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Previous: The Church of Jesus Christ and Black People 1973-1975
The Church of Jesus Christ and Black People 1976-1977
Mary Frances Sturlaugson Joins the Church of Jesus Christ
Mary Frances Sturlaugson recalled: "In January [1976] I called my family to tell them I knew there was a God. I told them I believed the Mormons and the truth they taught about Jesus Christ. My brothers ended the conversation by giving me a choice - my family or the Mormons. My brother Johnny said if I joined the Mormons he would regret until the day he died that I had ever been born his sister. In every family there is always one to whom you feel closest, and for me it was Johnny. He couldn't have hurt me more at that moment if he had threatened to take my life.
"Ernie, who was now living in Chicago, called later that same night and he was furious. Until then he had ignored the news about my new religion and belief in God. He had thought that it was all a joke, especially since it involved the Mormons. He wanted me to deny that it was serious, but I said nothing. He asked me if I wanted to be a rotten traitor to my race and to my family, and gave me one last chance to deny that everything was true. I wanted desperately to lie as I had done as a child, but I found that I couldn't. Ernie hung up calling me cruel names.
"I was terrified in the days that followed. What if my family really deserted me? I would have no one, absolutely no one. My own family was hurting me, and the hurt was nearly unbearable. I thought about the many times I had hurt people and wondered if their pain had been similar to what I was now experiencing.
"Sarah and I started having horrible nightmares at night. The apartment was filled with an evil feeling so real that we were afraid to be alone.
"One night Sarah's screaming awakened me. I rushed over to her and turned on the light. She was halfway out of bed as if someone had been pulling her. She stared at me. I asked her twice what was wrong but she didn't say a word. Instead she remained sitting stiffly, glaring at me. Fear hit me hard. I'm still not sure if I said the words or someone else did, but I heard a command being given in the name of Jesus Christ for Satan to leave. I know my lips moved, but I had never heard or given such words before. Immediately after they were spoken Sarah slowly lay back down and continued sleeping.
"Trembling, I went to the phone and called the elders. Elder Sekona answered on the first ring, and before I could tell him it was me, he said, 'Mary, are you all right?'
"Elder Sekona had awakened and felt an urgency to call Sarah and me, but, realizing how late it was, had decided not to. The feeling continued to be impressed upon his mind. He finally had gone to the bathroom to pray aloud for understanding and guidance. Midway through his prayer he found himself commanding Satan to depart from our presence. He had gone to the phone to call us when his own phone rang.
"The elders gave us each a blessing of protection and strength so that we might understand and endure whatever adversities might befall us.
"On January 31 I stood staring into the water of the baptismal font. I tried to comprehend all that had happened since the missionaries had begun teaching me. I also tried to understand why. I wondered if more was yet to come and if I would truly be provided the strength to endure. Yet I still felt a sweet sense of peace and comfort. The Lord knew I didn't have much faith. I had prayed to him just the night before and told him all the doubts and fears I had. I told him I had not reached the point where I honestly felt that Joseph Smith was a prophet, because Joseph Smith was white. I asked him to please give me a sure knowledge that this white man was indeed a prophet and that I would no longer doubt. I stayed on my knees for hours waiting for an answer, but nothing happened. All I got was a question: 'What are you going to do with the few things that I have given you a sure knowledge of?'
"Now as I stood ready to be baptized, I knew I was still filled with doubt and very little faith. But as I had gotten up from my knees the night before, I had told Heavenly Father I was trusting my all in his hands even though my all wasn't much. Sarah had resolved her doubts too. Just as we had suffered through the uncertainty together, now together we had accepted the challenge to be baptized.
'Mary, what you are about to do is right, and please don't doubt that it is.' I turned to see Elder Sekona standing next to me. As I stared at him with tears in my eyes, I had to smile and marvel at how he always seemed to know my thoughts. He had endured so much with me. After all the hardships I had put him through, never once did he show discouragement. Through all the cruel things I had done and said, he had always shown love and concern. At that moment I was deeply grateful for his persistence. Had he not kept trying, I would not know the God I had come to know.
"A girl played the piano as people waited for the service to start. As I listened I began silently repeating the words to the song she was playing:
I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me;
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.
I marvel that he was descend from his throne divine
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine;
That he should extend his great love unto such as I,
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.
Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me,
Enough to die for me!
(Hymns, no. 80)
"I really couldn't understand what I had done or could do that the Lord would want me. How could I ever be anything in his eyes?
"Elder Sekona wiped the tears from my cheeks as he asked me if I doubted the Lord. 'Elder Sekona, I love my family. Why does the Lord ask us to sacrifice the things or people we love the most?' Elder Sekona didn't answer me for a while; he just stared into my eyes. Then he said, 'Mary, whatever sacrifice he asks of you, or me, or anyone, it's only for a small moment. And as he asks of us, he gives in return twofold. He will also grant unto us the strength to endure that sacrifice. He doesn't ask that a sacrifice be cruel - he loves us too much for that. We show him how much we love and trust him when we obey his commands. Mary, sacrificing your family hurts, but someday the joy will far outweigh the hurt you feel at this time. Remember the scripture that says that 'all things shall work together for thine own good.' Mary, they will.'
"The tears were still falling steadily as I stepped down into the waters to be baptized. 'Happy?' Elder Sekona quietly asked me as he took my hand and led me into the waters. 'Yes and no,' I whispered to him. 'Yes because I know it's right; no because I'm afraid you might drop me, and I can't swim!'
"Shortly before Elder Sekona began the baptismal prayer I snapped my head to look past him. The movement had been so definite that he too looked, then asked me what was wrong. I shook my head to indicate nothing. I had the strangest feeling that someone was standing there watching us, but when I had turned to see who it was, no one was there. I felt sad not seeing anyone, but then a feeling of peace came. I knew my baptism was being witnessed by someone I couldn't see - someone who was very happy for me.
"After I was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I stood and bore my testimony. I can't recall exactly all that I said, but I do know that I thanked the missionaries for their love, patience, and endurance. I do remember stopping constantly to fight back the tears that kept choking me. At the end I said, 'I know that difficult times still lie ahead of me, and I'm going to rely upon your love to pull me through. I appreciate the love and light each of you has given in your own special way to my life. I would like to ask one more favor of each of you. Will you please pray for my family? I love them very much, and it's hard knowing that I have had to make a choice between them and the gospel. It's the hardest thing God has asked of me.' In closing I told them that I hoped that I too might be able to give to others the love and light they had given to me."
"Ernie, who was now living in Chicago, called later that same night and he was furious. Until then he had ignored the news about my new religion and belief in God. He had thought that it was all a joke, especially since it involved the Mormons. He wanted me to deny that it was serious, but I said nothing. He asked me if I wanted to be a rotten traitor to my race and to my family, and gave me one last chance to deny that everything was true. I wanted desperately to lie as I had done as a child, but I found that I couldn't. Ernie hung up calling me cruel names.
"I was terrified in the days that followed. What if my family really deserted me? I would have no one, absolutely no one. My own family was hurting me, and the hurt was nearly unbearable. I thought about the many times I had hurt people and wondered if their pain had been similar to what I was now experiencing.
"Sarah and I started having horrible nightmares at night. The apartment was filled with an evil feeling so real that we were afraid to be alone.
"One night Sarah's screaming awakened me. I rushed over to her and turned on the light. She was halfway out of bed as if someone had been pulling her. She stared at me. I asked her twice what was wrong but she didn't say a word. Instead she remained sitting stiffly, glaring at me. Fear hit me hard. I'm still not sure if I said the words or someone else did, but I heard a command being given in the name of Jesus Christ for Satan to leave. I know my lips moved, but I had never heard or given such words before. Immediately after they were spoken Sarah slowly lay back down and continued sleeping.
"Trembling, I went to the phone and called the elders. Elder Sekona answered on the first ring, and before I could tell him it was me, he said, 'Mary, are you all right?'
"Elder Sekona had awakened and felt an urgency to call Sarah and me, but, realizing how late it was, had decided not to. The feeling continued to be impressed upon his mind. He finally had gone to the bathroom to pray aloud for understanding and guidance. Midway through his prayer he found himself commanding Satan to depart from our presence. He had gone to the phone to call us when his own phone rang.
"The elders gave us each a blessing of protection and strength so that we might understand and endure whatever adversities might befall us.
"On January 31 I stood staring into the water of the baptismal font. I tried to comprehend all that had happened since the missionaries had begun teaching me. I also tried to understand why. I wondered if more was yet to come and if I would truly be provided the strength to endure. Yet I still felt a sweet sense of peace and comfort. The Lord knew I didn't have much faith. I had prayed to him just the night before and told him all the doubts and fears I had. I told him I had not reached the point where I honestly felt that Joseph Smith was a prophet, because Joseph Smith was white. I asked him to please give me a sure knowledge that this white man was indeed a prophet and that I would no longer doubt. I stayed on my knees for hours waiting for an answer, but nothing happened. All I got was a question: 'What are you going to do with the few things that I have given you a sure knowledge of?'
"Now as I stood ready to be baptized, I knew I was still filled with doubt and very little faith. But as I had gotten up from my knees the night before, I had told Heavenly Father I was trusting my all in his hands even though my all wasn't much. Sarah had resolved her doubts too. Just as we had suffered through the uncertainty together, now together we had accepted the challenge to be baptized.
'Mary, what you are about to do is right, and please don't doubt that it is.' I turned to see Elder Sekona standing next to me. As I stared at him with tears in my eyes, I had to smile and marvel at how he always seemed to know my thoughts. He had endured so much with me. After all the hardships I had put him through, never once did he show discouragement. Through all the cruel things I had done and said, he had always shown love and concern. At that moment I was deeply grateful for his persistence. Had he not kept trying, I would not know the God I had come to know.
"A girl played the piano as people waited for the service to start. As I listened I began silently repeating the words to the song she was playing:
I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me;
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.
I marvel that he was descend from his throne divine
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine;
That he should extend his great love unto such as I,
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.
Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me,
Enough to die for me!
(Hymns, no. 80)
"I really couldn't understand what I had done or could do that the Lord would want me. How could I ever be anything in his eyes?
"Elder Sekona wiped the tears from my cheeks as he asked me if I doubted the Lord. 'Elder Sekona, I love my family. Why does the Lord ask us to sacrifice the things or people we love the most?' Elder Sekona didn't answer me for a while; he just stared into my eyes. Then he said, 'Mary, whatever sacrifice he asks of you, or me, or anyone, it's only for a small moment. And as he asks of us, he gives in return twofold. He will also grant unto us the strength to endure that sacrifice. He doesn't ask that a sacrifice be cruel - he loves us too much for that. We show him how much we love and trust him when we obey his commands. Mary, sacrificing your family hurts, but someday the joy will far outweigh the hurt you feel at this time. Remember the scripture that says that 'all things shall work together for thine own good.' Mary, they will.'
"The tears were still falling steadily as I stepped down into the waters to be baptized. 'Happy?' Elder Sekona quietly asked me as he took my hand and led me into the waters. 'Yes and no,' I whispered to him. 'Yes because I know it's right; no because I'm afraid you might drop me, and I can't swim!'
"Shortly before Elder Sekona began the baptismal prayer I snapped my head to look past him. The movement had been so definite that he too looked, then asked me what was wrong. I shook my head to indicate nothing. I had the strangest feeling that someone was standing there watching us, but when I had turned to see who it was, no one was there. I felt sad not seeing anyone, but then a feeling of peace came. I knew my baptism was being witnessed by someone I couldn't see - someone who was very happy for me.
"After I was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I stood and bore my testimony. I can't recall exactly all that I said, but I do know that I thanked the missionaries for their love, patience, and endurance. I do remember stopping constantly to fight back the tears that kept choking me. At the end I said, 'I know that difficult times still lie ahead of me, and I'm going to rely upon your love to pull me through. I appreciate the love and light each of you has given in your own special way to my life. I would like to ask one more favor of each of you. Will you please pray for my family? I love them very much, and it's hard knowing that I have had to make a choice between them and the gospel. It's the hardest thing God has asked of me.' In closing I told them that I hoped that I too might be able to give to others the love and light they had given to me."
Mary's Blessing
Mary Frances Sturlaugson wrote, "My persistence - when I knew that blacks couldn't go [on missions] - may seem strange, but shortly after I had been baptized, I had gone to a seminary teacher in South Dakota and shared with him my troubled feelings about the priesthood and my overall feelings of worthlessness in not being able to serve my Father in heaven to the fullest. I asked him why the Lord had blessed me to have the gospel in my life knowing it would hurt not having the full blessings. I felt the Lord was being a respecter of persons. The teacher remained silent most of the time; in fact, at that time he offered very few words of comfort.
"Later that evening he asked to talk to me. He told me that the Lord had greatly impressed upon his mind words of comfort to give me in a blessing. I was to prepare myself to teach His children. He said that I would be faced with many great obstacles to build the testimony glowing in my heart. I'll never forget the last words of that blessing: 'Sister Mary, the time will come when you will enter into a covenant with the Lord to go forth upon this earth and serve a full-time mission for him. Be faithful, keep his commandments, and you will see great blessings poured upon you as you live this mortal life.'
"I looked at that teacher afterwards and asked how that could possibly be true. He appeared pretty shaken by what he had just finished saying because, rather nervously, he shook his head and said, 'I don't know. That's between you and the Lord.' Without another word he walked away."
"Later that evening he asked to talk to me. He told me that the Lord had greatly impressed upon his mind words of comfort to give me in a blessing. I was to prepare myself to teach His children. He said that I would be faced with many great obstacles to build the testimony glowing in my heart. I'll never forget the last words of that blessing: 'Sister Mary, the time will come when you will enter into a covenant with the Lord to go forth upon this earth and serve a full-time mission for him. Be faithful, keep his commandments, and you will see great blessings poured upon you as you live this mortal life.'
"I looked at that teacher afterwards and asked how that could possibly be true. He appeared pretty shaken by what he had just finished saying because, rather nervously, he shook his head and said, 'I don't know. That's between you and the Lord.' Without another word he walked away."
Joseph Billy Johnson
In 1976 Joseph Billy Johnson, the Ghanaian pastor who had discovered the Church, attempted to make contact with the Latter-day Saints in Ghana but only encountered the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day [sic] Saints (now the Community of Christ) and did not join them. Having shared the gospel message with many people in Accra, he moved to Cape Coast where he established ten congregations of eager converts. Some of these groups schismed after not making any contact with either the mainstream or RLDS Church, and some of the individuals formed the Apostolic Divine Church of Ghana which only lasted for a few months. Brother Johnson strengthened the remaining members against trials and persecution by recounting the Church's early history in America. He recalled, "We felt the spirit of the pioneers... We gained our strength from the pioneers. We were inspired by their works... I would see tears falling from the eyes of my members, especially when we sang, 'Come, Come, Ye Saints.' That hymn is wonderful. It is my favorite hymn in the Church."
Douglas Wallace Ordains a Black Man
On April 2, 1976, Douglas A. Wallace held a press conference where he baptized a black man named Larry Lester in a motel swimming pool in Portland, Oregon, before ordaining him to the priesthood. His hope was to force a change in the priesthood policy by breaking tradition. Oregon Portland Mission President Robert Seamons said, "He is using the priesthood in an unrighteous manner and his action will have no validity because the president of the Church has said that blacks are not to hold the priesthood." The ordination was declared null and void and Brother Wallace was excommunicated.
Joseph Freeman recalled, "The entire incident encouraged some of the Genesis members to get their grievances off their chests by openly criticizing the leaders of the Church for their failure to acknowledge equality of its black members by revoking the priesthood restriction. Arguments, dissension, and heated debates resulted; some were so insistent that they drew up a petition for all in the group to sign demanding that President Spencer W. Kimball modify previous statements on interracial marriage and make a firm comitment as to when the priesthood would be given to the Negro people. Most, of course, would not sign this petition; but quite a few did – enough to cause a damaging split in the group.
"When the petition was presented to President Bridgeforth, he stood firm in his support of the policies of the Church and particularly of the prophet and the other General Authorities. When the dissenters could see that their rebellion was not supported by their immediate leaders, they left the group in disgust. Some who had not supported the petition also left, not wanting to be part of a group where this kind of contention existed. It was so discouraging for all involved in the group to see it cut in half because of the successful efforts of the adversary - and especially when it was just gaining momentum and strength."
That month, Wallace and two associates interrupted General Conference by marching down the aisle of the Tabernacle yelling "Make way for the Lord! Don't touch the Lord!" They were quickly escorted out, and the Church obtained a temporary restraining order against them. Wallace sued the Church in state and federal courts but lost. In August of the next year he held a press conference in Temple Square, and besides criticizing the priesthood ban he also spoke about the dangers of the Council of Fifty, Mormon economic influence, Mormon infiltration of federal agencies, and the alleged intention to practice blood atonement.
Joseph Freeman recalled, "The entire incident encouraged some of the Genesis members to get their grievances off their chests by openly criticizing the leaders of the Church for their failure to acknowledge equality of its black members by revoking the priesthood restriction. Arguments, dissension, and heated debates resulted; some were so insistent that they drew up a petition for all in the group to sign demanding that President Spencer W. Kimball modify previous statements on interracial marriage and make a firm comitment as to when the priesthood would be given to the Negro people. Most, of course, would not sign this petition; but quite a few did – enough to cause a damaging split in the group.
"When the petition was presented to President Bridgeforth, he stood firm in his support of the policies of the Church and particularly of the prophet and the other General Authorities. When the dissenters could see that their rebellion was not supported by their immediate leaders, they left the group in disgust. Some who had not supported the petition also left, not wanting to be part of a group where this kind of contention existed. It was so discouraging for all involved in the group to see it cut in half because of the successful efforts of the adversary - and especially when it was just gaining momentum and strength."
That month, Wallace and two associates interrupted General Conference by marching down the aisle of the Tabernacle yelling "Make way for the Lord! Don't touch the Lord!" They were quickly escorted out, and the Church obtained a temporary restraining order against them. Wallace sued the Church in state and federal courts but lost. In August of the next year he held a press conference in Temple Square, and besides criticizing the priesthood ban he also spoke about the dangers of the Council of Fifty, Mormon economic influence, Mormon infiltration of federal agencies, and the alleged intention to practice blood atonement.
BYU's First Black Student Body Vice President
On April 4, 1976 the New York Times reported, "Robert Lee Stevenson, his hair cut in a modified Afro, his conservative blue jacket and striped tie looking somewhat formal in the midst of blue jeans, strode across the campus, pumping hands, slapping backs and thanking fellow students for their support.
"Mr. Stevenson would be a typical college politician at any other school. But at Brigham Young University, he is unique. As the newly elected student vice president, he is the first black ever to assume a leadership role at this nearly all-white, Mormon‐run institution.
"Moreover, Mr. Stevenson is one of a tiny minority of blacks who have espoused the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, even though Mormon doctrine, in effect, relegates blacks to second‐class membership in the church.
"Mr. Stevenson, a native ot Selma, Ala., believes his election last month is evidence of changing attitudes at B.Y.U. and among Mormons generally. However, it comes at a time when the church's position on blacks shows no sign of change and is still an embarrassment to some Mormons.
"Robert Stevenson is an unusual man at one of the country's most unusual coeducational schools. With 25,000 full‐time students, 95 percent of them Mormon, B.Y.U. is the largest church‐run university in the country. Students sign a code of honor swearing not to drink, smoke or indulge in sexual activity. They are forbidden to wear tight jeans to class, although the rule seems to be ignored. They take one required religion course each semester. No beards are allowed.
'I'm comfortable here,' Mr. Stevenson said, the other day, sitting outside in the warm spring sunlight. 'l'm a Mormon at a Mormon unversity.' He added that when he lived in California he had visited Berkeley. By comparison, 'this is a refreshing change,' he said.
"He was not always a Mormon. Now 24 years old, he grew up as a Baptist. He smoked, drank, used drugs and was promiscuous. When he went to Germany as an Army draftee in 1971, he recalled, 'I was smoking dope, running around with all kinds of people, just messing up. I knew there had to be more to life.'
"In the Army, a white buddy converted him to the Mormon faith, even though he understood that blacks were not allowed in the priesthood and were not permitted to marry inside a Mormon temple. According to church doctrine, this denies blacks any important role in church affairs and also denies them entrance to. the 'celestial kingdom' after death. (Every worthy white Mormon male enters the priesthood at 12; women, however, are excluded from the priesthood.)
"This division has led many blacks to be suspicious of Mormons. Some prominent Mormons have defected from their religion on the racial issue. Most recently, for example, Representative Morris K. Udall of Arizona, a Democratic Presidential hopeful, pointed out that he had publicly disagreed with his church about blacks for 25 years.
‘Gross Discrimination’
"For Mr. Stevenson. however, the Mormon Church was the road to salvation. 'I understood what life was all about,' he said. 'I realized that if you're not progressing you're defeating life's purposes.'
"So he enrolled in school, spending two years at a small Mormon college in Idaho before transferring to B.Y.U. He is majoring in sociology and hopes to go into counseling work with underprivileged children.
"At B.Y.U., he said, he found very little prejudice - certainly not like the 'gross discrimination' he and fellow blacks protested in Selma in the 1960's. However, Utah has only a few blacks, and B.Y.U. has only three other American black students besides himself. 'White Mormons seem to think black people are add‐ons,' Mr. Stevenson explained. 'They make me feel like a guest. They feel they have to be extra nice so they won't offend me. That's not necessary.'
"Mr. Stevenson would be a typical college politician at any other school. But at Brigham Young University, he is unique. As the newly elected student vice president, he is the first black ever to assume a leadership role at this nearly all-white, Mormon‐run institution.
"Moreover, Mr. Stevenson is one of a tiny minority of blacks who have espoused the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, even though Mormon doctrine, in effect, relegates blacks to second‐class membership in the church.
"Mr. Stevenson, a native ot Selma, Ala., believes his election last month is evidence of changing attitudes at B.Y.U. and among Mormons generally. However, it comes at a time when the church's position on blacks shows no sign of change and is still an embarrassment to some Mormons.
"Robert Stevenson is an unusual man at one of the country's most unusual coeducational schools. With 25,000 full‐time students, 95 percent of them Mormon, B.Y.U. is the largest church‐run university in the country. Students sign a code of honor swearing not to drink, smoke or indulge in sexual activity. They are forbidden to wear tight jeans to class, although the rule seems to be ignored. They take one required religion course each semester. No beards are allowed.
'I'm comfortable here,' Mr. Stevenson said, the other day, sitting outside in the warm spring sunlight. 'l'm a Mormon at a Mormon unversity.' He added that when he lived in California he had visited Berkeley. By comparison, 'this is a refreshing change,' he said.
"He was not always a Mormon. Now 24 years old, he grew up as a Baptist. He smoked, drank, used drugs and was promiscuous. When he went to Germany as an Army draftee in 1971, he recalled, 'I was smoking dope, running around with all kinds of people, just messing up. I knew there had to be more to life.'
"In the Army, a white buddy converted him to the Mormon faith, even though he understood that blacks were not allowed in the priesthood and were not permitted to marry inside a Mormon temple. According to church doctrine, this denies blacks any important role in church affairs and also denies them entrance to. the 'celestial kingdom' after death. (Every worthy white Mormon male enters the priesthood at 12; women, however, are excluded from the priesthood.)
"This division has led many blacks to be suspicious of Mormons. Some prominent Mormons have defected from their religion on the racial issue. Most recently, for example, Representative Morris K. Udall of Arizona, a Democratic Presidential hopeful, pointed out that he had publicly disagreed with his church about blacks for 25 years.
‘Gross Discrimination’
"For Mr. Stevenson. however, the Mormon Church was the road to salvation. 'I understood what life was all about,' he said. 'I realized that if you're not progressing you're defeating life's purposes.'
"So he enrolled in school, spending two years at a small Mormon college in Idaho before transferring to B.Y.U. He is majoring in sociology and hopes to go into counseling work with underprivileged children.
"At B.Y.U., he said, he found very little prejudice - certainly not like the 'gross discrimination' he and fellow blacks protested in Selma in the 1960's. However, Utah has only a few blacks, and B.Y.U. has only three other American black students besides himself. 'White Mormons seem to think black people are add‐ons,' Mr. Stevenson explained. 'They make me feel like a guest. They feel they have to be extra nice so they won't offend me. That's not necessary.'
Priesthood Premonitions
In 1976 Bishop Fujio Abe of the Greensboro North Carolina Stake gave a blessing of healing to Alexander, the one-year-old son of black member Joseph Freeman, who had a high fever that would not go away. Halfway through the blessing he was prompted to say that the child would someday hold the priesthood and serve a mission. After the blessing was finished, Alexander's temperature returned to normal and Sister Freeman immediately asked, "Do you realize what you just said?" Bishop Abe responded, "Yes, I do. Those were not my words. I suggest that it be something private and sacred, between us. Others would not understand."
Mary Frances Sturlaugson's Testimony
Mary Frances Sturlaugson recalled, "I finally bore my testimony in church one Sunday. It was the fourth of July in the bicentennial year - two hundred years of freedom! At first I wasn't going to bear my testimony, but toward the end of the service I found myself unable to remain in my seat. At first I stumbled for words, but then the words came tumbling out.
'My brothers and sisters, I wasn't sure if I should bear my testimony because of the hurt and resentment I've felt this day. All around me people have spoken of 'freedom.' People's faces glow with the joy they feel for that freedom, but I don't know or feel that joy. I don't really feel a part of the freedom this country celebrates although I was born and raised here in America. My forefathers' blood and sweat helped build this country; yet America has made me feel as though I don't belong here. I've noticed how many other races of people come to this country and are made welcome, but I'm left to feel worthless.
"But that's all right, because I do have a joy inside me, and that's the joy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a joy that no man can take from me. It's a joy that makes me feel loved and wanted each and every second of the day. Many times people look at me and frown or say unkind things simply because of the color of my skin. It's at times like these that my Father in heaven reaches out and puts his arms around me and gives me a fatherly squeeze of love, full of forgiveness, and full of strength to go on.
'I want each of you to know that I don't just know about my Father in heaven, I know him. Just as I love my Father in heaven, I have that same love for each of you. I may not know you each personally, but simply knowing that we all share the same Father in heaven is enough. I pray that someday we will truly come to love each other the way our Father loves us and wants us to love each other."
'My brothers and sisters, I wasn't sure if I should bear my testimony because of the hurt and resentment I've felt this day. All around me people have spoken of 'freedom.' People's faces glow with the joy they feel for that freedom, but I don't know or feel that joy. I don't really feel a part of the freedom this country celebrates although I was born and raised here in America. My forefathers' blood and sweat helped build this country; yet America has made me feel as though I don't belong here. I've noticed how many other races of people come to this country and are made welcome, but I'm left to feel worthless.
"But that's all right, because I do have a joy inside me, and that's the joy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a joy that no man can take from me. It's a joy that makes me feel loved and wanted each and every second of the day. Many times people look at me and frown or say unkind things simply because of the color of my skin. It's at times like these that my Father in heaven reaches out and puts his arms around me and gives me a fatherly squeeze of love, full of forgiveness, and full of strength to go on.
'I want each of you to know that I don't just know about my Father in heaven, I know him. Just as I love my Father in heaven, I have that same love for each of you. I may not know you each personally, but simply knowing that we all share the same Father in heaven is enough. I pray that someday we will truly come to love each other the way our Father loves us and wants us to love each other."
John Lonomakahainua Pea, Jr. Receives the Priesthood
On October 4 1976, President Spencer W. Kimball recorded in his journal, "Forty-three years ago Brother Pea was judged by the mission president to have some possible Negro lineage. As a result he and 4 sons never had the Priesthood and none have been to the temple. Recently the Genealogical Society investigated the circumstances and the First Presidency then reviewed the facts and determined that there was no justification for withholding the Priesthood from Brother Pea and authorized the bishop and stake president to ordain the brethren and give approval for temple recommends for those worthy."
Wendell J. Ashton Interview
In an interview for Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought on October 11, Dennis L. Lythgoe asked Managing Director of Public Communications Wendell J. Ashton, "What about blacks and the racial issue? Are we still vulnerable on that?"
Ashton: "It doesn't come up as much now in our news conferences. It hasn't been a big issue as it was five to eight years ago. The inquiries still come, but news interest is receding. I think the public has accepted us for what our position is, and there doesn't seem to be the probing there was several years ago."...
Lythgoe: "Would you say that the problem of equal rights for women may even eclipse the racial issue in the future?"
Ashton: "I think it is a bigger issue right now. I wouldn't say it is a problem. It's a subject, and it is preempting the subject of the blacks as we meet with the news media people."...
Lythgoe: "I saw the 'Today' show when President Kimball appeared on it. It seemed to me his interviewers jumped on him about blacks and the racial issue and about business involvement without even working up to it."
Ashton: "They did. (Incidentally, that program was arranged by our Public Communications people.) I thought they were, shall I say, rougher, on the President of the Church than they could have been or should have been, but I didn't feel too badly about the interview, because I felt that overall the results were more positive than negative so far as the Church is concerned. I think the fact that our world leader would appear and answer difficult questions is generally positive. I think that because of the persecution we've had in the past, sometimes we are more sensitive to criticism than we need be. A news article about the Church which is fair and generally positive, which may criticize us in one or two places, is more helpful to us than something that's all sweetness and light.
"Such a news article is actually more believable and those of us with experience in marketing know the importance of believability. I think - and I don't say this critically of us as members of the Church - that sometimes, because of the persecution we've experienced in the past, we may be a little more sensitive to objective criticism than we should be."
Ashton: "It doesn't come up as much now in our news conferences. It hasn't been a big issue as it was five to eight years ago. The inquiries still come, but news interest is receding. I think the public has accepted us for what our position is, and there doesn't seem to be the probing there was several years ago."...
Lythgoe: "Would you say that the problem of equal rights for women may even eclipse the racial issue in the future?"
Ashton: "I think it is a bigger issue right now. I wouldn't say it is a problem. It's a subject, and it is preempting the subject of the blacks as we meet with the news media people."...
Lythgoe: "I saw the 'Today' show when President Kimball appeared on it. It seemed to me his interviewers jumped on him about blacks and the racial issue and about business involvement without even working up to it."
Ashton: "They did. (Incidentally, that program was arranged by our Public Communications people.) I thought they were, shall I say, rougher, on the President of the Church than they could have been or should have been, but I didn't feel too badly about the interview, because I felt that overall the results were more positive than negative so far as the Church is concerned. I think the fact that our world leader would appear and answer difficult questions is generally positive. I think that because of the persecution we've had in the past, sometimes we are more sensitive to criticism than we need be. A news article about the Church which is fair and generally positive, which may criticize us in one or two places, is more helpful to us than something that's all sweetness and light.
"Such a news article is actually more believable and those of us with experience in marketing know the importance of believability. I think - and I don't say this critically of us as members of the Church - that sometimes, because of the persecution we've experienced in the past, we may be a little more sensitive to objective criticism than we should be."
Joseph Billy Johnson
Elder Emmanuel Kissi recalled, "In connivance with State Security snares were set to entrap Johnson. In 1977 he was approached by no less than four denominations who tried to influence Johnson’s Church 'with large sums of money to cause a change of our name to theirs'... In each case they knew that Mr. Johnson’s church could not have been recognized by the Church in Salt Lake because of the Church’s position in regard to the priesthood and the Negro. In each case Mr. Johnson was approached by these churches telling him that the Church in Salt Lake would never recognize his congregation and that he might just as well give up hope and come and join their ranks. [One group] offered Mr. Johnson a scholarship in theology and a full time salaried position as a minister in their church. They also offered to contribute $10,000 towards the purchase of some improved facilities and equipment.
"The contingent which included a bishop, stayed in Mr. Johnson’s home for about one week. Towards the end of the week Johnson 'decided to pray and ask the Lord to confirm that this is what he should do.' During his supplication he heard a voice tell him, 'Do not confuse my people,'... He immediately got up from his knees and went into his living room where at the same time the bishop of the aforementioned church also came into the living room and before Johnson could say anything himself, the bishop said that the Lord had just revealed to him that he should not persuade Mr. Johnson and his congregation to depart from their own church... Whilst in anxious prayer one of those days, Johnson heard an unidentifiable voice... saying to him, 'I will come and help you. Do not be discouraged. Be patient. The Church in America will help you.'"
"The contingent which included a bishop, stayed in Mr. Johnson’s home for about one week. Towards the end of the week Johnson 'decided to pray and ask the Lord to confirm that this is what he should do.' During his supplication he heard a voice tell him, 'Do not confuse my people,'... He immediately got up from his knees and went into his living room where at the same time the bishop of the aforementioned church also came into the living room and before Johnson could say anything himself, the bishop said that the Lord had just revealed to him that he should not persuade Mr. Johnson and his congregation to depart from their own church... Whilst in anxious prayer one of those days, Johnson heard an unidentifiable voice... saying to him, 'I will come and help you. Do not be discouraged. Be patient. The Church in America will help you.'"
Mission Desires
Mary Frances Sturlaugson wrote, "After I had been a member for about a year another interesting thing happened that contributed to my persistence in requesting a mission call. Just before Patriarch [Rodney] Kimball gave me my patriarchal blessing, he studied me with a puzzled look on his face and then said, 'Young lady, I feel strongly impressed to tell you that if there is something you greatly desire that is not said at this time in this blessing, write it on the back of your blessing and it will become binding, depending upon your faithfulness.' The day I received my blessing in the mail, I wrote on the back of it, 'Heavenly Father, please bless me to serve a full-time mission to my brothers and sisters upon this earth.'
"Then too, there was the time I was given a blessing by Clark V. Johnson, a professor of religion at Brigham Young University. I had been asked to speak at a morningside devotional at Orem High School; feeling inadequate, I went to Brother Johnson and asked him if he would give me a blessing. His words to me were, 'Mary, be strong, be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the desire of your heart will be granted unto you.' There was no question that the desire of my heart was to serve a full-time mission."
That same year Jerri Alene Thornton Hale, a 19-year-old half-black, half-Native American college sophomore, joined the Church in suburban Detroit. The priesthood ban had not initially bothered her, because "Being a woman, I couldn't hold the priesthood anyway, so I didn't think too much about it." But when she expressed a desire to serve a mission and was dismissed by a priesthood leader she referred to as "Brother Anderson", she was furious. He asked her, "Whom would [you] teach?", implying that white investigators would not accept a black missionary. For several days she stopped praying, because "I could not bring myself to pray to a God who established a church that excluded blacks from the priesthood and from serving missions." She thought to herself, "I seem to hurt all over. Why isn't it time for blacks to hear about the gospel? Why was I born with Negroid blood?... Why me? God, why me?"
When she decided to make it "a matter of earnest and sincere prayer... sobbing and pouring my heart out to God", she received an answer. "I ended my prayer asking Heavenly Father why blacks could not receive the priesthood, I felt a burning and heard the Lord say, 'I have never given a reason.' What? I thought. I had researched and read so much on the priesthood restriction that surely the truth, the reason was in there somewhere. Again the Lord repeated his answer and said, 'I have never given a reason.' I took him at His word. All that I had been reading over the past several months were the opinions of men." The next Sunday she apologized to Brother Anderson for her reaction. "I knew better than to curse in the Lord's house, but I had come pretty darn close. Brother Anderson accepted my apology and told me he loved me and admired my faith."
"Then too, there was the time I was given a blessing by Clark V. Johnson, a professor of religion at Brigham Young University. I had been asked to speak at a morningside devotional at Orem High School; feeling inadequate, I went to Brother Johnson and asked him if he would give me a blessing. His words to me were, 'Mary, be strong, be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the desire of your heart will be granted unto you.' There was no question that the desire of my heart was to serve a full-time mission."
That same year Jerri Alene Thornton Hale, a 19-year-old half-black, half-Native American college sophomore, joined the Church in suburban Detroit. The priesthood ban had not initially bothered her, because "Being a woman, I couldn't hold the priesthood anyway, so I didn't think too much about it." But when she expressed a desire to serve a mission and was dismissed by a priesthood leader she referred to as "Brother Anderson", she was furious. He asked her, "Whom would [you] teach?", implying that white investigators would not accept a black missionary. For several days she stopped praying, because "I could not bring myself to pray to a God who established a church that excluded blacks from the priesthood and from serving missions." She thought to herself, "I seem to hurt all over. Why isn't it time for blacks to hear about the gospel? Why was I born with Negroid blood?... Why me? God, why me?"
When she decided to make it "a matter of earnest and sincere prayer... sobbing and pouring my heart out to God", she received an answer. "I ended my prayer asking Heavenly Father why blacks could not receive the priesthood, I felt a burning and heard the Lord say, 'I have never given a reason.' What? I thought. I had researched and read so much on the priesthood restriction that surely the truth, the reason was in there somewhere. Again the Lord repeated his answer and said, 'I have never given a reason.' I took him at His word. All that I had been reading over the past several months were the opinions of men." The next Sunday she apologized to Brother Anderson for her reaction. "I knew better than to curse in the Lord's house, but I had come pretty darn close. Brother Anderson accepted my apology and told me he loved me and admired my faith."
Police Surveillance of Douglas Wallace
On April 3, 1977, six police officers in Salt Lake City were on a stakeout observing Douglas A. Wallace, who had been excommunicated for ordaining a black man. Two of the three police vehicles were parked close together in opposite directions when an officer in one car handed a duty pistol through the open window to his partner, David W. Olson. The pistol accidentally discharged and shot Officer Olson in the neck, severing his spinal cord and putting him in critical condition at St. Mark's Hospital.
On April 5, the Salt Lake Tribune reported, "Mormon dissident Douglas A. Wallace charged Monday that a Salt Lake City police officer, shot early Sunday was keeping surveillance on him in a nearby residence.Acting Police Chief Edgar A. Bryan Jr. denied it.
"He said his men were not keeping surveillance on Mr. Wallace, a excommunicated member of the Church... but he would not say what the stakeout's purpose was.
"Officer David W. Olson remained in critical condition Monday at St. Mark's Hospital, where personnel said he suffered a severed spinal cord from a single shot in the neck. The policeman was shot accidentally by his partner,... Wallace was staying at the home of a friend, Dr. John W. Fitzgerald, 2177 Carriage Ln. (4600 South).
"He was in Salt Lake City to try to make an appearance at the LDS World Conference last weekend. Attorneys for the church, however, obtained a temporary restraining order... which prevented the dissident from visiting Temple Square.
'I have not committed any crime, and I don't intend to commit any crime. I have been raised in the Mormon faith and I am a man of peace... This is not Russia; this is not Nazi Germany; there is no reason why I should be under surveillance of the police,' Mr. Wallace said."
The next day it followed up, "Ex-Mormon Douglas Wallace, who claims the wounding of an undercover police officer was done while police held surveillance on him, Tuesday afternoon said he will subpoena various high ranking police and sheriff's deputies to establish the fact....
"Mr. Wallace said also, 'It is clear from the evidence that we have uncovered that I was under surveillance. The police department's denial of that simply compounds the wrong. Is this going to be Salt Lake's sequel to the Watergate scandal?'
On April 7 the police department admitted that he had indeed been under surveillance, and the Chief issued an apology to Wallace for the media exposure.
On April 5, the Salt Lake Tribune reported, "Mormon dissident Douglas A. Wallace charged Monday that a Salt Lake City police officer, shot early Sunday was keeping surveillance on him in a nearby residence.Acting Police Chief Edgar A. Bryan Jr. denied it.
"He said his men were not keeping surveillance on Mr. Wallace, a excommunicated member of the Church... but he would not say what the stakeout's purpose was.
"Officer David W. Olson remained in critical condition Monday at St. Mark's Hospital, where personnel said he suffered a severed spinal cord from a single shot in the neck. The policeman was shot accidentally by his partner,... Wallace was staying at the home of a friend, Dr. John W. Fitzgerald, 2177 Carriage Ln. (4600 South).
"He was in Salt Lake City to try to make an appearance at the LDS World Conference last weekend. Attorneys for the church, however, obtained a temporary restraining order... which prevented the dissident from visiting Temple Square.
'I have not committed any crime, and I don't intend to commit any crime. I have been raised in the Mormon faith and I am a man of peace... This is not Russia; this is not Nazi Germany; there is no reason why I should be under surveillance of the police,' Mr. Wallace said."
The next day it followed up, "Ex-Mormon Douglas Wallace, who claims the wounding of an undercover police officer was done while police held surveillance on him, Tuesday afternoon said he will subpoena various high ranking police and sheriff's deputies to establish the fact....
"Mr. Wallace said also, 'It is clear from the evidence that we have uncovered that I was under surveillance. The police department's denial of that simply compounds the wrong. Is this going to be Salt Lake's sequel to the Watergate scandal?'
On April 7 the police department admitted that he had indeed been under surveillance, and the Chief issued an apology to Wallace for the media exposure.
The African Book of Mormon
In an article titled "Unjustifiable Denial of Priesthood to Black Mormons" in the July/August 1977 issue of Negro History Bulletin, Elmer E. Wells wrote, "The Etyomological Roots of Mormon and Moroni
"The Book of Mormon covers the historical periods of 600 B.C. to 421 A.D. Moroni, the Negro angel, revealed to Joseph Smith in 1823 the existence of golden tablets upon which were written the sacred / secular account upon which the Book is based. Four years later, in 1827, Joseph Smith received the plates and translated the African writings inscribed upon them. After publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830, the Black son of Mormon (Moroni) took the plates away.
"Upon what basis does this writer establish the African identification of Mormon? Of Moroni? Why is 'African' used to describe the writing contained on the plates? Read on.
"The Moors Head
"In looking at some of the major languages of the world, the selections Mormon and Moroni are found to be merely variations of the root Moor or Mor-. This is borne out in the many copies of family coats of arms (Rogers, Nature Knows No Color-Line, 1952 pp. 69 - 107). Other sources validate Roger's claims (Fox, Davies, Arthur Charles, 1904; Franklyn, Julian and John Tanner, 1969; Brooke- Little, J. P., 1973; Gough, Henry, 1967 and Hubert Allcock, 1962). The sources cited above speak with one voice regarding the art of heraldry (science of armory) or coats of arms.
"The only people who needed 'arms' were the gentry. Those who were worth recognizing in battle or who were invited to tournaments and who needed a seal. Arms, therefore, were tools of the nobility. They were assertains of descendancy. In short, they proudly displayed one's family history.
"A common figure in heraldic art is the Moors head; depicted as Black, wooly-haired, broad nosed and thick lipped. In contemporary jargon, this translates into Negro's head or Black family crest. Meaning, of course, that the surname associated with the shield (along with the figures) established the 'Negroness' of the family.
"Black families of nobility, then, existed within many major nationalities. Mormon is simply one of these family surnames which prove beyond a doubt that Mormon refers to Black family roots.
"McRitchie said that 'families with the name Moor, Moore, Morris, Morrison, and other derivatives of Moor had Moors as their ancestors' (Rogers, ibid).
"Throughout antiquity and as late as 1900, Moor was synonymous with Negro. Blackamoor is translated as 'black as a moor'.
"Blacks (Africans) brought into England were baptized into the church and given the surname Moor or: More, Moore, Moryen, Morrow, Murray, Blackamoor.
"The Roman 'Maurus' occurs in the European languages as: Moor, Mor, Mohr, Morian and Morien (Rogers, 1952).
"In this writer's opinion, Moroni (Mormon's son) is simply a variation of these examples.
"The English Morison means son of the Moor (ibid). On page 83 of Nature Knows No Color-Line, 'Moorman' appears on a French coat of arms accompanied by a Black wooly-haired thick-lipped life form. Another such depiction which closely resembles Mormon and Moroni is: Morini (ibid, p. 84).
"It must be understood by the reader that Moor in antiquity - through the 1800s referred to race as well as religion. The only time the word was used in reference to religion was to show contrast, e.g., Moor vs Christian (i.e., Estevanico the Black/negro/moor). In further support of the foregoing: African Moors (that is un-mixed Negro) ruled Spain for 200 years (1285 - 1485 A.D.). Further: African Moors first entered Spain in 711 A.D. These were indigenous, or 'pure' African. It wasn't until 12 years later (723) that Asian Moors entered what then was referred to as Iberia.
"Mormon then, is to be translated the same as would be Moorman = Black or Negro man; or as Morison = son of the Moor or Negro. The only difference being one vowel (a/o).
"Oweing to the common error of time, this writer submits that Mormon or Moor- man most likely originated as Moormon or Moorman; Morini, quite conceivably, is a mere extraction of Moro (black) with the ending -ni serving no etymological pur- pose but perhaps to embellish the root Mor....
"The Golden Plates
"According to tradition, the Book of Mormon was translated from language written upon golden plates by Joseph Smith. This sacred record written upon the golden plates was in an African language. This African language was translated by Joseph Smith with the help of two interpreters Urim and Thummin. It remains in character then, for two African 'fathers' (Mormon & Moroni) to deliver the sacred scripture written in an African language. How is 'an African language' justified? Read on.
"The inscriptions on the plates were written in hieroglyphics, which is nothing less than a European name for the language used by the early Black Africans. The Blacks never referred to the characters as hieroglyphics. English translators did.
"It happened in this way. 'The ancient Egyptians were African and spoke an African language' (Budge, 1895).
"The Greek Herodotus described the 'Egyptians' of Africa as: black, wooly- haired, flat nosed and thick lipped (ben-Jochannan, 1970).
"Xenophanes (570 B.C.) was the first Greek to describe them in that way, but he was followed in kind by Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
"The sacred golden plates given to Joseph Smith, then, contained the language of an ancient Black African people.
"These indigenous Africans spoke a language called Coptic. Copts were descendants of the original inhabitants of Egypt who were un-mixed African (sometimes referred to as Ethiopian). Their language is directly descendant from the ancient Egyptian (African) language.
"Indigenous African priests (erroneously called 'Egyptian') had to be proficient in the 'magical language' of the sciences, math, logic, astrology, etc. This 'magical language' was their language- written using various characters and symbols to portray thought. Europeans (Greeks) erroneously called the unknown language hieroglyphics. They (Greeks) took the Coptic word 'Gyptios' and made it into Aigyptios (meaning black, puffy-lipped, wooly haired, etc.) which was further corrupted into Egyptios or Egyptian.
"The term, Egyptios, was used to referto the indigenous inhabitants of Africa BEFORE the Arab conquest.
"This African language was the language contained upon the plates which were translated by Joseph Smith.
"From Smith's translations, we now have the famous Book of Mormon.
"It stands to reason, of course, that a Black Man (Moroni) would write and speak in his indigenous African language. Smith, in essence, received the Mormon's sacred prophecy, commandments and revelation from a Black angel; who was the son of a Black man (descendant from a Black land in Africa) - written in a Black African language.
"Origin of Nephites
"Mormon, not wanting his 'records' to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, made them out of the plates of Nephi and hid them on the hill Cumorah (see Book of Mormon). These were the golden plates given to Moroni who in turn gave them to Joseph Smith.
"Mormon was descendant from the Nephites. Nephi or Lehi led his family out of Canaan, land of the descendants of Ham, to America. Moroni was the last in the line of the Nephites. Did the Nephites reside in the land populated by the descendants of Ham? Read on.
"The Book of Mormon is in error in calling the area from which Nephi departed to America Israel or Jerusalem. Israel is of recent vintage. At the time Nephi left for America, the land had been known as Canaan. Canaan was a son of Ham.
"The primary reason why Black of African descent are denied Mormon priesthood is rooted in the so-called 'curse of Ham.' Yet, Nephi, through whom the Mormons trace their ancestry, resided in the land populated by the son of Ham. Observe the chart below.
"The Book of Mormon covers the historical periods of 600 B.C. to 421 A.D. Moroni, the Negro angel, revealed to Joseph Smith in 1823 the existence of golden tablets upon which were written the sacred / secular account upon which the Book is based. Four years later, in 1827, Joseph Smith received the plates and translated the African writings inscribed upon them. After publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830, the Black son of Mormon (Moroni) took the plates away.
"Upon what basis does this writer establish the African identification of Mormon? Of Moroni? Why is 'African' used to describe the writing contained on the plates? Read on.
"The Moors Head
"In looking at some of the major languages of the world, the selections Mormon and Moroni are found to be merely variations of the root Moor or Mor-. This is borne out in the many copies of family coats of arms (Rogers, Nature Knows No Color-Line, 1952 pp. 69 - 107). Other sources validate Roger's claims (Fox, Davies, Arthur Charles, 1904; Franklyn, Julian and John Tanner, 1969; Brooke- Little, J. P., 1973; Gough, Henry, 1967 and Hubert Allcock, 1962). The sources cited above speak with one voice regarding the art of heraldry (science of armory) or coats of arms.
"The only people who needed 'arms' were the gentry. Those who were worth recognizing in battle or who were invited to tournaments and who needed a seal. Arms, therefore, were tools of the nobility. They were assertains of descendancy. In short, they proudly displayed one's family history.
"A common figure in heraldic art is the Moors head; depicted as Black, wooly-haired, broad nosed and thick lipped. In contemporary jargon, this translates into Negro's head or Black family crest. Meaning, of course, that the surname associated with the shield (along with the figures) established the 'Negroness' of the family.
"Black families of nobility, then, existed within many major nationalities. Mormon is simply one of these family surnames which prove beyond a doubt that Mormon refers to Black family roots.
"McRitchie said that 'families with the name Moor, Moore, Morris, Morrison, and other derivatives of Moor had Moors as their ancestors' (Rogers, ibid).
"Throughout antiquity and as late as 1900, Moor was synonymous with Negro. Blackamoor is translated as 'black as a moor'.
"Blacks (Africans) brought into England were baptized into the church and given the surname Moor or: More, Moore, Moryen, Morrow, Murray, Blackamoor.
"The Roman 'Maurus' occurs in the European languages as: Moor, Mor, Mohr, Morian and Morien (Rogers, 1952).
"In this writer's opinion, Moroni (Mormon's son) is simply a variation of these examples.
"The English Morison means son of the Moor (ibid). On page 83 of Nature Knows No Color-Line, 'Moorman' appears on a French coat of arms accompanied by a Black wooly-haired thick-lipped life form. Another such depiction which closely resembles Mormon and Moroni is: Morini (ibid, p. 84).
"It must be understood by the reader that Moor in antiquity - through the 1800s referred to race as well as religion. The only time the word was used in reference to religion was to show contrast, e.g., Moor vs Christian (i.e., Estevanico the Black/negro/moor). In further support of the foregoing: African Moors (that is un-mixed Negro) ruled Spain for 200 years (1285 - 1485 A.D.). Further: African Moors first entered Spain in 711 A.D. These were indigenous, or 'pure' African. It wasn't until 12 years later (723) that Asian Moors entered what then was referred to as Iberia.
"Mormon then, is to be translated the same as would be Moorman = Black or Negro man; or as Morison = son of the Moor or Negro. The only difference being one vowel (a/o).
"Oweing to the common error of time, this writer submits that Mormon or Moor- man most likely originated as Moormon or Moorman; Morini, quite conceivably, is a mere extraction of Moro (black) with the ending -ni serving no etymological pur- pose but perhaps to embellish the root Mor....
"The Golden Plates
"According to tradition, the Book of Mormon was translated from language written upon golden plates by Joseph Smith. This sacred record written upon the golden plates was in an African language. This African language was translated by Joseph Smith with the help of two interpreters Urim and Thummin. It remains in character then, for two African 'fathers' (Mormon & Moroni) to deliver the sacred scripture written in an African language. How is 'an African language' justified? Read on.
"The inscriptions on the plates were written in hieroglyphics, which is nothing less than a European name for the language used by the early Black Africans. The Blacks never referred to the characters as hieroglyphics. English translators did.
"It happened in this way. 'The ancient Egyptians were African and spoke an African language' (Budge, 1895).
"The Greek Herodotus described the 'Egyptians' of Africa as: black, wooly- haired, flat nosed and thick lipped (ben-Jochannan, 1970).
"Xenophanes (570 B.C.) was the first Greek to describe them in that way, but he was followed in kind by Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
"The sacred golden plates given to Joseph Smith, then, contained the language of an ancient Black African people.
"These indigenous Africans spoke a language called Coptic. Copts were descendants of the original inhabitants of Egypt who were un-mixed African (sometimes referred to as Ethiopian). Their language is directly descendant from the ancient Egyptian (African) language.
"Indigenous African priests (erroneously called 'Egyptian') had to be proficient in the 'magical language' of the sciences, math, logic, astrology, etc. This 'magical language' was their language- written using various characters and symbols to portray thought. Europeans (Greeks) erroneously called the unknown language hieroglyphics. They (Greeks) took the Coptic word 'Gyptios' and made it into Aigyptios (meaning black, puffy-lipped, wooly haired, etc.) which was further corrupted into Egyptios or Egyptian.
"The term, Egyptios, was used to referto the indigenous inhabitants of Africa BEFORE the Arab conquest.
"This African language was the language contained upon the plates which were translated by Joseph Smith.
"From Smith's translations, we now have the famous Book of Mormon.
"It stands to reason, of course, that a Black Man (Moroni) would write and speak in his indigenous African language. Smith, in essence, received the Mormon's sacred prophecy, commandments and revelation from a Black angel; who was the son of a Black man (descendant from a Black land in Africa) - written in a Black African language.
"Origin of Nephites
"Mormon, not wanting his 'records' to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, made them out of the plates of Nephi and hid them on the hill Cumorah (see Book of Mormon). These were the golden plates given to Moroni who in turn gave them to Joseph Smith.
"Mormon was descendant from the Nephites. Nephi or Lehi led his family out of Canaan, land of the descendants of Ham, to America. Moroni was the last in the line of the Nephites. Did the Nephites reside in the land populated by the descendants of Ham? Read on.
"The Book of Mormon is in error in calling the area from which Nephi departed to America Israel or Jerusalem. Israel is of recent vintage. At the time Nephi left for America, the land had been known as Canaan. Canaan was a son of Ham.
"The primary reason why Black of African descent are denied Mormon priesthood is rooted in the so-called 'curse of Ham.' Yet, Nephi, through whom the Mormons trace their ancestry, resided in the land populated by the son of Ham. Observe the chart below.
"The sons of Ham were: Cush, Phut, Misraim and Canaan. Some biblical scholars speculate that Misraim is the ancestor of the Egyptians and Canaan is the ancestor of the Ethiopians or Africans. A moot point. Both Misraim and Canaan are sons of Ham.
"If Moroni translated the sacred records from the Egyptian, then Mormons have to recognize that one version traces the Egyptian back to Noah's Black son, Ham; Ham being Misraims [sic] and Canaan's father.
"From this writer's standpoint, Nephi left Africa for America from the land of Canaan; Canaan being also the son of Ham. This writer also speculates that the hill Cumorah, where Joseph Smith obtain- ed the plates, is merely a dedication to one of Ham's other sons, Cush; Cush = Cushmorah or Cumorah.
"Recent Discovery I
"In the February 1977 edition of the Readers Digest was published an article, 'Who Really Discovered America' by Thomas Fleming, Harvard scholar. Of interest is Fleming's reference to a people who came to America about the same time the ancestors of the Mormons (Nephites) were supposed to have arrived. Fleming states that when these people died, they left their written testimony buried under mounds of earth. Although much of Fleming's work is based upon the work done by a Harvard marine biologist, Barry Fell, the coincidence is nevertheless fascinating.
"Thomas Fleming speculates that Europeans lived in America as early as 800 B.C. According to Barry Fell, inscriptions in a buried mound near Davenport Iowa (1874) were written in Egyptian hieroglyphics, Punic and Libyan.
"Egyptian hieroglyphics have already been established as being of African origin in this writing. Libya was one of the names used to describe all of Black Africa. Libyan script, then, would have to refer to Black African writings, not European. Too often white researchers allow their latent racism to cloud their so-called scientific work. Has Libya ever been in Europe?
"The Lord's Prayer was found to be written in Egyptian hieroglyphics also as reported in this same article. Could these early travelers and the ancestors of Mormon have been one and the same? If they were, they wrote in the language of the indigenous Africans.
"Another language referred to is that of the African Libyans. Whether hieroglyphic or Libyan, the roots are both Black African. And if these travelers were indeed the relatives of Nephi, it is but one more piece of evidence oweing to the Black ancestry of Mormon and his son, Moroni.
"Recent Discovery II
"In a March issue of Jet Magazine under the Book section, a Black author/anthropologist, I. Van Sertima, of Rutgers University, stated that Black Egyptians came to the Gulf of Mexico area as early as 700 B.C.
"Sertima has published his discoveries in his book, They Came Before Columbus (Random House). Since explorers of 'New Worlds' tend to travel extensively, it is not inconceivable that these same Black Egyptians were the same party discussed by Fleming and Fell. Of particular interest in these 'recent' discoveries, is the coincidence of dating. Give or take a hundred years or two, references to the Nephites landing in America coincide with the probable dates established by contemporary writers/scientists in their references to early African explorers.
"If this be so, then it lends additional support to the Black African ancestry of the people who now embrace the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints.
"Other Relative Data
"When Joseph Smith migrated west and founded Salt Lake City, Utah, July 23 [sic], 1847, a Pioneer Monument was erected. Names of 'Negroes' appear to this day on the plaque gracing the monument. They are: Green Flack [sic], of North Carolina, Hark Lay of Mississippi and Oscar Crosby (Rogers, Africa's Gift to America). Doesn't it seem somewhat hypocritical to have the names of Blacks placed upon this monument while denying them access to the Mormon priesthood? Another Black, Abel Burns, was the trusted servant and friend of Joseph Smith prior to and during his journey west.
"How Can Blacks be Denied the Priesthood?
"According to Mormon tradition, American Blacks will someday be given the right to become Mormon priests. The 'curse' does not apply, however to Blacks of the South Pacific.
"Did not Blacks from the South Pacific come originally from Africa? Affirmative.
"Is it really likely that Blacks (Egyptians) writing in an African language (hieroglyphics) in the Mormon Book of Abraham would actually deny themselves from the Mormon priesthood when the very names of Mormon and Moroni refer to Black people? Not likely.
"The Hypocrisy
"Each year some estimated 25,000 Blacks who physically do not resemble 'Blacks of African Descent' cross over the color line. In other words, they pass for white. How many of these are currently occupying positions in the Mormon priesthood?
"Thousands upon thousands of white men and women (including children) were driven into slavery along with their Black counterparts in America (Rogers, Sex and Race Vol. II pp. 208 - 213). Some were bought and sold outright, some kidnapped and some were simply denied proof of their white ancestry, and documentation of this fact exists in many valid resources. The point is this: how many 'whites' are unknowingly 'Negros of African descent' in the U.S. Today - since here one drop of 'Negro' blood makes one a full-fledged Negro? How many of 'these' have become Mormon priests?
"Conclusion
"Irregardless of the facts contained herein, can a church really claim to be practicing Christian ethics while denying the priesthood to Blacks? How does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints explain the dichotomy between their works and their word relative to the following from the Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi, 18:22 'And behold ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come into you and forbid them not.'
"In 1972, there were 240 Black Mormons in the area of Salt Lake City (Time, Oct. 23, 1972 under Religion). They believe that the Mormon Church is the true church. In light of the evidence contained in this thesis, the weight upon the 240 may soon be lifted."
"If Moroni translated the sacred records from the Egyptian, then Mormons have to recognize that one version traces the Egyptian back to Noah's Black son, Ham; Ham being Misraims [sic] and Canaan's father.
"From this writer's standpoint, Nephi left Africa for America from the land of Canaan; Canaan being also the son of Ham. This writer also speculates that the hill Cumorah, where Joseph Smith obtain- ed the plates, is merely a dedication to one of Ham's other sons, Cush; Cush = Cushmorah or Cumorah.
"Recent Discovery I
"In the February 1977 edition of the Readers Digest was published an article, 'Who Really Discovered America' by Thomas Fleming, Harvard scholar. Of interest is Fleming's reference to a people who came to America about the same time the ancestors of the Mormons (Nephites) were supposed to have arrived. Fleming states that when these people died, they left their written testimony buried under mounds of earth. Although much of Fleming's work is based upon the work done by a Harvard marine biologist, Barry Fell, the coincidence is nevertheless fascinating.
"Thomas Fleming speculates that Europeans lived in America as early as 800 B.C. According to Barry Fell, inscriptions in a buried mound near Davenport Iowa (1874) were written in Egyptian hieroglyphics, Punic and Libyan.
"Egyptian hieroglyphics have already been established as being of African origin in this writing. Libya was one of the names used to describe all of Black Africa. Libyan script, then, would have to refer to Black African writings, not European. Too often white researchers allow their latent racism to cloud their so-called scientific work. Has Libya ever been in Europe?
"The Lord's Prayer was found to be written in Egyptian hieroglyphics also as reported in this same article. Could these early travelers and the ancestors of Mormon have been one and the same? If they were, they wrote in the language of the indigenous Africans.
"Another language referred to is that of the African Libyans. Whether hieroglyphic or Libyan, the roots are both Black African. And if these travelers were indeed the relatives of Nephi, it is but one more piece of evidence oweing to the Black ancestry of Mormon and his son, Moroni.
"Recent Discovery II
"In a March issue of Jet Magazine under the Book section, a Black author/anthropologist, I. Van Sertima, of Rutgers University, stated that Black Egyptians came to the Gulf of Mexico area as early as 700 B.C.
"Sertima has published his discoveries in his book, They Came Before Columbus (Random House). Since explorers of 'New Worlds' tend to travel extensively, it is not inconceivable that these same Black Egyptians were the same party discussed by Fleming and Fell. Of particular interest in these 'recent' discoveries, is the coincidence of dating. Give or take a hundred years or two, references to the Nephites landing in America coincide with the probable dates established by contemporary writers/scientists in their references to early African explorers.
"If this be so, then it lends additional support to the Black African ancestry of the people who now embrace the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints.
"Other Relative Data
"When Joseph Smith migrated west and founded Salt Lake City, Utah, July 23 [sic], 1847, a Pioneer Monument was erected. Names of 'Negroes' appear to this day on the plaque gracing the monument. They are: Green Flack [sic], of North Carolina, Hark Lay of Mississippi and Oscar Crosby (Rogers, Africa's Gift to America). Doesn't it seem somewhat hypocritical to have the names of Blacks placed upon this monument while denying them access to the Mormon priesthood? Another Black, Abel Burns, was the trusted servant and friend of Joseph Smith prior to and during his journey west.
"How Can Blacks be Denied the Priesthood?
"According to Mormon tradition, American Blacks will someday be given the right to become Mormon priests. The 'curse' does not apply, however to Blacks of the South Pacific.
"Did not Blacks from the South Pacific come originally from Africa? Affirmative.
"Is it really likely that Blacks (Egyptians) writing in an African language (hieroglyphics) in the Mormon Book of Abraham would actually deny themselves from the Mormon priesthood when the very names of Mormon and Moroni refer to Black people? Not likely.
"The Hypocrisy
"Each year some estimated 25,000 Blacks who physically do not resemble 'Blacks of African Descent' cross over the color line. In other words, they pass for white. How many of these are currently occupying positions in the Mormon priesthood?
"Thousands upon thousands of white men and women (including children) were driven into slavery along with their Black counterparts in America (Rogers, Sex and Race Vol. II pp. 208 - 213). Some were bought and sold outright, some kidnapped and some were simply denied proof of their white ancestry, and documentation of this fact exists in many valid resources. The point is this: how many 'whites' are unknowingly 'Negros of African descent' in the U.S. Today - since here one drop of 'Negro' blood makes one a full-fledged Negro? How many of 'these' have become Mormon priests?
"Conclusion
"Irregardless of the facts contained herein, can a church really claim to be practicing Christian ethics while denying the priesthood to Blacks? How does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints explain the dichotomy between their works and their word relative to the following from the Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi, 18:22 'And behold ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come into you and forbid them not.'
"In 1972, there were 240 Black Mormons in the area of Salt Lake City (Time, Oct. 23, 1972 under Religion). They believe that the Mormon Church is the true church. In light of the evidence contained in this thesis, the weight upon the 240 may soon be lifted."
Tamba-Tamba Jean Jacques Joins the Church of Jesus Christ
Tamba-Tamba Jean Jacques, a college student from Zaire, was baptized in Charleroi, Belgium on July 10, 1977. He later wrote: "My African friends at the time did not understand me anymore.... Many of my African colleagues told me pointedly that it was a racist church. In spite of all I heard, I understood that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was unique in character.... At the end of that year, I had just finished my graduate studies and I returned to my country. Whole families came to say goodbye.... I saw Brother Joseph Tricot shed tears at the airport.... All of them wanted me to stay with them in Belgium. But it was not God’s plan for me. For the door was open to see many other blacks like me receive baptism into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Belgium and elsewhere."
Isaac Thomas Joins the BYU Young Ambassadors
Danielle B. Wagner later wrote in LDS Living, "After returning from military service, [Isaac] Thomas decided he wanted to serve a mission. 'I wrote President Kimball a letter, "Dear President Kimball, I want to go on a mission. I don't care if I can't baptize people. Other people can do that. All I want to do is teach." I got a letter back, "Dear Brother Thomas, you can't serve a mission because you don't have the priesthood." [I thought,] "Wait a minute. Girls go on missions and they don't have the priesthood." I wrote him another letter. I got another letter back that said, "Yes, but they have to go to the temple and receive their endowment. For you to do that, you would have to have the priesthood,"' Thomas recalls. Though Thomas concedes that it was a very kind letter, for the first time as a member of the Church, his inability to hold the priesthood began to irritate and frustrate him.
"Faithful and resourceful, however, Thomas didn’t let those letters deter his ambitions. When students returned from BYU during the summer holidays, Thomas learned about a type of missionary he had never heard of before - a BYU Young Ambassador.
"In August 1977, Thomas drove from Texas to Provo. 'My total intent was to audition for the Young Ambassadors for my mission for two years. But those kids were so talented, I got intimidated. I never had dance lessons, I never had music lessons, so I didn't go,' Thomas recalls. But somehow word reached an old friend of Thomas’s from the Laotian border that he had come to audition. When a dancer dropped out from the Young Ambassadors, Thomas received a personal call to come and audition.
"The morning of his audition, Thomas went to the temple for the first time to perform baptisms for the dead. 'I was told by a bishop here that I could have a temple recommend, and I thought, "This is an apostate bishop," cause no one ever told me that before,' Thomas recalls. But after calling trusted friends and family, Thomas learned that he could have a limited-use temple recommend. Thomas arrived at the Provo Utah Temple early in the morning, and he recalls, “I am not a swimmer, so I thought I would do only one set of names. I went at 9 in the morning. I didn't leave until 2:30. It was the most glorious feeling I have ever had in my life.'
"On a spiritual high after his first temple trip, Thomas did a whole slew of back handsprings before his audition for the BYU Young Ambassadors.
"A short time later, the director of the group, Val Lindsey, called Thomas into his office and said, 'We want you to become a member of the Young Ambassadors. But we need for you to understand you are going to be living in a fishbowl. Everybody will be watching everything you do because you are a black man and that's an unusual thing in our Church.' Despite the warning, Thomas wasn’t intimidated. 'I said, "They can do whatever they want to. This is my mission for two years. I'm not concerned about everybody else."'
"But Thomas quickly learned that the biggest challenges he would face during his mission with the Young Ambassadors would not come from protestors. His most soul-stretching trials came from realizing what a life without the priesthood and temple blessings really meant."
"Faithful and resourceful, however, Thomas didn’t let those letters deter his ambitions. When students returned from BYU during the summer holidays, Thomas learned about a type of missionary he had never heard of before - a BYU Young Ambassador.
"In August 1977, Thomas drove from Texas to Provo. 'My total intent was to audition for the Young Ambassadors for my mission for two years. But those kids were so talented, I got intimidated. I never had dance lessons, I never had music lessons, so I didn't go,' Thomas recalls. But somehow word reached an old friend of Thomas’s from the Laotian border that he had come to audition. When a dancer dropped out from the Young Ambassadors, Thomas received a personal call to come and audition.
"The morning of his audition, Thomas went to the temple for the first time to perform baptisms for the dead. 'I was told by a bishop here that I could have a temple recommend, and I thought, "This is an apostate bishop," cause no one ever told me that before,' Thomas recalls. But after calling trusted friends and family, Thomas learned that he could have a limited-use temple recommend. Thomas arrived at the Provo Utah Temple early in the morning, and he recalls, “I am not a swimmer, so I thought I would do only one set of names. I went at 9 in the morning. I didn't leave until 2:30. It was the most glorious feeling I have ever had in my life.'
"On a spiritual high after his first temple trip, Thomas did a whole slew of back handsprings before his audition for the BYU Young Ambassadors.
"A short time later, the director of the group, Val Lindsey, called Thomas into his office and said, 'We want you to become a member of the Young Ambassadors. But we need for you to understand you are going to be living in a fishbowl. Everybody will be watching everything you do because you are a black man and that's an unusual thing in our Church.' Despite the warning, Thomas wasn’t intimidated. 'I said, "They can do whatever they want to. This is my mission for two years. I'm not concerned about everybody else."'
"But Thomas quickly learned that the biggest challenges he would face during his mission with the Young Ambassadors would not come from protestors. His most soul-stretching trials came from realizing what a life without the priesthood and temple blessings really meant."
Excommunication of Byron Marchant
On October 3, 1977, Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington wrote in his diary, "In the sustaining of officers, Saturday afternoon, when President Tanner completed the reading he reported the vote appeared to be unanimous in the affirmative. a voice - a clear, rather high-pitched voice - called out from the front row of the middle of the north balcony, 'President Tanner, did you note my negative vote.' President Tanner, whose vision is severely limited by the TV lights in the building, looked intently over the north side of the tabernacle for the person. Could not see him, finally spotted him, smiled a little and said, 'You may see Elder Hinckley after the service to explain your negative vote.' The speaker, who was Bryon Marchant, did not say anything further. I noted that various persons on the stand watched him a little after. He stood up to sing along with the rest, and caused no disturbance. According to newspaper reports, he is concerned with the church's position on priesthood for blacks. I have not yet found anyone who knows whether he voted against all church officers, or only some. From my seat he seemed to have red hair and a full growth of beard. I suspect he is the younger brother of Professor [Maurice P.] Marchant of BYU Library (or English?) Which reminds me that there was heightened security at conference. Security people are concerned especially with the publicity-seeking Douglas Wallace, and with the fanatic leaders of the Church of the Lamb of God."
On October 20 the Dallas Morning News reported, "The man who cast the first vote in modern history against a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been excommunicated and fired as church janitor.
"Byron Marchant, 35, of Salt Lake, is the second opponent of the church policy withholding the priesthood from blacks to be excommunicated in the last two years.
"All faithful Mormon males 12 years and older except blacks are trained to hold priesthood offices.
"Marchant, who is white, said he will appeal the excommunication by the High Council Court in his stake (diocese) and a church spokesman said Saturday the appeal would go to the First Presidency - the three top leaders.
"Marchant was called to a church court before the church's semiannual conference two weeks ago after he announced a demonstration questioning the church policy.
"The church court was postponed and Marchant called off his demonstration, but during the conference in the Salt Lake Tabernacle he cast the only dissenting vote in modern times against sustaining a church leader.
"Marchant said he was excommunicated in a closed-door trial which lasted until 4 a.m. Friday. He said he was informed of the verdict and the loss of his job later in the day by Stake President Narvel J. Scherzinger.
"Scherzinger declined to discuss the matter, refusing to say even whether a trial was held. He said all trials are held in confidence and 'in the spirit of love'.
"Marchant said the excommunication was due to 'open opposition' to church authority. 'My behavior was embarrassing to the church.'
"He said he was denied permission to record the trial. He said he argued a recording should be made so false rumors would not be spread about the reason for his excommunication.
"Many excommunications involve sex offenses, such as adultery or homosexuality. Advocating polygamy, which was once allowed by the church, now also results in excommunication.
"Church spokesmen [sic] Don Lefevre said excommunications are handled at the local level and are not routinely reviewed by the higher authorities. He said results of excommunications are forwarded to church headquarters for membership records.
"The other dissident excommunicated was Douglas A. Wallace, a Vancouver, Wash., attorney who had ordained a black Mormon into the priesthood.
"Marchant was a church missionary to France for two years.
"He was scoutmaster of a troop which included non-Mormon blacks in whose behalf the NAACP sued, challenging the policy which made it impossible for blacks to hold scout leadership positions because they were linked to priesthood offices. The case was dismissed after the church agreed to change the policy."
On November 4, Brother Arrington wrote in his diary, "He [Boyd K. Packer] also liked our treatment of the Negro problem [in The Mormon Experience] except he wished it could have been longer. He thought we Mormons ought to say more about the Negro question. He didn't indicate specifically what more we could say, and he said that maybe it wasn't proper in this book to have the longer treatment, but he thought the Church could say more and ought to do so about the Negro issue."
Next: The Church of Jesus Christ and Black People 1978
Main Page: Latter-day Saint Racial History
On October 20 the Dallas Morning News reported, "The man who cast the first vote in modern history against a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been excommunicated and fired as church janitor.
"Byron Marchant, 35, of Salt Lake, is the second opponent of the church policy withholding the priesthood from blacks to be excommunicated in the last two years.
"All faithful Mormon males 12 years and older except blacks are trained to hold priesthood offices.
"Marchant, who is white, said he will appeal the excommunication by the High Council Court in his stake (diocese) and a church spokesman said Saturday the appeal would go to the First Presidency - the three top leaders.
"Marchant was called to a church court before the church's semiannual conference two weeks ago after he announced a demonstration questioning the church policy.
"The church court was postponed and Marchant called off his demonstration, but during the conference in the Salt Lake Tabernacle he cast the only dissenting vote in modern times against sustaining a church leader.
"Marchant said he was excommunicated in a closed-door trial which lasted until 4 a.m. Friday. He said he was informed of the verdict and the loss of his job later in the day by Stake President Narvel J. Scherzinger.
"Scherzinger declined to discuss the matter, refusing to say even whether a trial was held. He said all trials are held in confidence and 'in the spirit of love'.
"Marchant said the excommunication was due to 'open opposition' to church authority. 'My behavior was embarrassing to the church.'
"He said he was denied permission to record the trial. He said he argued a recording should be made so false rumors would not be spread about the reason for his excommunication.
"Many excommunications involve sex offenses, such as adultery or homosexuality. Advocating polygamy, which was once allowed by the church, now also results in excommunication.
"Church spokesmen [sic] Don Lefevre said excommunications are handled at the local level and are not routinely reviewed by the higher authorities. He said results of excommunications are forwarded to church headquarters for membership records.
"The other dissident excommunicated was Douglas A. Wallace, a Vancouver, Wash., attorney who had ordained a black Mormon into the priesthood.
"Marchant was a church missionary to France for two years.
"He was scoutmaster of a troop which included non-Mormon blacks in whose behalf the NAACP sued, challenging the policy which made it impossible for blacks to hold scout leadership positions because they were linked to priesthood offices. The case was dismissed after the church agreed to change the policy."
On November 4, Brother Arrington wrote in his diary, "He [Boyd K. Packer] also liked our treatment of the Negro problem [in The Mormon Experience] except he wished it could have been longer. He thought we Mormons ought to say more about the Negro question. He didn't indicate specifically what more we could say, and he said that maybe it wasn't proper in this book to have the longer treatment, but he thought the Church could say more and ought to do so about the Negro issue."
Next: The Church of Jesus Christ and Black People 1978
Main Page: Latter-day Saint Racial History
