Where can I find this historical reference??!!

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chase
captain of 100
Posts: 266

Where can I find this historical reference??!!

Post by chase »

There is a woman during JS's life who prophesied that the Laminates would fight for the Mormons in Missouri. JS told her it was true but that it was not wise to speak of it publicly. Anyone know where I can find this? I have looked everywhere I can think of!

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captainfearnot
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Posts: 1966

Re: Where can I find this historical reference??!!

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I found the following paragraph in a book titled Religion of a Different Color: Race and the Mormon Struggle for Whiteness:
W. Paul Reeve wrote:Mormon leaders were sensitive to accusations of Indian tampering and took steps to curb enthusiasm among their followers in that regard. Mormon spiritual fervor sometimes amplified the anticipation of Indian conversions in conjunction with the second coming of Christ, especially ideas generated through speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues, New Testament "gifts" of the spirit practiced among Latter-day Saints, sometimes to their own detriment. Joseph Smith called on "ignorant & unstable Sisters & weak members" to temper their "zeal" and false prophecies which excited "many to believe that you are putting up the Indians to slay the Gentiles," a claim which he feared "exposes the lives of the Saints evry where." Smith's counselor, Frederick G. Williams, also cautioned Missouri Saints against publicizing things spoken via the gift of tongues and the interpretation of tongues, especially claims that Mormons would go among the "Lamanites" and "'great things would be done by them.'" He asked them not to tell their neighbors that the time would come when the Lamanites "'should embrace the Gospel'" and that if the Mormons did not fight for themselves "'the Indians will fight for us.'" "Though all that may be true," Williams admonished, "it is not needful that it should be spoken for it is of no service to saints and has a tendency to stir up the people to anger."
The Joseph Smith quote comes from a letter he wrote to William Phelps on 31 July 1832, which is archived at josephsmithpapers.org. The Frederick G. Williams quote comes from a letter he wrote to the Saints in Missouri dated 10 Oct 1833, and is quoted in History of Joseph Smith: The Prophet, by Himself.

I'm guessing that it was actually Williams, and not Smith, that told the sister that while such prophecies may be true, it would be best to remain discreet. I don't see Smith confirming anywhere that such prophecies are true (if anything he seems to suggest they are false), and Williams only says that they may be.

chase
captain of 100
Posts: 266

Re: Where can I find this historical reference??!!

Post by chase »

thanks!

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