I felt like, because of my service to the Lord on my mission, that I need to do what I can to help people come to understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ and come to understand God's reasons for some of the things that He does. Things that some people might find as road blocks to their progress.
So, today I will be talking about Blacks and the Priesthood. It is known that for several years in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints, black males could not hold the Priesthood of God. Roughly 1830-ish to 1978. I know this may be strange, but I will start from the end and work back to the beginning.
Official Declaration 2, found after the Doctrine and Covenants in the Standard Works, states, "One September 30, 1978, at the 148th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints... In Early June of this year, the First Presidency announced that a revelation had been received by President Spencer W. Kimball extending priesthood and temple blessings to all worthy male members of the Church. President Kimball has asked that I advise the conference that after he had received this revelation, which came to him after extended meditation and prayer in the sacred rooms of the holy temple he presented it to his counselors, who accepted it and approved it. It was then presented to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who unanimously approved it, and was subsequently presented to all other General Authorities, who likewise approved it unanimously."
"Dear Brethren: As we have witnessed the expansion of the work of the Lord over the earth, we have been grateful that people of many nations have responded to the message of the restored gospel, and have joined the Church in ever-increasing numbers. This, in turn, has inspired us with a desire to extend to every worthy member of the Church all of the privileges and blessings which the gospel affords.
"Aware of the promises made by the prophets and presidents of the Church who have preceded us that at some time, in God's eternal plan, all of our brethren who are worthy may receive the priesthood, and witnessing the faithfulness of those from whom the priesthood has been withheld, we have pleaded long and earnestly in behalf of these, our faithful brethren, spending many hours in the Upper room of the Temple supplicating the Lord for divine guidance.
"He has heard our prayers, and by revelation has confirmed that the long-promised day has come when every faithful, worthy man in the church may receive the holy priesthood, with power to exercise its divine authority, and enjoy with his loved ones every blessing that flows therefrom, including the blessings of the temple. Accordingly, all worthy male members of the Church may be ordained to the priesthood without regard for race or color. Priesthood leaders are instructed to follow the policy of carefully interviewing all candidates for ordination to either the Aaronic or the Melchizedek Priesthood to insure that they meet the established standards for worthiness.
"We declare with soberness that the Lord has now made known his will for the blessing of all his children throughout the earth who will hearken to the voice of his authorized servants, and prepare themselves to receive every blessing of the gospel."
End of quote.
So this was the good, nay, great, nay amazing, awesome, and fantastic news that was declared unto the saints of God in 1978. This brings us to the question as to why this revelation had to be given. The Church's official stance on that subject, which can be found in the heading of the Official Declaration 2, is that "Early in its history, Church leaders stopped conferring the priesthood on black males of African decent. Church records offer no clear insights into the origins of this practice. Church leaders believed that a revelation from God was needed to alter this practice and prayerfully sought guidance."
In this heading, it is also found that, "Throughout the history of the Church, people of every race and ethnicity in many countries have been baptized and have lived as faithful members of the church. During Joseph Smith's lifetime, a few black male members of the Church were ordained to the priesthood." Which gives the impression, that similar to the practice of plural marriage, the fullness of Christ's Gospel was restored, but then parts were taken away because the saints were not and/or the world was not worthy or willing to live by those standards. As plural marriage was taken away because of some saints corrupting that practice, as well as the world using it as a source of persecution, the law of consecration was dealt with as well. The saints took the law of consecration,which removes the idea of belongings and changes it to more of stewardship, because truly everything is ultimately in God's possession and we are simply taking care of and using it. The saints used this as an excuse to "steal" from other saints. Thus the law was lessened to the Common Law practice, which again the saints proved they could not live by, so now we have fast offerings, Bishop's storehouses, and other programs trying to help take care of the children of God.
Then there was also Moses and the tables of testimony that he took down from Mt Sinai. First he brought down the higher law, which Christ taught, only to find that already the Israelites had built themselves a golden calf and had began worshiping it. In his frustration he smashed those stone tablets, and returned up the mountain. There he received the 10 commandments as well as the lesser laws of animal sacrifice.
So, I believe, it was with the blacks and the priesthood. Likely due to the racism from both the world, and the saints, that privilege was lost for a time, and was thankfully restored in 1978. Now, as with times past, the Church leaders leaned upon truth to "justify" these lower standards. For the purpose that the children of God might not sin as much against a greater light. Among these truths were those concerning the curse which God placed upon Cain and his seed.
Brigham Young said in the Journal of Discourses volume 7 pages 290-291 " Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the same race—that they should be the “servant of servants;” and they will be, until that curse is removed; and the Abolitionists cannot help it, nor in the least alter that decree. How long is that race to endure the dreadful curse that is upon them? That curse will remain upon them,and they never can hold the Priesthood or share in it until all the other descendants of Adam have received the promises and enjoyed the blessings of the Priesthood and the keys thereof. Until the last ones of the residue of Adam's children are brought up to that favorable position, the children of Cain cannot receive the first ordinances of the Priesthood. They were the first that were cursed, and they will be the last from whom the curse will be removed. When the residue of the family of Adam come up and receive their blessings, then the curse will be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will receive blessings in like proportion."
Firstly, here, we find that Brigham Young declares that the curse of Cain was indeed the traits or genes of the African Race. I know that I have heard rumors among the Mormon community, especially in my youth, that Cain is Sasquatch or Big Foot, Yeti, Yowie, the Skunk Ape, or whatever large prime-ape beasts of legend that are similar in appearance to those I have already mentioned. This is clearly not so.
Here is something to remember about God, something very important. Everything God does is for the benefit of His children. From the Israelites being commanded to slaughter entire civilization, to curses like Cain and the Lamanites (Native Americans). This curse placed upon the seed of Cain, as well as upon the seed of Laman and Lemule from the Book of Mormon is both spiritual and physical. Physical being the literal changing of genes to be expressed in this fallen world, and spiritual because of their own choices. Just because someone is born black, does not mean that they are also spiritually cursed.
The physical curse has a purpose, the purpose of remembrance. In ancient Israel, the priests would tie a band around their head, upon which was placed a scroll inscribed with a scripture passage. This was done, so that they could remember either the blessings that God has done for their ancestors, or to remember things that they need to work on.
As for the African and Native American races, their scroll of remembrance is their very skin. A constant reminder that there is a God in heaven, that He has promised to reach out to them and their children, and that they can reach out to Him by putting off the natural man, which we all have to do. Indeed, sometimes I wonder if having such a strong reminder of these things, such as the color of my skin, would help me in my own spiritual progression.
Secondly, Brigham Young pointed out prophecies about the seed of Cain. That they would be the "servant of servants;" which has been fulfilled with the obscene amounts of slavery that they have been subjected to. Then that they would never hold the Priesthood or partake of the blessings of the temple until all of the descendants of Adam have received the promises God has given them. As President Spencer W. Kimball stated in the Declaration, the Gospel of Jesus Christ had been spread to the world, though not accepted by all, at least the opportunity has been presented to them. Thus those prophecies have not only been fulfilled, but with the promise that the curse would be lifted.
I loudly declare that the spiritual curse of Cain has been lifted, as long as his descendants choose to live worthy of such. As we all know, from the Fall of Adam and Eve, this entire world is fallen and "cursed" for the sake of the children of God. Thus, because the curse upon Cain was also a physical one, a curse in and of the world, that portion shall remain until the world passes away, and is renewed again.
In the Book of Mormon Student Manual, chapter 8, there is clarity given by President Joseph Fielding Smith. He said, concerning the curse placed upon the Lamanites in 2 Nephi 5, that "The dark skin was placed upon the Lamanites so that they could be distinguished from the Nephites and to keep the two peoples from mixing. The dark skin was the sign of the curse [not the curse itself]. the curse was the withdrawal of the Spirit of the Lord..." In a similar way, the curse that came upon Cain could be of like nature. The black skin is just a sign, or reminder of the curse. Like a beware of falling rocks sign along the highway. It does not mean that rocks are currently falling, but that one should be careful because they might.
I realize that this is a very delicate and sensitive subject that I am likely not treading as carefully or with as much tact as I should, but bluntly God is not a liar, and He has prophesied and made promises concerning the seed of Cain, and those prophecies have been fulfilled, save it be the salvation of all of mankind. That prophecy we all can now look forward to being fulfilled, when Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, shall return again.
The time for racism is past. Let us look forward to that great and wonderful day of the Lord together as the family of Adam! Let not the trials of the past hold you back from embracing the future! These things I leave with you, and I hope that you learn from them.
Love,
Jacobugoth
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