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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