Our first outing with the Chums

[Daniel Wolf]

Here's a convoluted connection between the Chums and Mormonism.  If the 
Chums descend (literally) from the Knaben (boys) in Die Zauberflöte, who 
arrive in a flying machine and gently intervene in the story, then there 
is a connection via Freemasonry. Viennese Freemasonry in Mozart and 
Schinkeneder's time was, in part, a response to Josephine Absolutism, 
and was a mixed affair, on the one hand supporting the ideal of the 
enlightened ruler, but also implying anarchic tendencies, with the 
secrets of the organization widely held to disguise a program that was 
subversive if not dangerous to the state.

The connections of Mormonism to Freemasonry, particularly in the realm 
of symbols and rituals, are well documented.  Mormon apologists will, 
however, identify these connections are coincidental, believing that 
they have received, through their prophet(s), eternal truths which the 
Freemasons have only accidentally touched upon.  Early Mormonism 
displays its own mixture of enlightened (or rather inspired) despotism 
and social anarchy (not only in questions of marriage; with a 
near-universal male priesthood and minor prophets spouting minor 
prophecies everywhere, it was an extraordinary atmosphere), the latter 
element of which was largely put under control due to the pragmatic 
organizational talents of Brigham Young, successor to Joseph Smith in 
the LDS church.  (The orthodox LDS can be viewed as the Sunni branch to 
the Shi'ite RCLDS, whose leadership, until recently, was taken from the 
Smith family line).  The question remains, however, of whether and if to 
what degree a free-radical, anarchic strain is still present in Mormon 
lives and beliefs, and as long as the deliberations of the upper church 
organization of the LDS and the nature of  its temple rituals remain 
largely secret to outsiders, one can only speculate.