Mormonism and Freemasonry
Overview of Masonic tendencies in Latter Day Saintism / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The relationship between Mormonism and Freemasonry began early in the life of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Smith's older brother, Hyrum, and possibly his father, Joseph, Sr. were Freemasons while the family lived near Palmyra, New York.[1] In the late 1820s, the western New York region was swept with anti-Masonic fervor.
Nevertheless, by the 1840s, Smith and several prominent Latter Day Saints had become Freemasons and joined the Masonic Lodge in Nauvoo, Illinois. Soon after joining Freemasonry, Smith introduced the temple endowment ceremony including a number of symbolic elements that were very similar to those in Freemasonry. Smith remained a Freemason until his death; however, later leaders in the movement have distanced themselves from Freemasonry. In modern times, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has clarified in its Now You Know series that its members may become Freemasons.[2]