It is the Mormon belief that in our pre-mortal state there were a large number of individuals who, due to some act or behavior of their own in the pre-existence, forfeited the right to hold the Priesthood during their mortal lives, but would be allowed to possess the Priesthood in the due time of the Lord. 145 It is not specifically known what these individuals did or did not do in the pre-existence to be denied the Priesthood. It is only known that whatever it was, it was a matter of individual responsibility and choice. 146



We are told by our prophets, both ancient and modern, that these individuals would all be assigned to the same race and that they were all to come through a lineage which would be forbidden the Priesthood during mortality. “ Therefor the Lord prepared a way through the lineage of Cain for these spirits to come to the earth, but under the restriction of the priesthood. 147 That group is known today as the Negroid race. Negroes, we see, “were not denied the privilege of receiving the second estate [mortality] but were permitted to come to the earth life with some restrictions placed upon them. That the Negro race, for instance had been placed under restrictions because of their attitude in the world of spirits, few will doubt. It cannot be looked upon as just that they should be deprived of the power of the Priesthood without it being a punishment for some act, or acts, performed before they were born.”148 The Negro is thus denied the Priesthood because of his own behavior in the pre-existence. As Joseph Fielding Smith tells us, “ There is a reason why one man is born black with other disadvantages, while another is born white with great advantages.The reason is that we once had an estate before we came here, and were obedient, more or less, to the laws that were given us there. Those who were faithful in all things there received greater blessings here and those who were not so faithful received less... every man had his agency ...

