EVIDENCE: Spirit of God, That It Came Down and Wrought Upon the Man

Ed J. Pinegar, Richard J. Allen

What motivated Columbus to discover the New World? According to recent Columbus scholarship, it was not primarily financial but spiritual. His Libro de las Profecías (Book of Prophecies), translated and published in 1991, demonstrates that Columbus was well-founded in the scriptures and was convinced that the Spirit of God was inspiring him in his quest for searching out new realms. One of his favorite scriptures was John 10:16: “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” The resurrected Savior told the Saints in America: “And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold” (3 Nephi 15:21). Joseph Smith could not have known about the deep spiritual motivation of Christopher Columbus. Only the inspiration of the Almighty could have placed in the text of the Book of Mormon the verity that the Spirit of God had come down and “wrought upon the man” to guide him in his travels. (See Echoes, 198–203.)

Commentaries and Insights on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1

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