Dear Gramps,

Why was black people not aloud to hold the priesthood? Was it because at that time black was not expect as a person. Why does the Book of Mormon talk about the skin of darkness? What does that mean? Is a white person better than the blacks.

Ildavina from Boston. Massachusetts

Dear Ildavina,

That is a question that has been on the minds of many people, and there are many false notions circulating around about it. Your first question relates to why the blacks in the Mormon Church, until 1978, were not allowed to hold the priesthood. We read in the Bible about Cain, who took the life of his brother, Abel. Because of that act, he and his descendants received a curse from the Lord. That curse was that they were not allowed to hold the holy priesthood, as we read in the Book of Abraham–

Now this king of Egypt [Pharoah] was a descendant from the loins of Ham, and was a partaker of the blood of the Canaanites by birth. From this descent sprang all the Egyptians, and thus the blood of the Canaanites was preserved in the land. (Abr. 1:21-22)

Now, Pharaoh being of that lineage by which he could not have the right of Priesthood, notwithstanding the Pharaohs would fain claim it from Noah, through Ham, therefore my father was led away by their idolatry; (Abr. 1:27)

The punishment of Cain was, as he told the Lord, more than he could bear, and feared that others would. seek to take his life.

And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.(Gen 1:13-14)

So the Lord promised Cain that if any were to kill him or his descendants vengeance would be taken on them sevenfold, and he put a mark on Cain and his posterity to set them apart so that others finding them would not slay them. That mark was a black skin, and it was given to them as a protection and a blessing, not as a curse. (see Genesis 4:15)

But blacks were never prohibited from joining the Mormon Church, they just couldn’t hold the priesthood. (To see a detailed report on this aspect of your question, go to the askgramps.org web site in the box entitled Search Ask Gramps, type in “blacks”).

The skin of darkness spoken of in the Book of Mormon was indeed a curse, and it was pronounced on the wicked sons of Lehi (Laman and Lemual) and their descendants, so that the descendants of the righteous sons (Nephi, Jacob, Sam and Joseph) would not intermarry with them.

And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them. (2 Nephi 5:21)

As you may know from the Book of Mormon, the descendants of Nephi and his righteous brothers (called Nephites) eventually became very wicked and were utterly destroyed in about 400 A.D. by the descendants of the other group (called Lamanites) who, for a time, had become very righteous. The American Indians of today are descendants of the dark skinned Lamanites.

Now you ask, “Is a white person better than a black?” Certainly not! Skin color has nothing to do with anything but heredity. In the first place, we are all brothers and sisters. We have the very same Father and Mother. They are the parents of our spirits. We are children of God. As Paul said to the Romans,

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:16-17)

Gramps