Church History Matters

058 An Interview with an LDS Freemason

Apr 9, 2024

Lon Tibbitts, an LDS bishop and a Master of a Masonic lodge in Utah, discusses origins of Freemasonry, connections between masonry and LDS practices, and the complex relationship between Freemasons and Latter-day Saints in Utah. He explores the intertwining history of the two groups, the impact of masonry on LDS development, and the exclusion of Latter-day Saints from Masonic lodges until 1984.

01:02:03

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Episode guests

Lon Tibbitts

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Freemasonry influenced LDS temple endowment development, emphasizing shared symbolism and moral teachings.

Early LDS involvement in Freemasonry sparked temple ordinance discussion, debunking Joseph Smith 'stealing' claims.

Freemasonry had no direct impact on Book of Abraham or temple rituals, showing nuanced Relief Society formation connections.

Deep dives

Lon Tibbetts Discusses the Origins of Freemasonry

Lon Tibbetts, a practicing Latter-day Saint and active Mason, sheds light on the origins of Freemasonry, emphasizing the shared symbolism, interactive participation, and moral teachings between Masonic rituals and LDS practices. Despite similarities, he highlights that the meanings of symbols diverge, focusing on distinct moralities and principles of salvation and exaltation within the temple endowment.

Intro

2min

Exploring Freemasonry and Mormonism in Utah

9min

Exploring the Origins and Evolution of Freemasonry

6min

Symbolism and Values in Freemasonry

8min

Exploring the Connection Between Freemasonry and the Early Latter-day Saints

21min

Historical Connections Between LDS and Freemasonry

16min

Welcome to our special bonus episode where Casey and I interview a friend of our show Lon Tibbitts. In our previous episode we discussed at length the relationship between masonry and the development of the temple endowment in Nauvoo—a topic a lot of people have questions about. So we thought you might enjoy hearing from Lon Tibbitts who has served both as an LDS ward bishop and as a Master of his Masonic lodge in Utah. Lon is a keen student of both masonic and LDS history, and in this interview he sheds light on the origins of freemasonry; on why so many Nauvoo Latter-day Saints joined the fraternity; on connections between masonry and the endowment, the Relief Society, and the martyrdom of Joseph Smith; as well as the later fraught relationship between freemasons and Latter-day Saints in Utah. We hope you enjoy it.

For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/