Walkes discloses his exchanges with another Mormon and Freemason, Melvin Boothe Hogan.
THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH AND MORMONISM
The LDS Church was founded by Freemasons to include the Prophet...
Several people from all across the country, forwarded to me, e-mails raising questions concerning the Prophet Joseph Smith (not Jose Smith), and the Mormon (Latter-day Saints or LDS) Church. They sent me this material to reply to, as they knew that I and my wife are very active Mormons. We have been members for better than 16 years or so. We were married in the Salt Lake Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah, the headquarters of the Church. For those who will receive copies of this in their e-mail and do not know who I am, let me say that my name is Joseph A. Walkes,Jr.. I'm President of the International Phylaxis Society (a society for Prince Hall Freemasons who seek more light and who have light to impart.). I am a very dedicated Prince Hall Freemason and an author of eight books on the subject.
As a student of Masonic history, and writer of works on our Patron Saint, Prince Hall and the fraternity that he founded and carries his name, I have over the years attempted to correct the many foolish myths and lies that have been spread about both. I still continue to find ignorance concerning Prince Hall and Prince Hall Freemasonry by Caucasians and Prince Hall Freemasons themselves, who should no better. In my works I continue to attempt to correct all of the ignorance that I find.
I have likewise found the same as far as the Prophet Joseph Smith and the religion that he founded. The LDS Church was founded by Freemason's to include the Prophet, and as I continue you will see the diversity of the subject. Joseph Henry Evens in his book Joseph Smith an American Prophet (1933 Macmillian Company - 1989 Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah.)wrote in his preface: "Here is a man who was born in the stark hills of Vermont, who was reared in the back woods of New York; who never looked inside a college or high school; who lived in six States, no one of which could own him during his lifetime; who spent months in the vile prisons of the period; who, even when he had freedom, was hounded like a fugitive; who was covered once with a coat of tar and feathers, and left for dead; who with his following, was driven from Missouri to Illinois; and who, at the age of thirty-eight, was shot to death by a mob with painted (black) faces. Yet this man became mayor of the largest town in Illinois and the state's most prominent citizen, the commander of the largest body of trained soldiers in the nation outside of the Federal Army; the founder of cities and of a university, and aspired to become President of the United States. He wrote a book which has baffled the literary critics for a hundred years and which is today more widely read than any other volume save the Bible. On the threshold of an organizing age he established the most nearly perfect social mechanism in the modern world, and developed a religious philosophy that challenges anything of the kind in history, for completeness and cohesion. And he set up the machinery for an economic system that would take the brood of Fears out of the heart of man - the fear of want through sickness, old age, unemployment, and poverty. In (over 170) nations are men and women who look upon him as a greater leader than Moses and a greater prophet than Isaiah; his disciples now number (over eleven) million, and already a granite shaft pierces the sky over the place where he was born, and another over the place where he is credited with having received the inspiration for his Book"
Harold Bloom in his The American Religion: The Emergence of the Post-Christian Nation, raised a very interesting question which has troubled white American Freemasonry during the life of the Prophet, and was cause of the trouble raised by the White Grand Lodge of Illinois, and troubles some today. "So one returns again to a purely speculative question: What would the Mormons wish to do if the United States ever has so large a Mormon population, that governing our democracy became impossible without Mormon cooperation? What seems like science fiction now will not seem so in 2020, if the Mormons are then one American out of eight." (page 90)
In the November 13,2000 issue of U.S. News and World Report its cover story being The Mormon Way: How a Utah-based church became the worlds fastest-growing religion. It notes that the Church of Latter day Saints has grown by leaps and bounds. There is listed a chart that is most interesting:
Growth of major religions in the U.S. Growth since 1970: Mormon Church - 220% Southern Baptist Convention - 33% Roman Catholic Church - 29% Jewish congregations - 3% United Methodist Church minus 21% Episcopal Church minus 28% Presbyterian Church (USA) minus 36%
If current trends holds experts say Latter-day Saints could number 265 million worldwide, second only to Roman Catholics among Christian bodies.
With this introduction of my church, let me move on to Freemasonry, as the relationship between Mormonism and Freemasonry is very interesting. First let me introduce you to my late friend Mervin Booth Hogan, of Salt Lake City, Utah, a close friend, a Masonic and LDS Brother, historian and a Phylaxis member. We began communicating with each other when I began researching an article I was planning to write: American Prophets and Prince Hall Freemasonry: The Moors, Muslims and Mormons. (I actually wrote most of the article, but when it came to the Mormons, I dropped the series, because of some nasty letters received from members of the Phylaxis Society and others.. It was published in the Phylaxis Magazine.). Brother Hogan and I, became close friends due to our love for research, Freemasonry and the Church. Knowing that death was fast approaching he turned over to me most of his research papers, which I will list about 20 or so, to show the wealth and diversity of the subject of Mormonism and Freemasonry. Remember that the founders of the Church were Freemasons, and that Joseph Smith was a member of Nauvoo Lodge and in my collection I have a copy of the "Founding Minutes of the Lodge." Here us is a listing of some of the papers Bro. Hogan turned over to my collection:
(1) Joseph Smith's Embracement of Freemasonry.
(2) The Temple Mormon and The Masonic Lodge
(3) What of Mormonism and Freemasonry
(4) Freemasonry and Brigham Young the Speaker
(5) Joseph Smith, Jr., The Frontier Prophet
(6) Freemasonry and The Book of Mormon
(7) The Cryptic Cable Tow between Mormonism and Freemasonry
(8) Utah Masons Among the Mormons
(9) The Mutually Achieved Gridlock of Utah Masonry and Mormondom
(10) Freemasonry and Utah's Perpetual Problem
(11) Some Basic Facts Pertaining to Mormonism and Utah Freemasonry
(12) Joseph Smith's Theology
(13) The Involvement of John Cook Bennett with Mormonism and Freemasonry in Nauvoo.
(14) The Historicity of the Alleged Masonic Influence on Mormonism
(15) Mormon Involvement with Freemasonry on the Illinois and Iowa Frontier Between 1840 and 1846
(16) Freemasonry and Civil Confrontation on the Illinois Frontier
(17) Freemasonry and The Lynching at Carthage Jail (
18) Freemasonry and Mormonism Unique
(19) Mormon Masonry in Illinois reviewed by a Grand Master
(20) The Ultimatum of the Nauvoo Expositor
(21) Masonic-Mormon Bibliography
(22) Death and Doom Invoked by the Nauvoo Expositor
(23) Charles Carroll Goodwin: Unprejudiced Utahn and Utah Masonry
(24) The Confrontation of Grand Master Abraham Jonas and John Cook Bennett at Nauvoo
(25) The Erection and Dedication of the Nauvoo Masonic Temple
(26) Mormonism and Freemasonry at Nauvoo (4 papers)
(27) Freemasonry and Mormon Culture
(28) Freemasonry and Mormon Ritual
(29) John Taylor: Masonry's Invincible Mormon
(30) Joseph Smith and His Church
These are just a few of the articles that I have of Brother Hogan. I have copies of all of his books on the subject, his and others, as well as a reprint from the New Age magazine of the white Supreme Council, A.A.S.R., Southern Jurisdiction "Masonry and Mormonism by Jos. E. Mircombe, Historian of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, I have letters from the Sovereign Grand Commander of that body to Brother Hogan asking to help bring peace between the white Grand Lodge of Utah and the Mormons. I have also the pages from The Encyclopedia of Mormonism. I maintain in my private library over 300 books on Mormonism, which has always been a great joy to me.
And jewel of all jewels, Brother Hogan sent me the actual copy of his Patriarchal Blessings (which all Mormons receive, if they want it. Both my wife and I have our own) To briefly explain what I am talking about, the following comes from Mormon Doctrine. "It is a privilege of the gathered remnant of Jacob to receive one's own Patriarchal blessing and by faith, to be blessed equally with the ancients." "Patriarchal blessings contemplate an inspired declaration of the lineage of the recipient and also where so moved upon by the Spirit, an inspired and prophetic statement of the life mission of the recipient, together with such blessings, cautions, and admonitions as the patriarch may be prompted to give for the accomplishment of such life's mission, it being always made clear that the realization of all promised blessings is conditioned upon faithfulness to the gospel of our Lord, who servant the patriarchs is. All such blessings are recorded and generally only one such blessings should be adequate for each person's life."
I will not reveal all of Brother Hogan's blessing, but will quote one line: "Your life has been spared, and you have been led by appointed angles, and you have developed your talents unto perfection, and the Lord is most pleased with your contribution to save and to explain important historical facts. You have been especially blessed with a writing skill to record this historical fact for the benefit of a multitude of individuals that will be directed to carry on the important work and assignment you came to this earthly life to do…"
While I don't dare think that his blessing may have pointed at myself, I have had great joy in traveling throughout the State of Missouri and Kansas presenting workshops on the African-American LDS History in church gatherings, and what a history it is. Little known, but powerful, as Blacks have always been members of the LDS Church since its founding, and today, thousands upon thousands of Black's enter the Church. Brother Hogan wanted me to take over where he left off. My expertise is of course Prince Hall Freemasonry, and I was to learn that my Grand Lodge, the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Missouri established the first Prince Hall Lodge in Salt Lake City, and several of the members were LDS.
I do not know what directions my research will go, the LDS Church in all its fullness is a subject worthy of all efforts. As I have found in dealing with Prince Hall Freemasonry there is a need to correct all of the misinformation, deliberate and otherwise, concerning the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Joseph A. Walkes, Jr. FPS
President, Phylaxis Society