John 2:13-16 The Temple

¹³And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: ¹⁵And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; ¹⁶And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. -John 2:13-16 Bible, King James Version

The Mormon Temple

                     Salt Lake Temple Terrestrial Room
 (The Terrestrial Room represents the Terrestrial Kingdom, the 2nd Kingdom of Heaven)

The Temples are full of wonderful spiritual symbolism. The first obvious comparison is to the body. As we travel within the physical body we enter the Spirit World where according to the Bible there is hell and the three Kingdoms of Heaven. (2 Corinthians 12:2) When one enters into the Mormon Temple they first put on white clothing to represent the Angelic garments of white Light. Within the Salt Lake City Mormon Temple they have different rooms to represent the three Kingdoms of Heaven called the Celestial, Terrestrial and the Telestial which is the lowest. Before entering into the Endowment Room everyone receives a secret name or key word which they use later in the ceremony before passing thru the veil into the Celestial Room. This I believe is referred to in  items of instruction given by  Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Ramus, Illinois, 2 April 1843 in The Doctrine and Covenants: 6 The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth; 7 But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord. 8 The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. 9 This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ’s. 10 Then the white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17, [¹⁷ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.] will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to a higher order of kingdoms will be made known; 11 And a white stone is given to each of those who come into the celestial kingdom, whereon is a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word. (The Doctrine and Covenants, Section 130:6-11) I believe this Key Word represents the secret Name of God "I AM."

Egyptian Hall by Curious Expeditions

The amazingly lavish Masonic Temple in Philadelphia, PA, erected in 1873

(Flickr: Creative Commons; Some Rights Reserved)

The Masonic Temple 

The Thirty-third Degree Freemason C. W. Leadbeater reveals:  In Egypt… [six thousand years ago p10] there was a Grand Lodge… of which the Grand Master was the Pharoah… (p28-29) Moses, of whom it was said in the biblical story that he was “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.” He passed on his knowledge (of the Mystery teaching of Egypt) to the Jewish priestly line, and thus it survived in a more or less defective form till the time of David and Solomon. When Solomon built his temple he erected it on Masonic lines, and made it a centre of Masonic symbolism and Work. …King Solomon… judaized the entire ritual, substituting Hebrew words for the original Egyptian, though in some cases at least preserving the original meaning…(p35-36) Much of the ancient wisdom has been allowed to slip into oblivion, and so some of the true secrets were lost to the great body of the [Masonic] Brn. [Brethren] But among the Hierophants [or wise Master teachers] of the Great White Brotherhood the true secrets have ever been preserved and they will always reward the search of the really earnest Mason. (p38) The majority of masculine Freemasons hold that the Craft comprises only the three Degrees of E.A., F.C., and M.M., though in English Masonry they allow the Mark Degree and the Holy Royal Arch as nominally extensions of the Second and Third Degrees... Among the masculine Masons only those who belong to the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite work the higher Degrees, though various other small bodies of Masons use some of them. The Rites of Memphis and Mizraim used to have a list of 97 degrees, but have now reduced them to 33... (p277 The Hidden Life in Freemasonry by C. W. Leadbeater 33) 

The First Degree of Freemasonry

"The conquest of passions and emotions is prescribed for the First Degree of [Blue Masonry...] (p221) In the First Degree attention is principally focused upon the astral world." (p230 The Hidden Life in Freemasonry by C. W. Leadbeater)

The Second Degree of Freemasonry

"Just as the conquest of the passions and emotions is the prominent object of the E. A., [or Entered Apprentice] so is the conquest and control of the lower mind the especial purpose of the [F. C. Fellow Craft or] Second Degree." (p231 The Hidden Life in Freemasonry by C. W. Leadbeater)

The Third Degree of Freemasonry

"The Third Degree... This means that a M. M. [or Master Mason] may be tested and known by the fact that both the higher self and the lower self are in working order, are functioning together and in harmony. (p248 The Hidden Life in Freemasonry by C. W. Leadbeater)

The Fourth Degree of Freemasonry

"In the Mark Degree... the neophyte is taught by the ritual the necessity of humility and patience... (p281) Bro. Wood takes the Mark Man and the Mark Master as respectively symbolizing the Second and Third of the Great Initiations... When this is achieved a Mark is given to him, typified in the Masonic and biblical phaseology as a white stone upon which a new name is written- the true name of the ego. [In Theology I believe the ego refers to the Higher Self.] The Hindu term for the man who takes the Third great Step is Hamsa, the Swan." (p281,283 The Hidden Life in Freemasonry by C. W. Leadbeater)

The Seventh Degree of Freemasonry

In the Royal Arch [Degree] he [the Mason] passes beyond the substituted secrets and learns the genuine Word... For the true Word is the Name of God. (p277-278) The Degree of the H.R.A. [Holy Royal Arch] leads the neophyte a step further in his quest, and is thus a fitting sequel to the Sublime Degree of M.M. [of Master Mason? in the Third Degree] ...His vision must be so purified that he can behold His presence [or Higher Self?] with eyes unveiled. This attainment of true spiritual vision is symbolized by the Passing of the Four Veils on the road to the Heavenly City, the Sanctuary of Light

and Peace; for the veils represent those limitations of consciousness which blind his vision of the Truth. (p286-287 The Hidden Life in Freemasonry by C. W. Leadbeater)

 

   The Eighteenth Degree of Freemasonry 

In the magnificent illumination given in the Eighteenth Degree, that of the Sovereign Prince of the Rose-Croix of Heredom… [the Mason]  finds the divine Love reigning in his own heart and in those of his Brn. [Brethren] He also learns that God has descended and shared our lower nature with us expressly in order that we may ascend to share His true nature with Him. …It further teaches us that God sits enthroned in every human heart, that the inmost Spirit of each man is part of God Himself, a spark of the Divine; and that therefore all men are one in Him, and there is no height to which man may not aspire. …Each Knight [of the Rose-Croix] should meditate upon it and try to realize all that it involves for the knowledge which it gives should permeate the whole fibre of his very essence, if he is to do the duty which is expected of him. …For the man who really knows this, all life is one great glad song of triumph and of gratitude. All this he acknowledges, in all this he rejoices, every time he remembers that wondrous Word of power (The Name of T.G.A.O.T.U. [The Great Architect Of The Universe. God. The author does not say what this Word of Power is but on p275 he talks about the Sacred word AUM or OM] which is revealed to the aspirant in this most wonderful 18[th Degree] was the central and innermost secret of the ancient Egyptian mystery teaching. It is the clear duty of every Knight of the Rose-Croix to spread this light abroad- to preach by word when possible, and always by action, this true “gospel of the grace of God.” In the Co-Masonic form of this Degree he is instructed to offer himself as a channel for the Divine force and to make efforts to co-operate with T.G.A.O.T.U. [or God.] By this daily work… the Christ dwelling in man, should be aroused and greatly developed, so that he becomes, to the limit of his capacity, a living manifestation of the Eternal Love, a veritable priest who is its instrument for the helping of the world. In this Degree also we find certain symbols of deep significance. The flower of the Rose… [and] the Cross. …So when these two emblems are taken in conjunction, as they always are in the name Rose-Croix, they betoken the Love of Self-sacrifice, the secret of Immortality, and the sweet Fragrance of a Holy life. (p296-298) Much of the ancient wisdom has been allowed to slip into oblivion, and so some of the true secrets were lost to the great body of the Brn. [Brethren] But among the Hierophants [or wise Master teachers] of the Great White Brotherhood the true secrets have ever been preserved and they will always reward the search of the really earnest Mason. (p38, 296-298 The Hidden Life in Freemasonry by C. W. Leadbeater) 

               St.Germain

You may be interested to know that just as Jesus is acknowledged as the Master at the Head of all the Christian Religions C. W. Leadbeater teaches: The Chohan of the Seventh Ray… is that Master of the Wisdom of whom we often speak as the Comte de St. Germain. (p11) He was the Comte de St. Germain at the time of the French Revolution. …This great Saint and Teacher still lives and His present body has no appearance of great age. I myself met Him physically in Rome in 1901 and had a long conversation with Him. In Co-Masonry we refer to Him as the Head of all True Freemasons throughout the world. …Today but few of His Masons acknowledge Him as their Sovereign Grand Master, yet the possibility of such discipleship has ever been recognized in the traditions of the Order. (The Hidden Life in Freemasonry by C. W. Leadbeater p11, 14-15)

Old Freemason Bible With Symbol

In both the Masonic Temple and the Mormon Temple there is reference to the square and the compass.

The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by Levi H. Dowling

CHAPTER 20.

¹The great feast of the pasch was ended and the Nazarenes were journeying toward their homes. ²And they were in Samaria, and Mary said, Where is my son? No one had seen the boy. ³And Joseph sought among their kindred who were on their way to Galilee; but they had seen him not. ⁴Then Joseph, Mary, and a son of Zebedee, returned and sought through all Jerusalem, but they could find him not. ⁵And then they went up to the temple courts and asked the guards, Have you seen Jesus, a fair-haired boy, with deep blue eyes, twelve years of age, about these courts? ⁶The guards replied, Yes, he is in the temple now disputing with the doctors of the law. ⁷And they went in, and found him as the guards had said. ⁸And Mary said, Why Jesus, why do you treat your parents thus? Lo, we have sought two days for you. We feared that some great harm had overtaken you. ⁹And Jesus said, Do you not know that I must be about my Father’s work? ¹⁰But he went round and pressed the hand of every doctor of the law and said, I trust that we may meet again. ¹¹And then he went forth with his parents on their way to Naza­reth; and when they reached their home he wrought with Joseph as a carpenter. ¹²One day as he was bringing forth the tools for work he said, ¹³These tools remind me of the ones we handle in the workshop of the mind where things are made of thought and where we build up character. ¹⁴We use the square to meas­ure all our lines, to straighten out the crooked places of the way, and make the corners of our conduct square. ¹⁵We use the compass to draw circles round our passions and de­sires to keep them in the bounds of righteousness... ²¹And on the twelve-step lad­der we ascend until we reach the pinnacle of that which life is spent to build—the Temple of Perfected Man.