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Scottie wrote:Since a woman does not have to hold the priesthood to enter the temple, could black women go through?
NorthboundZax wrote:As a follow up, could blacks have their temple work done prior to 1978?
After Isaac left the family in 1869, Jane repeatedly petitioned the First Presidency to be endowed and to be sealed, along with her children, to Walker Lewis, a prominent African American Mormon Elder. Lewis, like Elijah Abel, had been ordained to the priesthood during Joseph Smith's lifetime, and Jane therefore assumed that he would be eligible for temple ordinances. However, her petitions were consistently ignored or refused.
After Isaac died in 1891, Jane asked that she and her family be given the ordination of adoption so that they could be sealed in that manner. Her justification, according to her correspondence with church leaders, was that Emma Smith had offered to have her sealed to the Smith family as a child. She was now reconsidering her decision, and asked to be sealed to the Smiths.
Her request was refused. Instead, the First Presidency "decided she might be adopted into the family of Joseph Smith as a servant, which was done, a special ceremony having been prepared for the purpose."[1] The ceremony took place on May 18, 1894 with Joseph F Smith acting as proxy.[2]
The minutes of the Council of Twelve Apostles reflect that Jane was dissatisfied with that decision, and applied again to obtain the sealing that was offered to her by Emma, but was again refused.
Church leadership subsequently revoked her temple ordinances and blessings on August 22, 1895, due to her "negro blood". But reinstated the sealing -- along with her servant status -- in 1902 (Bathsheba Smith acting as proxy).
Scottie wrote:I had an interesting question posed to me today, and I didn't have the answer.
Since a woman does not have to hold the priesthood to enter the temple, could black women go through?
.
Throughout his service as President of the Church, he received revelations to guide the Saints. The most well known of all these revelations came in June 1978, when the Lord revealed to him and also to his brethren in the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles that the blessings of the priesthood, which had been restricted to some, could now be available to all worthy members of the Church (see Doctrine and Covenants, Official Declaration 2).
http://www.LDS.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=da135f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=5ef9862384d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1&contentLocale=0
Ray A wrote:Her request was refused. Instead, the First Presidency "decided she might be adopted into the family of Joseph Smith as a servant, which was done..
Inconceivable wrote:Ray, Truly this must be damned lie.
Ray A wrote:Inconceivable wrote:Ray, Truly this must be damned lie.
If only it was.
Her request was refused. Instead, the First Presidency "decided she might be adopted into the family of Joseph Smith as a servant, which was done, a special ceremony having been prepared for the purpose."[1] The ceremony took place on May 18, 1894 with Joseph F Smith acting as proxy.[2]
The minutes of the Council of Twelve Apostles reflect that Jane was dissatisfied with that decision, and applied again to obtain the sealing that was offered to her by Emma, but was again refused.
Church leadership subsequently revoked her temple ordinances and blessings on August 22, 1895, due to her "negro blood". But reinstated the sealing -- along with her servant status -- in 1902 (Bathsheba Smith acting as proxy).