Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration

The complicated and controversial relationship between Mormonism and Freemasonry has received growing attention in recent years. Method Infinite is the most ambitious and comprehensive treatment of the subject to date. Whereas Michael Homer previously provided the most extensive documentation of the potential intersections between early Mormonism and Masonry in Joseph's Temple, Bruno, Swick, and Literski contribute additional evidence and analytical depth. They argue that Joseph Smith "relied on Masonry as one of the primary lenses and means by which he sought to approach God and restore true religion" (xvi) and that "Masonry and anti-Masonic currents contributed to the theology, structure, culture, tradition, history, literature, and ritual of" Smith's religious project from its inception (ix). As proof of these claims, they contend the influence of Masonic themes and models in Smith's prophetic experiences and translations, such as the First Vision, the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Abraham. They further assert that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' early social structures and rituals, including the School of the Prophets, the Danites, and the Kirtland temple ordinances, have roots in Masonry.One of the book's greatest strengths is its indispensable overview of the Masonic context of the early LDS Church. Many previous studies have suffered from juxtaposing early Mormonism with a reductive or anachronistic type of Freemasonry that embraces a universal morality and completely excludes women. Additionally, scholars of American and Mormon history often focus on the social, economic, and political benefits available to Masons. In contrast, Method Infinite provides an in-depth discussion of the discourses and practices of the prominent and distinct brand of antebellum Freemasonry with which Smith and his followers were in dialogue. Bruno, Swick, and Literski elucidate the fraternity's spiritual appeal by highlighting its widespread Christian hermeneutic, and they spotlight its dynamic ritual system that experimented with degrees for Masons' female kin.The book's most potent chapters cover the Nauvoo period when Smith and other church members explicitly connected their religious activities to Freemasonry. The authors present new evidence and perspectives regarding Smith's formal involvement in the fraternity. For instance, they document his aspirations for a National Grand Lodge of the United States, something which other scholars have not addressed. They also explore how a Christian millennialist Masonry informed Smith's utopian theocratic ambitions, his teachings on human perfectionism and deification, and the church's sacerdotal kinship system.Bruno, Swick, and Literski also provide new insights related to the Masonic models for the church's fraternal, sororal, and mixed-sex associations, such as the Council of Fifty, the Relief Society, and the Holy Order. Their own personal involvement in both Masonic and Mormon rituals enables them to offer a respectful and sensitive insider analysis of some of the original meanings and significance of the novel Nauvoo ordinances and how they sacralized Masonic concepts. However, the authors overstate both Smith's and the Masons' egalitarian intentions for women's involvement by relying on later iterations of the androgynous Masonic degrees. They also trace the continued influence of Freemasonry in various Mormon schismatic groups following Smith's death.The book's assertions regarding Masonry's role in shaping early Mormonism pre-Nauvoo are tantalizing but sometimes tenuous. They present persuasive evidence suggesting that Smith, in his typical eclectic prophetic style, saw Masonry as a means to access ancient knowledge and incorporated Masonic themes and forms earlier than is commonly recognized. In particular, their notion of "Mormon Masonic midrash" inspires thought-provoking possibilities for perceiving how Smith's translation efforts, particularly in Kirtland, corresponded with the introduction of fraternal-Masonic-inspired groups and rituals. However, they fail to acknowledge that it was fairly common for social and new religious groups in nineteenth-century America and Great Britain to utilize Masonic prototypes and that this did not necessarily indicate a wholesale adoption of Masonic ideologies and identity.Their claims that Smith's early prophetic experiences were primarily literal manifestations of figurative and symbolic themes and stories in Masonry could have benefited from more proof. Disentangling the threads that weave together to produce ideas is always a challenging endeavor, and this is made even more difficult by Freemasonry's synthesis of various traditions (including the Bible) and the pluralistic religious environment of early America. Additionally, the book needed more direct evidence to strengthen the argument that Smith himself had firsthand knowledge of and experiences with the minutiae of Masonry from his youth.To address Smith's seeming shift from an early negative attitude to a later, favorable position on Freemasonry, Bruno, Swick, and Literski highlight the concept of authentic versus spurious forms of Masonry that some other Masons proposed. In this framework, they present Smith's warnings about Masons and critical depictions of secret societies in the Book of Mormon as targeting a degenerate version of "the Craft." Ergo, Smith had a consistent conception of his prophetic mission centering around restoring true Masonry. The only change they mark in Smith's engagement with Masonry is that it went from covert to overt in Nauvoo. However, this narrative does not adequately address the different degrees of Masonic influence in early Mormonism. Whereas Smith was likely inspired by Masonic forms, themes, and texts early on, Mormons in Nauvoo incorporated Blue Lodge Masonry into their religious practices and expressly identified their activities as belonging under the umbrella of Masonry. When the authors on several occasions cite later sources as proof that early Saints viewed their pre-Nauvoo practices through a Masonic lens, they do so without critically considering how intervening developments may have impacted these recollections.Despite these drawbacks, the authors' treatment of both Freemasonry and Mormonism is considerate and insightful. They avoid simplistic accusations of plagiarism and emphasize Smith's religious ingenuity and creative re-contextualization of Masonry. Overall, Method Infinite is an invaluable resource for better understanding the dynamic religious environment from which the early Latter-day Saint church sprang that will appeal to scholarly and lay audiences alike.