Gossamer Thin: 2 Nephis Flaxen Cord and the Anti-Masonic Thesis

Abstract: Some have seen evidence of anti-Masonic rhetoric in the Book of Mormon and cite 2 Nephi 26:22 in support of this theory, since Satan leads sinners "by the neck with a flaxen cord." It is claimed that this is a reference to Masonic initiation rituals, which feature a thick noose called a cable-tow or tow-rope. Examining the broader rhetorical context of 2 Nephi demonstrates that the "flaxen cord" more likely refers to something slight and almost undetectable. To test this hypothesi...