C H R I S T IN AMERICA T h e C h u r c h of Jesus C h r i s t of Latter-day Saints
Copyright © 1982, 1983 by Corporation of the President of T h e C h u r c h of Jesus C h r i s t of Latter-day Saints A l l Rights Reserved Printed in the U n i t e d States of A m e r i c a Published by T h e C h u r c h of Jesus C h r i s t of Latter-day Saints Salt Lake C i t y , U t a h
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C H R I S T IN AMERICA By Elder Mark E . Petersen O f the C o u n c i l of the T w e l v e
T
he Great W h i t e G o d of ancient A m e r i c a still lives! T h e divine personage that emerges from the discoveries and writings of archaeologists and historians now stands out as an unassailable reality. T h e mystery that so long veiled the puzzling traditions of the natives is swept aside by newly found but centuries old records that open a widely expanded view of this divinity and his labors i n the Western Hemisphere. T h e r e was such a G o d ! According to the findings of scholars, he came to A m e r i c a long before the time of Columbus. H e taught the ancients his true religion, raised some of their dead, healed many of their sick, taught new and more productive methods of agriculture, and established a government of equality and peace. H e came suddenly and left suddenly i n a supernatural manner. T h e ancients regarded h i m as the Creator, come to earth in bodily form.
Tradition M a n y now readily admit that his teachings were a k i n to those of the Bible. A n d that he promised to return in a second coming is a n acknowledged fact, well attested by historical accounts. T h e tradition of a W h i t e G o d in ancient A m e r i c a was preserved through generations of Indians from C h i l e to A l a s k a , and has been significantly persistent likewise among the Polynesians from H a w a i i to N e w Zealand. I n their main details all such traditions agree. T h e y differ in name and minor details from island to island and from country to country, but the overall outline remains the same—there was a Great W h i t e G o d . H e came among their forefathers, ministered for a w h i l e , and then left again. Some say he ascended to heaven.
2 Known by Many Names So convincing is the information now available concerning the W h i t e G o d as he appears i n the legends of the Aztecs that Paul H e r r m a n n was induced to say i n his hook Conquest by Man: "Carefully considered this leaves no other conclusion open than that the Light G o d Quetzalcoatl was a real person, that he was neither an i n v e n t i o n of Spanish propaganda nor a legendary figment of I n d i a n imagination" (p. 172). T h i s being, k n o w n as Quetzalcoatl i n parts of M e x i c o , primarily i n the C h o l u l a area, was k n o w n as V o t a n i n Chiapas and W i x e p e c h o c h a i n O a x a c a , as Gucumatz in Guatemala, as V i r a c o c h a and Hyustus in Peru, as Sume i n Brazil, and as Bochica i n C o l o m b i a . T o the Peruvians he was also k n o w n as C o n - t i c i or I l l a - T i c i , T i c i meaning both Creator and the Light. T o Mayans he was principally k n o w n as K u k u l c a n . I n the Polynesian islands he was L o n o , K a n a , K a n e , or K o n , and sometimes K a n a l o a — t h e G r e a t Light or G r e a t Brightness. H e also was k n o w n as K a n e - A k e a , the G r e a t Progenitor, or Tonga-roa, the god of the ocean sun.
His Personage W h a t did he look like, this G r e a t W h i t e God? H e was frequently described as a tall white man, bearded and w i t h blue eyes. H e wore loose, flowing robes. H e came from the heavens and went back to the heavens. H e healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, cured the lame, and raised some of the dead. H e taught a better life, telling the people to do unto others as they would be done by, to love their neighbors as themselves, and to always show kindness and charity. H e seemed to be a person of great authority and unmeasured kindness. H e had power to make hills into plains and plains into high mountains. H e could bring fountains of water from the solid rock. I n addition to giving them rules on how to live peacefully together, he urged them to greater learning, and also taught them improved methods of agriculture.
Promised Second Coming One of the remarkable things about his coming was that he appeared after a period of darkness i n all the land, during w h i c h the people had prayed for a return of the sun. W h i l e the darkness yet prevailed, "they suffered great hardship . . . and . . . made great prayers and vows to those they held to be their gods, imploring of them the light that had failed. " A f t e r the light had returned, then came a " w h i t e m a n , large of stature, whose air and person aroused great respect and veneration. . . . A n d w h e n they saw his power, they called h i m the Maker of all things, their Beginning, Father of the s u n " (see Pedro de Cieza de
JLeathered serpent design on the facade of the T e m p l e of Quetzalcoatl at Teotihuacan, Mexico
4 Leon, The Incas,
trans, by Harriet de O n i s , pp. 2 7 - 2 8 ) .
T h i s personage, as he taught his religion, is said to have built temples for worship. A n d w h e n he left them, he jtomised his second coming, w h i c h caused the natives to ook for his return even as the Jews look for their promised Messiah (see Pierre-Honore, I n Quest of the White God, pp. 1 6 - 1 7 ) .
Spanish Conquistadores Due to the anxiousness w i t h w h i c h they were awaiting the return of this W h i t e G o d , the natives mistakenly supposed that w i t h the arrival of the Spaniards i n A m e r i c a , this ptomise was fulfilled (see Honore, p. 17). A similar event took place in the H a w a i i a n Islands w i t h the arrival of C a p t a i n James C o o k . T h e s e historical events serve to strengthen the evidence supporting the reality of the White God. W h e n the Spanish Conquistadores reached South A m e r i c a , one of Pizzaro's lieutenants strode ashore wearing his helmet and breastplate and carrying a shining musket. He made an impressive appearance. Natives o n the shore watched h i m i n amazement. H e was a white m a n ! A s Pedro de C a n d i a strode toward them, they knelt before h i m and began to say " V i r a k o c h a , V i r a k o c h a . " It puzzled the gallant Pedro. T h e narives drew nearer, surrounding h i m . Somewhat fearful himself, he fired his gun into the air, expecting to frighten the natives away. But they did not move. Instead they whispered, " I l i a Tiki, Ilia Tiki, " meaning "the god of lightning. " T h e Indians thought he was their returning white god V i r a k o c h a , and that with his gun he controlled borh thunder and lightning (see Paul H e r r m a n n , Conquest by Man, pp. 1 8 1 - 8 2 ) . Cortez Hernando Cortez was likewise believed to be the returning W h i t e G o d as he came to M e x i c o i n 1520. W h e n the coastal natives saw that he was white, a leader among his men, and that he came in a large ship with white sails, they conjectured that the G r e a t W h i t e God had arrived. Montezuma, the A z t e c ruler, remembered that w h e n he was crowned as emperor, the priests of the Aztec cult reminded h i m : " T h i s is not your throne, . . . it is only lent to you and w i l l one day be returned to the one to w h o m it is due" (Honore, pp. 6 6 - 6 7 ) . Montezuma made plans to greet Cortez with all the respect he owed to the W h i t e G o d w h o m his Aztec religion had taught h i m to expect. Precious gifts were brought to Cortez; the riches of the realm were opened to h i m . H e was honored as a deity indeed (see W i l l i a m H . Prescott, History of the Conquest of Mexico).
X • X ontezuma honors Hernando Cortez as a returning G o d
6 Captain Cook W h e n C a p t a i n James C o o k sailed into the peaceful waters of the H a w a i i a n Islands, he too was mistaken for the W h i t e G o d . T h e natives there, like their relatives i n A m e r i c a , had long expected the second coming of their Great White G o d . Seeing C a p t a i n C o o k , a white m a n of high command, sailing i n a large ship w i t h great white sails such as the natives had never before seen, the Hawaiians received and worshiped h i m as their long-looked-for golden-haired god Lono. Remarkably, C a p t a i n C o o k had landed during the makahiki festival, the celebration that kept alive the traditions of the white god L o n o . K i n g Kalaniopuu welcomed h i m and his party, and the native priests led h i m w i t h high ceremony to the great stone truncated pyramind that was Lono's temple. I n amazement, the redoubtable British explorer accepted their obeisance, quite willing to receive any honors they were willing to bestow upon h i m (see J . C . Beaglehole, The Life of Captain Cook, pp. 6 4 8 - 6 0 ) .
Drifted from Moses N o t only have the oft-told stories of the W h i t e G o d continued through the ages, but his teachings are also still dear to the hearts of the natives. One of the remarkable survivals is that recounted i n Stephen's Incidents of Travel in Central America. T h e author quotes what Fuentes, chronicler of the ancient kingdom of Guatemala and of the T o l t e c a n Indians, said of the origin of these people. Fuentes said that, according to the grandson of the last king of the Quiches, the Toltecs were Israelites, released by Moses from the tyranny of Pharaoh. A f t e r crossing the R e d Sea, they became idolaters. T o escape the reproofs of Moses, they strayed away. U n d e r the eadership of a m a n named T a n u b , they drifted from continent to continent until finally they came to a place they called the seven caverns, a part of the kingdom of M e x i c o , where they founded the city of T u l a . T h e story recounts that from T a n u h , their leader, sprang the families of the T u a l and the Q u i c h e . Other traditions tell of four brothers w h o led their families from far distant lands to the east, over the oceans, to the new world where they settled and built cities.
Mayan Beliefs Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the ancient Q u i c h e Maya, teveals that the early A m e r i c a n s believed i n a trinity of deities. T h e y believed also i n a heavenly father and a heavenly mother, and that the E t e r n a l Father and his Beloved S o n were the creators of heaven and earth. Membets of the trinity were k n o w n as C a c u l h a H u r a c a n , C h i p i - C a c u l h a , and R a x a - C a c u l h a . T h e y were called the
JL
Xawaiians
welcome C a p t a i n James C o o k as a G o d
8 " H e a r t of H e a v e n " (see Popol Vuh, trans, by Delia Goetz and Sylvanus G . Morley, pp. 81—82). Popol Vuh also speaks of the creation as having been accomplished by this trinity—three deities—creators and makers of all (pp. 8 1 - 1 9 0 ) . Those early Americans did not believe in any sexless, formless, phantom-like god. T o them the trinity were real persons, who had sex and personality. These early A m e r i c a n s , as shown i n this same volume, believed i n a person m u c h like the devil who boasted of his brilliance and power, saying " m y eyes are of silver, bright, resplendent as precious stones, as emeralds; my teeth shine like perfect stones, like the face of the sky. . . . So, then, 1 am the sun, 1 am the moon, for all m a n k i n d " (Popol Vuh, p. 9 3 ) . T h i s evil being sought to usurp the glory of G o d but failed. " H i s only ambition was to exalt himself and to dominate" (Popol Vuh, p. 9 4 ) . T h e manuscript from ancient I n d i a n sources explains that at that time "neither our first mother nor our first father had yet been created" (Popol Vuh, p. 9 6 ) . T h e r e is also the story of the woman being tempted to eat the fruit of a tree and asking, "Must 1 die, shall I be lost, if I pick one of this fruit?" (Popol Vuh, p. 119).
Christ Came to America W h o was this G r e a t W h i t e G o d ? A s Jesus C h r i s t ministered i n mortality among the Jews, he spoke of another body of believers—his other sheep (see J o h n 10:16). H e promised to go to them and minister among them. T h i s he d i d — i n A m e r i c a . Prophets also ministered i n ancient A m e r i c a , even as others did i n Palestine, and during the same period of time. These Western prophets wrote their sacred history, as did their Palestinian counterparts. I n this manner another volume of scripture was prepared. K n o w n as the Book of Mormon, it tehs of God's dealings w i t h ancient A m e r i c a the same as the Bible relates the sacred history of the Eastern Hemisphere. T h e Book of M o r m o n tells the facts about the coming of the W h i t e G o d , an event that occurred in A m e r i c a following Christ's resurrection in Palestine. Millions of people lived i n A m e r i c a then. Some believed in the coming of C h r i s t to their land. Others scoffed. T h e believers served the Lord; the scoffers followed every evil path. W h e n the C r u c i f i x i o n took place and the earthquakes shook Palestine, even worse quakes, tempests, and conflagrations swept over the Western Hemisphere. T h e Book of Mormon tells the story:
Great W h i t e G o d appears to the ancient A m e r i c a n s
10 " A n d it came to pass i n the thirty and fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month, there arose a great storm, such an one as never had been k n o w n i n all the land. " A n d there was also a great and terrible tempest; and there was terrible thunder, insomuch that it did shake the whole earth as if it was about to divide asunder. " A n d there were exceedingly sharp lightnings, such as never had been k n o w n i n all the land. " A n d the city of Zarahemla did take fire" (3 N e p h i 8:5-8). According to the account, the damage was immense. Highways were broken up, cities were sunk, many persons were slain, and the whole face of the land was changed—all this i n the space of about three hours. T h e n , " i t came to pass that there was thick darkness upon all the face of the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof who had not fallen could feel the vapor of darkness" (3 N e p h i 8:20). After this condition, w h i c h lasted for three days, there came a voice, " a n d all the people did hear, and did witness of it, saying: " O ye people of these great cities w h i c h have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you. " . . . how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings . . . and ye would not" (3 N e p h i 1 0 : 3 - 5 ) . Some days later a great multitude gathered together about the temple i n the land Bountiful, and there came a voice three times: " A n d behold, the third time they did understand the voice w h i c h they heard; and it said unto them: " B e h o l d my Beloved S o n , i n w h o m I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye h i m . " A n d it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a M a n descending out of heaven; and he was clothed i n a white robe; and he came down and stood i n the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon h i m , and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them. " A n d it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying: " B e h o l d , I am Jesus C h r i s t , w h o m the prophets testified shall come into the wotld. " A n d behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup w h i c h the Father h a t h
T Ihe Great W h i t e G o d heals the sick and blesses the children of the ancient Americans
12 given me, and have glorified the Father i n taking upon me the sins of the world, i n the w h i c h I have suffered the w i l l of the Father i n a l l things from the beginning. " A n d it came to pass that w h e n Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that C h r i s t should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven. " A n d it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying: " A t i s e and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails i n my hands and i n my feet, that ye may know that I am the G o d of Israel, and the G o d of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world. " A n d it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails i n his hands and i n his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see w i t h their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of w h o m it was written by the prophets, that should come. " A n d w h e n they had all gone forth and had witnessed fot themselves, they did cry out w i t h one accord, saying: " H o s a n n a ! Blessed be the name of the Most H i g h G o d ! A n d they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship h i m " (3 N e p h i 11:6—17). I n the days that followed, the same divine visitor introduced the blessing of the bread and wine as a sacrament; he called forth all their sick, afflicted, lame, blind, and dumb, and healed them; he organized an administration to teach and baptize in his name, and he counseled these leaders and the multitudes about his doctrine. A n d after many days, "there came a cloud and overshadowed the multitude that they could not see Jesus. " A n d while they were overshadowed he departed from them, and ascended into heaven. A n d the disciples saw and did bear record that he ascended again into h e a v e n " (3 N e p h i 1 8 : 3 8 - 3 9 ) . T h i s is the true story of the G r e a t W h i t e G o d . H e is Jesus the C h r i s t , the Savior of all m a n k i n d .
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