Within this context, i discuss and analyze the thesis that the rituals of freemasonry had some impact on the origin and development of the lds temple endowment. After morgan announced his intention to publish a book exposing freemasonry s secrets, he was arrested. Come, follow me book of mormon lesson 9 the interpreter. Sep 16, 2015 this is the same mormon writing who abridged the book of mormon, so this would have been written in the 4th century ce. The book of mormon related that when christ set up his church in the americas, they which were baptized in the name of jesus, were called the church of christ. Dan vogel, mormonisms antimasonick bible, john whitmer historical association journal 9 1989. For the first 150 years of mormonisms existence, everyone thought it was a story about a people who left the middle east and came to south or central america, and who fought wars clear up into new york state where.
Given this statement then i think should be able to agree that some large portion of the population of the book of mormon stayed separate from any of the indigenous people for a very long time. The word craft was frequently used with regard to masonry. Some critics of the book of mormon claim that joseph. The public lumped them into the same basket and with the masonic background of the smiths, mormonism and freemasonry became so interwoven in the public mind as to be one and the same. In the late 1820s, the western new york region was swept with antimasonic fervor. Wines phelps, who edited two antimasonic newspapers in new york. Stories from lucy mack smith and joseph knight, sr. Porter, book of mormon, printing and publication of, in book of mormon reference companion, ed. Far from undermining the bible, the book of mormon supports its testimony of jesus christ. Authorship of the book of mormon psychologic tests of w. The relationship between freemasonry and mor monism. In december 1841, 18 mormon masons organized a lodge in nauvoo.
Book of mormon, 1830, page 0 the joseph smith papers. May 15, 2002 consider the book of mormon, first published in 1830. An account written by the hand of mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of nephi. Proponents or opponents of masonry simply tended to blame their opponents for mormonism. The salamander letter also influenced the content of the film the god makers ii, an alleged expose of mormonism. Book of mormon, 1830, page 197 the joseph smith papers. Critics of the book of mormon have long argued that, since the book uses the term secret combination and since that term was indeed used in new york in the 1820s to refer to a supposed conspiracy among the freemasons, the gadianton robbers must simply represent a memory of the masons presumably worked into the book of mormon by an antimasonic.
Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. Joseph smith was not in palmyra when martin harris gave the first printed copy of the book of mormon to his brother emer harris on march 26, 1830. Newspaper columnists argued whether the majority of mormon converts were. The book is bound in brown calfskin, with a black label on the spine. The book of mormon has pages of similarities to six. Wight, journal, in history of the reorganized church, 1. Mormonism was born in the throes of the holocaust provoked by the antimasonic morgan affair of 1826. A full examination of apologetic responses to the antimasonic interpretation of the book of mormon is forthcoming in echoes of antimasonry.
The relationship between mormonism and freemasonry began early in the life joseph smith. Joseph smiths negotiations to publish the book of mormon. Nevertheless, in the late 1820s, the western new york region was swept with antimasonic fervor by the 1840s, however, smith and several prominent. By contrast, john whitmers history, which probably.
Campbell further alleged that the book of mormon invented freemasonry, a covenant between individuals to aid one another in all things, good and evil. The bom is actually antimasonic very much against secret combinations, a position joseph flipped on later. Martin harris even declared the book the antimasonic bible. Antimasonic rhetoric and the book of mormon paul mouritsen follow this and additional works at. Greg kearney, an endowed mormon who is also a freemason, gave a presentation of the issue of mormonism and freemasonry at the 2005 conference of the foundation for apologetic information and research. Kimball, hyrum smith, and others belonged to masonic lodges in the 1820s, and joseph smith joined the fraternity in march 1842 in nauvoo, illinois. What year was the book of mormon written, and was it. The book of mormons stance against secret societies makes the founding. Isnt it possible that the book of mormon was the product. Understanding the founding and growth of the masonic lodge in. Many of these antimasonic terms, concepts and predictions, are seen in this section of the book of mormon. Deseret book, 2003, 439 martin harris, son of nathan harris and rhoda lapham, was born on 18 may 1783 in easttown, saratoga county, new york.
The film suggests that joseph smith was required to dig up his brother alvins body and bring a part of it with him to the hill cumorah in order to obtain the golden plates from which the book of mormon was said to be translated. Anyone who has written anything substantive like a published article, masters thesis, etc. Minutes, circa 34 june 1831 the joseph smith papers. Captain morgan and the masonic influence in mormonism. Antimasonic rhetoric and the book of mormon paul mouritsen journal of book of mormon studies 121 2003.
For evidence of ordinations on 4 june, see hancock, autobiography, 90. Masonic book club and illinois lodge research, 1989. This feature article is brought to you for free and open access by the all journals at byu scholarsarchive. After the translation of the book of mormon was finished, early in the spring of 1830, before april 6th, joseph gave the stone to oliver cowdery and told me as well as the rest that he was. The relationship between mormonism and freemasonry began early in the life joseph smith, founder of the latter day saint movement, as his older brother.
Martin harris even declared the book the anti masonic bible. The minutes for the conference held 9 april explain that it adjourned until the first saturday in june next, or 4 june. Below is the modern map of the area of smiths youth. Could joseph smith have written the book of mormon.
Book of mormon prophecies of christ specific bible prophecies veiled actually nonexistent unless scripture misquoted or prophecies stretched to have two meanings. The members of his day likewise had little enthusiasm for anti masonic sentiments. For a more complete account of this sequence, see larry c. It is claimed that this is a reference to masonic initiation rituals, which feature a thick noose called a cabletow or towrope. In 19th century new england, a cold war existed between some christian sects and the masonic brotherhood. One womans conversations within the marginalia of if truth were a child, amanda colleen brown, september, 2019. Palmyra, known as swifts landing and tolland before being renamed palmyra, 1796. To the writer, the evidence of the mormon prophets reaction to the antimasonic disturbance is as clear and conclusive in the book of mormon, as is that which points out, beyond controversy, the region in which that book was produced, and establishes the. Antimasonic rhetoric and the book of mormon paul mouritsen. From june to december 1830, smith dictated a vision in which enoch, high atop a mountain, saw a vision of many biblical and book of mormon events moses 6. What i shall attempt to cover is the period from the beginning of mormonism in the 1820s, with its early masonic ties, through the social and political upheaval in new york state tied. William morgan, widely believed at the time to have been murdered by a coterie of masons after his mysterious disappearance from the steps of the canandaigua jail in 1826, later became one of the first persons to receive by proxy the new mormon rite of baptism for the dead in the year 1841.
Murphy discusses the book of mormons view that american indians are descendants of ancient hebrews. Despite the assertion that the elaborate initiation rituals of freemasonry are absent from the book of mormon, researchers have long believed that 2 nephi 26. Some scholars have suggested the possibility that the many references to the. Smith plagiarized ritual elements from freemasonry i and used them to create the endowment ceremony for the nauvoo temple.
The book of mormon is another witness of jesus christ and confirms the truths found in the holy bible. My foremost focus was the connection between the antimasonic party and the folkmagic of those who took part in it. Goodwin, additional studies in mormonism and masonry salt lake city, 1927, is still one of the best studies on the antimasonic influence in the book of mormon. Critics of the book of mormon have long argued that, since the book uses the term secret combination and since that term was indeed used in new york in the 1820s to refer to a supposed conspiracy among the freemasons, the gadianton robbers must simply represent a memory of the masons presumably worked into the book of mormon by an anti masonic. Masonry the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. By 1838, the mormons great exodus from new york to utah had carried them to nauvoo, illinois. Ehsanul islam sadequee convicted in august, 2009 of four counts of providing material support to terrorism and supporting a foreign terrorist organization, this 23 year old georgia us man had attempted to join the taliban and was attempting to foster acts of terrorism. These antimasons formed societies, published newspapers, and, for a time. What year was the book of mormon written, and was it written. It was originally used to describe a person who was not a baptized member of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints but who was friendly to church members and mormonism, sympathized with them, andor took an active interest in their belief system. In the 1970s, church historian leonard arrington took over and began a policy of strong support for academic writing about lds history, especially using archive documents. A full examination of apologetic responses to the anti masonic interpretation of the book of mormon is forthcoming in echoes of anti masonry. With the publication of the book of mormon, commentators on both sides weighed in.
The price of the book of mormon was equivalent to a twoday wage of an adult laborer. During three years of the time in which anti masonic excitement swept everything before it, joseph smith was at work upon the book of mormon, and his reaction to his environment, in the opinion of the present writer, is conclusively shown in dozens of passages in that book. Deseret book, 1988, 388 miller, rube goldberg machines, 29 staker, hearken, o ye people, 108 campbell, delusions. What i shall attempt to cover is the period from the beginning of mormonism in the 1820s, with its early masonic ties, through the social and political upheaval in new york state tied into the socalled morgan affair. Weve posted this answer a couple of times before for similar questions. Local antimasonic vigilance group member martin harris declared the book to be the antimasonic bible. Newspaper columnists argued whether the majority of mormon converts were strong masons or antimasons. Lds church members are taught that the book of mormon bom is scripture, as well as a true record of the inhabitants of the americas from about 2200 bc to 420 ad. Minutes, circa 34 june 1831, page 3 the joseph smith papers. Book of mormon manuscripts the joseph smith papers. The book of mormon did not conform to the separation of the old and new testaments as campbell understood them. Sometime in the early to midtwentieth century, however.
Yet it also uncannily harks back to the lords description of how the people who stole the original 116 pages of the book of mormon manuscript were planning to use it to attack. Local antimasonic vigilance group member martin harris declared the book to. Another interesting study is walter franklin prince, psychological tests for the authorship of the book of mormon, american journal of psychology 28 july 1917. Joseph smiths anti masonic stance at the time the book of mormon was dictated can be explained by the fact that his father, a member of ontario masonic lodge no. Some claim that the gadianton robbers are thinly disguised references to the antimasonic panic of joseph smiths era. The term jack mormon is a slang term originating in nineteenthcentury america. He was, however, prone to make silly mistakes, such as. Book of mormon christ is completely accepted in bible he is rejected. The book of mormon is filled with passages warning against secret combinations. A rejoinder to the critics of the antimasonic thesis, in american apocrypha. Captain morgan and the masonic influence in mormonism chapter pages 151169 from.
The revelations in the book of commandments up to june, 1829, were given through the stone, through which the book of mormon was translated. The book of mormon indicated that joseph smith was an israelite, a descendant of the biblical joseph 2 ne. The book of mormon tells us that gadianton was expert in many words, and also in his craft heleman 2. Contextual and analytical commentary on the book of mormon, 6 vols.
One of the advocates of the antimasonic thesis amt argues that the book of mormon contains a criticism of masonic ritual. Sixth book revealed here on reddit for the first time in history by 1830 tens of thousands of substantial publications had already been printed around the globe. The book of mormon has pages of similarities to six books. List of all sources cited on the joseph smith papers website. Antimasonic rhetoric and the book of mormon temporality and fulfillment in 3 nephi 1 the book of mormon. Anti masonic rhetoric and the book of mormon temporality and fulfillment in 3 nephi 1 the book of mormon. In particular, they suggest that terms such as secret society and secret combination may reflect antimasonic rhetoric from the period or even that the term flaxen cord has masonic overtones. Again, bible passages dominate this section of the bm, specifically a 1769 edition or later printing of the kjv, including it errors. Jerald and sandra tanner refuted this suggestion, and determined that the only known source of such a requirement would have been the salamander letter. Book of mormonanachronismsgadianton masons and antimasonry. Some have seen evidence of antimasonic rhetoric in the book of mormon and cite 2 nephi 26. The book of mormon has pages of similarities to six books published at least 26 years before it. Josephs contemporaries did not embrace the obvious link between the book of mormon and masonry. A crucial difference is that where fundamentalists lost control of the mainline protestant denominations, orthodox lds leaders and scholars have succeeded at stigmatizing liberal views of book.
Examining the broader rhetorical context of 2 nephi demonstrates that. Andrus claims that joseph smith obtained essential elements of the temple. The earliest text the book of mormon and automatic writing the book of mormon, the early nineteenthcentury debates over universalism, and the development of. If the death of william morgan was the fuel that sparked the great antimasonic. Known publications the book of mormon bears similarities to are the late war 1816. During three years of the time in which antimasonic excitement swept everything before it, joseph smith was at work upon the book of mormon, and his reaction to his environment, in the opinion of the present writer, is conclusively shown in dozens of passages in that book. An analysis of the book of mormon with an examination of its internal and. A number of important books came out of this camelot time period. Mormonism was born in the throes of the holocaust provoked by the anti masonic morgan affair of 1826. In his book studies of the book of mormon, roberts concluded that joseph smith had sufficient imagination and was capable of producing the book of mormon even though he had little formal education. The book of mormon speaks of the band of gadianton heleman 11. The book of mormon, masonry, gender, and american culture in 2004 through columbia university press. Although it serves primarily as a religious text, it is to be interpreted literally as being an actual, historical record of the inhabitants of the ancient americas. Given joseph smiths long family involvement with the institution of freemasonry and the fact that he would, in 1842, become a mason himself, it seems unlikely that anti masonry was the environmental source of the gadianton robbers found in the book of mormon.
The solomon spalding theory chapter 9 of joseph smiths. Darkness and apostasy will cover the earth in the last daysthe book of mormon will come forththree witnesses will testify of the bookthe learned man will say he cannot read the sealed bookthe lord will do a marvelous work and a wondercompare isaiah 29. The relationship between mormonism and freemasonry began early in the life joseph smith, founder of the latter day saint movement, as his older brother hyrum and possibly his father were freemasons while the family lived near palmyra, new york. Some critics of the book of mormon claim that joseph smith drew certain terminology from his nineteenthcentury environment. In this episode, three geneticists respond to the lds essay book of mormon and dna studies, and to apologist michael ashs article entitled the dna challenge to the book of mormon that fizzled. If the death of william morgan was the fuel that sparked the great anti masonic. Smith drew certain terminology from his nineteenth century environment. Thus book of mormon studies in the past have been characterized by polemics, apologetics, and amateur archaeological surveys, whenever the concern has moved beyond merely exploring the intricate details of the very complex narrative of migrations, wars, and religious revivals among the book of mormon peoples. Consider the book of mormon, first published in 1830. The partys vote was insignificant, but was important locally because the anti masons held the balance of power.
Reflected in book of mormon joseph smith becomes a mason masonry in temple ritual only one explanation embarrassing questions conclusion. In 1829, the anti masonic party appeared in rhode island, but it did not gain any strength until 1831. In particular, they suggest that terms such as secret society and secret combination may reflect anti masonic rhetoric from the period or even that the term flaxen cord has masonic overtones. Book of mormon manuscripts 2 book of mormon editions 4 bible revision manuscripts 5 book of abraham and other egyptian material 19 additional revelations and translations. Plus there are news papers and periodicals that people find that are parallels.
The nature of this volumein particular its claim to antiquityis the theme of nine groundbreaking essays in american apocrypha. Mar 16, 2009 so, what is this scary salamander letter that the church is hiding from everybody. The book of mormon does not mention freemasonry nor this promise. Gentiles in the book of mormon, john hilton iii, ryan sharp, brad wilcox and jaron hansen, september 20, 2019. Book of mormonanachronismsgadianton masons and anti. Alexander campbells delusions and the mormon response. Mormonism and freemasonry are so intimately interwoven and interrelated that the two can never be dissociated. The book of mormon historicity debates resemble debates about bible historicity that divided twentiethcentury protestant liberals and fundamentalists.
It has been accepted for inclusion in journal of book of mormon studies by an authorized editor of byu scholarsarchive. Downloads male voice mp3 female voice mp3 entire book pdf footnotes. Freemasonry and the mormon restoration has been anticipated for some years. Sep 01, 2010 many of these antimasonic terms, concepts and predictions, are seen in this section of the book of mormon. Dirkmaat and michael hubbard mackay, joseph smiths negotiations to publish the book of mormon, in the coming forth of the book of mormon. The book of mormon has been explained by some as a product of. The book of mormon is supposed to be a history of real people living in a real place. Vogel would later reply to his critics in echoes of antimasonry. The first name used to denote the church js organized on 6 april 1830 was the church of christ.
Latterday saint authors have traditionally wanted to distance joseph smith from the fraternity, which has resulted in such unsupportable claims as that joseph. But the latest research from the joseph smith papers project and the efforts of careful historians and. Joseph smiths antimasonic stance at the time the book of mormon was dictated can be explained by the fact that his father, a member of ontario masonic lodge no. After morgan announced his intention to publish a book. Prosecutors proved to a jury that hed taken videos of the pentagon and the capitol along with a masonic temple in. And, when some claimed that the mormons were an antimasonic religion, one newspaper editor shot back.
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