The Mormon Faith & Black Folks
Question #55
Q. Are there any Mormon leaders who are black?
With the exception of Elijah Abel, who was a Seventy
from the days of Joseph Smith until his death, and a few others, there was no black
Priesthood-officers until 1978. With the exception of Elijah Abel and his male
descendants, and one or two others we have little knowledge of, there were no
black Priesthood-holders until 1978.
Since the Revelation in 1978, there have been black
Priesthood-officers who have served as Bishops, Stake Presidents, District
Presidents, Mission Presidents, Branch Presidents, and the like. These are local
Church authorities. The only black General Authority (Church official
with general, universal, or Church-wide jurisdiction) to date (2000 A.D.) has been Brother Helvecio Martins.
Brother Martins was born in 1930, in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil. He is an Afro-Brazilian; a descendants of black slaves brought from
Africa to Brasil in the 18th and 19th centuries. He is
not a Mulatto, but a full-blooded
Negro. Brazil ended slavery in 1888.Although he stared working at age 12
(1942) , to help support his family, Br. Martins continued to going to
school; often at night. Through self-determination and hard work, he arose from
an errand-boy to a top executive of Brazil’s major gas and oil company;
becoming one of Brasil’s elite in 1972.
But financial and social success left him and his wife
Ruda spiritually empty. They became followers of Macamba; a popular Brazilian
religion based upon Yoruban (West African) Spiritualism and Roman Catholicism.
But a particular incident caused them to leave Macamba, and become Seekers of Truth. Br. Martins writes:
“We finally decided to leave the group altogether
when, after Ruda’s mother died, the group held a seance. Over the course of the
meeting, Ruda’s older sister was supposedly possessed by the spirit of my
mother-in-law. When vulgarity spewed from her mouth, Ruda and I realized that
this ‘spirit’ could not be the woman we knew as Ruda’s mother. The whole thing
was a sham.” (The Autobiography of Elder Helvecio Martins, p.40)
Brother and Sister Martins then began attending
various churches; Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, and so
forth. They were seeking ‘something’. They didn’t know what. One day, while in
a traffic jam in Rio, Br. Martins prayed to God:
“My God, I know you are there some place, but I don’t
know where. Is it possible you don’t see the confusion my family and I are
experiencing? It is possible you don’t realize we are searching for something
and that we don’t even know what it is? Why don’t you help us? Why don’t
you help us find that something which will bring relief, satisfaction, joy?” (Martins,
p.41)
Two weeks later Mormon missionaries knocked at their
door. Br. Martins remembers that the moment the two young elders entered their
home the spiritual gloom and confusion disappeared. Br. Martins writes:
“After everyone was seated, the missionaries said they
were representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ and that they had a blessing for our family if we would like one. I
told them yes, but stated that I first had some questions I would like them to
answer.
Given that your church is headquartered in the United
States,’ I began, ‘a country with a history of racial conflict, how does your
religion treat blacks?’ The year was 1972--six years prior to the priesthood
revelation allowing blacks to hold the priesthood. Elder McIntire initially went
red in the face [blushed] and nervously squirmed in his chair. Then, he
asked our permission to have a prayer, which we agreed to, and afterward began
giving what I know realize was the first missionary discussion. The elders
continued talking. I kept asking questions, the most pertinent of which they
responded to. Before we knew it, the hour was one in the morning, and those
missionaries had given us, I again realize in retrospect, most of the
missionary lessons. During that four-and-a-half hour discussion, we dealt with
the issue of blacks and the priesthood. The missionaries’ explanation seemed
clear to me, and, more important, I accepted the practice as the will of the
Lord.” (Martins, p.44)
If any black man had a right to be proud
it was Helvecio Martins; a man who lifted himself up by his own bootstraps from poverty to becoming one of Brasil’s
elite. He could have gotten angry at the missionaries when they told him that
black men could not hold the Priesthood in the LDS Church. He could have called
them ‘racists’ and thrown them out by their ears. Instead, he listened to the
Holy Spirit. That is why one of the elders had all of them pray before an explanation was given; to invite
the Holy Spirit into the discussion; so that He could testify to the truth.
Brother and Sister Martins recognized this witness of the Spirit, and instead
of getting mad or upset because their prides were hurt, they humbly accepted
the Priesthood ban as the Will of God.
Br. Martins invited the missionaries back for further
discussions, and soon he and his family were baptized into the Church. Br.
Martins writes:
“The Holy Ghost confirmed to us that The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the kingdom of God on earth.” (Martins,
p.46)
Although not even able to become a Deacon in
the Church, Brother Martins was soon called to be a Gospel Doctrine Teacher; a
non-priesthood position. After several years, he was appointed to become one of
the two Public Affairs Directors for the Church in Brazil.
Although not expecting to receive the Priesthood in
his mortal life, it came on June 8th 1978; with the
Revelation of the LORD to President Spencer W. Kimball. Brother and Sister Martins were soon sealed
in the Sao Paulo Temple for time and all eternity; with their children. Their
son became one of the first group of black Mormon missionaries since Elijah Abel.
Br. Martins served later as Bishop, Counselor in a Stake Presidency, and
as a Mission President in Fortaleza, Brasil. He saw miracles occur in his life,
in the lives of his family, and in the lives of others also by the authority of
the Priesthood which he held.
On March 23rd, 1990, Br. Martins was called
to become a Seventy; a member of the Second Quorum of Seventy: the 5th
highest council in the LDS Church. Brother Martins became Elder Martins; a
General Authority in the Church (the rough equivalent of a general in an
army).
*Exceeding Faith Brings Rewards
Because of Elder Martins exceeding faith he and
his wife and family were rewarded exceedingly; with miracles, with
success, and with becoming leaders in the Church. But the ultimate reward
is Eternal Life.
The door is open for other black men to become General
Authorities. But the Church isn’t going to place them into that position just
for show. They must earn it; through their faith and diligence,
and enduring to the end.
The LORD has said to the Elders of the Church:
“And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of
mine Elect; for mine Elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;....”
(D&C 29:7)
Please feel free to e-mail Darrick Evenson
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