President Smith discusses vital issue

When uninformed people, speaking of political and other matters undertake to interpret the position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with respect to the status of the Negro, they do the Church a grave injustice and present views which are not correct, it was declared recently by President Joseph Fielding Smith of the Council of the Twelve.

We was asked to comment on the assertion of Clare Boothe Luce in McCall's Magazine that "the Mormon Church teaches that the Negroes have inferior souls . . . and a Mormon might have some difficulty in carrying the Negro vote in Michigan."

President Smith said:

"The ignorance on the part of writers who do not helong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in relation to the view of the 'Mormons' on the status religiously or otherwise of the Negro is inexcusable. There is no doubt that in the campaign, should George Romney become a candidate, enemies will play up the Negro question to the very limit.

"The pity of it all will be that they start with a false premise and therefore they will naturally end with a false conclusion.

The Latter-day Saints, so commonly called 'Mormons,' have no animosity towards the Negro. Neither have they described him as belonging to an 'inferior race.'

"There are Negroes in the Church who are respected and honored for their integrity and faithful devotion. The door into the Church is open to all.

"One ancient Nephite prophet wrote the following:

"'And again, the Lord hath commanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things; for whoso doeth them shall perish.

"'For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.' (2 Nephi 26:32–33).

"Moreover, according to the faith and knowledge of the elders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who are so frequently called 'Mormons,' the Church can do more for the Negro than any other church on the face of the earth.

"What other church can baptize them by divine authority and confirm them and give them the gift of the Holy Ghost? What other church can promise them with assurance that they can if they are faithful and true before teh Lord enter into the celestial kingdom? Not one of them! For other churches do not know anything about the celestial kingdom.

"Paul has revealed to the world through the doctrine he taught the Corinthian Saints, that there are three kingdoms, or glories, into which mankind will go. These are the words of Paul:

"'All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

"'There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

"'There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star different from another star in glory.

"'So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption/ (1 Corinthians 15:39–42)

"Therefore if a Negro joins the Church through the waters of baptism and is confirmed by the laying on of hands and then he remains faithful and true to the teachings of the Church and in keeping the commandments the Lord has given, he will come forth in the first resurrection and will enter the celestial kingdom of God.

"What other church can make a better promise? Moreover we know whereof we speak, for the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored with all its powers and divine authority.

"The Negro who accepts the doctrines of the Church and is baptized by an authorized minister of !he Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is entitled to salvation in the celestial kingdom or the highest heaven spoken of by Paul.

"It is true that the work of the ministry is given to other peoples and why should the why should the so-called Christian denominations complain? How many Negroes have been placed as ministers over white congregations in the so-called Christian denominations?

"It appears that a great deal of noise has been made over a problem that does not really exist or is not peculiar to the Latter-day Saints!

"Every man whether he seeks office or to maintain a good name in the community should be judged by his devotion and integrity to principles of truth and righteousness, not condemned through rumors, prejudices, or the views of others.

"It is strange that so many persons are tried and condemned by well-meaning people because of assumed notions and prejudice without a true knowledge of the facts.