Missions to the “Lamanites”?
D&C 28:8 – September 1830
“And now, behold, I say unto you that you shall go unto the Lamanites and preach my gospel unto them.:
Almost as soon as the Church was organized and the Book of Mormon was printed at the Grandin Press, the Lord, through the Prophet Joseph, instructed Oliver Cowdery (D&C 28:8), Peter Whitmer Jr. (D&C 30:5-6), Parley P. Pratt and Ziba Peterson (D&C 32:1-3), to go and preach the gospel unto the “Lamanites.” The multiple references in these sections makes it clear that the Lord knows who the “Lamanite” remnant of the Book of Mormon are and tells these missionaries that He himself will “go with them and be in their midst” as they go to the “borders of the Lamanites.”
Quote by Parley P. Pratt
Thus ended our first Indian Mission, in which we had preached the gospel in its fulness, and distributed the record of their forefathers among three tribes, viz. : the Catteraugus Indians, near Buffalo, N. Y., the Wyandots of Ohio, and the Delawares west of Missouri.
Oliver Cowdery’s Speech to the Delaware Indians about the Book of Mormon
“Aged Chief and Venerable Council of the Delaware nation; we are glad of this opportunity to address you as our red brethren and friends. We have travelled a long distance from towards the rising sun to bring you glad news: we have travelled the wilderness, crossed the deep and wide rivers, and waded in the deep snows, and in the face of the storms of winter, to communicate to you great knowledge which has lately come to our ears and hearts and which will do the red man good as well as the pale face.
Once the red men were many; they occupied the country from sea to sea—from the rising to the setting sun; the whole land was theirs; the Great Spirit gave it to them, and no pale faces dwelt among them.
Thousands of moons ago, when the red men’s forefathers dwelt in peace and possessed this whole land, the Great Spirit talked with them, and revealed His law and His will, and much knowledge to their wise men and prophets. This they wrote in a Book; together with their history, and the things which should befall their children in the latter days. “This Book was written on plates of gold, and handed down from father to son for many ages and generations. “It was then that the people prospered, and were strong and mighty; they cultivated the earth; built buildings and cities, and abounded in all good things, as the pale faces now do.
“But they became wicked: they killed one another and shed much blood; they killed their prophets and wise men, and sought to destroy the Hook. The (heat Spirit became angry, and would speak to them no more; they had no more good and wise dreams ; no more visions ; no more angels sent among them by the Great Spirit ; and the Lord commanded Mormon and Moroni, their last wise men and prophets, to hide the Book in the earth, that it might be preserved in safety, and be found and made known in the latter day to the pale faces who should possess the land ; that they might again make it known to the red man ; in order to restore them to the knowledge of the will of the Great Spirit and to His favor.
And if the red man would then receive this Book and learn the things written in it, and do according thereunto, they should be restored to all their rights and privileges; should cease to fight and kill one another; should become one people; cultivate the earth in peace, in common with the pale faces, who were willing to believe and obey the same book, and be good men and live in peace.
This Book, which contained these things, was hid in the earth by Moroni, in a hill called by him, Cumorah, which lull is now in the State ofNew York, near the village of Palmyra, in Ontario County. “In that neighborhood there lived a young man named Joseph Smith, who prayed to the Great Spirit much, in order that he might know the truth ; and the Great Spirit sent an angel to him, and told him where this Book was hid by Moroni; and commanded him to go and get it. He accordingly Went to the place, and dug in the earth, and found the Book written on golden plates.
But it was written in the language of the forefathers of the red man; therefore this young man, being a pale face, could not understand it; but the angel told him and showed him, and gave him knowledge of the language, and how to interpret the Book. So he interpreted it into the language of the pale faces, and wrote it on paper, and caused it to be printed, and published thousands of copies of it among them ; and then sent us to the red men to bring some copies of it to them, and to tell them this news. So we have now come from him, and here is a copy of the Book, which we now present to our red friend, the chief of the Delaware’s, and which we hope he will cause to be read and known among his tribe; it will do them good.”
We then presented him with a Book of Mormon. There was a pause in the council, and some conversation in their own tongue, after which the chief made the following reply:
We feel truly thankful to cur white friends who have come so far, and been at such pains to tell us good news, and especially this new news concerning the Book of our forefathers; it makes us glad in here”—placing his hand on his heart.
“It is now winter, we are new settlers in this place; the snow is deep, our cattle and horses are dying, our wigwams are poor; we have much to do in the spring to build houses, and fence and make farms; but we will build a council house, and meet together, and you shall read to us and teach us more concerning the Book of our fathers and the will of the Great Spirit.”
Joseph Smith
“You will gather the Red Man. . .from their scattered and dispersed situation to become the strong arm of Jehovah.” 1
