Master Mahan is a title assumed first by Cain and later by his descendant Lamech, according to the Book of Moses, a book of scripture in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other Latter Day Saint denominations.[1] After Satan promises to obey Cain and to assist him in murdering his brother Abel, Cain says, "Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain," and is thereafter known as Master Mahan.[2] Later, Lamech the son of Methusael also "entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain, wherein he became Master Mahan, master of that great secret which was administered unto Cain by Satan".[3] A footnote to Moses 5:31 in the LDS edition of the Pearl of Great Price states that "'Mind,' 'destroyer,' and 'great one' are possible meanings of the roots evident in 'Mahan'"[4] but no specific roots are cited. Critics of Joseph Smith have argued that this story about Cain is a veiled attack on freemasonry. For example, Jerald and Sandra Tanner have stated that the words Master Mahan "are so similar to the words 'MASTER MASON' that we are almost forced to the conclusion that Joseph Smith had these words in mind."[5]
See also
References
- ^ The Book of Moses is an excerpt from the larger Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, which is a canonical work of the Community of Christ and other smaller Latter Day Saint churches.
- ^ Moses 5:31.
- ^ Moses 5:49.
- ^ Moses 5:31, footnote d.
- ^ Jerald and Sandra Tanner (1969). The Mormon Kingdom, 1:156.
