In one of Joseph's money-digging escapades, in which he was accused of sacrificing a lamb, we reported another very interesting affidavit: "Smith had told the Deacon that very many years before a band of robbers had buried on his flat a box of treasure, and as it was very valuable they had by a sacrifice placed a charm over it to protect it, so that it could not be obtained except by faith, accompanied by certain talismanic influences..." 1
What were these "talismanic influences" needed by Smith to recover the box of treasure? What is a talisman? And what does it have to do with magick or witchcraft?
According to Israel Regardie, author of a book dealing with the original account of the teachings, rites, and ceremonies of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, "A Talisman is a magical figure charged with the force which it is intended to represent."2 In his explanation of the formation of a talisman, Regardie warns, "...it is not always a just and right thing to form a Talisman with the idea of completely changing the current of another person's Karma....Only an Adept who is the nature of a God can have the power, even if he have the right, to take upon himself the Karma of another." 3
To explain the talisman further, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, in her Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, describes them as, "Objects that possess magical or supernatural powers of their own and transmit them to the owner. Talismans often are confused with amulets, objects that passively protect their wearers from evil and harm. Talismans usually perform a single function and enable powerful transformations. A talisman can be any object, but according to MAGIC, it can be endowed with supernatural power only by the forces of nature, by God or the gods or by being made in a ritualistic way." 4
Talismanic magick can be described in almost every book dealing with occultic rites and witchcraft ceremonies. In his book The Golden Dawn, Regardie explains the two-hour Consecration Ceremony for the Jupiter talisman. Banishing rituals of both pentagrams and hexagrams are performed. The lotus wand, Qabalistic Cross, and magick sword are also incorporated into this particular ceremony.
They Lie in Wait to Deceive
Of particular interest in the Consecration Ceremony for the Jupiter talisman is the identification of the "Lord of the Gods" and "Lord of the Universe." While portraying the "Lord," the practitioner declares, "I am He, the Bornless Spirit...I am he the Truth....I am He, the Grace of the World, ...etc."
Declaring to possess all the attributes reserved for Jesus alone, he then culminates the phrase with, "I am Osiris Onnophris the Justified One, Lord of Light, triumphant over death. There is no part of me which is not part of the Gods." 5
If this blasphemy is not enough for you, read Israel Regardie's identification of Osiris Onnophris in his expanded work The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic. In his Consecration Ceremony of the Vault of the Adepti, the Chief Adept states, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He that believeth on Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. I am the First and I am the Last. I am He that liveth but was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, and hold the Keys of Hell and of Death....I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by Me....I am Amoun the Concealed One, the Opener of the Day. I am OSIRIS ONNO-PHRIS, the Justified One. I am the Lord of Life, triumphant over death." 6
If you have studied the subject, you will know that Amoun was the Supreme God of the Egyptians. They believed that from Amoun all things emanated, though he created nothing. Osiris was the ancient Egyptian sun god of nature, the husband as well as brother of the goddess Isis.
Neither of these pagan gods has anything whatsoever to do with Christianity or the biblical God! Yet, we see them claiming the verbatim Scripture verses found in John 11:25-26, John 14:6, and Revelation 1:17-18. These verses were used by Jesus Christ to proclaim His own deity and are reserved for Him alone!
It does not surprise me, however, to see the devil using such tactics in order to deify himself in the eyes of man. He made his first such claim before God in Isaiah 14:14, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."
Talismanic magick is very important in the world of the occult, but it is forbidden in Holy Scripture. With that in mind, let's examine the Jupiter talisman carried by Joseph Smith until the time of his death.
Joseph's Magick Talisman
Before the medallion was properly identified, it was known as the "Masonic Jewel of the Prophet Joseph Smith." In the shape of a silver dollar, the piece measures exactly 1-9/16 inches in diameter and is probably made of silver or tin (see photo). A copy of the Jupiter talisman can be seen in Francis Barrett's occultic book The Magus, page 174.
Dr. Durham's Discovery
Apparently, nobody really knew what Joseph Smith's "Masonic Jewel" was before April 20, 1974. It was on that day that Dr. Reed Durham presented his discovery in his address before the Mormon History Association.
As President of the Association and Director of the LDS Institute of Religion at the University of Utah, Dr. Durham probably had their full attention when he spoke: "...I should like to initiate all of you into what is perhaps the strangest, the most mysterious, occult-like esoteric, and yet Masonically oriented practice ever adopted by Joseph Smith....All available evidence suggests that Joseph Smith the Prophet possessed a magical Masonic medallion, or talisman, which he worked during his lifetime and which was evidently on his person when he was martyred." 7
After describing the medallion, Dr. Durham then added, "...[the talisman] originally purchased from the Emma Smith Bidamon family, fully notarized by that family to be authentic and to have belonged to Joseph Smith, can now be identified as a Jupiter talisman. It carries the sign and image of Jupiter and should more appropriately be referred to as the Table of Jupiter." 8
Dr. Durham was correct. The table, also called the Kamea, can be depicted in either English numbers (as shown in the talisman found in The Magus) or in Hebrew (as used by Smith). According to Barrett, the table "...consists of a square drawn into itself; it contains sixteen particular numbers, and in every line and diameter four, making thirty-four; the sum of all is one hundred and thirty-six. There are over it divine names, with an intelligence to that which is good, and a spirit to bad; and out of it is drawn the character of Jupiter and the spirits thereof; if this is engraven on a plate of silver, with Jupiter being powerful and ruling in the heavens, it conduces to gain riches and favor, love, peace and concord, and to appease enemies, and to confirm honors, dignities, and counsels;" 9
Mormon History Association President Durham admitted, "...in some very real and quite mysterious sense, this particular Table of Jupiter was the most appropriate talisman for Joseph Smith to possess. Indeed, it seemed meant for him, because on all levels of interpretation: planetary, mythological, numerological, astrological, mystical cabalism, and talismatic magic, the Prophet was, in every case, appropriately described.... In astrology, Jupiter is always associated with high positions, getting one's own way, and all forms of status...Talismatic magic further declared that anyone who worked skillfully with the Jupiter Table would obtain the power of stimulating anyone to offer his love to the possessor of the talisman, whether from a friend, brother, relative, or even any female." 10
Dr. Durham did not determine just when Smith obtained his talisman, but states that its description was discovered "...in a magic book printed in England in 1801, published in America in 1804, and I traced it to Manchester, and to New York [where Joseph Smith grew up]. It was a magic book by Francis Barrett and, lo and behold, how thrilled I was when I saw in his list of magic seal the very talisman which Joseph Smith had in his possession at the time of his martyrdom." 11
The fact that the talisman was on Joseph's person at the time of his death has been absolutely established. Mormon scholar LaMar C. Berrett tells us, "This piece was in Joseph Smith's pocket when he was martyred at Carthage jail." 12
According to the Charles E. Bidamon affidavit (who sold the talisman to the Wood collection), "Emma Smith Bidamon the prophet's widow was my foster mother. She prized this piece very highly on account of its being one of the prophet's intimate possessions....I certify that I have many times heard her say. when being interviewed. and showing the piece. That it was in the prophets pocket when he was martyred at Carthage Ill." 13
Even though Dr. Durham was a very influential Mormon Historian, his honesty regarding the truth behind Joseph Smith's magic talisman must be applauded. It caused him a great deal of difficulty with the Mormon hierarchy, however. According to Jerald and Sandra Tanner, the discovery by Durham "...was so startling that it caused great consternation among Mormon scholars and officials....Because of his frank method of dealing with these matters he was severely criticized..." 14
