The Problem With Journals – The Story of Zelph and Onandagus - Part I

While journals, of course, are a good thing to have, especially from creditable people such as Church leaders, however, at times such information is taken far beyond its original intent and purpose, and other times allows for the fostering of ideas and opinions far beyond their accuracy or provability. Take the instance of the Lamanite named Zelph. Though a minor figure in Mormon history and not even part of the Book of Mormon record, his remains were uncovered in the late Spring of 1834 during a march from Kirtland, Ohio to Jackson County, Missouri, known as Zion’s Camp.
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When Zion’s Camp reached an area in southern Illinois near Griggsville, we know from records and journals that some of the party was on the west bank of the Illinois River in Pike County on 2 and 3 of June 1834. On June 2, some men climbed up a one-hundred-foot earthen burial mound, overlooking the Illinois River. While on the mound they uncovered a large skeleton. Heber C. Kimball wrote in 1841 that the following day several of the group, along with Joseph Smith, found: “On the top of this mound there was the appearance of three altars, which had been built of stone, one above another, according to the ancient order; and the ground was strewn over with human bones."
    Kimball added, “After continuing on their journey, “it "was made known to Joseph that he had been an officer who fell in battle, in the last destruction among the Lamanites, and his name was Zelph. This caused us to rejoice much, to think that God was so mindful of us as to show these things to his servant. Brother Joseph had enquired of the Lord and it was made known in a vision” (Extract from the Journal of Heber C. Kimball,” Times and Seasons, 1841),
    Joseph Smith added that the bones belonged to “Zelph, a white Lamanite, who had been a warrior under a leader named Onandagus.”
    On June 4 on the banks of the Mississippi River, Joseph Smith wrote a letter to his wife Emma. It should be noted that “While he was away, Joseph and Emma wrote consistently to one another, and though only some of those letters have survived, their content and the context in which they were written tell a powerful story. In one letter, Joseph wrote: “The thoughts of home, of Emma and Julia, rush upon my mind like a flood and I could wish for a moment to be with them,” and in another, he wrote: “My heart is entwined around yours forever and ever.” He also wrote ““My dear and beloved companion of my bosom in tribulation and affliction.” In another letter, keenly feeling the sacrifice of being absent from his family, he wrote to Emma: “If you want to know how much I want to see you, examine your feelings, how much you want to see me…I would gladly walk from here to you barefoot and bareheaded…to see you and think it great pleasure, and never count it toil” (“Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith,” Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society course of study, pp241,242,244,242, 2007).

Emma wrote Joseph many letters while he was away. The content of both their letters to each other show a tender feeling and  how difficult it was when they were separated as they often were

On May 19, 1834, Joseph Joseph was gratified to hear from Emma that all was well at home. In response to her letter, he wrote: “I sit down in my tent to write a few lines to you to let you know that you are on my mind and that I am sensible of the duties of a husband and father…The few lines you wrote…gave me satisfaction and comfort” (Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, May 18,1834, comp. Dean C. 2002, p341). In this letter, he also wrote: “I hope you will continue to communicate to me by your own hand, for this is a consolation to me to converse with you in this way in my lonely moments” (p341).
    In addition, in this letter while on Zion’s Camp, Joseph told Emma that “they had been wandering through the plains of the Nephites.” According to Joseph Smith this experience, no doubt the finding of Zelph and the vision afterward, attested to the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. There can be no question that the journal accounts of Joseph Smith's activities and his letter indicate that he believed that Nephites, at some point in time, were in North America.
    Because of this statement, numerous North American theorists claim that is proof that Lehi landed in North America. However, upon further study, the term “plains” relating to a terrain is only mentioned in the Book of Mormon in four places
1. The unnamed plains adjacent to the city of Mulek far to the north (Alma 52:20)
2. The plains of Nephihah, named after the city of Nephihah where Moroni wanted to battle the Lamanites (Alma 62:18-19)
3. Plains of Heshlon (Ether 13:28-29)
4. Plains of Agosh (Ether 14:15-16)

Joseph writing his wife while at Zion’s Camp shows that he was reminiscing of better times when they were together 

Thus we see that there is no such term as the Plains of the Nephites in the entire Book of Mormon. Thus, we also see, that Joseph’s letter to his wife, Emma, was more reminiscent than location accurate. On the other hand, there is no question that the Lamanites were in North America. Zelph was a white Lamanite. We are not told whether the leader Onandagus was Nephite or Lamanite. But either way, neither the name Zelph nor Onandagus are Book of Mormon names and we have no knowledge that they were part of the Land of Promise story in the Book of Mormon. Likely, they were descendants of those who went north in Hagoth’s ships. 
    So does any of this tell us where the Land of Promise was located? Do we learn from this that the area now known as the United States was the Land of Promise? Can we say for certain Zelph’s presence in Illinois answers these questions? Evidently not, for this simple and non-descript event, of little import in regard to the importance of the Book of Mormon and its events and doctrinal value, stems a problem that has gained in importance because of people’s lack of understanding and members in general lack of knowledge of what took place at the hill and the role of the Church Historian’s Office and their involvement in the historical accuracy of the record the Church keeps. All we know from the recorded events and descriptions is that Zelph fought and died in southern Illinois on or around this burial mound now known as Naples Mound 8.
    Part of the problem and resulting controversy that is used by numerous Theorists who try and prove their location model is that the journal recordings tell us a confusing and conflicting story.
    As an example, from the recorded journal statements, we learn:
1. "Monday, 2 June 1834: Some of us visited a mound on a bluff about 300 feet high and dug up some bones, which excited deep interest among the brethren. The President and many others visited the mound on the following morning." 
2. “While on our travels we visited many of the mounds which were flung up by the ancient inhabitants of this continent probably by the Nephites and Lamanites. We visited one of those Mounds and several of the brethren dug into it and took from it the bones of a man.

We visited one of those Mounds: considered to be between 100 and 300 feet above the level of the Illinois river. Three persons dug into the mound and found a body. Elder Milton Holmes took the arrow out of the back bones that killed Zelph and brought it with some of the bones in to the camp. I visited the same mound with Jesse J. Smith. Who the other persons were that dug in to the mound and found the body I am undecided.

Zelph was a white Lamanite who had been buried in the mound shown

Brother Joseph had a vision respecting the person. He said he was a white Lamanite. The curse was taken from him or at least in part. He was killed in battle with an arrow. The arrow was found among his ribs. One of his thigh bones was broken. This was done by a stone flung from a sling in battle years before his death. His name was Zelph. Some of his bones were brought into the Camp and the thigh bone which was broken was put into my wagon and I carried it to Missouri. Zelph was a large thick set man and a man of God. He was a warrior under the great prophet Onandagus that was known from the hill Camorah, or east sea to the Rocky Mountains. The above knowledge Joseph received in a vision 
3. On Tuesday the 3rd, we went up, several of us, with Joseph Smith jr. to the top of a mound on the bank of the Illinois river, which was several hundred feet above the river, and from the summit of which we had a pleasant view of the surrounding country: we could overlook the tops of the trees, on to the meadow or prairie on each side the river as far as our eyes could extend, which was one of the most pleasant scenes I ever beheld. On the top of this mound there was the appearance of three altars, which had been built of stone, one above another, according to the ancient order; and the ground was strewn over with human bones. This caused in us very peculiar feelings, to see the bones of our fellow creatures scattered in this manner, who had been slain in ages past. We felt prompted to dig down into the mound, and sending for a shovel and hoe, we proceeded to move away the earth. At about one-foot-deep we discovered the skeleton of a man, almost entire; and between two of his ribs we found an Indian arrow, which had evidently been the cause of his death. We took the leg and thigh bones and carried them along with us to Clay county. All four appeared sound. Elder B. Young has yet the arrow in his possession. It is a common thing to find bones thus drenching upon the earth in this country.
    The same day, we pursued our journey. While on our way we felt anxious to know who the person was who had been killed by that arrow. It was made known to Joseph that he had been an officer who fell in battle, in the last destruction among the Lamanites, and his name was Zelph. This caused us to rejoice much, to think that God was so mindful of us as to show these things to his servant. Brother Joseph had inquired of the Lord and it was made known in a vision. 
(See the next post, “The Problem With Journals – The Story of Zelph and Onandagus - Part II, for more information regarding what Zion’s Camp found and what we can understand from this event)