HDC Apr. 26, 1978

CR 1 20 First Presidency, Jos. F. Smith Letterbooks, Reel 34, Vol. 39, page 463

"March 16th, 1904

Bishop David McKay,

Huntsville.

Dear Brother:-

This is in answer to yours of the 14th inst.

The negro race has not received the holy priesthood, neither can they, they being debarred on account of the curse placed upon Cain, their great progenitor, and which they themselves inherit; and the Prophet Joseph taught the doctrine in his day that the seed of Cain could not receive the priesthood, nor act in any of its offices until the seed of Abel should come forward and take precedence over Cain's offspring.

It is true that Brother Abel was ordained a Seventy and sent to preach the gospel of repentance to his own race. but he was not authorized to confer upon them the holy priesthood, neither did Brother Abel himself receive temple ordinances. He however, it should be borne in mind, was not a full-blooded negro, being simply an octoroon.

The story about the bodies of the Prophets Joseph and Hyrum Smith having been brought to this country by the pioneers is a fallacy; they were buried in Nauvoo, and their resting place remains undisturbed.

Your Brethren,

Jos. F. Smith

John R. Winder

Anthon H. Lund

First Presidency"

[Handwritten notation at the bottom of the letter, perhaps by Sterling M. McMurrin:

"D.O.Mc. must not have paid very Good attention to his superiors."]