The following is a transcript of Nigerian Outlook (a daily periodical published in Enugu), March 5, 1963: 3. It highlights again how the Priesthood and Temple restriction was and is nothing short of a (well-deserved) black eye for, and stain in the history of, the Church:
EVIL SAINTS
Elsewhere on this page we publish
an article by a Nigerian in the United States known as Latter Day Saints. The formation
of a religious body in far away America should not have been the concern of any
Nigerian but for the fact that this sect, otherwise known as Mormons, believe
as a cardinal of their faith that the Negro race is not equal to any other face
in the eyes of God, as a result of which Negroes who are foolish enough to
choose Mormonism as their religion can never be ordained priests.
Our correspondent has gone into
great pains to expose this organization because he fears it may come to Nigeria
thoroughly disgusted. We commend his article to the careful reading not only of
all Nigerians but of all Governments of the Federation. These so-called Latter
Day Saints must be recognised for what they are—godless Herrenvolkism—and must
not be allowed into the country.
Only the other day President
Kennedy appealed to the United States Congress to approve legislation designed
to "emancipate" the Negro in America. His action was widely acclaimed
by Nigerian newspapers. Since the United States Government preaches the
equality of all races, Mr Kennedy must ban this anti-Negro organisation that
preaches heretic doctrines.
We must congratulate our
correspondent for having the courage of waroing us in good time and we would
like to assure him that he has our full support in his campaign against this
evil body.
Ambrose Chukwu, "They're
Importing Ungodliness"
I was very much surprised at an
article which appeared in Newsweek of January 21, 1963 under The
Periscope—which is a column devoted to review of world problems. The article
which I enclose for you is a statement by the Mormon Church, also called
Latter-day Saints, to the effect that they plan to "proselytise actively
among the Negros in Nigeria."
Salt Lake City—The Negro seems
stated for new status in the Mormon church. Presently, while Negroes can join
the Latter-Day Saints, they cannot be elevated to higher ranks such as priest
(though other non-white races are) Now for the first time, in what one Mormon
leader calls "a guarded and cautious approach," the church plans a
mission to proselytise actively among Negroes in Nigeria.
I do not think that many people
know about this religion in Nigeria; but if you read one of their books
"Mormonism and the Negro", you will realize that such a collection of
madmen have no right to go under the name Christians. The Mormons believe that
the Negro is a race of outcasts who are undergoing some punishment in this
world for what they did in a previous existence. They are "fallen
angels."
RELIGIOUS APARTHEID
They did not prove themselves
worthy in a pre-mortal existence hence they were branded black to distinguish
them. They also believe and this is contained in their articles of faith that
until the whites have been satisfied with the best things of this world to
come, there would be no room for any negro in their church.
Said one of their prophets:
"Why are so many inhabitants of the earth cursed with a skin of blackness?
It comes in consequence of their faiths rejecting the power of the Holy
Priesthood and law of God. They will go down to death, and when all the rest of
the children of men (meaning the white and non-negroed races) have received
their blessings then that curse will be removed from the seed of Cain."
To prove this no negro is thought
or considered worthy to be elevated to the higher ranks such as priesthood or
elder (though non-white races, even American Indians are) no matter what your
intellectual accomplishments might be. As a Negro—be you whatever you may—you
are only considered fit to sweep the congregation hall.
In San Luis Obispo where I am
attending college they have a very beautiful building. They use it as a Church
and a place of meeting. The beautiful design of the house and architectural
style—I am not an architecture major—was attractive t me. It was my first week
in the city and the first time I heard of the existence of the Church.
I went inside and inquired what
the beautiful building was used for I was shown around the building by a
student of our college. The interior does not give one the impression of a
house of prayer—but this is beside the point. It was cozily furnished like a
big conference hall.
The student invited me to their
prayer meeting the following Sunday at 4 p m I was intrigued and went out of curiosity.
I did not want to sit with the congregation. The white boy sat with me behind
the large curtains that span the width of the very large hall. When they
brought their bread and water I did not accept.
When their prayers broke up I was
introduced to the leader of the Church in the city. We had a very long and
friendly chat. But the evening got ruined when my curiosity again started
wandering away. There was a large map of the world on the wall and on this map
was shown the areas of Mormon activities. An innocent question popped out:
"Why have you no missions anywhere in Africa except in South Africa?"
My Roy said: "Ambrose, my reply I am afraid would wound your
feelings."
This, of course, made me more curious.
I insisted for an answer. He gave it. "It is our article of faith that the
Negro was cursed by God and this makes him unworthy to hold the office of a
priest or elder in our Church."
UNGODLY RACE SUPERIORITY
I can't tell you here now how
long we talked. But it was over three hours. In the end he lent me one of the
most important books of their religion—Mormonism and the Negro." I did not
eat or sleep until I finished reading the book. The following day I returned
the book to him. When he asked me what I thought of the book I told him it was
fatuous.
Their God is not our God. I do
not believe in a God whose adherents preach the superiority of one race over
the other. And this is what the Mormons preach.
The BIG Question is: why should
the Mormons leave proselytising among the Negroes in America and decided to go
in Nigeria? The statement by one of the Mormon leaders about a "cautious
and guarded approach to proselytise actively among Negroes, in Nigeria, should
make Nigerians "cautious and guarded too. Nigeria has the largest Negro
population in the world (seconded by U.S.A.)
The Mormons could by trickery
establish a church in Nigeria and use this as massive propaganda for
propagating and spreading their religion of race hate and race superiority and discrimination
in America.
Some may say that they want to change
their policy. I do not think this would be a correct assumption. Why, let them
start in America where Mr Smith started his religion with his wife and
relations-in-law barely 100 years ago. Let them first of all make themselves
acceptable to the Negroes here in the States before venturing to distant
Nigeria.
The Mormons preach love and
equality of the white race only. The negro is free to be a Mormon but still it
is their belief and an article of faith that not until everybody who is not
black (Negro) has been saved—they believe that heaven has been preordained for
everyone but a Negro—there would not be any room for any Negro in heaven.
What then do you think would be
the position of the blacks in this world if the Mormons get to control
everything? An irreparable damage would be done to Nigeria's good name if she
even as much as allows the Mormons to acquire an acre of ground on which to
establish.
HEIGHT OF IMPUDENCE
This is not religious intolerance
People are not against the Mormons as individuals, but hate what they stand
for.
Here are some extracts from the
Book "Mormonism and the Negro": and from these the reading public
could form a very good idea of what the people preach. I think it is the height
of impudence for the Mormons even to dream of proselytising in Nigeria, let
alone to express it. They are belittling the intelligence of Nigerians, just as
they do in everything partaining to the Negro. Nigeria is a Godly country.
Mormonism is goodlessness and I do not think it is wrong for any country to
check the growth of godlessness in her society.
There may not be anything wrong
for any individual to hold the views the Mormons hold: but there is everything
wrong when a group of individuals join themselves together to preach a gospel
of race hate and race superiority: and are determined to carry this doctrine
into the very portals of the people it is discrediting.
What do we do? Receive them with
open arms and now to be their servants forever and ever Amen? Grant them
freedom and passage to tell us in our own homes that even the most eminent and
saintly "Negro is by the virtue of the colour of his skin inferior even to
the least admirable white person. Not because of the virtues he may or may not
possess but because—through no fault of their own—there is a dark pigment in
his skin."
Extracts from The Book MORMONISM
AND THE NEGRO [John J. Stewart]
CHAPTER II
Briefly the LDS policy on Negroes
in this: negroes and other people with negroid blood can become members of the
church and through righteous works receive patriarchal blessings, enter the
temple to perform baptisms for the dead, becomes heirs to celestial kingdom and
otherwise partake of many blessings afforded worthy members of the church, but
they cannot be ordained to the Priesthood nor are they eligible for marriage in
an LDS temple; Negroes and non-Negroes should not intermarry."
CHAPTER VI
"I now propose to show three
important truths:
That the LDS doctrine of not allowing
the Negro to bear the Priesthood is entirely consistent with both of the two
great attributes of God himself, the attributes of justice and mercy.
That in this matter of the Negroes
not holding the Priesthood we can gain a much clearer insight into those basic
gospel principles of FREE AGENCY, FORE-ORDINATION and ETERNAL PROGRESS.
That a belief in the correctness
of this doctrine is consistent with other beliefs and practices in daily lif
which we seldom if ever question.
We believe that we are
fore-ordained to the privilege of membership in thus church and Priesthood,
privileged to be born under the favourable circumstances that we have been, at
such an opportune time and place. . . .
CHAPTER VII
Now, if through fore-ordination,
as a result of their performance in the spirit life certain individuals were
privileged to be born under the most favourable circumstances, then it must
necessarily follow that others would be born under less favourable
circumstances.
is it just or unjust on the part
of God, our Creator, to enable people to be born under those circumstances and
with those opportunities consistent with their conduct in the spirit world?
The thing that would be unjust
and illogical, and chaotic would be God's rewarding men the same regardless of
their integrity or lack of it. Carry this foolish notion to the ultimate and
you would place Christ and Satan on a par.
CHAPTER IX
For that matter, if the critic on
the apologiser is going to begin indignation about Negroes not being allowed to
bear the Priesthood, why should he not feel even more indignant about women not
being allowed to bear the Priesthood, why should he not feel even more
indignant about women not having the Priesthood conferred upon them?
CHAPTER X
In Scripture we read of quite a
number of instances of God's placing a curse or mark upon a certain person or
people because of their misconduct and disobedience to His laws. The curse
usually involves not only that particular person or generation of people, but
their posterity as well. One example is the Jews, cursed to become "a hiss
and a byword": another is the Lammanites, whose skin was turned dark, and
that of their children after them.
Here is a link to a scan of Nigerian Outlook, March 5, 1963: 3, reproduced in Jerald Tanner and Sandra Tanner, Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? (2d ed.; Salt Lake City: Modern Microfilm Co., 1964) between pp. 306 and 307.
For more on the Temple/Priesthood restrictions, I would suggest starting with the following excellent resources:
Gospel Topics Essay: Race and the Priesthood
Russell W. Stevenson, For the Cause of Righteousness: A Global History of Blacks and Mormonism, 1830-2013