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Association of Righteousness with Color - Page 3

Thank you everybody for the answers to my question. I really appreciate the time you all get from researching and also sharing your personal opinions. All the info was wonderful. I just need one more thing if anybody have quotes or anything of that nature on how our races determined our righteousness in the pre-existence, I would love to read them. Also Nighhawlk, you didn't make any comments about the quotes I put from old prophets.
Please guys, feel free to add anything else you may have about this subject. Like Nighthawlk said 'what a can of worms' lol but I think is a wonderful thread in where we can learn a lot from, specially me since I live in a country where only 2   % of the population is white (Am I right JB?), the rest are black and indians so the members and investigators have lots of concern about these things or similar issues of race and stuff. Thanks.

Color Righteousness Association

[quote] Also Nighhawlk, you didn't make any comments about the quotes I put from old prophets.[/quote]

I know

Actually, I did, a little bit.  I truly, truly believe that President Young spoke the truth.  However, it is obvious that he used more than a little hyperbole in his public speaking.

I have considered whether or not the Church overstepped her bounds in 1978.  I think it is possible.  At the same time, I think that if President Kimball DID do things out of order, perhaps like Joseph Smith did when he repeatedly asked the Lord for permission to release the manuscript to Martin Harris.  Ultimately, the Lord had a plan to deal with it, but Joseph still had to suffer some consequences, including some severe restrictions on his "Priesthood" powers (I know, he didn't have the Priesthood at that time, but his specific calling, powers and authority were Priesthood in nature).  I wonder if the Church is under a similar type of censure in general.   Except that I have seen the Priesthood power at work.

There is a lot more, but I, wisely (I hope), will refrain from going into the discussion.

NightHawk

Association of Righteousness with Color Studies Doctrine Mormon

So after reading the latest posts, do you all think the words of the old Prophets regards to this issue were just their opinions on the subject or they spoke what God have told them to(revelation)?

Page 3 Color Righteousness Association

As to whether the prophets of old spoke their opinions or what Heavenly Father told them, I think we would need to examine each statement to decide. Probably a mix of both. For example, I think blacks being prevented from holding the Priesthood was devine revelation as was their being granted it in 1978. However, I think some of the statements I have read quoted hear by Brigham Young were nothing more than his opinion as a mortal man of the 19th century.

Color Righteousness Association

This is the interesting fact, I think we have another thread about this but remember that in the time of Joseph Smith they were black men holding the Priesthood, there was never an 'official' statement saying that the blacks could not hold the Priesthood. Yes we had a 'official' statement of restoring the Priesthood but not one of when and by whom it was taking away.

Association of Righteousness with Color

I just always thought it came from Joseph Smith. I was not aware that there were black members in the early days who held the priesthood. What I had been told was that it was a result of Cain slaying Able and that the "mark" was dark skin. I was told that those with "black" skin were of the same lineage as Cain and under the same "curse."

Association Righteousness Color - Page 3

They said it came from Joseph Smith not because of the curse but because the blacks who were slaves at that time could not travel freely to other areas to go to missions, therefore he thought it would not make sense for them to have the Priesthood at that time. (This is one theory since there was never an 'official' statement). But yes they were black members in the early days who held the Priesthood. Elijah Abel who hold the office of 'seventy" in 1836, Elijah's son, Enoch, was ordained an Elder November 10, 1900. Enoch's son, also named Elijah, was ordained a Deacon sometime before 1925, ordained a Priest July 5, 1934, and ordained an Elder September 29, 1935. Records indicate at least three other blacks, a man with the last name of Lewis, on Samuel Chambers, and another named Edward Leggroan, were also ordained into the Mormon priesthood; Lewis as an Elder, Chambers and Leggroan as a Deacons. If you check the dates carefully you will see that definetly was not Joseph Smith who stopped the blacks from holding the Priesthood.

Edited: LDS_forever on 25th Nov, 2003 - 2:01pm

Association Righteousness Color Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 3

How does the Church explain this? At some point someone must have given a reason why blacks were no longer being ordained even though they had in the past. What explanation is offered.

I would also like to know from where you got this information about these members holding the priesthood because I want to do further research myself and this might be a good place to start.