The Problems With Zelph – Part II

A skeleton of a white Lamanite named Zelph, though a minor figure in Mormon history, was uncovered in the late Spring of 1834 during a march from Kirtland, Ohio to Jackson County, Missouri, known as Zion’s Camp. On June 3, while passing through southern Illinois near Griggsville, some bones were discovered buried in a mound. These bones were identified by Joseph Smith as belonging to a Lamanite prophet-warrior named Zelph. The mound in question is now known as Naples Mound 8.

Poor Zelph. When he was killed by that arrow found in his ribs long ago, he had no idea how later generations would use him as an example of something far afield from the truth. Rod L Meldrum, on his website, makes a big point out of the fact that Joseph Smith said that Zelph was a “warrior and chieftain under the great prophet Onandugus, who was known from the hill Cumorah or eastern sea to the Rocky Mountains.” Meldrum also writes that Joseph said Zelph “was killed in battle by the arrow found among his ribs during the last great struggle with the Lamanites and Nephites.” Meldrum, to further make his point, wrote: “several brethren (8 of whom wrote in their personal journals as having witnessed this account, and three of these men became future prophets of the church).”

Now, a few things need to be made clear. The comment about Cumorah and the eastern sea is discussed in the last post. But in addition, it should be noted that one of the witnesses Meldrum cites, named Reuben McBride, wrote in his journal that Zelph: "was known from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains” which has no mention of Cumorah or eastern sea, suggesting Joseph’s mention of the breadth of knowledge about the ancient prophet was from the Atlantic (eastern sea) to the Rocky Mountains. Levi Hancock’s journey entry said that: “"Zelpf was a white Lamanite who fought with the people of Onendagus for freedom.” Moses Martin wrote in his journal: "Soon after this Joseph had a vision and the Lord shewed him that this man was once a mighty Prophet and many other things concerning his dead which had fallen no doubt in some great battles.”

It seems that one could hardly claim that “some great battle” was “the last great struggle between the Nephites and the Lamanites.

Wilford Woodruff wrote that he "visited many of the mounds which were flung up by the ancient inhabitants of this continent probably by the Nephites & Lamanites." Woodruff also states that Zelph "was known from the hill Cumorah on East sea to the Rocky mountains," thus implying that the hill Cumorah in New York is the same hill Cumorah referred to in the Book of Mormon. However, some LDS scholars believe that "hill Cumorah" was Woodruff's term rather than Joseph Smith's, since other accounts refer only to the sea and fail to mention either Nephites or the hill Cumorah. And in 1842, two years before Joseph Smith’s death, Willard Richards compiled a number of records in order to produce a history of the church. Among the records examined were the various accounts related to Zelph. In the process of combining the accounts, Richards crossed out Woodruff's references to "hill Cumorah," and Heber C. Kimball's reference to the "last" great struggle with the Lamanites.

It is not likely that Willard Richards, who served as Second Counselor in the First Presidency under Brigham Young, served a mission to the eastern U.S. and also to Great Britain, was ordained an Apostle in 1840, and in 1842 was called to be the Church Historian and Recorder, and as such, wrote a total of 1,884 pages on the history of Joseph Smith, which B.H. Roberts later incorporated into the “History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” Richards was also in Carthage Jail with Joseph, Hyrum and John Taylor, and the only one unhurt during the attack that killed Joseph Smith. It is hardly likely that a man of his stature, position, and trust would have just arbitrarily crossed out two extremely important entries, i.e., the hill Cumorah, and last great battle” unless given the reason by his leaders to do so.

When one sets out to quote from the past, one ought to not only get his facts straight, but give all the facts, even those which disagree with one’s viewpoint.