The Three Nephites · Improvement Era

THE "THREE NEPHITES."

DID ONE OF COLUMBUS' SAILORS SEE THEM?

BY E. D. PARTRIDGE, OF THE BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are always on the lookout for evidences of the Divine origin of the Book of Mormon. This interest led me to mark many passages in Irving's Life and Voyagesof Christopher Columbus, some of which

seem to be worthy of more than a mere passing notice. Columbus, though steeped in the superstitions of his day, was a very humble man. Often, while sailing abroad, he would spend a whole night in prayer and supplication. He felt that he was doing God's will in making these voyages of discovery; and no doubt, it was this feeling which caused him to say to his officers and men, when implored to return, and even threatened with death, "Sail on— sail on!" Irving says — *(Page 17) "He attrib-

uted his early and irresistible inclination for the sea, and his pas- sion for geographical studies, to an impulse from Deity, preparing him for the high decrees he was chosen to accomplish." And when he came before the king of Spain asking for royal and fi- nancial support, "he unfolded his plan with eloquence and zeal; for he felt himself, as he afterwards declared, kindled as with a fire

from on high, and considered himself the chosen agent by heaven to accomplish its grand designs" (page 64). This is very signifi-

cant when compared with the following: "And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles who was separated from the seed of

All quotations from Irving in this article will be from the works of

Washington Irving, vol. 6. The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus, published in New York by Peter Fenelon Collier, 1897.

my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God that it camedown and wrought upon the man, and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren who were in the promised land" (I Nephi 13: 12). By far the most interesting paragraph in the whole volume is found beginning on page 329, which I will give after quoting a few passages from the Book of Mormon. I have always been deeply interested in the account of the "Three Nephites," and have often wondered if there were not on record somewhere an account of their having been seen by someone outside of the Church. I

am almost convinced that Irving has made just such a record. Turning now to III Nephi, 28th chapter, we read:

And it came to pass when Jesus had said these words, he spake unto his dis- ciples, one by one, saying unto them, What is it that ye desire of me, after that I am gone to the Father? And they all spake, save it were three, We desire that after we have lived unto the age of man, that our ministry, wherein thou hast called us, may have an end, that we may speedily come unto thee in thy kingdom. And he said unto them, Blessed are ye because ye desired this thing of me: therefore after ye are seventy and two years old, ye shall come unto me in my kingdom, and with me ye shall find rest. And when he had spoken unto them, he turned himself unto the three, and said unto them, What will ye that I should do unto you, when I am gone unto the Father? And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak unto him the thing which they desired. And he said unto them, Behold, I know your thoughts, and ye have desired the thing which John, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of me. Therefore more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death, but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come again in my glory with the powers of heaven.

world shall stand.

Behold I For ye have desired that ye might bring souls unto me while the

was about to write the names of those who were never to taste of death; but the Lord forbade; therefore I write them not, for *

they are hidden *

from the world. But behold I have seen them, and they have ministered unto me, And behold they will be among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles knoweth them not.

' :

THE '

' THREE NEPHITES. ' 623

The "Three Disciples" are mentioned in several other places by Mormon, and Moroni says, (Mormon 8: 10, 11) that he saw them, and they ministered unto him. Here we have evidence that they liv^d and labored among the people several hundred years after the great promise was made to them; and we believe they are still living and performing the mission given them by Jesus Christ. I will now give the above mentioned paragraph from Irving. It is in the account of Columbus' second voyage of dis- covery to America. He was cruising along the coast of Cuba, when one day he anchored near a beautiful palm grove Here a party was sent on shore for wood and water; and they found two liv- ing springs in the midst of the grove. While they were employed in cutting wood and filling their water casks, an archer strayed into the forest with his cross-bow in search of game, but seon returned, flying with great terror, and calling loudly upon his companions for He declared that he had not proceeded far, when aid.

he suddenly espied through an opening glade, a man in a long white dress so like a friar of the order of St. Mary of mercy, that at first sight he took him for the chaplain of the admiral. Twe others followed in white tunics reaching to their knees, and the three ivere of as fair complexions as Europeans. Behind these appeared many more, to the number of thirty, armed with clubs and lances. They made no man in the long white dress alone signs of hostility, but remained quiet, the advancing to accost him. But he was so alarmed by their number that he had fled instantly to seek the aid of his companions. The latter, however, were so daunted by the reported number of armed natives, that they had not courage to seek them nor await their coming, but hurried with all speed to the ships.

It is stated that Columbus sent two different expeditions in

search of the three white men and their followers, but both re- turned unsuccessful. Irving apologizes for the appearance of this item in his record, and states that, since no tribe of Indians was ever discovered in Cuba who wore clothing, the matter probably arose in either error or falsehood. No apology is needed, however, by the Latter-day Saints.

The account given by the archer portrays conditions just as they would naturally be with the "Three Disciples." They lived among the people when the vision recorded in 1st Nephi was taught. They were, of course, looking forward to its fulfilment. They were to bring souls to Christ till he should come again, and had probably been busy gathering bands of followers all over the coun-