SALT LAKE CITY- The man who cast the first vote
in modern history against a leader of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints has been excommunicated and
fired as chapel janitor.

Byron Marchant, 35, of Salt Lake, is the second opponent
of the church policy withholding the priesthood from
blacks to be excommunicated in the last two years.

All faithful Mormon males 12 years and older except
blacks are trained to hold priesthood offices.

Marchant, who is white, said he will appeal the excommunication
by the High Council Court In his stake
(diocese), and a church spokesman said Saturday the appeal
would go to the First Presidency - the three top
leaders.

Marchant was called to a church court before the
church's semiannual conference two weeks ago after he
announced a demonstration questioning the church
policy.

The church court was postponed and Marchant called
off his demonstration, but during the conference In the
Salt Lake Tabernacle he cast the only dissenting vote in
modern times against sustaining a church leader.

Marchant said he was excommunicated in a closed-
door trial which lasted until 4a.m. Friday. He said he was
informed of the verdict and the loss of his job later in the
day by Stake President Narvel J. Scherzinger.

Scherzinger declined to discuss the matter, refusing to
say even whether a trial was held. He said all trials are
held in confidence and "in the spirit of love."

Marchant said the excommunication was due to "open
opposition" to church authority. "My behavior was embarrassing
to the church."

He said he was denied permission to tape record the
trial. He said he argued a recording should be mode so
false rumors would not be spread about the reason for his
excommunication.

Many excommunications involve sex offenses, such as
adultery or homosexuality. Advocating polygamy, which
was once allowed by the church. now also results in excommunication.

Church spokesmen Don LeFevre said excommunications
are handled at the local level and are not routinely
reviewed by the higher authorities. He said results of ex-
communications are forwarded to church headquarters
for membership records.

The other dissident excommunicated was Douglas A.
Wallace, a Vancouver, Wash., attorney who had ordained
a black Mormon into the priesthood.

Marchant was a church missionary to France for two
years.

He was scoutmaster of a troop which included non-Mormon
blacks in whose behalf the NAACP sued, challenging
the policy which made it impossible for blacks to
hold scout leadership positions because they were linked
to priesthood offices. The case was dismissed after the
church agreed to changed the policy.

Associated Press
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19771015&id=oh1OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QhMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6904%2C3033393
Wilmington Star-News Sunday Oct 16th 1977