NAUVOO LODGE

The early LDS Church suffered numerous persecutions and
          hatred in  Missouri, which became increasingly bitter as the
          church grew. The Church was anti-slavery in a slave state, and
          as it grew, so did its political clout.  While it's true that the
          hierarchy didn't dictate to the members how they should vote on
          any particular issue,  those that were joining the church found
          themselves to be like minded  people, and in-spite of the absence
          of direct guidance from church leaders on political matters, the
          indirect influence was certainly there, and having a common
          belief system they  tended to vote as a group.  Also the
          encouragement of foreign converts to emigrate and join with the
          church in Missouri, resulted in a steady growth of its political
          power base.

          This, combined with some of the unique doctrines of the church
          led  to an intense public resentment.  This resentment and the
          resulting persecution grew more severe as time went on,
          eventually culminating in the Governor of Missouri, Lilburn W.
          Boggs declaring in 1838 that all Mormons were to either be
          driven from the State or exterminated.  He apparently felt that
          the only way to end the feuds and near civil war conditions
          between the Mormons and Non-Mormons, would be to
          eliminate one of the sides in the dispute, even if it was by
          genocide.

          It was under these conditions that the church members fled from
          Missouri to Quincy, Illinois where they were welcomed with
          opened  arms and immediately taken in with a great deal of
          hospitality. Ironically, this warm reception was largely for the
          same reasons which had caused them to be driven from
          Missouri, that is their  political influence.

          Many leading candidates for public office felt that if the
          Mormons could be swayed to their agendas, they would have a
          great advantage over their opponents.  But whatever the reason,
          it was a welcome change from what had been left behind in
          Missouri.

          In May 1839, the Church began purchasing land in Commerce,
          Illinois a farm or two at a time at first, until very large tracts of
          land were owned.  This soon became the central gathering place
          for the Church and eventually the name was changed to
          Nauvoo.  A liberal Charter was obtained from the State
          Legislature, granting it official recognition as a city.  The
          Charter also granted broad authority to pass laws, establish
          district courts,  police departments, city councils, a standing
          militia  (giving official and lawful sanction to the Nauvoo
          Legion), etc.

          With the privileges granted in the Charter by the State
          Legislature, and with the majority of the residents being
          Mormon, the  constitutional separation of church and state
          relationship was unintentionally, but predictably violated.

          The principle leaders of  the church were also elected to the
          most important city positions,  giving them almost exclusive
          political as well as ecclesiastical authority over the church and
          community.  As might be predicted, many civil laws were
          enacted which reflected the religious beliefs and  values of the
          majority, often to the displeasure of the minority of  non-LDS
          residents of the city. Nauvoo grew so rapidly that by the  time
          the church started it's western exodus it is reported to have  been
          three times the size of the then current Chicago.
 

          Again, the resentment of local citizens grew as a result of the
          political clout the church was gaining, still tending to vote as a
          group but inconsistently for any one party at any particular time.

                  "Leaders of the opposition considered Mormonism much more
          than religion as that term was generally understood.
          Mormonism meant a rapidly expanding close-knit economic and
          political group which, if not checked, might possibly gain
          complete control of the state.  As the largest single organization
          occupying the state's most populous city, the Mormons had
          gained the balance of political power in Hancock County by
          1843.  It was this threat of economic-political control more than
          any specific religious doctrine that unified the anti-Mormons
          into vigorous militant groups.  Before 1844, church leaders
          denied any ambition of a political nature, but outsiders noted
          that Mormons tended to vote more or less solidly although not
          consistently for the same party."(5)

          *Anti-Masonism*

          The Masons had experienced some of the same public
          resentment and  suffered many of the same persecutions, but for
          different reasons than the Mormons.  The Masons had received
          a lot of attention and criticism for what the public called "blood
          oaths". By way of explanation, the oaths which are administered
          during the initiation rituals describe certain penalties for violation
          of a Masons promises not to make public the Fraternities modes
          of recognition, ritual,  etc.  These penalties, however are only
          symbolic and date back to  situations that existed in the middle
          ages when the violation of  these promises could have put many
          lives in jeopardy.  The most severe punishment which could be
          inflicted by a lodge in the 1800's, and today, would be expulsion
          from membership.  The public however, had no understanding
          of the symbolic nature of these penalties, nor even what they
          were, except that they included the taking of life.  Most  people
          mistook them to be very literal.  It was during these
          circumstances, that events known today as the "Morgan Affair",
          ignited the anti-Masonic feelings of the period.

          In about 1825, William Morgan, a Freemason in New York,
          announced  that he would publish an expose' on Freemasonry,
          revealing its rites, rituals, modes of recognition, etc.  Shortly
          after he made this  announcement, Mr. Morgan mysteriously
          disappeared, never to be heard  from again.  With nothing but
          rumor and speculation to go on, the Masonic Fraternity was
          accused of his kidnapping and murder for violating his oaths to
          the Fraternity.  As tension built anti-Masonic political parties
          began to spring up, and met with so much success among an
          outraged and misinformed population, that a national
          "Anti-Masonic Party" was officially organized.  On two
          occasions they  even had legitimate candidates for the office of
          United States  President.  The persecution became so severe that
          many lodges folded  and went out of existence for lack of
          membership.  But by 1835 the storm had passed and the
          Fraternity began the process of healing and  recovery.
 
 

          *Salt in Open Wounds*

          The indignities these two organizations suffered would naturally
          make them suspicious of outsiders, no matter who the outsiders
          were.  While the Masons had been thus persecuted, and
          understandably sensitive to public opinion, hearing all kinds of
          false accusations about their Fraternity being a secret society,
          administering blood oaths, and protecting its members from
          prosecution for crimes they committed,  the LDS Church
          published its Book of Mormon.  A passage from that book was
          taken by many to be speaking about the Masonic Order.

          "But behold, Satan did stir up the hearts of the more part of the
          Nephites, insomuch that they did unite with those bands of
          robbers, and did enter into their covenants and their oaths, that
          they would protect and preserve one another in whatsoever
          difficult circumstances they should be placed, that they should
          not suffer for their murders, and their plunderings, and their
          stealings. And it came to pass that they did have their signs, and
          their secret words; and this that they might distinguish a brother
          who had entered into the covenant, that whatsoever wickedness
          his brother should do he should not be injured by his brother,
          nor by those who did belong to his band, who had taken this
          covenant. And thus they might murder, and plunder and steal,
          and commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness, contrary
          to the laws of their country and also the laws of their God."(6)

          Except for the recent persecutions and a similarity to the publics
          accusations of the time, Masons probably would never have
          thought  that this had been written about them, since anyone
          even  superficially familiar with the Masons, know that the
          Fraternity  would itself condemn any such behavior by its
          members, and they  would immediately be expelled from the
          Lodge and turned over to Legal authorities for lawful
          disposition.

          The acts described in this passage would be as loathsome to any
          Mason, Mormon, or any other God fearing citizen.  But since
          these things had been so widely spoken against the Fraternity by
          ignorant people, to see them in print again by a sect who was
          claiming it to be scripture, would  naturally incite a great deal of
          resentment.

          It can easily be seen why it would create fears of renewed
          persecution, and why it would be interpreted as a statement of
          the Church against Freemasonry.  However, had this actually
          been the case Joseph Smith and most of the early church leaders
          would never have joined the Fraternity, most of whom joined
          after the Book of Mormon was published.

          It was during this rebuilding period for Freemasonry, the
          persecution  of the LDS Church, and this era of political clout in
          the Church, that all these circumstances combined into a series
          of events that would end in a schism between the Masons and
          Mormons, leaving a feeling of bitterness and misunderstanding
          between the two organizations for over a century and a half.

          *Mormon Interest In Freemasonry*

          Let's now examine the interest Joseph Smith had in the Masonic
          Fraternity and why he joined.  As previously stated, he and his
          new church had suffered numerous persecutions and had many
          atrocities committed against them.  Early in his ministry, as the
          church was being organized, Joseph lamented:

          "I continued to pursue my common vocations in life... all the
          time suffering severe persecution at the hands of all classes of
          men, both religious and irreligious... and persecuted by those
          who ought to have been my friends and to have treated me
          kindly,  and if they supposed me to have been deluded to have
          endeavored in a proper and affectionate manner to have
          reclaimed me..."(7)

          These persecutions continued to build and become more violent
          in  intensity.  Joseph fervently wanted them to end, for both
          himself and the Church.  Several of his associates, including his
          brother Hyrum,  were Masons and familiar with the Fraternities
          teachings of a belief in God and the brotherhood of man.  They
          convinced Joseph that the fellowship they would find within its
          Lodges would give them solace and respite from the
          persecutions and prejudices, as well as a degree of protection
          from the violence.

          "If ever a man was in need of sympathy and the friendship of
          good men, that man was Joseph Smith.  It was under these
          circumstances that Joseph Smith became a member of the
          Masonic Fraternity.  He hoped to find there the friendship and
          protection which he so much craved, but which had been denied
          him outside of his few devoted adherents."(8)

          *Masonic Interest In Mormonism*

          If the foregoing establishes any valid reasons for the Mormon
          interest in Freemasonry, we should now examine why the
          Masons allowed the  Mormons to establish Lodges under the
          authority of the Grand Lodge of  Illinois.  To discover this, we
          must look towards the Grand Master at  the time, one Abraham
          Jonas.  A "Master Politician" , Abraham Jonas  became the
          Grand Master of  the Illinois Grand Lodge through a series of
          unlikely events, as described by one noted Masonic Author,
          Mervin  B. Hogan, concerning Illinois Grand Lodge elections.

          "As a result of evident dissension among the ... lodges, the six
          lodges represented were      unable to elect anyone present to the
          principal office. Rather obvious speculation suggest that as a
          desperate last move an absent dark horse was introduced into
          the picture. This       personage was Abraham Jonas. ...
          Since Jonas was not present, Adams adjourned the Grand
          Lodge until Tuesday, April 28, 1840 as the announced date for
          the regular installation of the newly elected and appointed
          officers. At this later date, Jonas again was not present so
          Adams... installed Jonas by proxy.... It appears to be virtually
          certain that Abraham Jonas was totally without interest, concern,
          or the slightest aspiration relating to the Illinois Grand
          Mastership. ... (Adams) attended to the Organization of the
          Grand Lodge, and persuasively enlisted Jonas to their common
          cause of individual political preferment."(9)

          Mr. Jonas had a political agenda in running for various public
          offices, and had been convinced by Adams that by courting
          Mormon favor, he could more effectively promote his own civic
          aspirations.  Additionally,  as Grand Master involved in the post
          "Morgan Affair", he undoubtedly  hoped to stimulate the growth
          of the Fraternity after its precipitous decline during the
          anti-Masonic era.  The Mormon Lodges would greatly  increase
          the size of the Illinois Grand Lodge.

          Unfortunately, many of the older, established Lodges in the
          State felt that the Dispensations granted to the Mormon lodges
          had not been done according to Masonic regulations.  That,
          combined with the hard-feelings which existed among Masons
          because WGM Jonas had made Joseph Smith a "Mason at
          Sight", cost the Mormon lodges much of the needed support
          from their closest sister Lodges.

          *Attempts To Expand*

          Initially the young church embraced the Fraternity, and
          enthusiastically set about to establish Lodges in their
          communities.  So many new lodges were being created that the
          distances, modes of transportation, and means of
          communication, made  it difficult for a new lodge to be properly
          supervised in its work.  Additionally, the closer non-Mormon
          lodges felt no desire to assist the Mormon Lodges, feeling they
          were "inadequately familiar with them".

          In their zeal to grow and prosper, many mistakes were made and
          many Landmarks violated.  While the Nauvoo Lodge was under
          Dispensation,  from March 15, 1842 to August 11, 1842, the
          Lodge Initiated 286 candidates, and Passed and Raised nearly as
          many. Additionally, the Mormon Lodges, balloted on several
          candidates at one time, which was  a serious violation of
          Masonic protocol.  Other violations included  using the Masonic
          Lodge for city offices, a church warehouse, and as  a meeting
          place for the newly organized Mormon Women's Relief
          Society.

          Many of the violations were not uncommon among new lodges
          of the period, Mormon and non-Mormon alike.  However, the
          seriousness of  these errors in judgement were amplified by the
          nature and general  perception of the church as an organization.
          The church seemed a radical organization.  They didn't feel an
          obligation to follow the established conventions of the time, but
          boldly established many new doctrines, practices, and rituals.
          The counsel and correction which was offered by Masonic
          authority to correct some of these irregularities, undoubtedly
          was seen by the Mormons as interference and as jealousy from
          their sister Lodges, as well as additional persecution.  This
          attitude culminated in the Mormon Lodges being declared
          "Clandestine" and they were no longer recognized by the Illinois
          Lodges.  Even this was seen as harassment and largely ignored
          by Mormon Lodges who continued to Initiate, Pass, and Raise
          candidates.  Their determination and  inflexibility was
          considered by many as hardheadedness and arrogance.

          It's hard to say with certainty that Masonic jealousy didn't play
          some small role in the revocation of the Mormon Charters.  The
          persecutions of previous years, the zeal with which the Masonic
          Fraternity guards its ancient land marks, combined with the tide
          of public opinion against the Church, and seeing the rapid
          growth of the lodges in LDS communities, the  neighboring
          Lodges feared that the Grand Lodge would eventually be
          controlled by Mormon Masons, possibly destroying the
          Fraternity as an  ancient institution with new innovations,
          thereby destroying its usefulness, and reducing it to the mere
          status of a local men's club.

          The lodge membership figures for the year 1842 in Illinois is
          telling, and in hindsight makes the rising tide of ill will somewhat
          predictable.  Mormon Lodge membership in two of the lodges
          were:  Nauvoo, 285 and the Rising Sun Lodge at Montrose,
          Iowa Territory, 45.

          Comparatively, non-LDS Lodge Membership at this same time
          by Lodge,  Bodely No. 1, 25; Harmony No. 3, 23; Springfield
          No. 4, 43; Columbus  No. 6, 16; Macomb No. 8, 22, Juliet No.
          10, 25; Rushville, UD, 10;  Warren, UD, 8. (10)

          This gave the growing Mormon Lodges 330 members while the
          older established non-Mormon Lodges had only 172.