Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-31
TuE APOSTLE THOMAS N
AMERICA

The current number ~ the American
Ecclesiastical Review gives space to
learned article In which the author
maintains that there IL some founda-
ton for the tradition that u Apostle
Thomas actually visited America and
preached the Gospel among the In
h,hltanta.
The tradition II appears, l. Of ancient
date. Clement, contemporary of the
Apostles. l. supposed to refer to this
continent In u letter 10 the Corinthians.
ana " 80, he may have obtained his In
formation about this other world
from Thomas himself. Tcrtulilan. too.
u supposed 10 have had America Ia
View when he asserted that the Gospel
had been preached To the inhabitants
Of many strange countries and lands
unknown 10 us" The early Christian
writer's generally asserted that the Cos-
tol message was carried 10 the utter
most ends OF tho earth" by the Apoa-
Ties and their immediate assistants.
Whether IN this expression the Western
Hemisphere was Included. IN not clear
ly apparent.
More important In this discussion.
however, are the traditions and relies
found On American soil. Peruyians
tell Of whiie-beardcd man named
rhonapa Arnnva. who Ia some remote
reriod Of time came from a southcriy
direction. lie was clothed In violet
garment and a red mantle, nnd taught
N.s Al ~
the sick and performed other miracles.
Tradition has II that he pronounced
Judgment against the city of Yamquc-
rupa, which was afterwards cngulphcd
In tho ocean. on account " its wick
cdneHs. lie was then taken prisoner
but was set free By "a beautiful being.
Later however, he suffered death and
his body was placed On n canoe which
was set adrlfi into the open sea.
II Il supposed that the herr ~ this
Peruvian legend IL no other than the
Apostle Thomas. the name "rhonnpa"
hclng the same as Thoma- papaa. and
the surname "Arnava" being the Peru.
Wan word Tor baptism. Among tho
Chilcana there II also a tradition about
bearded man who visited their fore
fathers and performed many miracles.
SicrcmberE tells Of similar tradition.
In lirnzil and Lcscarbot relates the
following;
The great missionary NJ tho nrarill.
ans, John ds l."Ti, explained one day tn
them the origin ~ the world. and how
they should believe In the creator. They
followed him with tho greatest attcn.
Ton ana evident riHnH uf nslonishmont
ini when he had finished his discourse.
one NJ IN" Elders rose up Co answer.
You have told M wonderful things"
h" said, 'thnt have brought back In
our minds what W. have often heard
lrum or furefnthofH namely. that very
long since "a certain Mnir "a bearded
hnd clothed stranger, had hern amongst
tnciu, ana had Hnuuht tn turn them 10
the iind whom he announced a. them.
ma be spoke as you speak now ~ ~,
hui They would not b. led when h.
departed another came, Who. IN punish
them. distributed arms AMONGST them.
Win which they have over since hcon
killing ono another"
There are other traditions presumed
10 relate Ia the Journeys and lubors ~
ihe Apostle Thomas In various parts ~
South America. and u IL by SOME
thouyhi probable that tho great Mex
lean cNillser Queizalcuatl was none
other than that Apostle. Thus snhnvun
contends that Cohunu means. not 'frr.
pynt' but twin, the Gtcck surname OF
Thomas Dldumos.
There b. very little historical material
oXtant for Biographies ~ tho first
Apostles. Tradition follows Thomas
through rarlhia Media. Persia, lictria
ana India, where It Il supposed. ne suf.
forcd mnrtyrdom near Curomnndel. The
article In Tho Ecclesiastical Review h
or special Interest, ns showing that the
possibility OF communication between
the two hemlrpheres. In those early
arcs, is no longer q subject outside the
pale ~ scientific discussion The fact
That such communication took place D.
pot forth In the Book of Mormon. nud
NEGOTIATIONS corrohorato and confirm
that record.