The
following journal entry for17 January 1954 shows (1) the struggle David O.
McKay had with the priesthood restriction and (2) shows he believed that blacks
were at the time righteous and worthy
of the priesthood, with the only hindrance being the restriction itself (McKay held to
the [bogus] view Abraham 1 taught the restriction, and would often appeal to
such in his journals), similar to what we read in OD-2 where those who were to receive the priesthood prior to the revelation were "worthy" to hold the priesthood due to their continued faithfulness):
Now I think there is an explanation for this
racial discrimination, dating back to the pre-existent state, but modern
sociologists will not accept it, and they are writing appealing to us to lift
the ban upon the Negro race, and adopt racial equality in the Church.
I first met this problem in Hawaii in 1921. A
worthy man had married a Polynesian woman. She was faithful in the Church. They
had a large family everyone of whom was active and worthy. My sympathies were
so aroused that I wrote him to President [Heber J.] Grant asking if he would
please make an exception so we could ordain that man to the Priesthood. He
wrote back saying, "David, I am sympathetic as you are, but until the Lord
gives us a revelation regarding that matter, we shall have to maintain the
policy of the Church." I sat down and talked to the brother explaining
frankly the reasons for such seeming discrimination and gave him the assurance
that some day he will receive every blessing to which he is entitled; for
the Lord is just, and no Respector of persons. (Harvard S. Heath, ed. Confidence Amid Change: The Presidential
Diaries of David O. McKay, 1951-1970 [Salt Lake City: Signature Books,
2019], 2135-2163 of 17167 in Kindle edition, underlining in original)
