Also sent to Edward and Robert

August 26, 1968

Mr. David Lawrence McKay

1348 - 3rd Avenue

Salt Lake City, Utah

Dear Lawrence:

I am enclosing a letter addressed to Llewelyn but intended for the four McKay brothers. I believe this letter may be of interest to all of you.

With warm personal regards.

Sincerely,

Sterling M. McMurrin

Dean

SMM:hh

***

August 26, 1968

Dr. Llewelyn R. McKay

1390 Yale Avenue

Salt Lake City, Utah

Dear Llewelyn:

I am writing this letter, with copies to your brothers Lawrence, Edward, and Robert, to tell you of a conversation with your father in the Spring of 1954. He had requested the meeting, which was in Auerbach building of the old Union Building of the University. We talked for an hour and a half or two hours. There were no others present.

I recall telling you of this conversation not long after it took place, but I’m interested now in detailing a small part of it in writing, as I believe it is of such importance that it should be part of your family record. On some other occasion I would like to give yo man account of the entire discussion, as your father made several statements which I regard as important for the Church and which would be of interest to you.

Our discussion centered on the question of orthodoxy and heresy and the general problem of dissent in the Church. The views which President McKay expressed to me on these matters were remarkably liberal and deserve to be known by the general membership of the Church.

At one point in the conversation I introduced the subject of the common belief among the Church membership that Negroes are under a divine curse. I told him that I regarded this doctrine as both false and morally abhorrent and that some weeks earlier, in a class in my own Ward, I had made it clear that I did not accept the doctrine and that I wanted to be known as a dissenter to the class instructor’s statements about “our beliefs” in this matter.

President McKay replied that he was “glad” that I had taken this stand, as he also did not believe this teaching. He stated his position in the matter very forcefully and clearly and said with considerable feeling that “there is not now, and there never has been, a doctrine in this Church that the Negroes are under a divine curse.” He insisted that there is no doctrine of any kind pertaining to the Negro.” We believe,” he said, “that we have scriptural precedent for withholding the priesthood from the Negro. It is a practice, not a doctrine, and the practice will some day be changed. And that’s all there is to it.” He made it clear what scripture had had in mind by mentioning the well known passage in the Pearl of Great Price, Abraham 1:26-27. He made no reference to the Bible or the Cain and Abel Story.

I told President McKay that I thought his statement on the Negro issue was of major importance and that it should be made public both in print and in a Conference statement in order to clear up the confusion of thousands of people in the Church believing in the “divine curse” teaching. To this he gave no reply except to reiterate his position, saying, “There is no such doctrine and as far as I am concerned there never was.”

I am able to report your father’s words with near accuracy because they were strongly impressed upon my memory and because within a few hours after our meeting I made a detailed recording of the entire discussion.

This matter, of course, is of very great important to the Church and its future, considering not only the moral quality of our religion, which is relieved of a great burden if there is no official doctrine, but also the problem of eventual change in the practice of withholding full fellowship from Negroes. Such a change could be somewhat difficult if there were an official doctrine.

Your father showed great wisdom in taking this position and it has been a disappointment to me that the Church has not clarified the issue on the terms which he stated. His position conforms to the historical facts and as afar as I am concerned his word in this matter is authoritative. Without mentioning his name for fear of in some way compromising him, I have on a number of occasions convinced writers of articles and books on Mormonism, when they have consulted me, that they would be in error if they described the "divine curse" belief as official doctrine.

In two addresses before the Salt Lake Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, in 1960 and more recently in June of 1968, I stated President McKay's position, doing so in virtually his own words but without mentioning his name. Needless to say, these statements have occasioned a barrage of letters, directly and by way of the newspapers, accusing me of ignorance of the Church doctrine on the Negro. I frankly wish I could feel free to make President McKay’s statement to me on this subject a matter of public record, as I believe this would be a very good thing for the Church and would help to clear up a great deal of confusion in the minds of many of its members.

You know of my sincere esteem and affection for your father. I hope that you will express them to him. I leave to your own good judgment whether or not you show him this letter.

With warmest personal regards,

Very sincerely,

Sterling M. McMurrin

Dean

SMM:hh

cc: Mr. David Lawrence McKay

Dr. Eward R. McKay

Mr. Robert R. McKay