Saturday, August 20, 2022

Jonathan Dunham's Belief in 1840 that the Saints would go to the Rocky Mountains

  

The following are some of the Items contained in the letter in his own words “Dear brother in the gospel and new Covenant, I feel it a duty to inform you that I am on my way and mission to the State of New York, I have just returned from the Far West! by way of Commerce Nauvoo, Springfield &c. I started in company with three other Elders who have all got sick & I have been obliged to leave them, two of whom have gone back & the other I left in Covington K.Y. opposite Cincinatti. My mission is urgent indeed. I am now left alone” I and want you to select out if possible three or four Lamanite preachers and have them ready when I arrive to go to Catteraugus Buffalo Tonawanda, Tuscaroras, Alleganys Onendagas and Oneidas:— I want the bretheren if possible to assist me in getting to the Onida Castle by water for I am in haste to return to Nauvoo at Oct. Conference, & then to my station in the Territory of Missouri 9 miles from the Garrison (Levingworth), from whence I have just come. A new scene of things are about to transpire in the west, in fulfilment of prophecy, &c I want your prayers & also the prayers of the bretheren that I may have my health to accomplish my mission. I am not sent to the Gentiles neither to the Cities of the Sameritans, but to the promised people of the house of Jacob, who if they go through &c”

To this letter he signs his name “J Dunham Lamanite” . . . in publick he says “this nation is about to be destroyed” and suggests to the bretheren that there is a place of safety preparing for them away towards the Rockey mountains they may have a long and crooked Road to go to get there” and says but few will be preserved to arrive there . . . (“Letter from Thomas Burdick, 28 August 1840”)

 

Previously in July 1837, Dunham received a blessing that he was "to go a great work mongst the Lamonites" and he would "preach to the Lamonites, the Indians," telling them of the Prophet Joseph Smith and speak to them in their native language.


While still in England, members of the Twelve were aware of plans involving the Indians. In a letter to Joseph Smith dated May 7, 1840, Brigham Young wrote that “I wish you would tell me how cousin Lemuel gets along with his business . . .”

 

In his journal entry on July 13, 1840, Wilford Woodruff recorded that

 

an Indian with his wife & daughter has embraced the fulness of the gospel & Been Baptized in Commerce

the Indian is an Interpreter of six tribes, & the Indian says all of those tribes will receive the work, & two Elders with their families (Brothers Butler & Emmit)

have gone out among the Indians on a mission &c As this is the first commencment of the work among the Lamanites I Pray God the Eternal Father in the name of Jesus Christ to roll on his work among that people & turn ther captivity & spedily overshadow them with the light of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Roll on O ye mighty wheel of the Kingdom of God untill ye becom a mountain & fill the whole earth. Let the day which has now broke close no more untill Judah rejoices & Israel is made glad & Ephraim's Nobles are of himself & his Governour procede forth out of the midst of him. Let the prayer of the widow, & the cry of the Orphan assend into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, let the heavens witness their tears & record them on high, untill the Almighty shall come out of his hiding place & avenge those widows & orphens of the spilt Blood of their Martered husbands & Fathers which was shed by the Iron hand of the Inhabitants of Missouri for the word of God & the testimon of Jesus Christ Let the American Nation spedily learn that their is still a God in Israel who holds the destinies of all nations in his own hand & at whose command goes forth the issues of life & death. O Lord Cloth thy Saints with Salvation & thine Elders with the Power of God. Give thy Prophets wisdom, means, & power, to esstablish Zion & her stakes to be throne down no more forever; Make thy no Apostles men after thine own heart & swift witnesses to the nations of the earth let council, wisdom, & the fear of God rest upon them untill all thy purposes are accomplished concerning them which thou wilt Deign to perform!!

 

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