On 15 March 1842 , Grand Master of the Masonic Grand Lodge of , wrote and signed a letter of dispensation authorizing the , Illinois, lodge to advance JS and to the degree of Master Mason as quickly as possible, a rare process known as making Masons “at sight.” Although Jonas did not address the letter to JS and Rigdon, they were the intended recipients of its authorization. The bylaws of the Grand Lodge did not grant Jonas authority to make Masons at sight, but there was a longstanding tradition in Freemasonry allowing the Grand Master to do so, on condition that the Grand Master either was present or issued a “written dispensation.”

Some members of the who were previously involved in Freemasonry had requested the establishment of a lodge in , resulting in granting a dispensation on 15 October 1841 allowing the creation of a temporary lodge. As they were not Masons, neither JS nor was significantly involved in the efforts to establish a local lodge.

wrote the letter of authorization in conjunction with his visit to on 15 March 1842 to preside at the creation of a probationary lodge, officially titled the Nauvoo Lodge under Dispensation. , present at the event, described a celebratory procession forming at JS’s on Water Street and marching up to the of trees immediately west of the construction site, where an estimated three thousand people attended the ceremonies. Jonas gave an address, and JS officiated as Grand Chaplain. Apparently Jonas either considered the position of Grand Chaplain to be an honorary one or interpreted his authorization as effectively making JS an official Master Mason even though JS had not yet been inducted. At a lodge meeting held that evening, JS and were initiated as Entered Apprentice Masons—the first degree. The following day, they were passed to the second degree—Fellow Crafts—and, later in the day, raised to the third and final degree—Master Masons. Though JS was never as involved in the lodge as were his brother and other prominent Latter-day Saints, he attended lodge meetings periodically for the remainder of his life.

Lodge Secretary copied the letter of authorization into the minutes of the 15 March 1842 lodge.