Vol. 7, No. 5, 1990

Articles on Mormonism

James Walker

In an unprecedented move the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have greatly revised their secret temple ceremonies removing a number of significant portions long considered offensive by outsiders.

The changes, which will not be announced to the public, took effect shortly after the Church's General Conference in early April. During the Semi-Annual Conference another surprise decision was made public.

For the first time in the 160-year history of the Mormon Church a black man, Elder Helvecio Martins, 59, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was named as a "General Authority" of the Church, (Los Angeles Times, Sat. April 7, 1990).

Both decisions appear to be further moves on the part of Church leaders to distance themselves from public criti¬cism and to respond to pressure from within the ranks.

The Church began trying to erase a 150-year history of racism in 1978 when they first gave the Mormon Priesthood to blacks.

The naming of Martins to the Second Quorum of the Seventy comes on the heels of the ousting of another minority Church leader, George P. Lee, a Native American Indian.

Lee, the Church's only American Indian General Authority, was excommunicated last year when he charged current Mormon Prophet, Ezra Taft Benson, and other leaders with a number of criticisms including racism.

The timing of this announcement makes Martins appointment appear to be little more than an attempt to answer these charges.

Similarly, the changes in the secret temple ceremony seem to be in response to longstanding complaints that much of the ritual was offensive and pagan in origin.

Portions removed from the ceremony included:

Thumb gestures representing the "penalty" of having ones throat cut open rather than revealing the temple secrets.

The "five points of fellowship" at the veil.

The scene depicting Satan hiring a Christian pastor.

The prayer, "Pay Lay Ale."

Women pledging an "oath of obedience" to their husbands.

The changes in the ritual were first reported by former Mormon Sandra Tanner, great-great granddaughter of early Mormon leader Brigham Young.

She told Watchman Fellowship that earlier rumors of upcoming changes in the secret ceremony were confirmed by an unnamed Mormon source who was a recently participant in a Utah temple.

Charles Carpenter, board member of EMFJ in California, confirmed that changes had been made and that the ritual had been shortened during a telephone interview with a temple worker in the Provo Temple. She did not specify what changes were made.