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====Witnesses of Joseph's views==== | ====Witnesses of Joseph's views==== | ||
Many other Church members later wrote about Joseph's discussion of the Rocky Mountains area. | Many other Church members later wrote about Joseph's discussion of the Rocky Mountains area. | ||
In 1864, Brigham Young remembered: | |||
:In the days of Joseph we have sat many hours at a time conversing about this very country. Joseph has often said, "If I were only in the Rocky Mountains with a hundred faithful men, I would then be happy, and ask no odds of mobocrats." And neither do I.{{ref|young.16}} | |||
In 1880, Orson Pratt asked: | In 1880, Orson Pratt asked: | ||
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There is other evidence recorded during Joseph's lifetime that lends plausibility to the account given by Call and others. | There is other evidence recorded during Joseph's lifetime that lends plausibility to the account given by Call and others. | ||
For example, Elder Jonathan Dunham was sent to explore the western countries, and was "most probably prospecting a possible trail and locating resting places for the Saints when engaged in a great westward movement."{{ref|dunham.1}} Why else would Joseph send Dunham—whom he later trusted to head the Nauvoo Legion during his final days before being taken to Carthage—on such a long and difficult journey, given all the pressing difficulties which remained in Nauvoo? | For example, Elder Jonathan Dunham was sent to explore the western countries, and was "most probably prospecting a possible trail and locating resting places for the Saints when engaged in a great westward movement."{{ref|dunham.1}} Why else would Joseph send Dunham—whom he later trusted to head the Nauvoo Legion during his final days before being taken to Carthage—on such a long and difficult journey, given all the pressing difficulties which remained in Nauvoo? As one author noted, "During the Council of Fifty's first meetings in March and April 1844, the Mormon prophet urged the exploration of the American West. In this region the Saints would make a settlement and raise "a standard and ensign of truth for the nations of the earth."{{ref|dialogue.72}} | ||
Members of the Council of Fifty believed, in "a retrospective statement on Smith's purposes" according to William Clayton, that when Joseph | |||
:crossed the Mississippi River intending to go to the Rocky Mountains. Several hours before his departure, he asked his followers to make a sixteen-foot emblematic flag "for the nations," apparently hoping to take a Mormon, scripture-fulfilling banner with him on his journey. However after less than a day on the Iowa side of the river, he returned to Nauvoo and began his fateful journey to Carthage. The day prior to Smith's death, not fully understanding his danger, Nauvoo citizens responded to his earlier wish and began preparation of a flag of white cloth. The flag, said one of the Saints later, was not intended for Nauvoo. Smith undoubtedly meant the banner to be a tangible symbol of a restored latter-day Kingdom in the mountainous West.{{ref|walker.72.73}} | |||
There is also a ''Times and Seasons'' account of a conference held on November 1, 1842 in Kirtland, Ohio by LDS missionaries. Reporting on their success, one wrote: | There is also a ''Times and Seasons'' account of a conference held on November 1, 1842 in Kirtland, Ohio by LDS missionaries. Reporting on their success, one wrote: | ||
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: One woman, who at the commencement of the conference declared herself good enough without re baptism, has now come forward before the close and says that she would go to the Rocky Mountains if Joseph said so....{{ref|ts.1}} | : One woman, who at the commencement of the conference declared herself good enough without re baptism, has now come forward before the close and says that she would go to the Rocky Mountains if Joseph said so....{{ref|ts.1}} | ||
This might be a mere figure of speech, i.e., such as "to the moon and back if Joseph said so." On the other hand, it may be that Joseph's thoughts about the west were beginning to percolate among the Saints. As we have seen above, there are accounts of Joseph discussing the matter at least as early as 1838. | This might be a mere figure of speech, i.e., such as "to the moon and back if Joseph said so." On the other hand, it may be that Joseph's thoughts about the west were beginning to percolate among the Saints and even their enemies, so it can hardly have been much of a secret. Oliver Olney, an apostate member who was supporting John C. Bennett wrote a letter to Joseph Smith on the matter on 20 July 1842: | ||
:"They say with your numerous wifes and maidens you are about to start west as far as the Rocky Mountains where you will raise up a Righteous Branch without being molested by the Laws of the Land." Olney later noted that the Saints "are fast a fixing to go West where they can live in peace without being molested By the laws of the land. They say soon to start If what I hear is correct as far West as Origen Territory and establish a stake of Zion."{{ref|olney.1}} | |||
As we have seen above, there are accounts of Joseph discussing the matter at least as early as 1838. | |||
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#{{note|quinn.635}} {{CriticalWork:Quinn:Mormon Hierarchy|pages=635}} | #{{note|quinn.635}} {{CriticalWork:Quinn:Mormon Hierarchy|pages=635}} | ||
#{{note|morgan.1}} Dale Morgan to S.A. Burgess, "Dear Mr. Burgess" (1 July 1842); citing in John Phillip Walker, editor, ''Dale Morgan on Early Mormonism: Correspondence and a New History'' (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1986), 38. | #{{note|morgan.1}} Dale Morgan to S.A. Burgess, "Dear Mr. Burgess" (1 July 1842); citing in John Phillip Walker, editor, ''Dale Morgan on Early Mormonism: Correspondence and a New History'' (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1986), 38. | ||
#{{note|young.16}} {{JDwiki|vol=1|page=16|author=Brigham Young|url=?}} | |||
#{{note|pratt.274}} {{JDwiki|vol=21|start=274|author=Orson Pratt|url=?}} | #{{note|pratt.274}} {{JDwiki|vol=21|start=274|author=Orson Pratt|url=?}} | ||
#{{note|woodruff.299}} {{JDwiki|vol=21|start=299|author=Wilford Woodruff|url=?}} | #{{note|woodruff.299}} {{JDwiki|vol=21|start=299|author=Wilford Woodruff|url=?}} | ||
#{{note|dunham.1}} {{HC1|vol=5|start=xxviii}} | #{{note|dunham.1}} {{HC1|vol=5|start=xxviii}} | ||
#{{note|dialogue.72}} {{Dialogue1|vol=26|num=4|start=72|author=Ronald W. Walker|article='A Banner is Unfurled': Mormonism's Ensign Peak}} | |||
#{{note|walker.72.73}} Walker, 72-73; citing Council Meeting, 26 Feb. 1847, Thomas Bullock minutes, LDS Archives. | |||
#{{note|ts.1}} {{TS1|author=John P. Green|vol=4|num=3|date=15 December 1842|article=Kirtland, October 28, 1842|start=39}} | #{{note|ts.1}} {{TS1|author=John P. Green|vol=4|num=3|date=15 December 1842|article=Kirtland, October 28, 1842|start=39}} | ||
#{{note|olney.1}} Marvin S. Hill, ''Quest for Refuge'', 120; citing Olney papers, #15 and #30. | |||
=Further reading= | =Further reading= | ||
{{FAIRAnalysisWiki}} | {{FAIRAnalysisWiki}} | ||
| An Example of Biased Histories | A FAIR Analysis of: Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods A work by author: Richard Abanes
|
Destroying Governments and Religions |
The author provides only the History of the Church reference, but makes provides no evidence of his claim.
The prophecy source is the biography of Anson Call, in August 1842. The relevant section reads as follows:
Thus, the accusation must be not only that the Church decided to "forge" a prophecy by Joseph, but that Anson Call did as well. Can we assess how likely these claims are?
The author might claim that historians such as B.H. Roberts or Orson F. Whitney would be likely to accept this claim. How have less friendly historians treated it?
Hubert Howe Bancroft opined that "In 1842 an expedition had been planned to explore the country toward or beyond the Rocky Mountains; but when Joseph Smith put himself forward as a candidate for the presidency of the United States, all other matters were for the time forgotten."[2] Thus, Bancroft saw the move west as one long contemplated.
D. Michael Quinn, whose work has been repeatedly cited by the author, includes this in his Church timeline without comment or qualification, even using the date traditionally ascribed it in the History of the Church[3]:
Historian Dale Morgan, certainly not an LDS apologist or propagandist, wrote to a private correspondent who seemed to share the author's views of this account:
Thus, Morgan thought it clear that Joseph Smith had intended to go to the Rockies with the Saints, and felt it plausible that Joseph had made a prophecy to that effect. Thus, whatever the facts, it seems unlikely that a crude "forgery" is at work.
Many other Church members later wrote about Joseph's discussion of the Rocky Mountains area.
In 1864, Brigham Young remembered:
In 1880, Orson Pratt asked:
Other members also mentioned their own spiritual experiences about the west. Wilford Woodruff recalled that
There is other evidence recorded during Joseph's lifetime that lends plausibility to the account given by Call and others.
For example, Elder Jonathan Dunham was sent to explore the western countries, and was "most probably prospecting a possible trail and locating resting places for the Saints when engaged in a great westward movement."[9] Why else would Joseph send Dunham—whom he later trusted to head the Nauvoo Legion during his final days before being taken to Carthage—on such a long and difficult journey, given all the pressing difficulties which remained in Nauvoo? As one author noted, "During the Council of Fifty's first meetings in March and April 1844, the Mormon prophet urged the exploration of the American West. In this region the Saints would make a settlement and raise "a standard and ensign of truth for the nations of the earth."[10]
Members of the Council of Fifty believed, in "a retrospective statement on Smith's purposes" according to William Clayton, that when Joseph
There is also a Times and Seasons account of a conference held on November 1, 1842 in Kirtland, Ohio by LDS missionaries. Reporting on their success, one wrote:
This might be a mere figure of speech, i.e., such as "to the moon and back if Joseph said so." On the other hand, it may be that Joseph's thoughts about the west were beginning to percolate among the Saints and even their enemies, so it can hardly have been much of a secret. Oliver Olney, an apostate member who was supporting John C. Bennett wrote a letter to Joseph Smith on the matter on 20 July 1842:
As we have seen above, there are accounts of Joseph discussing the matter at least as early as 1838.
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