Is the LDS / Mormon Temple Ceremony Derived from Free Masonry?
There are some parallels between the Mormon temple and some masonic rituals and symbols. For example, the symbols of the square and the compass play a role in both, though these are ancient symbols with religious meaning dating back to biblical times. Handclasps and other concepts are common with Masonry. This has led some critics to content that the Mormon temple ceremony was simply plagiarized from Masonry. But the use of some borrowed elements hardly explains the temple and its ancient roots. The differences between the ceremonies are dramatic, including their purpose, the content of the teachings, the covenants that are made, etc. Joseph Smith’s brief exposure to Masonry over the course of three days may have helped him in giving structure to some aspects of the LDS Endowment, but other Latter-day Saints who were experienced Masons did not see the LDS temple ceremony as plagiarism from Masonry, but as something vastly superior. Many of early Mormons were familiar with Masonry, and
