One of the popular anti-Mormon arguments is that Joseph Smith stole Freemasonry to invent the temple endowment. The history and evidence do show that, like many influential men of the time including the Founding Fathers, Joseph Smith and several early Church leaders did join the Freemasons shortly before the Nauvoo Temple endowment. Nauvoo itself had a Masonic lodge, and this is one of the restored buildings you can visit today.

The question is, is this claim valid?

Is this actually evidence that Joseph Smith was borrowing from Masonry to create the temple endowment ceremony?

To understand the connection between temples and Masonic ceremonies, it is necessary to first understand who the Masons were, where they came from, and what their purpose was.

Once that history and tradition are understood, the connection between Freemasonry and temple worship can be understood. Both draw from older religious patterns that were not known in the 1840’s, and provides further evidence that Joseph Smith was a prophet who restored sacred ancient ordinances.

History of Freemasons

As a somewhat secretive society, where part of their tradition was in keeping secrets, the history of the Masons is not entirely clear. Their practices and even their own stated history have changed over time. What is consistent is that Freemasonry teaches through symbols, instruction, and ritual.

There are several theories as to the origins of the Freemasons. Some believe it traces back to ancient builders, including those in Egypt. Masons have taught that their purpose was to preserve important truths during times when religious institutions were suppressing and punishing dissent.

Much of Masonic tradition centers on the story of Solomon’s Temple. The figure of Hiram Abiff is presented as the master builder and chief architect of Solomon’s Temple. He possessed knowledge and secrets of a Master Mason, stayed true to his covenants and refused to reveal what he had promised to keep sacred.

These stories are taught through stonemason tools and allegorical instruction, with the goal of teaching discipline, integrity, and building stronger men and a better society.

Modern Freemasonry developed out of medieval stonemason guilds. Over time, those working guilds evolved into a more symbolic system that carried forward older ideas, customs, and teachings in a new form.

What are Freemasons

Freemasonry began as a system of medieval stonemason guilds, where craftsmen organized to regulate their work and support one another. Over time, it shifted into what is called “speculative” Masonry, where members are no longer builders by trade but use the language and tools of stonemasonry as symbols to teach moral and ethical principles.

It functions today as a fraternal organization, not a religion, though members are required to believe in a Supreme Being. Its teachings often describe God as a master builder and use that framework to emphasize personal responsibility, integrity, service, and accountability.

Freemasonry is structured through a series of degrees, where members progress through symbolic rituals based on the tools and practices of craftsmen. These rituals are designed to teach lessons about virtue, self-improvement, and character through allegory and symbolism.

A central principle in Freemasonry is brotherhood. Members commit to support and look out for one another, building relationships based on trust and mutual aid. While its symbols are presented as ancient, its practices and structure have developed and changed over time rather than remaining fixed.

There are also traditions that associate stonemasonry with ancient craftsmen, including references to Jesus Christ as a builder by trade.

Temple worship serves a different purpose. It is centered on covenants and returning to God, with the goal of becoming like Him.

Freemasonry is Corrupted Ancient Temple Practice

When you study the history of Freemasonry alongside ancient temple worship, the connection points back to a shared priesthood origin.

Early Latter-day Saint leaders taught this same idea.

Heber C. Kimball – June 17, 1842

There is a similarity of priesthood in Masonry. Brother Joseph [Smith] says Masonry was taken from priesthood.

Willard Richards wrote:

“Masonry had its origin in the Priesthood. A hint to the wise is sufficient.”

Others, including Parley P. Pratt and Franklin D. Richards, described it as a partial or degenerated remnant of something once whole. According to these early church leaders, masonry preserves fragments, but not the complete system of priesthood and temple covenants.

Many of the first men who received the Nauvoo endowment were already experienced Freemasons, including Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Newel K. Whitney.

They were familiar with Masonic rituals and would have recognized the similarities. Yet none of them accused Joseph Smith of copying or stealing anything. Instead, their recorded reactions point to belief that the temple ceremonies were different in purpose and power. They sincerely believed that the rituals of freemasonry was fragments of ancient worship.

These early Mormon Masons described the ordinances as sacred, spiritual, and essential. They continued meeting with Joseph to receive further instruction and later helped administer these ordinances to others, showing their commitment to restored temple work.

Evidence of Ancient Temple Liturgy

Temple practices have ancient roots. These patterns appear in biblical texts, early Jewish practice, and early Christian worship, long before the development of Freemasonry.

Signs, tokens, gestures, sacred clothing, covenant language, and ritual progression are found in ancient cultures all over the world. These elements show up in ancient temple settings as part of how worship was structured and how sacred knowledge was taught and preserved. They are still utilized in some Orthodox Christian churches.

The Old Testament describes priests receiving specific garments, names, and ordinances tied to entering the presence of God. Early Christians also describe structured worship, symbolic acts, and teachings that were reserved for committed members and presented through symbolism.

Even in the early church in the Kirtland period, before any exposure to Nauvoo Masonry, there are references to symbolic elements tied to God’s presence. Phrases like “Holiness to the Lord,” the use of handclasps tied to covenant and fellowship, and the idea of God’s all-seeing eye appear in early revelations and writings.

These examples show that the core patterns found in temple worship are not new. They are consistent with older forms of worship that existed long before Freemasonry.

Egyptian Use of “Freemason” Signs and Hand Gestures

Thousands of years before medieval Freemasonry, ancient Egyptians were using formal hand signs and ritual gestures in temple and afterlife scenes. These are preserved all over Egyptian temples, papyri, and ritual art. These were part of Egyptian religious worship, found in their temples, and were focused on the preparation for for the afterlife. A person was taught, identified, and symbolically prepared to enter the presence of the gods.

One of the clearest examples is the ritual embracing hand grasp, where a divine being or holy figure takes another person by the wrist or hand and brings them forward. This is found all over Egyptian temples, especially in the holiest and most sacred parts. In ancient ritual language, this signaled acceptance, guidance, and being brought into a higher or holier presence. Egyptian Sacred Embrace

Another Egyptian gesture is the cupped hand shape. The cupped hand shape represents receiving something into the hand, often tied to being given authority, responsibility, or a sacred role. In ancient temple language, this connects to the idea of “filling the hand,” which is associated with ordination and priesthood function.Egyptian Hand in Cupping Shape

The Papyrus found in Facsimile 2 of the Book of Abraham shows characters using hand and arm gestures that are similar to the Masonic signs.

Steven Smoot, points out that the figure on the left side of the screen extends its right arm in a standard Egyptian gesture of praise, hailing, or welcome, and the hand is in a cupping shape while holding the wedjat eye.Egyptian figure with right hand in cupping shape and left hand forming the square

The figure to the right is seen raising his left arm to the square, with a V-shaped compass or flail above it. His right arm is extended forward.

A third figure in the bottom left has both hands raised.

These and thousands of other Egyptian records clearly show that ritual gestures were present in ancient temple settings long before Freemasonry.

Teaching through symbol, gesture, and ritual has been used across many ancient civilizations to communicate sacred ideas.

Joseph Smith Taught Temple Doctrine Long Before Becoming a Freemason

Temple doctrine and the idea of connecting heaven and earth were taught from the beginning of Joseph Smith’s ministry, starting with the First Vision and Moroni’s visits. Those early experiences already included themes of covenant, priesthood, and preparation tied to God’s work and glory to bring to pass the exaltation and eternal life of man.

Almost everything later taught in the temple can be traced to teachings and revelations given years before Joseph Smith became a Freemason in 1842. The timeline shows that core elements such as priesthood authority, covenants, washings and anointing’s, sealing power, eternal marriage, kingship, sacred clothing, and progression into God’s presence were introduced gradually between 1823 and 1841.

Year Event / Source Temple-Related Concepts Introduced
1823 Moroni’s visit Temple themes: covenant, priesthood (sons of Levi), offerings, Elijah’s sealing role, Mount Zion, law given in temple, blessings tied to inheritance and protection
1829 Restoration of Aaronic & Melchizedek Priesthoods Priesthood authority, ordinances, connection to temple service, future fulfillment of temple offerings
1829–1830 Book of Mormon translation Repeating temple patterns: covenant making, kingship, priesthood structure, sacred gatherings, presence of God themes
1830–1833 Book of Moses (JST Genesis) Creation, Garden, Fall, presence of God, sacred instruction, ascent back into God’s presence
1832 Vision (D&C 76) Degrees of glory, celestial kingdom as temple space, sealing by Holy Spirit of promise, becoming kings and priests, inheriting all things
1832 D&C 84 Oath and covenant of the priesthood, entering God’s presence, temple as Mount Zion, offerings, sanctification, mysteries of the kingdom
1833 Kirtland Temple revealed (D&C 95) Pattern for temple, house of endowment, instruction, prayer, sacrifice
1833–1834 JST Exodus / early teachings Loss of higher priesthood among Israel, temple ordinances tied to entering God’s presence
1834 Lectures on Faith Veil imagery, sacrifice, knowledge of God, progression to God’s presence, eternal life through covenant
1835 Early teachings on eternal marriage Marriage as eternal union tied to exaltation and glory
1836 Kirtland washings & anointings Ritual purification, anointing with oil, preparation for endowment, visions of प्रवेश into God’s presence
1836 D&C 110 (Kirtland Temple) Keys of gathering (Moses), Abrahamic covenant (Elias), sealing power (Elijah), linking generations, priesthood fullness
1837 Patriarchal blessings (Joseph Smith Sr.) Kings and priests, white robes, temple imagery, throne, Zion as temple city
1838 Far West Temple revelation (D&C 115) Specific temple pattern required, revelation tied to temple worship and knowledge
1839 Joseph’s teachings (letters/discourses) “Plan” of temple ordinances not yet fully given publicly, eternal family structure
1840 First Presidency epistles & sermons Restoration of all things, temple ordinances, baptism for the dead, Adamic order of priesthood
Jan 1841 D&C 124 Full list of temple ordinances: baptisms for dead, washings, anointings, keys, sacred conversations, most holy place, restoration of priesthood fullness
1841 Nauvoo Temple teachings Endowment, instruction, priesthood functions, hidden knowledge to be revealed in temple
Early 1842 Book of Abraham (published) Creation, priesthood, kingship, altar sacrifice, divine knowledge, entering God’s presence

 

There are some similarities in both the symbolism and structure of Freemasonry and temple worship. The early Church members who were Masons and were instrumental in establishing the process for learning through the temple endowment learned from and likely adopted some of the framing structure and sequence found in Masonic rituals.

But the foundation of temple doctrine was already established well before Nauvoo Masonry. The record shows a consistent development of ideas tied to priesthood, ordinances, and entering God’s presence long before 1842.

Purpose of Freemasonry and the Temple are Completely Different

The purpose of the temple is completely different than the purpose of Freemasonry.

While some signs and symbols may appear similar, the meaning behind them is not. The same physical action can carry completely different meanings depending on context.

Raising a hand can mean taking an oath in a courtroom, sustaining someone in church, asking a question in a classroom, making a right turn when riding a bicycle, that the ball went out of bounds, or you’re just signaling to a teammate to pass you the ball. The motion of lifting the arm is the same, but the setting and purpose defines what it actually means.

Temple Worship is All About Covenants

When it comes to Temple worship, the essential part has always been the covenant itself. Throughout scripture, God’s people have made covenants in different ways and settings. The form can vary, but the focus is always on the relationship with God and the commitment being made. The key is not the outward presentation, but the willingness to make and keep those covenants.

In regards to the format and presentation of the endowment ceremony, Joseph Smith told Brigham Young,

This is not arranged perfectly; however, we have done the best we could under the circumstances in which we are placed, and I wish you to take this matter in hand and organize and systematize all these ceremonies.

The point was that there were improvements that could be made to better refine the focus and more effectively teach, through ritual and symbolism, the importance of covenants.

Temple ordinances are centered on that covenant relationship. They are sacred and personal, and their meaning is not determined by how similar they may appear to other rituals. What matters is what they represent and the commitment they require.

Why Did Joseph and Many Early Saints Become Freemasons?

In the 1800s, groups like the Freemasons were common as social, charitable, and community-building institutions that brought men together from different religious and political backgrounds.

The Nauvoo Masonic Hall became one of the key places for community and social gatherings, in addition to its use for Masonic rituals.

The Saints had been persecuted and driven out of Kirtland and Missouri because people saw them as different. Could their participation in Freemasonry, a widely accepted practice at the time and present in nearby Illinois towns in the 1840s, have been part of an effort to better integrate more into society?

In addition, one of the core ideas in Freemasonry is brotherhood, a commitment to look after one another. Given the persecution the Saints faced, it makes sense that Joseph Smith saw value in building relationships with men who had made commitments to support and defend each other.

The last words Joseph spoke at Carthage Jail as he was getting shot out of the window, “Oh Lord, my God,” is a recognized in Masonic distress call. In Freemasonry, this wording was an appeal for help that would have been understood by Masons present. Some have suggested this may have been an attempt to reach members of the mob who were Masons by invoking shared obligations.

Joseph Smith and many early Church leaders became Freemasons shortly before the introduction of the temple endowment, and there is undoubtedly a connection there.

Limited Ritual Culture

Most of the early Saints came from Protestant religious backgrounds that emphasized sermons and scripture but did not include formal liturgy or symbolic ceremony. Freemasonry used layered instruction, symbolic actions, and ordered presentation. That framework would have been new to many and may have served as an important introduction.

In that context, Masonry may have provided a setting where Joseph Smith and other leaders became more familiar with how symbolic teaching and ritual structure could be organized, shared, and presented.

This does not mean Masonry is the source of temple ordinances, but it helps explain why its timing may have had value and why there are some shared symbols. Freemasonry exposed early Church leaders to a structured system of symbols, ritual, and presentation at a time when they were preparing to administer sacred ordinances and covenants through the endowment.

Abandonment of Freemasonry

By the time the Saints left Nauvoo in early 1846, nearly 5,000–6,000 men and women had received their temple endowment. The majority of these were not Freemasons.

Once the Saints arrived in Utah, there was very little emphasis on Freemasonry. Even without a completed temple, the Endowment House was finished in 1855 and immediately became the center for temple ordinances. In contrast, a Masonic lodge was not established in Salt Lake City until 1865, and a Grand Lodge was not organized in Utah until 1872. These lodges were organized by non-Latter-day Saints, and for many years, members of the Church were not permitted to join or participate.

The lack of Freemasonry in early Utah suggests that any earlier involvement was temporary and not central to Church practice. Temple worship became the clear focus. Freemasonry was not treated as an equivalent system, but as something separate, while temple ordinances remained central to Latter-day Saint belief and worship.

Shared Source of Freemasonry and Temple

While there are shared signs used in Freemasonry and temple worship, the meaning and purpose are very different. Some similarities exist, but similarity does not establish origin or dependence.

Spanish and Italian share vocabulary, grammar, and structure, but that does not mean one copied from the other. Both developed from Latin, so the overlap comes from a common source. The same reasoning applies here. When two systems share similar elements, it can point to older traditions that were preserved in different ways.

The temple is presented as a restoration of priesthood ordinances established by God. Its purpose is to bring individuals into covenant with Him, leading to salvation, eternal life, and a return to His presence. Freemasonry, by contrast, functions as a fraternal system focused on moral teaching, brotherhood, and community. Any overlap in form does not change the difference in purpose, authority, or doctrine.

What Letter To My Wife Gets Wrong about The Temple Endowment, Temple Worship, and Freemasonry

One of the central claims made in Letter to My Wife is that the LDS temple endowment is not a revelation from God but instead was borrowed from Freemasonry. That conclusion depends on a chain of assumptions about history, timing, symbolism, and how religious rituals develop. When those assumptions are examined closely, the argument does not hold.

1. The False Assumption: Similarity Equals Copying

The core argument is built on the idea that if two systems share symbols, language, or ritual structure, one must have copied from the other. That is not how history works. Shared elements often come from a common source rather than direct borrowing.

Languages provide a simple example. Spanish and Italian share vocabulary, grammar patterns, and structure. That does not mean one copied from the other. Both come from Latin. The same pattern appears in religious symbolism. Concepts like sacred clothing, ritual washing, covenants, new names, and symbolic gestures appear across ancient Jewish and early Christian traditions long before modern Freemasonry.

The presence of overlap does not establish dependence. It only shows that both systems draw from similar symbolic traditions.

2. Ignoring the Timeline of Joseph Smith’s Teachings

The argument places heavy weight on the timing of Joseph Smith becoming a Freemason in March 1842 and introducing the endowment in May 1842. The implication is that the endowment must have come from Masonry because of the short gap.

This ignores over a decade of prior teachings.

Long before 1842, Joseph Smith had already introduced nearly every major element associated with temple worship:

  • 1823: Moroni teaches about priesthood, covenants, Elijah, and temple offerings
  • 1829: Restoration of priesthood authority tied to ordinances
  • 1830–1833: Book of Moses teaches creation, fall, and return to God’s presence
  • 1832: Vision of degrees of glory and exaltation
  • 1832–1833: Doctrine and Covenants teaches priesthood, sanctification, and entering God’s presence
  • 1836: Washings, anointings, and visions in the Kirtland Temple
  • 1840–1841: Baptism for the dead, eternal families, sealing authority
  • 1841: Full outline of temple ordinances in Doctrine and Covenants 124

By the time Joseph became a Mason, the doctrinal framework of the temple was already in place. Freemasonry did not introduce these ideas. At most, it provided a familiar symbolic structure for presenting teachings that had already been revealed.

3. Selective Use of Masonic History

The document argues that Freemasonry is purely medieval and therefore cannot be connected to ancient temple traditions. This is an oversimplification.

Freemasonry as an organized institution does trace to medieval guilds. However, its symbols, allegories, and themes draw heavily from the Bible, especially the account of Solomon’s temple. Even the document acknowledges that Masonry uses biblical narratives and symbolic frameworks tied to temple construction.

This creates a contradiction in the argument. On one hand, it claims Masonry has no connection to ancient temple practices. On the other hand, it admits Masonry is built on those very narratives and symbols.

The more accurate conclusion is that Freemasonry preserved fragments of older religious symbolism, even if its institutional form developed later.

4. Misrepresenting Early Latter-day Saint Views

Early Church leaders did not claim Joseph invented temple worship from Masonry. They consistently taught the opposite.

  • Heber C. Kimball stated that Masonry contained similarities because it came from an earlier source, but that the Saints had the complete form.
  • Willard Richards recorded that Masonry had its origin in the priesthood.
  • Other early leaders described Masonry as a partial or corrupted remnant of something older.

The document dismisses these statements by appealing to modern Masonic historians. That does not address the actual claim being made. The early Saints were not arguing about when Masonic lodges formed. They were arguing about where the underlying symbols and patterns ultimately came from.

Rejecting their statements requires proving that symbolic systems cannot preserve older religious ideas. The document does not do that.

5. Overstating the Degree of Similarity

The claim that “every LDS temple ceremony has a nearly identical Masonic ceremony” is exaggerated.

There are surface-level similarities in:

  • symbolic gestures
  • ritual progression
  • use of tokens and signs
  • ceremonial clothing

But the differences are more significant:

  • Freemasonry is a fraternal system focused on moral development and brotherhood
  • The temple is centered on covenants, priesthood authority, eternal families, and returning to God’s presence
  • The theological meaning, purpose, and outcomes are not the same

Even where actions appear similar, the meaning behind them is different. Ritual form alone does not define origin.

6. The Timing Argument Lacks Context

The argument relies heavily on the short gap between Joseph’s Masonic initiation and the introduction of the endowment. That reasoning assumes that complex theological systems can be created in a matter of weeks.

The historical record shows that temple doctrine developed over years. The 1842 presentation was not the beginning of the idea. It was the point where previously taught concepts were organized into a formal ordinance.

The timing is better explained as preparation rather than invention. Many early Church leaders who would administer temple ordinances were not familiar with structured liturgical systems. Freemasonry exposed them to symbolic teaching methods that made the transition to temple worship more understandable.

7. Misunderstanding How Religious Ritual Develops

The argument treats ritual structure as if it must originate from a single source. In reality, religious practices often develop through layers of preservation, loss, and restoration.

Ancient Jewish temple worship included:

  • priestly clothing
  • ritual washing and anointing
  • sacred spaces separated by veils
  • covenant language
  • symbolic actions tied to divine presence

Early Christian sources also describe structured liturgy, initiation rites, and symbolic progression toward God.

These patterns existed long before Freemasonry. The presence of similar elements in both Masonry and LDS temple worship is consistent with both drawing from older traditions.

8. Ignoring What Happened After Nauvoo

If the temple endowment were simply borrowed from Freemasonry, continued reliance on Masonry would be expected.

That is not what happened.

After the Saints moved to Utah:

  • Masonic activity largely disappeared among Church leadership
  • No functioning lodge existed until years later
  • The Endowment House was built in 1855 to perform temple ordinances
  • Temple work became the central focus of worship

Freemasonry did not continue as a parallel system. Temple worship replaced it as the primary religious practice.

9. The Conclusion Does Not Follow the Evidence

The argument ends by asking whether Joseph Smith “borrowed” the endowment from Freemasonry. That conclusion only works if several assumptions are accepted:

  • Similarity proves dependence
  • Temple doctrine did not exist before 1842
  • Freemasonry has no connection to older religious symbolism
  • Early Church leaders were mistaken about their own teachings
  • Ritual form determines origin more than doctrine

Each of these assumptions has been shown to be weak or incomplete.

A more consistent explanation fits the full set of facts:

  • Temple doctrine was taught years before 1842
  • Freemasonry preserved fragments of symbolic tradition
  • Joseph Smith introduced a complete system with distinct theology and purpose
  • The similarities reflect shared roots, not direct copying

More Resources on Mormons and Masons


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