May 16th & 17th, 2008

In March 1836 Elijah Abel was ordained an Elder in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The evidence suggests he was ordained by Joseph Smith. In December of the same year he was ordained a Seventy and became a "duly licensed minister of the Gospel" for missionary work in Ohio. He also served missions in New York and Canada.  On February 8, 1852, Brigham Young stood before the Utah Territorial Legislature as it approved a statute establishing slavery in the Territory of Utah and declared that, “Any man having one drop of the seed of Cain in him cannot hold the Priesthood and if no other Prophet ever spake it before I will say it now in the name of Jesus Christ.” Br. Brigham was right on one point, “no other Prophet ever spake it before”. Brigham’s policy remained in force for 126 and 1/2 years before the Church repudiated it.  The Church’s Priesthood policy before 1978 and the pre-1978 justifications that continue to linger today are stumbling blocks for many, particularly African Americans. What can we do to heal the wounds and dispel the lingering effects of a tragic policy? Marvin Perkins will present his perspective on these issues.

ABOUT THE TOPIC:

On February 8, 1852, Brigham Young stood before the Utah Territorial Legislature as it approved a statute establishing slavery in the Territory of Utah.  He said, "The Lord said I will not kill Cain, but I will put a mark upon him and it is seen in the face of every Negro on earth. And it is the degree of God that that mark shall remain upon the seed of Cain and the Curse until all the seed of Abel should be redeemed and Cain will not receive the priesthood or salvation until all the seed of Abel are redeemed. Any man having one drop of the seed of Cain in him cannot hold the Priesthood and if no other Prophet ever spake it before I will say it now in the name of Jesus Christ." (Journal of Wilford Woodruff 4:97)  How did this egregious old trope originating in Europe and particularly prevalent among Southern Christians (Baptists, in particular) in the 18^th and 19^th Centuries (and continuing into the 20^th Century) become embedded into Church doctrine? Joseph Smith had an open policy without discrimination, yet Brigham Young reversed the policy. Today, when the preferred descriptor for African Americans is “black” rather than “negro”, we and others often read the word “black”  in the scriptures when associated with a people or culture as a descriptor of race or skin color. Is this correct? The Church’s Priesthood policy before 1978 and the pre-1978 justifications that continue to linger today are stumbling blocks for many, particularly African Americans. What can we do to heal the wounds and dispel the lingering effects of a tragic policy? Marvin Perkins will present his perspective on these issues

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: 

Marvin Perkins 

Marvin Perkins, of Valencia, CA, is a 19-year convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Born and raised in Niagara Falls, NY, just 90 miles west of Palmyra, he had never heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints, or Mormons.  Marvin is also an accomplished vocal recording artist.  When one of his business associates wanted to come out to see him perform, this desire set off the missionary experience that would lead to his Baptism into the LDS Church, 3 months later. 

He currently serves as Co-Chair for Genesis Public Affairs.  This is a calling out of Salt Lake City, though living in Southern California. He teaches throughout the country on the Black and LDS issues.  He also serves as a Temple Worker in the Los Angeles, CA Temple, and has represented the Church on numerous television and radio programs. 

Past service includes: Director of African American Relations on the Southern California Public Affairs Council, Gospel Doctrine and Seminary instructor.  He is married to the former Ani Crespo.  They have three children, Marvin Jr., Asia Delia, and Milan Milagros.  Marvin is a successful sales executive for the Bureau of National Affairs. 

Marvin is also the recipient of the 2004 Humanitarian award by the National Council of Community and Justice and in October 2007, co-authored with Darius Gray the groundbreaking set of DVDs entitled Blacks in the Scriptures that details the biblical and LDS doctrine on people of color, curses and the priesthood.

CALENDAR 2007 - 2008 

Dawn and Morris Thurston – June 20-21, 2008!  Writing personal and family history – from the experts.

Hugh Hewitt – July 11, 2008 – Latter-day Saints in the contemporary political and religious culture in the United States

Prof. Ronald W. Walker – September 19-20, 2008 – Mountain Meadows Massacre Retrospective

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND? 

The challenge of Joseph Smith, if taken seriously, demands the best of our minds as well as our spirits. The Church as an institution provides abundant opportunities for the spirit. The Miller-Eccles Study Group provides a complementary forum for the demands of the mind.  You will be intellectually engaged and your understanding of the restoration will be enlarged. You will find it intriguing and insightful. Your intellect will be stimulated, your confidence strengthened, and your friendship with fine people deepened. 

In addition, you all know how well Dawn Thurston treats you with refreshments after the meeting! For those who attend in La Canada Flintridge, Russ Frandsen guarantees you will enjoy his home-made chocolate chip cookies (if he doesn’t eat all the dough while making them). 

Mark your calendar and plan on attending. 

NO RECORDING

To assure an open and frank discussion, we request that our meetings not be recorded. 

SUPPORT FOR THE MILLER ECCLES STUDY GROUP 

The Miller Eccles Study Group is supported by the donations of those who attend. We suggest a donation of $10 per person. For students and recent graduates, we suggest $5.00 per person. For those for whom these donations are a burden, please contribute what you can. The principal costs are transportation, lodging, and related expenses. 

MISSION STATEMENT 

The Miller-Eccles Study Group seeks to encourage LDS gospel scholarship, enlightenment and understanding, with an emphasis in history. To this end, qualified speakers are invited to address the group on related subjects. Our format then allows for the kind of in-depth question and discussion that other local forums and activities are unable to accommodate. We aim to provide opportunities for honest inquiry and expression in an open, accepting environment of good fellowship. In such an atmosphere negativism and destructive criticism do not easily flourish. Instead, the exhilaration, upliftment, and unity amid diversity that the gospel affords can be fostered.