Official Declaration #3 (Draft Version)

A Proclamation by the Church to Correct the
Blacks and the Priesthood Doctrine Error of
1852-2024

Introduction: My name is Roy Eddings, an average elder living in Logan, Utah, and a
great friend to the Church. What I have presented here is only a draft of a proposed
proclamation, and not an official declaration by the Church. But it is my hope and prayer that all
members and leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and people of all
religions and beliefs, will join me in the effort to encourage the Church to proclaim a new
message to the world based on equality and basic human rights. In this presentation, I begin with
an introduction in page 1, and then the draft proclamation follows in page 2.

While I have much to offer in support of this proclamation—three landmark books and
34 well-thought-out lectures on this and other related subjects of the restored gospel, which you
can see in the website links at the end and also on the side panel—the bottom line reason for
supporting the adoption of this proclamation is just common sense. The 1852 policy by the
Church of banning blacks from the priesthood was a clear mistake by all involved, and it's never
been fully repudiated, even up to today in 2024.

Here are six key points on this subject from one of the lectures (#32):

1) The temple is for everyone. The priesthood is for everyone. This has always been true.

Joseph Smith would agree with this. The Savior would agree with this. There is no
common sense basis to believe otherwise.

2) Joseph would not have wanted to increase the misery already being experienced by
blacks through slavery by then removing the priesthood and temple blessings during their life
that would bring so much hope and comfort to them, and that are essential in preparing them for
salvation.

3) The ban was wrong on principle; it was wrong for the reputational damage it did to
the Church; it was wrong for the harm it did to member testimonies; and it was wrong because it
thwarted the work of the Lord by excluding a whole race of people from gaining direct access to
the priesthood and temple ordinances for generations.

4) The priesthood ban among the Latter-day Saints made the Jim Crow era worse in
America.

5) It was not just the leaders of the Church who were at fault, it was also us, the members
of the Church, going to meetings every Sunday since 1852, who were at fault. Our actions
against intolerance by the Church should not have been through political activism or protests,
but just calmly and consistently talking with our local bishops and stake presidents on the issue
in every congregation worldwide. We should have reasoned it through in problem solving mode
with them to create a groundswell sufficient to bring about the change required.

6) Official Declaration 2, in 1978, only did half the work it needed to do. Official
Declaration 3, on the same subject in 2024, will finish the job and correct the doctrinal mistake
fully.

With those points made, let's proceed to the proclamation.

Draft proclamation:

Be it known to the people of all nations that we, the members and leaders of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, acknowledge that a serious error did occur in 1852 by the
implementation of a policy banning blacks from the priesthood and the ordinances of the temple.
We firmly declare that the ban did not come through revelation and was not of God.

In the decision to implement the ban, the most important principles of the gospel of Jesus
Christ—love, compassion, equality of all men and women before God, and basic fairness—were
not adhered to. And while the 1978 proclamation did end the ban, it didn't correct the doctrinal
problem that led to the ban's creation in the first place. Today, it being the thirtieth day of the
month of April, 2024, we hereby state that the ban has been fully repudiated, not just in its
practice, but in principle, too. It caused pain for generations among both members and non-
members, and never should have seen the light of day in this Church or any other.

We realize that in making this declaration, criticism will be leveled for our failure to act
on it for so long. And that criticism would be fully justified. But we want this mistake to be
corrected, regardless of the consequences. It's just the right thing to do.

Finally, it is our hope that this message today brings about a new era of accountability
and increased transparency that will be so important to the future success of all churches,
foundations, businesses, and governments throughout the world.

Signed, Members and Leaders of the Church

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The three books and lectures are free to the public at the following links:

http://www.awonderfulnation.org (132 pages, the ideal in government for America)

http://www.awonderfulchurch.org (754 pages, the principles of the ideal of Zion in the Church)

http://www.royeddings.org (Over 2000 pages in 3 sections, journal and history of spiritual gifts)

http://www.royeddings.org/index.php/jre/prpk (34 lectures on revelation and priesthood keys)

Desktop/laptop mode is preferred—large screen—but also runs fine on mobile browser.