New Elijah Able info

[Calm]

http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2019/01/18/guest-post-newly-discovered-document-provides-dramatic-details-about-elijah-able-and-the-priesthood/

Quote

There it is. That is it. A surge of new details about the most well documented black priesthood holder in 19th century Latter-day Saint history.

But why is it important? Does the fact that we now know who ordained Elijah Able to the priesthood, and that it was not Joseph Smith, in any way diminish the fact that Able WAS ordained to the priesthood? Not in the least. It strengthens it in my estimation. It offers additional evidence of the universal nature of the early gospel message, so much so that presiding Elders such as Ambrose Palmer, fifty-five miles away from the central hierarchy at Kirtland, did not discriminate in distributing priesthood power. Moreover, Joseph Smith, Jr., and Joseph Smith, Sr., did not discriminate either in certifying and licensing, and officially sanctioning that priesthood power through their signatures and blessings and personal communications. People at the center and on the periphery of the Latter-day Saint movement did not erect racial barriers to membership, priesthood ordination, or temple rituals, a fact captured in this new document in the hand writing of Joseph F. Smith.

It matters, too, because it demonstrates in more concrete terms that Joseph F. Smith was just as much responsible for the solidification of the priesthood and temple restriction as Brigham Young was responsible for beginning it. The restrictions emerged from a variety of events that played out over time in response to varying circumstances and changing contexts, not as a result of an unknown command from God in a single unrecorded pronouncement. We see that process play out in the remembering and forgetting of Joseph F. Smith himself.

As I document in Religion of a Different Color we can see Joseph F. Smith’s memory change over time:

In 1879 he defended Able’s priesthood as valid.

In 1895 he reminded LDS leaders that Able was ordained to the priesthood “at Kirtland under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith.”

In 1904 he called Able’s ordination a mistake that “was never corrected.”

In 1908, he claimed that Able’s priesthood “ordination was declared null and void by the Prophet [Joseph Smith] himself.”

This new document is clear refutation of Joseph F. Smith’s 1908 statement that Joseph Smith declared Elijah Able’s priesthood “null and void.” And that clear refutation is in Joseph F. Smith’s own handwriting.

It is fun being first to post on a new topic...

[blueglass]

This is a wonderful find. So thankful this crucial document has come to light.  

[rpn]

It sure makes you wonder about Joseph F. Smith though.

[cinepro]

Can't remember where I read it, but someone claimed that Joseph Fielding Smith hypothesized that there was actually a different (white) Elijah Abel, and that we were mixing up his ordination with the black Elijah Abel. So it was all just a big mistake.

[blueglass]

When Elijah Abel petitioned for his temple blessings an investigation launched in 1879.

Reeve writes in ch7 

“During the investigation that ensued, poor or tainted memories began to slowly replace verifiable evidence.”

when Joseph F. conducts the investigation he discovers the inconsistency in Zebedee Coltrins racist recollections. 

then by 1908 he reinvents the priesthood/temple ban.

Reeve writes,

"1908 Abel’s priesthood was falsely remembered as invalid. Forgetfulness replaced evidence to solidify the ban in Mormon collective memory."

"Smith used the 1908 meeting to craft a memory of Abel and James that firmly cemented the temple and priesthood restrictions in place and ensured that the lives of these two Saints were effectively erased from Mormon history."

"In the new memory, priesthood was white, temples were white, and the Mormon future would be white too—a passage into acceptance and respectability in America"

Looks clear that the living prophet at the time made a tragic - wilful mistake.  Where was God?

 

 

Edited January 19, 2019 by blueglass

[Calm]

6 minutes ago, blueglass said:

Where was God?

Probably sayiing "well, I told you it wasn't going to be a perfect world, mistakes would be made....but did you have to take it this far?"

[blueglass]

3 minutes ago, Calm said:

Probably sayiing "well, I told you it wasn't going to be a perfect world, mistakes would be made....but did you have to take it this far?"

Weeping God of enoch who strictly adheres to agency?   I'm very worried how successors solidified these false memories, converted them into doctrine, and then published as the will of God.  

[Calm]

I don't like much of the way the world is, horrified by a significant percentage, but I think I fear more other options as I understand them.  

I was rather impressed by A Wrinkle In Time as a kid: 

Quote

In front of all the houses children were playing.  Some were skipping rope, some were bouncing balls.  Meg felt vaguely that something was wrong with their play….

“Look!” Charles Wallace said suddenly.  “They’re skipping and bouncing in rhythm!  Everyone’s doing it at exactly the same moment.”

This was so.  As the skipping rope hit the pavement, so did the ball.  As the rope curved over the head of the jumping child, the child with the ball caught the ball.  Down came the ropes.  Down came the balls.  Over and over again.  Up.  Down.  All in rhythm.  All identical.  Like the houses.  Like the paths.  Like the flowers.

The following paragraphs take it out of cool dance moves to major creepout:

https://books.google.com/books?id=nx86DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT45&lpg=PT45&dq="Like+the+houses.++Like+the+paths.++Like+the+flowers."&source=bl&ots=jIq1ngJoy9&sig=ACfU3U34USdc_vxyU20UMzwIJkFdI1kZpA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiP2OXv_fjfAhV5GDQIHbZ9AJEQ6AEwAHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q="Like the houses. Like the paths. Like the flowers."&f=false

Edited January 19, 2019 by Calm

[cinepro]

28 minutes ago, blueglass said:

 Where was God?

Artist's rendition of God at the implementation of the Priesthood Ban:

 

[JLHPROF]

21 minutes ago, blueglass said:

 I'm very worried how successors solidified these false memories, converted them into doctrine, and then published as the will of God.  

I  thought the standard party line was each prophet had more light than his predecessors.

Ergo, Brigham understood better than Joseph.  Joseph F. Smith had more light than Brigham.  Kimball had more light to work with than any of them.  And well, Pres. Nelson has to have the best understanding of all.

Isn't that how continuing revelations work?  Ignore the first, the past, and the recent.  The current has it all correct until the next one.

[Tacenda]

36 minutes ago, blueglass said:

Weeping God of enoch who strictly adheres to agency?   I'm very worried how successors solidified these false memories, converted them into doctrine, and then published as the will of God.  

That sounds man made to me!

[LoudmouthMormon]

I can't tell if I've been edified, or have wasted 15 minute of my life in slothful pursuit, to learn about the word "Octoroon".

[Navidad]

14 hours ago, cinepro said:

Artist's rendition of God at the implementation of the Priesthood Ban:

 

Hi - I am looking for an image of God crying. Is this really a rendition of God crying or is it something you are simply using to represent that? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I have just spent a long time trying to find such a representation. Thanks

[Navidad]

44 minutes ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

I can't tell if I've been edified, or have wasted 15 minute of my life in slothful pursuit, to learn about the word "Octoroon".

That is too funny. I just did the exact same thing. I learned more than I needed to know or will ever remember! 

[rpn]

17 hours ago, cinepro said:

Can't remember where I read it, but someone claimed that Joseph Fielding Smith hypothesized that there was actually a different (white) Elijah Abel, and that we were mixing up his ordination with the black Elijah Abel. So it was all just a big mistake.

Well the newly released documents say that both he and his wife were octoroons and that Joseph F. Smith knew that because the notes to that effect are in his handwriting.  I don't know how "black" they looked (though in those days, it also didn't matter).  

Edited January 19, 2019 by rpn

[CV75]

5 hours ago, Navidad said:

Hi - I am looking for an image of God crying. Is this really a rendition of God crying or is it something you are simply using to represent that? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I have just spent a long time trying to find such a representation. Thanks

It is a 1896 marble statue of Cain, evidently in agony after killing Abel, by French sculptor Henri Vidal. Here it is evidently being appropriated to suggest that God agonized over the metaphorical spiritual killing of black people through the priesthood ban, beginning with another man named “Able.”

[Navidad]

10 minutes ago, CV75 said:

It is a 1896 marble statue of Cain, evidently in agony after killing Abel, by French sculptor Henri Vidal. Here it is evidently being appropriated to suggest that God agonized over the metaphorical spiritual killing of black people through the priesthood ban, beginning with another man named “Able.”

OK. Thanks so very much. 

[Calm]

42 minutes ago, CV75 said:

It is a 1896 marble statue of Cain, evidently in agony after killing Abel, by French sculptor Henri Vidal. Here it is evidently being appropriated to suggest that God agonized over the metaphorical spiritual killing of black people through the priesthood ban, beginning with another man named “Able.”

Oh, I just assumed it was handy for a facepalm.

[CV75]

20 hours ago, Calm said:

Oh, I just assumed it was handy for a facepalm.

Definitely "handy" (nice pun!)

[Calm]

1 minute ago, CV75 said:

Definitely "handy" (nice pun!)

Unintentional....I am funny!