Still reading through this but a point of contention. Manly Hall never went through the Blue Lodge initiation nor any of the Scottish Rite path to become a 33 degree Scottish Rite Mason, he claims the 33 degree was conferred upon him. IMHO, this is akin to buying a college degree from a diploma mill. (ie, not a real Mason).. now back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Manly Hall never went through the Blue Lodge initiation nor any of the Scottish Rite path to become a 33 degree Scottish Rite Mason, he claims the 33 degree was conferred upon him.
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You appear to know what you are talking about when you refer to the Scottish Rites etc...
The founder of mormonism, Joey Smith, went straight to 33rd degree in one day...
is that normal ???
and then he betrayed his oaths by telling the secrets to non-Masons and using the ceremonies, though corrupted in his own religious ordinances...
There is said to have been Freemasons in the crowd outside the Carthage jail where he was held for cause...
Is it possible that they may have killed him for betraying the blood oaths ???
(Besides the fact that he was shooting at them..)