What makes a Saint or a Mason? According to Masonic lore, the grips of the Masonic degrees are used to tell one mason in the dark as well as the light. Every degree has a corresponding grip and word. Theoretically, a Master Mason would know all of the grips and passes while an Entered Apprentice would only know the ones corresponding to his degree.There is also a common element in the L.D.S. Temple Endowment. Brigham Young, second President of the Church, Joseph Smith's successor, and Freemason said,
"Let me give you a definition in brief. Your endowment is to receive all those ordinances in the House of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being able to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the Holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell." (Discourse of Brigham Young, comp. John A Widtsoe [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1971], page 637)
So, is it knowing the keywords, signs, and token of the Holy Priesthood that enables us to return to the Celestial Kingdom?
I found the answer to this question in the Masonic Lodge. I have a fair amount of Masonic Lectures and Monitors around the house. In a number of these contain the entire ritual work, at least the rituals during the era of Malcolm Duncan. My wife could pick up any of these books, and give me the Modes of Recognition. Would this make her a Mason? Could she walk into a lodge and gain admission? Absolutely not!
It truly takes something more to be a Free and Accepted Mason. A Free and Accepted Mason, whether Ancient or not, is more than his modes of recognition. Correlated with these modes of recognition, a mason finds more light. He is instructed in living a moral life through the use of symbolism. A true Free and Accepted Mason is a man who incorporates the teachings of his profession into his daily life. He therefore surpasses the levels of expectation that those modes of recognition demand of him, that the other hand in that secret grip expects of him.
In the Temple, those faithful Saints are taught and instructed to live a life worthy to enter the presence of God. They make covenants with the Ever-Living God to meet certain levels of expectation, in reality, the expectation of that Omnipotent God. In correlation with each one of the covenants the Saints are invested with the modes of recognition spoken of by Brigham Young. By being able to pass by the angels who stand as sentinels and give the proper keywords, signs, and tokens is to prove that we have met the expectation that we have promised to.
Sincerely, Fraternally, and Faithfully,
It is also interesting to note that Brigham Young's statements reflects Masonic thought in the 1820-30s. For example George Oliver stated:
ReplyDelete"And this is the conclusion that Masonry draws from all her illustrations: he who practises all the virtues thus recommended in FAITH, with rejoice in HOPE, be in perfect CHARITY with all mankind, and finally receive a PASS-WORD into the Grand Lodge above, where peace, order, and harmony eternally preside." (Oliver, Antiquities of Freemasonry, xviii) [emphasis in original]
The same type of wording is found in the Master Mason's degree in the lecture discussing the sprig of cassia:
"The sprig of cassia is emblematical of the immortal part of man which never dies; and when the cold winter of death shall have passed, and the bright summer's morn of the resurrection appears, the Son of Righteousness shall descend, and send forth his angels to collect our ransomed dust; then, if we are found worthy, by his pass-word, we shall enter into the celestial lodge above, where the Supreme Architect of the Universe presides, where we shall see the King in the beauty of holiness, and with him, enter into an endless eternity." (Bernard, Light on Masonry, 84)
Thus masonic interpretations of their own ceremony, whether it be in the lectures or popular interpreters of the lecture, is virtually identical to the interpretation given by Brigham Young.
Of course these are not the only occurrences of this type of masonic rhetoric. For example 1776 Reverend R. Green would deliver the following message at St. Nicholas's Lodge #378.
ReplyDeleteFurther, let us take God's holy word for the only guide of our faith, and let justice, charity, love, and mercy be our distinguishing characteristics; then may we reasonably hope, by an humble dependence on divine grace, to attain the celestial pass-word for everlasting life, and so gain admittance into the lodge of our supreme Grand Master above, in whose blessed presence pleasures will most ceriainly flow for ever and for evermore. (Remains, 239)
These type of sentiments were also publicly printed in New York magazines when Joseph Smith was growing up.
The "theological ladder" which Jacob saw in his vision, is the only means, by which we can ascend into Heaven, the three principal rounds of which, are faith, hope, and charity. Mounting aloft upon these rounds, may we all ascend, and by the benefit of a pass-word, which is a Savior's righteousness, be admitted by the grand tyler, death, into the inner temple above, and at the proper season, after our work is over, be permitted by the Grand Senior Warden of the Celestial, to refresh our weary souls, for ever. So mote it be. Amen. (Pratt,2:7).
The Higher degrees, specifically the Actual Past Master degree also contained a similar sentiment which was memorized for catechism of this degree. This was printed in 1825.
As my hands had been instrumental in duly executing the noblest parts of operative masonry, my mouth was thus employed, to denote that I was then about to be passed a Past Master of Arts and Sciences. And as my head was then confined with the compasses by my hands on the Holy Bible; it strongly figured to my mind, that the compass of God's word was to be the standard of every operation in my future life, that I might thereby arrive at the summit of masonry, by passing through the speculative degree of this mortal life, to that glorious and celestial lodge, where the Grand Pass-Word of the Almighty Architect will procure us admission, and with whom, peace, order, and harmony will eternally reign. (Wheeler, 269)
This tradition also continued after Joseph Smith's death. For example the following was printed in 1856.
There is a morality in our signs, tokens, words, and grips; and he should study it for his soul's health, to the end that he may be able to give some signs and tokens of that purity of life and conduct which is necessary to his gaining admission into the Celestial Lodge above. (Scott, 200)
The following was a dedication published in 1875.
Let us at the commencement of this Masonic year, renew our obligations to raise the standard of Masonry higher, still higher, and let us practice out of the Lodge, those beautiful tenets so impressively taught in it. Let us shun the vices to which we have briefly invited your attention, and let us preserve in the discharge of those duties which will best fit us for traversing the rugged pathway of life; and when the last bitter hour comes and "death and the narrow house" may each one have the password, which will insure us an entrance into the Celestial Lodge above. (Pratt,6:444)
In 1923 another author would write in a book about Freemasonry. In this quote he discussed similarities between Freemasonry and the ancient mysteries. While later than Brigham Young this is based on earlier Masonic tradition.
The initiate was then instructed, sprinkled with water, and new name given them. This new name, together with a mystic token and sign, was engraved upon a small white stone and presented to him. The new name represented "caution"; the white stone was a symbol of purity. These two, combined with mystic token and sign, were to remind him of "that purity of life and conduct" together with "silence and circumspection," two attributes essentially necessary to his gaining admission to that Celestial Lodge above, where the S.A.O.T.U. presides. (Clark, 12)
Just something to think about.