Latter-day Templar

I was recently provided with a link to a page by Cutting Edge Ministries; that page is a compendium of arguments against Freemasonry. For now, I will respond to  Freemasonry -- Two Organizations, One Visible, the Other Invisible  and save the rest for another time. In this article, Cutting Edge Ministries Director David Bay claims that within Freemasonry is a hidden, Satanic entity that strives to produce the anti-Christ. His claim depends largely on various secondary and tertiary opinion-pieces (many out-of-context). The first work cited is Lectures on Ancient Philosophy: An Introduction to the Study and Application of Rational Procedure  by Manly P Hall, which was first published in 1929 . However, Manly P Hall did not become a Freemason until 1954. That makes this work not only just an opinion-piece on Freemasonry, but rather nothing more than gossip/rumor since he did not have any firsthand experience in the Fraternity. That renders this work entirely irrelevant concerning Maso

I decided that my first project should be a response to the article Masonic Symbols and the LDS Temple by Sandra Tanner over at Utah Lighthouse Ministry, as she has made incorrect claims and has taken some things out-of-context. I'll get right to it. Sandra begins the article by referring to the symbolism found on the Nauvoo Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She states that, to understand these symbols, one must understand Joseph Smith's involvement with Freemasonry; she then makes the irrelevant mention of the fact that his brother Hyrum had been a Freemason since the 1820s. She then incorrectly claims that Brigham Young had been a Mason prior to joining the Church. The facts are as follows: Brigham Young was baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 15 April, 1832 . Almost a decade later, he was initiated an Entered Apprentice on 7 April, 1842 ; passed to the degree of Fellowcraft on 8 April, 1842 ; and raised to the sublime

Craft Freemasonry The dates on which I received the three degrees of Masonry are as follows: 2016/09/07: Entered Apprentice (1°) 2016/10/22: Fellowcraft (2°) 2016/12/17: Master Mason (3°) I received these degrees in Saint George Lodge No. 33 , which is subordinate to the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah . I was appointed/elected and did serve in the following offices in Saint George Lodge No. 33 F&AM for the following calendar years: 2019: Junior Deacon 2020: Senior Deacon 2021: Senior Warden 2022: Worshipful Master[*] The highest degree in Freemasonry itself is 3° (that of Master Mason), no matter what degree, grade, or order one obtains later on in appendant, concordant, or affiliate groups.[†] American York Rite [‡] I received most[§] of the degrees/orders of the York Rite during the 2019 Colorado River Fall Festival ; note that these degrees are not enumerated as in Freemasonry and some other appendant/concordant bodies (e.g., the Scottish Rite). Th

I was ordained an Elder by Darren Todd Cole on 13 February, 2010. Darren Todd Cole was ordained a High Priest by Loyal David Cole on 24 March, 2002. Loyal David Cole was ordained a High Priest by Gordon Thomas Wilson on 14 February, 1987. Gordon Thomas Wilson was ordained a High Priest by John Hal Marsden on 20 July, 1975. John Hal Marsden was ordained a High Priest by LeGrand Richards on 16 September, 1956. LeGrand Richards was ordained an Apostle by David O McKay on 10 April, 1952. David O McKay was ordained an Apostle by Joseph F Smith on 9 April, 1906. Joseph F Smith was ordained an Apostle by Brigham Young on 1 July, 1866. Brigham Young was ordained an Apostle under the hands of the Three Witnesses: Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Frederick G Williams on 14 February, 1835. The Three Witnesses (Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris) were blessed by the laying on of hands of the First Presidency (Joseph Smith, Jr, Sidney Rigdon,