Where Brigham Young says that is is better to die than to be in a mixed race marriage. I believe it is in the JoD somewhere??

any other racist quotes from that old lecher would be appreciated.

also, would a TBM consider the JoD as a 'church approved' source or would they pull the old "This is anti-mormon literature, therefore I won't read it" stunt

BRIGHAM YOUNG
Journal of Discourses
Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African Race? If the White man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so.

Vol. 7, pg. 290-291

Cain slew his brother. . . and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin.

You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind. The first man that committed the odious crime of killing one of his brethren will be cursed the longest of any one of the children of Adam. Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the same race--that they should be the "servant of servants;" and they will be, until that curse is removed.

Surely it must be another Brigham Young because...

Elder Alexander B. Morrison Of the Seventy says:
How grateful I am that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has from its beginnings stood strongly against racism in any of its malignant manifestations. President Spencer W. Kimball stated the Church’s position well: “We do wish that there would be no racial prejudice. … Racial prejudice is of the devil. … There is no place for it in the gospel of Jesus Christ” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 236–37).
Excerpt from Alexander B. Morrison, "“No More Strangers”", Ensign, Sept. 2000, 16

And the Mormon Church wouldn't try to cover up a racist past...


“We recommend that people marry those who are of the same racial background generally, and of somewhat the same economic and social and educational background (some of those are not an absolute necessity, but preferred), and above all, the same religious background, without question” (“Marriage and Divorce,” in 1976 Devotional Speeches of the Year [Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1977], p. 144).
Excerpt from the current Aaronic Priesthood teaching manual

And the Mormon Church wouldn't still be teaching racism...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/2011 11:50AM by jon.

Journal of Discourses (JD), Vol.2, Pg.142 - Pg.143, Brigham Young, Dec., 3, 1854
We have this illustrated in the account of Cain and Abel. Cain conversed with his God every day, and knew all about the plan of creating this earth, for his father told him. But, for the want of humility, and through jealousy, and an anxiety to possess the kingdom, and to have the whole of it under his own control, and not allow any body else the right to say one word, what did he do? He killed his brother. The Lord put a mark on him; and there are some of his children in this room. When all the other children of Adam have had the privilege of receiving the Priesthood, and of coming into the kingdom of God, and of being redeemed from the four quarters of the earth, and have received their resurrection from the dead, then it will be time enough to remove the curse from Cain and his posterity. He deprived his brother of the privilege of pursuing his journey through life, and of extending his kingdom by multiplying upon the earth; and because he did this, he is the last to share the joys of the kingdom of God.

JD, Vol.2, Pg.184, Brigham Young, February 18, 1855
The seed of Ham, which is the seed of Cain descending through Ham, will, according to the curse put upon him, serve his brethren, and be a "servant of servants" to his fellow-creatures, until God removes the curse; and no power can hinder it. These are my views upon slavery. I will here say a little more upon this point. The conduct of the whites towards the slaves will, in many cases, send both slave and master to hell. This statement comprises much in a few words. The blacks should be used like servants, and not like brutes, but they must serve. It is their privilege to live so as to enjoy many of the blessings which attend obedience to the first principles of the Gospel, though they are not entitled to the Priesthood.

JD, Vol.11, Pg.272, Brigham Young, August 19, 1866
Why are so many of the inhabitants of the earth cursed with a sin of blackness? It comes in consequence of their fathers rejecting the power of the Holy Priesthood, and the law of God. They will go down to death. And when all the rest of the children have received their blessings in the Holy Priesthood, then that curse will be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will then come up and possess the priesthood, and receive all the blessings which we now are entitled to. The volition of the creature is free; this is a law of their existence, and the Lord cannot violate his own law; were he to do that, he would cease to be God. He has placed life and death before his children, and it is for them to choose. If they choose life, they receive the blessings of life; if they chose death, they must abide the penalty. This is a law which has always existed from all eternity, and will continue to exist throughout all the eternities to come.

JD, Vol.10, Pg.109, Brigham Young, March 8, 1863
Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so. The nations of the earth have transgressed every law that God has given, they have changed the ordinances and broken every covenant made with the fathers, and they are like a hungry man that dreameth that he eateth, and he awaketh and behold he is empty.
Brigham Young: God has decreed that black should be the servants of whites, so the Civil War will not free the slaves

JD, Vol.10, Pg.250, Brigham Young, October 6, 1863 [during the Civil War]
Ham will continue to be the servant of servants, as the Lord has decreed, until the curse is removed. Will the present struggle free the slave? No; but they are now wasting away the black race by thousands. Many of the blacks are treated worse than we treat our dumb brutes; and men will be called to judgment for the way they have treated the negro, and they will receive the condemnation of a guilty conscience, by the just Judge whose attributes are justice and truth.
Treat the slaves kindly and let them live, for Ham must be the servant of servants until the curse is removed. Can you destroy the decrees of the Almighty? You cannot. Yet our Christian brethren think that they are going to overthrow the sentence of the Almighty upon the seed of Ham. They cannot do that, though they may kill them by thousands and tens of thousands.

Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so. Brigham Young- JoD: vol.10 p. 110: (March 8, 1863)

I have a lot more from other profits

The Church has issued the following statement on their website: ‘The Journal of Discourses is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a compilation of sermons and other materials from the early years of the Church, which were transcribed and then published. It includes practical advice as well as doctrinal discussion, some of which is speculative in nature and some of which is only of historical interest.’ Original link missing.

But when the church was selling the Journals, it said this:


What is the Journal of Discourses?
"The Journal of Discourses deservedly ranks as one of the standard works of the Church, and every rightminded Saint will certainly welcome with joy every Number as it comes forth from the press as an additional reflector of "the light that shines from Zion's hill." (Journal of Discourses, Preface, Volume 8)
This statement by George Q. Cannon, Apostle of God, sets the scene for what has become regarded by true Gospel scholars as one of the most important sources of doctrinal teaching in this the dispensation of the fullness of times.

President Joseph F. Smith, counsellor to Brigham Young and later Prophet of God, made this statement with reference to the Journal of Discourses:-
"We feel confident that the important instructions on principle and doctrine therein contained, relative to the building of Temples, the salvation of the dead, the introduction of the Order of Enoch, and the general progress and development of the great Latter-day Work, will prove as interesting, gratifying and beneficial to the Saints and to posterity, as those that have been previously published through this medium.
We regret that the circulation of the JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES is so limited. Its importance would warrant a thousand-fold greater extension of this work. We anticipate a time, not distant in the future, when a copy of the present volume will be more precious than gold. It is even now almost impossible to obtain a complete series. Copies should therefore be carefully preserved by all subscribers. (Journal of Discourses, Preface, Volume 18)

What are these Volumes that have been so highly recommended? Who compiled them? If they are so important why are they not well known and used regularly by the general membership of the Church today? Are copies available? If so, where and how can they be obtained?
Hopefully this article will answer these and many other important questions with regards to possibly the greatest, but probably the least read, series of books in Latter-day Saint history!

The Journal of Discourses are a set of 26 volumes, adding up to nearly 10,000 pages of talks that were extemporaneously given. The early Saints felt that it was important that speakers should follow closely the admonition in the scriptures;
"Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man." (D&C 84:85)
This was confirmed by Apostle and future member of the First Presidency, John Henry Smith, when he, acting as editor in charge of the Journal of Discourses, wrote the preface to the 24th volume:
"This, the Twenty-fourth Volume of the JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES, like its predecessors, consists of sermons of Latter-day Saints, extemporaneously delivered and phonographically reported. That those who are privileged with its perusal may profit not only by the letter, but by the spirit also of the utterances herein recorded, is the earnest desire of the publisher." (Journal of Discourses, Preface, Volume 24)

In fact, in the preface to the index, produced and compiled at Brigham Young University in 1959, the statement was made:
"...In most cases it appears that the speakers depended almost entirely upon inspiration from the Holy Ghost, and the subjects discussed were intended for the greatest benefit of the Saints." (Paragraph 2, Preface, Journal of Discourses Index.)
Surely this is an example to us all. I, for one, have never come across anyone that has failed to be impressed by the Spiritual feast that is to be found within these Journals, as they carefully peruse its pages.

The talks contained in the Journal of Discourses were given by over 100 different authorities in the Church, the majority, by Apostles and Prophets of God. The discourses, in the main were given between the years of 1854 and 1886, but some talks that had been given previous to these years were also included, as well as some that were given by the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Some people have stated, without any foundation whatsoever, that the talks reported in the "Journals" were inaccurately recorded and reported. But all the evidence that is available goes to show that those chosen to make a record of the talks, did so in an extremely accurate manner, and had the complete confidence of the leaders of the Church in giving a faithful and reliable record of that which was said.

In fact, Brigham Young once stated:
"I know just as well what to teach this people and just what to say to them and what to do in order to bring them into the celestial kingdom, as I know the road to my office. It is just as plain and easy. The Lord is in our midst. He teaches the people continually. I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call Scripture. Let me have the privilege of correcting a sermon, and it is as good Scripture as they deserve." (Journal of Discourses 13:95)
he also said this:
"I say now, when they are copied and approved by me they are as good scripture as is couched in this Bible, and if you want to read revelation read the sayings of him who knows the mind of God,..."
Obviously, Brigham Young approved and supported the Journal of Discourses and anybody who reads them with the Spirit of God as their guide "will know for themselves, and not for another," that the talks contained therein are truly the word of God to all who have "ears to hear."

"Each successive Volume of these Discourses is a rich mine of wealth, containing gems of great value, and the diligent seeker will find ample reward for his labor. After the fathers and mothers of this generation have made them the study of their lives their children's children will find that they are still unexhausted, and rejoice that this Record has been handed down from their fathers to also aid them in following the way of life.

No one can remain a Saint long, unless he progresses by seeking after the higher knowledge, spirit, and power of those who are set to lead him. A little observation and experience will also satisfy him that he can never fully understand their sayings until he has advanced as far as they have, and sees and comprehends as they do, hence he will ever find their instructions the great fountain from which he must draw the elements of his own progress." (Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, Preface, Volume 3.)

Orson Pratt, truly described the "Journals" as a "rich mine of wealth," and encouraged people to read it's pages. Why then are there so few people which do this? It has been estimated that there are only a dozen or so copies in the whole of the British Isles; if they are so important, why is this?
Possibly one of the answers that is given, is the cost element. With 26 Volumes, normally in hardback, the cost for a complete set is normally well over $200.00, and individual copies are few and far between.

But surely, I hear you say, if they are so important, the Church could produce them in large quantities, and have the cost drastically reduced. Well, I'm sure they could, if they had a mind to, but for some reason, the Church leadership have major qualms over the benefit of the "Journals" to the Saints of today, and many leaders of the Church recently, have even expressed that they would not even have a set in their own home, and would be concerned if they knew of members that did! Mark E. Peterson, stated himself that:
"I personally never use them..."
and
"It seems to me that we have so many good books in the Church that are accepted that we could do very well to obtain what we need from the Journal of Discourses from the books that the Church itself has published, such for instance as the Discourses of Brigham Young, prepared by Dr. Widtsoe." (Letter from Mark E. Peterson to Ernest Cook, 30th November 1976, copy in authors possession.)

From what Elder Peterson states, he seems to imply that the "Journal of Discourses" are not accepted by the Church, and that they were not published by the Church at all!! A fact that all informed people know to be false. As a point of interest, the book recommended by Elder Peterson, "The Discourses of Brigham Young" by John A. Widstoe, has much selective editing involved, as well as some of the most vital tenets of the early Church being omitted. There has even been some falsification in the transferring in some of President Young's talks, totally changing the context of what he said!

I think though, that I would agree with Elder Peterson on his first point, that the Church does not, today at least, accept the "Journal of Discourses" as an official organ of Church doctrine, which in some ways is strange, because doctrines or principles cannot change, they are eternal, and those principles and doctrines which leaders of the Church taught 150 or so years ago, should still be true today.

We all understand that the Journals contain items of instruction that were specifically given to benefit the Saints of that day, but there is also much contained therein that should be as beneficial and applicable to the Saints today, as it was back then. Surely that is what Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith were saying in the quotations cited above!!

One benefit or blessing of living in this day and age, is the computer, and now, the Journal of Discourses in its entirety is available on computer disc, and enables the user to easily search through all the volumes in a matter of seconds for any reference that they so wish. These discs are cheaper than the books themselves, and are much more easily available. The "Truth Seeker" offices can be contacted with more information as to where these may be obtained. The following quotation shows how the Saints, as well as non-members would have appreciated the facility that we have today.

"We now present the Eighteenth Volume of the JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES to the Saints, and to all lovers of the Truth.
It is impossible to give monetary value to the past volumes of this publication, and the best evidence that they are appreciated, is to be found in the fact that they are sought alike by non-members as well as by members of the Church, and in contrast with many works of greater pretentions, book-stalls are searched in vain for even solitary copies.

Those who read the utterances of the servants of God, contained in this book, under the same influence by which the speakers were inspired, cannot fail to receive profit from the perusal. Therefore, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Joseph F. Smith, Journal of Discourses, Preface, Volume 18)

I think also the advice given in the final paragraph of the above statement by Joseph F. Smith is very applicable to all who have an opportunity of reading the "Journals," and should be heeded. Surely then, the promise made by Apostle Albert Carrington will help us in achieving the ultimate goal of exaltation.
"We take great pleasure in presenting to the Saints and the world the Fifteenth Volume of the JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES, which they will find contains rich treasures of information concerning the glorious principles of Eternal Life, as revealed through God's anointed servants in these last days.
All who read the discourses contained in this Volume are earnestly recommended to adapt them to their lives by practice, and we can confidently assure them that, in doing so, they are laying up a store of knowledge that will save and exalt them in the Celestial kingdom." (Journal of Discourses, Preface, Volume 15)

In conclusion, let me encourage all to feast upon the spiritual food contained within these books. Do not let anyone put you off reading the wonderful talks contained therein.
Remember:
"All men can be profited by perusing its pages and pondering over the words of truth and salvation as they flow in beautiful simplicity and power from the mouths of the Living Oracles." (George Q. Cannon, Journal of Discourses. Preface, Volume 9)

The "Journal of Discourses:"
"...ought to prove a valuable acquisition to all those who love the truth, and long for redemption of scattered Israel.The "Journal of Discourses" is a vehicle of doctrine, counsel, and instruction to all people, but especially to the Saints." (Daniel H. Wells, Journal of Discourses, Preface. Volume 10)

"It is replete with good teachings and wise counsels, and it may be read with profit by all lovers of truth." (Albert Carrington, Journal of Discourses. Preface, Volume 17)
(from Truth Seeker (Messenger) Magazine)

To say that the JoD is "not an official publication..." is to use the excuse of the tense of the verb to be as adequate to cover what is a lie. To unofficialize the JoD cannot be done. The journals were, most certainly, official documents of TSCC and were published by the church, not some random group of anti-mormons. The words of Brigham Young and the others stand. The ink cannot be whited out by someone who realizes the utter error of the TSCC leaders. Remember Lady Macbeth trying to wash off the blood and she could not do it. Similarly, the LDS leaders cannot wash out the hatefulness of the leaders of the church for persons of color, nor the awful doctrines promulgated, nor everything which shows the true colors of mormonism. They stand as if written in stone.

Thank you, Twinker, Jon, Jim Huston and JoD3:360