[Redleg Duke]

Smith was a defrocked Mason. He was thrown out for trying to convert Free Masonry into a religion. Masonry is not a religion and does not attempt to displace religion, but rather encourages the brethren to be active members of their own faith.

Now, I know this will offend all of you Mason-bashers out there, but that is the truth.

[Californiajones]

Interesting bit of Mason/Mormon history. Do you have a source I could read? As for Masonry not being a "religion" I tend to agree, but bowing the knee to anything but the Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, as I hear is required in Masonic rite, is strictly forbidden by both Old and New Testaments.

Thou shalt love the lord thy God with all they heat all thy mind and all thy soul and have no other gods before me.

That is the first commandment. Our God is a jealous God. Even of fraternal organizations that make up odd sounding rituals that give lip service to praying to other gods or beings. Like the Masons. And my family was Eastern Star, all dead before I knew or understood how uncool it was with Jesus.