus Satan put Cain under an injunction to ever conceal and never reveal their mysterious Mahanic conspiratorial secrets under penalty of having his throat cut.

For those who have undergone Masonic initiation, or those that are familiar with Masonic exposés, the phrase “swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shall die” is a blatant reference to phrases in Masonic ritual. In particular, the nature of the penalty in verse 29 reveals that this passage is alluding to the penalty associated with the obligation of the first degree of Freemasonry - the Entered Apprentice degree. To apprehend these allusions the historian must be somewhat familiar with Masonic ritual.

Since I am under Masonic obligations of secrecy, I will do as other Masonic scholars have done in discussing Masonic ritual and will quote from ritual exposés without comment as to potential correctness or potential inaccuracies. If quoting from Masonic ritual makes the reader/listener uncomfortable, then I would suggest bowing out now.

In Joseph Smith’s day, one of the most readily available sources for learning the content of Masonic ritual was the popular exposé Light on Masonry published in April of 1829 by a former Mason: Elder David Bernard. The book included a full exposé of the three Blue Lodge Degree (1° Entered Apprentice, 2° Fellowcraft, and 3° Master Mason) and an additional four degrees of the Royal Arch (4° Mark Master, 5° Past Master, 6° Most Excellent Master, and 7° Royal Arch). I have chosen this particular exposé for comparison to these particular verses because this ritual exposé would likely have been readily available to Joseph Smith through W.W. Phelps, who was, at least, partially involved in it’s publication and sale.

According to Light on Masonry, during his initiation, an Entered Apprentice was put under obligation while kneeling at the altar of a Masonic temple. There the initiate was caused to repeat, in part, these words. “I [Insert Name] of my own free will and accord, in the presence of Almighty God … do hereby and heron most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, that I will always hail, ever conceal, and never reveal any part, or parts, art, or arts, point, or points of the secrets, arts and mysteries of ancient Free Masonry, which I have received … to any person or persons[.] I do most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear… binding myself under no less a penalty, than to have my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by the roots, and my body buried in the rough sands of the sea at low water mark. So help me God, and keep me steadfast in the due performance of the same.”

There are six parallels between the Masonic initiation of an Entered Apprentice and the Mahanic initiation of Cain in verse 29. (1) Both the Masonic and Mahanic initiations required the initiate to “swear” an obligation. (2) Both obligations demanded secrecy. (3) The wording of both obligations imply a penalty of death for divulging secrets. (4) The penalties for both involved mortal injuries to the neck. However, the Masonic oath diverges from the Mahanic oath portrayed in the verse in two important ways. (5) In contrast to the Masonic oath which is done in the presence of God, Cain’s Mahanic oath is taken in the presence of Satan with Satan himself. (6) Masonic oaths requested God’s divine help in the performance of the Masonic oath.

In the Mahanic oath Satan promises Cain that he will deliver Abel into Cain’s hand so he may perform the act of murder. During Cain’s initiation, Satan swears to Cain that “he would do according to his commands” thus allowing Cain to rule over Satan. To those familiar with Masonry, Cain’s diabolic Mahanic obligation taken in Satan’s presence is a cruel counterfeit of the Masonic obligation made in the presence of the divine and invoking God’s aid in it’s performance.

After demanding an obligation of secrecy from Cain, Satan demands Cain to administer another obligation of secrecy to his fraternal brothers. Again, for those familiar with Masonic parlance, the phrase “swear thy brethren by their heads, and by the living God, that they tell it not; for if they tell it, they shall surely die” is blatantly alluding to the phrasing in Masonic obligations-- this time to the seventh degree of Masonry--the Royal Arch degree. An exploration of the obligation from the Royal Arch brings this allusion into focus.

Light in Masonry explained how a brother when exalted to the Royal Arch Degree repeated, in part, these words, “I [Insert Name] of my own free will and accord, in the presence of Almighty God, and this chapter of Royal Arch Masons … do hereby and hereon most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear … I will not wrong this chapter, nor a companion of this degree, to the value of any thing, knowingly myself, or suffer it to be done by others, if in my power to prevent it. … Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not speak evil of a companion … but will apprise him of approaching danger if in my power. Furthermore, do I promise and swear, that I will not strike a companion Royal Arch Mason in anger, so as to draw his blood. … All which I most solemnly and and sincerely promise and swear … binding myself under no less penalty, than that of having my skull smote off, and my brains exposed to the scorching rays of sun … So help me God, and keep me steadfast in the performance of the same.”

Similar to what was found for the Entered Apprentice degree, there are five parallels between the obligation of secrecy given by Cain to his brothers and Masonic exaltation of an Royal Arch Brother obligation. (1) Both the Masonic and Mahanic initiations required the initiate to “swear” an obligation. (2) Both obligations demanded secrecy. (3) The wording of both obligations imply a penalty of death for divulging secrets. (4) The penalties for both involved mortal injuries to the head. (5) However, unlike the Mahanic oath between Satan and Cain, the oath given by Cain to his brethren is done by “the living God”. These parallels provide compelling evidence that this passage is best understood when seen through a Masonic lens.

When one reads the text of Moses through the Masonic lens of the Royal Arch obligation, the extent to which Cain has rejected Masonic principles and instead embraced the Mahanic principles of Satan is revealed. The Royal Arch obligation placed brothers under an oath that they will “not strike [a brother] in anger, so as to draw his blood” and they will furthermore “apprise [their brother] of approaching danger.” In contrast, Cain and Satan hatched a diabolical conspiracy in which Satan delivered Abel into Cain’s hand so that Cain could rise up against his brother to slay him. Thus Cain does the antithesis of what this Masonic obligation requires by striking his brother in anger so that he drew his blood. In addition, instead of following the Masonic obligation to “not wrong” a brother “to the value of any thing,” Cain instead follows Mahanic principles and murders his brother so that the flocks of Abel fall into Cain’s hands. Cain is not a Master Mason but instead Master Mahan; and, as such, Cain is the master of the secret of how to “murder and get gain.”

A careful analysis of the two oaths of secrecy required by Satan highlights a distinct difference between the two oaths. Unlike the first oath of secrecy between Satan and Cain, the second oath administered by Cain was sworn “by the living God”. Why would Satan have required the brethren to swear unto God and not Satan? If the brethren in question were Mahanically inclined, an obligation of secrecy with Satan would have been perfectly acceptable. Because the oath of secrecy was “by the living God”, Cain must have been administering the oath to a set of more pious brothers. However, why would a pious brother keep a dark secret secure and inviolable in his breast about Cain’s actions, especially if that secret was about a murder? For that matter, why would a pious brother enter into an obligation of secrecy with a gruesome penalty attached to it in the first place? The answers to these questions become clear when viewed through a Masonic lens.

Mormon historians have documented the extensive involvement of Joseph Smith and other Latter-Day saints in Freemasonry during the Nauvoo period. During the Nauvoo period Joseph Smith became a Freemason, created a Masonically inspired ritual for the saints in which Adam and Eve participated in Masonically inspired rituals, and made the claim that Freemasonry and the Priesthood were connected anciently. If Joseph Smith believed in Nauvoo that Adam practiced a form of Masonry, couldn’t he have also believed the same thing in Palmyra? One way of testing this hypothesis is to read Joseph Smith’s 1840s era Nauvoo views on Masonry onto the 1830s era Book of Moses and determine if they fit.

If in the 1830s Joseph Smith believed, as he did in 1840s Nauvoo, that Adam administered Masonic rituals to his posterity, then the meaning of this portion of Book of Moses becomes clear. “Swear thy [Masonic] brethren by their heads, and by the living God, that they tell it not; for if they tell it, they shall surely die.” This clarification brings further light to this verse in three different ways.

First, The text assumes that Cain’s brothers would not react badly to being forced into vows of secrecy under pain of death. If Cain’s brethren had already received Masonic degrees, then they would have been perfectly amenable to receiving a degree with an accompanying penalty for breaking an oath of secrecy.

Second, if the brethren were entering into a Mahanic degree they would have taken their oath with or by Satan. The text, however, states that Cain is to swear his brothers “by the living God”. The text therefore suggests that the obligation of secrecy drawn by Cain from his brothers is a Masonic degree and not a Mahanic degree.

Third, Satan commanded Cain to swear his brethren indicating he was also a member of the Masonic lodge. His membership in a Masonic lodge would have provided cover for the fact he had become an apostate Mason. Cain’s brethren would have known that Cain had made an oath which included promises to (1) apprise a brother of approaching danger, (2) never strike a brother in anger as to draw blood, and to (3) never wrong a brother by nefariously obtaining any thing of value from him. The Masonic obligation that Cain had taken, and which he was administering to his brethren as a fellow Mason, would have allayed suspicion. In addition, the obligation of the Royal Arch degree also had specific clauses which would prevent a still suspicious brother from pointing a finger in Cain’s direction.

Light on Masonry presented the obligations of higher degrees as building on the obligations of lower degrees. The obligation of each successively higher degree ratcheted up the level of commitment, responsibility, and loyalty to the masonic institution. In particular, Anti-Masons pointed to the wording of specific clauses in the Royal Arch obligation. According to Light on Masonry, the obligation of the Royal Arch degree was particularly problematic since the wording stipulated that a brother could “never speak evil of a [brother] neither behind nor before his face.” The obligation of this degree also required a brother to “aid and assist a [brother], when engaged in any difficulty; and espouse his cause, so far as to extricate him from the same, if in [his] power, whether right or wrong.” A brother also was required to “promise and swear, that a [brother’s] secrets, given [him] in charge of such, and [he] knowing them to be such, shall remain in [his] breast as his own, murder and treason not excepted.”
In the narrative of Satan and Cain’s conspiracy to murder Abel, the problematic wording of these oaths would have explained Satan’s motivation for having Cain swear as many of his Masonic brethren as possible under this obligation. After taking this obligation, any brother who had lingering suspicions for a potential role for Cain in Abel’s murder would have been forbidden from voicing such a suspicion. His brothers could not speak evil of Cain, neither before his face, nor behind his back. Not only could they not voice their suspicion, but they would be required by Masonic obligation to aid and assist Cain in extricating himself from any difficulty associated with an investigation into a potential role in Abel’s murder. The same oath would have also required a brother to testify on behalf of Cain in a court of judgment and espouse his cause. Finally, Cain could have brought a potentially more Mahanically minded brother into the conspiratorial cover-up with less fear. If Cain shared the secret that he had actually murdered Abel, the brother was under oath and was required to keep such a secret secure in his breast breast even if was about a murder.
This passage of Joseph Smith’s translation has long been discussed as expressing Joseph Smith’s anti-masonic tendencies in the 1820-30s. However, my analysis above suggests that throughout this portion of the translation of Genesis 4 that Joseph Smith is actually echoing Masonic legends as contained in George Oliver’s Antiquities of Freemasonry. When examined in light Antiquities of Freemasonry, it appears that Moses 5 is not anti-Masonic but instead faithfully recapitulates Masonic legends and canonizes them as scripture.

As we have seen in the previous posts, Antiquities of Freemasonry makes the claim that Adam was a Freemason who received Masonic initiation in the Garden of Eden at the hands of God and his angels. It further stated, that the antediluvian Masonic ritual was strictly religious and had similarities with the Royal Arch ritual. In addition, it attributes the Masonic offices of prophet, priest, and king associated with the Royal Arch to Adam and his righteous Masonic progeny. As shown above, when we read Moses 5 in light of Joseph Smith’s usage of Antiquities of Freemasonry and it’s discussion of the Royal Arch, it becomes clear that Moses 5:29 is evidence for both the Divine Masonic tradition and the Diabolic Mahanic traditions alongside each other. Since these revisions were dictated in 1830, this means that Joseph Smith’s views on Masonry were consistent from early to late in his ministry.
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Re: The Church and Freemasonry

Post by George MillerPM »

Throughout this thread I have largely presented evidence for Joseph Smith’s usage of Antiquities of Freemasonry in the Joseph Smith translation in 1830 using a text critical work. However, as a historian, text critical analysis is only one tool in the historical tool chest. If my analysis is correct, we should also find Joseph Smith’s translation of a text discussing both the Divine Masonic and the Diabolical Mahanic traditions during the times of the antediluvian patriarchs leaves fingerprints in Mormon history from the period this section was translated. As it turns out we can see such fingerprints.

While I will not discuss my analysis completely, this section of the JST was translated towards the end of September 1830. If you would like to discuss my dating further, I would be happy to do just that. In September of 1830 the church met for a conference in Fayette. Why does this dating matter?

Sometime in September 1830 in a small town in upstate New York called Fayette, Hiram Page unearthed a seer stone. He had already played several key roles in the nascent Mormon church: (1) he was one the eight witnesses to the Book of Mormon in late June of 1829, (2) he was assigned to travel North to obtain a Canadian copyright for the Book of Mormon, and (3) he was one of the original 12 presiding officers of the church chosen in June of 1830. The story of Hiram’s stone is a dark one. Eber Harris later recalled, “Bro. Hiram Page dug out of the earth a black stone [and] put it in his pocket. When he got home, he looked at it. It contained a sentence on paper to befit it. As soon as he wrote one sentence, another sentence came on the stone, until he wrote 16 pages.” In other words, Hiram Page had used Joseph Smith’s exact modus operandi to receive a revelation for the church. Eber continued, “Bro. Joseph was told of the fact. One person asked Joseph if it is right. [Joseph] said he did not know, but he prayed and got revelation that the stone was of the devil.” The prophet had to scramble to address this diabolical development, and Joseph Smith made sure that the black stone “was broke to powder and the writings burnt. It was a work of the power of darkness.”

To Joseph Smith it must have seemed that Satan was conspiring to create a counterfeit diabolical system to rival God’s divine system. (1) In this system Satan acted as a grand master pulling the strings instead of God. (2) The means of revelation was a diabolical black seer stone in contrast to a “white stone” given by God to the righteous on which appeared revelation including “a new name which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it”. (REV 2:12). (3) In opposition to the prophet Joseph Smith, Satan had selected Hiram as his false prophet, who gave spurious revelations. To Joseph, it appeared Satan was setting up a spurious system of religion amongst the saints.

As they revised Genesis 4, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery had been dealing with a Satanic infiltration of the Fayette branch of the church. It looked to Joseph Smith like Satan was setting up a counterfeit system of revelation in Fayette with Hiram Page as a false prophet. In response, Joseph was compelled to grind the demonic black seer stone to powder and burn the counterfeit revelations.

During the same time period Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery sat down for a dictation session to revise Genesis. By revelation they learned that a similar situation had happened to Adam and his family as they settled the land around Eden from which they were exiled. An angel appeared during this period to Adam and taught him the Law of Sacrifice. However, Satan had also appeared to teach an alternate grotesque system of immorality leading some of Adam’s posterity to become Carnal, Sensual, and Devilish and to love Satan more than God. Joseph and Cowdery could not have missed that the Satanic influence among Adam’s posterity, in Joseph Smith’s view, paralleled what was happening to the Saints in Fayette.

As Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery continued the dictation session to revise Genesis, by revelation they learned of Cain’s initiation into Demonic Mahanry. Cain had entered into a conspiracy with Satan to murder his brother Abel. In addition, to allay suspicion on and potential prosecution of Cain, Satan had commanded Cain to administer Masonic oaths of secrecy to his brethren. Joseph Smith must have been wondering, Was there also a parallel of these Masonic/Mahanic events in his life?

Soon after the conference Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery travelled from Fayette to Manchester to visit his family with thoughts of this Satanic system of counterfeit Christianity raising concern in Joseph’s head. In early October Joseph Smith arrived and his family gathered together. Of this family meeting Lucy recalled that Hyrum Smith, who had recently “settled up his business, for the purpose of being at liberty to do whatever the Lord required” sought out his brother, the prophet and “requested Joseph to ask the Lord for a revelation concerning the matter.” Joseph Smith Jr. considered the matter and returned with a startling revelation that would upend the foundations of the family’s home.

According to Lucy, “The answer given was, that he should take a bed, his family, and what clothing he needed for them, and go straightway to Colesville.” But the revelation was not finished. Lucy recorded, “At the same time Mr. Smith [Joseph Smith Sr.] received a commandment to go forthwith to Waterloo, and prepare a place for our family.” In one gust of prophetic revelation the families of Hiram Smith and Joseph Smith Sr. were commanded to relocate to Seneca and Broome counties respectively.

What climate and circumstances led to this revelation? Joseph Smith Jr. spent his formative years in Manchester. Joseph had obtained his brown seer stone in the fields surrounding the family farmstead which aided in his becoming a seer. It was here on the family farmstead that Joseph Smith Jr. had angelic visions. It was here, in Manchester, that Joseph Smith Jr. met with the angel that guarded a set of gold plates annually on the autumnal equinox. It was here in Manchester, on the hill Cumorah, that the ancient Nephites had fought and died. It was here in Manchester that Joseph Smith Jr. had dug up the gold plates which he subsequently translated and published. Given the deep roots the Smith family had developed in the soil of Manchester, a revelation to move must have come as a shock to Hiram Smith and Joseph Smith Sr. The answer lies both in Joseph's translation of the Book of Moses and circumstances on the ground in Palmyra.

Upon arriving at the Smith family home near Palmyra, they would have learned that only days earlier (September 27), that Levi Daggett had barged into court where Justice Nathan Pierce had issued an execution order demanding Hiram Smith settle up on a debt. This must have surprised both Joseph Smith Sr. and Hiram Smith. Two weeks earlier the same execution order had been issued, and the family had paid $12.81, all they had at the time, towards the debt. Why was Levi Daggett being so insistent?

Hiram Smith and Joseph Smith Sr. would have likely expressed surprise since Levi Daggett and Justice Nathan Pierce were both fellow brothers and Freemasons. As Master Masons, all of them had knelt at the Masonic altar and made an oath stating that “in the presence of Almighty God, and this Worshipful Lodge of Master Masons, erected to God, and dedicated to the holy order of St. John” that they “promise and swear that they will be aiding and assisting all poor indigent Master Masons, their wives and orphans, wheresoever disposed around the globe, as far as in [their] power, without injuring [themselves] or family materially.” Hiram had paid as much of the bill as he could at the time. What had possessed his Masonic brothers?

Upon hearing about the unmasonic actions of his fellow Masons to get gain from Hiram in violation of their Masonic obligations, Joseph Smith Jr. was likely extremely concerned. When Hiram Smith asked for a revelation on what he should do, the answer was that “he should take a bed, his family, and what clothing he needed for them” and depart straightaway for Fayette. The revelation, of course gave the ominous reason for this necessary rapid departure, “for [Hiram’s] enemies were combining in secret chambers to take away his life.” Joseph Smith Jr. must have concluded that God had revealed the revision of Genesis 4:1-8 at that time and place, for a specific reason. God was speaking to his prophet through providence. Just as in the time the prophet Adam, a Master Mahans had been initiated by Satan in the Mahanic principle of how to murder and get gain. A new Master Mahan was plotting to murder his brother Hiram. Hiram departed Palmyra before 10:00 AM the next day.

The events surrounding the revelation by Joseph Smith for his family to leave Palmyra are best understood in relation to Joseph Smith’s use of Masonic materials to translate the Book of Moses.
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Re: The Church and Freemasonry

Post by msnobody »

Do many or any LDS women participate in the Eastern Star?
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Re: The Church and Freemasonry

Post by latterdaytemplar »

I have to apologize for dropping off of this subthread. I have very much enjoyed reading from George MillerPM and Philo Sofee.

Philo Sofee, are your podcasts located somewhere other than your TheBackyardProfessor YouTube channel? I think that I saw you mention it here before, but forgot to save it and now I'm having difficulty finding it (it doesn't help that my computer's going a bit slow haha).

George MillerPM, I just got Antiquities in the mail yesterday and have started studying it. Star in the East should be arriving here in a couple of weeks. :D
msnobody wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:12 am
Do many or any LDS women participate in the Eastern Star?
I have only met two (that I know of) who do; one in Idaho and another in Wyoming or Montana (who winters down here in St. George, UT). Unfortunately, the OES chapter here in St George folded due to low numbers; the next nearest one is in Cedar City, but I don't know too many of the OES members there.

I imagine that there would be more Latter-day Saints in OES up in northern Utah, in Idaho and in the Las Vegas, Nevada area. There may not be many Latter-day Saint women outside of these areas (since each Masonic Lodge, OES Chapter, etc. tends to reflect local demographics), but I would imagine that there are some here and there who participate in OES.

I think that it would be just as good of an outlet as Freemasonry is; I would say the same as well concerning the Daughters of the Nile, the White Shrine of Jerusalem, and the Social Order of the Beauceant; and these organizations are likely to reflect the same amount of Latter-day Saints as OES in general.

Such groups offer good opportunities to build community with and get to know people who are like-minded (even if some/all of them are of other faiths).

My wife considered joining OES when we lived up in Rigby, Idaho a few years ago, but there were more people closer to our age there. She had no interest in joining here in St. George because there was nobody else here close to our age; add on top of that that she does not care for any kind of ritual/ceremony in general.
Last edited by latterdaytemplar on Tue Jul 05, 2022 6:56 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: The Church and Freemasonry

Post by latterdaytemplar »

Don Bradley wrote:
Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:37 am

Yes, please! :D

Don
Are you, by chance, the same Don Bradley that authored The Lost 116 Pages?
"… Behold, we will end the conflict."
—Captain Moroni (Alma 44:10)

Whatever conflicts that you come across in life, they can be beaten. Adopt Captain Moroni's attitude: be of the disposition to end the conflict, and then act on that disposition.
Fence Sitter
High Priest
Posts: 398
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2020 2:02 am

Re: The Church and Freemasonry

Post by Fence Sitter »

latterdaytemplar wrote:
Tue Jul 05, 2022 6:22 pm
Don Bradley wrote:
Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:37 am

Yes, please! :D

Don
Are you, by chance, the same Don Bradley that authored The Lost 116 Pages?
I don't know how often Don checks in here. I think last time he posted was to let us know he was taking a break, so I hope he does not mind me answering for him.

Yes that is the same Don Bradley.

And, I know this thread has a lot of content, but I hope you might take some time to read and address Rick Grunder's comment regarding the Morgan affair. Rick is another very knowledgeable source here. In case you are not familiar with his works I would refer you to Rick Grunder - Mormon Parallels

Here is Rick's comment from a page or so back:
Rick Grunder wrote:Some secondary works perpetuate old apologetics calculated to suggest that William Morgan was not murdered - or perhaps even abducted at all. (And a twentieth-century pro-Masonic artist's conception of a scurrilous-looking Morgan which I see in some of those books and web pages is easily negated by George Washington Harris' careful 1827 description of how high up on his face Morgan shaved.)

Extensive data, on the other hand, and commentary from special prosecutors and court cases of the time are both clear and available. Here is one of my entries on that subject for anyone who has the patience to glance through it:

http://www.rickgrunder.com/parallels/mp359.pdf

Rick
Philo Sofee
God
Posts: 5015
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 1:18 am

Re: The Church and Freemasonry

Post by Philo Sofee »

latterdaytemplar wrote:
Tue Jul 05, 2022 6:16 pm
I have to apologize for dropping off of this subthread. I have very much enjoyed reading from George MillerPM and Philo Sofee.

Philo Sofee, are your podcasts located somewhere other than your TheBackyardProfessor YouTube channel? I think that I saw you mention it here before, but forgot to save it and now I'm having difficulty finding it (it doesn't help that my computer's going a bit slow haha).
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5n_8_ ... ju0hu2CFXQ

On this page you can see ,my live session videos which are automatically recorded so that afterwards it is viewable. Go the the button "Playlist" in the middle of the page there above the videos, click, and then click on backyard professor and you get the entire list of videos.
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