On June 8, 1854, while laboring in the Southern Indian Mission, Thomas Dunlop Brown wrote the following which is reflective of a number of aspects of Latter-day Saint theology and teachings concerning the Lamanites:
“MISSIONARIES’ SONG”
The Spirit loquitor [speaks]
1
“Stop! Stop! some spirit whispers, Who are you? when you come?
Why tread this ground long Sacred? Have you no other home?
The ashed of our fathers sleep soundly here—untrod
Are you in search of paltry gold? or servants of “Shenowab?”
Tell, tell, pray quickly tell
Are you in search of patry god? or servants of “Shenowab?” [God]
THE MISSIONARIES SPEAK.
2
Our fathers came from “Kolob,” a long-long time again,
And we the sons of Royal Sires are also here below,
In search of Shenowabs children, Royal race,
The sons of Joseph—Ephraim—Are any in this place?
Tell, tell, pray quickly do,
Or must we do for Israel’s race to Chili and Peru?
THE SPIRIT.
3
Go forward, oh go forward to Toker’s pahute bands.--
The Pemos, Moquis,--Navajos you’ll find in southern lands
“The keys are turned”—the days have come that Prophets have foretold
The sires to sons—the sons to sires are turned, and not to gold.
Tell, tell, pray quickly tell
The sires to sons—the sons to sires are turned, and not to gold.
THE MISSIONARIES.
4
Then are the hearts of Fathers to children turned in truth,
We boldly will go forward and labor in our youth,
For Israel’s and the remnant’s sake, we leave wives, lands, and homes,
Adopt the Indian’s wickiup, and call it happy home.
Home, home, sweet quiet home
Adopt the Indian’s wickiup, and call it happy home.
THE SPIRIT.
5
You’ll find some naked-hungry-laborious-honest poor,
Begin with them and aid them first, here is an open door,
We’ve opened it, no man can shut, be patient faithful men,
Their language learn, we’ll aid you “pesherrany” [“to talk or speak” in the
Piute language] to them,
Tell, tell, pray quickly tell
Read Mormon and Moroni’s tales and how their fathers fell.
THE MISSIONARIES.
The
coming of their father’s eetish” [“a long time ago”] from Judah’s land,
Of Jared also and his sons, form Babel’s tow’r a band,
Of faithful Israel’s virtuous race, some thousand moons ago,
Of whom the great Shenowab, his Spirit did bestow
Tell, tell, pray quickly tell
Yes, all of this, and much more, too, by Heaven’s aid we’ll tell.
THE SPIRIT.
Tell
them, when Priesthood was obeyed, those saints were greatly blest,
In numbers, plenty, health and peace, and then they oft did rest
And when the people’s will prevailed, and heaven’s laws were broke
And Priesthood killed—confusion reigned—men Shenowab did provoke.
Tell, tell, pray quickly tell
And this and more, and Heaven will aid, as sure as god e’er spoke.
THE MISSIONARIES.
We’ll
tell them how by avarice and selfishness of old,
The
Lamanites—their fathers—all, for love of mammon-gold,
Contemptuously—the Iron rod, and Priesthood they did treat
Obtained therefore a darkened skin, and suffering most meet.
Tell, tell, pray quickly tell,
yes, all of this, by heaven’s aid, and much more too we’ll tell.
THE SPIRIT.
Their fathers from the heaven’s look,
to see if they’ll repent,
And think their sufferings enough, for this and more you’re sent,
The promise they did obtain and sure, and now if they
Will hear your words and be baptized believingly they may
Tell, tell, pray quickly tell,
All saints in heaven and saints on earth will lift them out of hell.
THE
MISSIONARIES.
Our Father in the heavens, and saints
on earth we impore,
To aid by spirit-wisdom too, and substance from your store.
That we may teach, feed, clothe and clean the red men ev’ry one,
Exalt form humble wickeups and save in happy home.
Home, home, clean happy home,
Exalt from humble wickeups to eternal happy homes. (Thomas D. Brown, Journal, June
8, 1854, in Journal of the Southern Indian Mission: Diary of Thomas D. Brown,
ed. Juanita Brooks [Western Text Society 4; Logan, Utah: Utah State
University Press, 1972], 46-49)
