Those who were less valiant in pre-existence and who thereby had certain spiritual restrictions imposed upon them during mortality are known to us as the negroes. Such spirits are sent to earth through the lineage of Cain, the mark put upon him for his rebellion against God and his murder of Abel being a black skin. Noah's son Ham married Egyptus, a descendant of Cain, thus preserving the negro lineage through the flood. The present status of the negro rests purely and simply on the foundation of pre-existence. The negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned, particularly the priesthood and the temple blessings that flow there from.
All worthy males can hold priesthood.
This edition has all the above parts edited out of this section, and they are replaced with new wording that reflects the 1978 revelation that allowed blacks to hold the LDS priesthood. What's New Copyright 2000 Institute for Religious Research. All rights reserved.