Columbus' Early Life

Little is known about Columbus' family; but there has been much speculation concerning it. Christopher Columbus was the eldest son of Domenico Colombo, a weaver, and Suzanna Fontanarossa. He was born in or near Genoa in 1451. Christopher Columbus left this home with a depth of feeling for spiritual things. His brother Bartholomeu was also devoted to Columbus, and to Columbus' work. Bartholomeu was one of the greatest navigators of his day.

His Life Preserved For Greater Things

Columbus left to sail the seas at the age of fourteen. His son Ferdinand relates an incident that occurred to his father during this time. He wrote that Columbus was on a ship, returning from Flanders when it engaged in battle with a foreign ship. The two ships grappled and men crossed from boat to boat, and the slaughter on both sides was without mercy. The fight lasted most of the day until the ships began to burn. To keep from being burned alive the survivors had to jump overboard. But even this meant certain death for many, who either couldn't swim or couldn't swim the distance to the shore.

Columbus was an excellent swimmer. Land was little more than two leagues away, (the equivalent of six miles), and he was able to swim to shore. He had found an oar, which, Ferdinand writes, fate had provided in order to preserve Columbus for greater things.

Religion, Marriage and Home Life

Columbus' home became wherever his ship was based. However, he most frequently sailed from Portugal. While on shore, Columbus frequented the Convent of the Saints, where he attended mass. He met a religious lady of minor nobility, Dona Felipa Moniz Perestrello, whom he later married. It was only fitting that he should find her in his chosen place of worship. Dona Felipa's father, before his death, had been the governor of one of Portugal's islands near the edge of the known parts of the western ocean. The young couple moved in with Felipa's widowed mother. At this time Columbus was working as a map maker, which pleased his mother-in-law. Her deceased husband. Don Perestrello, had been a great sea captain and had a collection of sea charts which made Columbus' dream seem more plausible. Marriage seemed to mature Columbus' convictions, and he began in earnest to bring about the work to which he had been called.

Evidences of Undiscovered Land

Columbus and his wife soon moved to the island of Santo Porto. Here he learned that strange items had been washed up on the shores of the local beaches including carved pieces of wood unlike any in Europe. There were huge pine-tree trunks carved into what the Indians called "canoes." Most significant, two bodies of dead men whose features differed from those of the known races washed up on shore. All this only strengthened Columbus' conviction of an undiscovered land.

Desire to Go Beyond The Known World.

The known world of Columbus' time extended on the north to Iceland and Scandinavia, south to a cape 100 miles south of the Equator and east to China and Japan. After Marco Polo's travels were highly publicized, Columbus felt it was an opportune moment to approach the King of Portugal. But the King of Portugal merely sent him to a board of "learned men," who scoffed at his ideas and turned down his request for a western voyage. Soon after, Columbus' wife died, and he returned to Spain with his young son.

"Descendants of Adam Couldn't Be on Other side of World"!

In Spain, Columbus was again criticized. Many churchmen assailed him because he maintained that there were inhabited lands on the other side of the earth. His presumption implied to them that there were nations not descended from Adam, because it was impossible for those inhabitants to have crossed the ocean. According to the ecclesiastical leaders, Columbus' belief was an attempt to discredit the Bible.1

Help From the learned Paolo Toscanelli

Columbus knew that, if he were to convince Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand, he would need the backing of learned men of the day. With that in mind, he wrote to Paolo Toscanelli, the leading savant of Italy and probably the most knowledgeable cosmographer of his day. Toscanelli responded with a copy of a letter that he had previously written to a friend in Portugal. He stated that from all his research and knowledge, there definitely had to be land to the west. Armed with this information, Columbus approached the sovereigns of Spain. But Spain was in the midst of one of the last great battles against the Moors, and so they, too, referred Columbus to a board of learned men. Again, Columbus' visionary plan was rejected.

Six Long Years of Pleading

Queen Isabel, feeling impressed that Columbus' work was of great importance, told him not to give up and to try again. For six long years, Columbus appealed to the Court. However, the court wouldn't listen while Spain was at war. Some people have declared that God gave victory to Isabel and Ferdinand in the Battle of Granada so that they would be able to support Columbus' plan.

Columbus hoped that the king and queen would personally listen to his proposal, and he returned to court. But he was yet again referred to the same group of learned men. In despair, Columbus decided to visit the King of France, having already sent his bother to the courts of England. In his Book of Prophecies, Columbus quotes an ancient writer who prophesied that the person who would open the way for the return to Mount Zion would come out of Spain. Columbus felt that his voyage to the west would help open the way for the reinstatement of Jerusalem and the fulfillment of the prophecy.2 Nevertheless, the mission itself mattered more than from where the support came, and so he set off for France. He stopped at the mission of La Rabida to pick up his son. There, the friars, particularly the good Prior Perez (who had been the queen's confessor) listened sympathetically to Columbus' problems. The Prior believed what Columbus said, and sent for his very educated friend, Dr. Garcia Hernandez. Dr. Hernandez agreed with the prior, and at last Columbus received support from some ecclesiastical and secular leaders. Prior Perez left immediately for the royal court. His visit enabled Isabel to grant permission for Columbus' voyage, and she immediately sent for Columbus to return to court.

A Desire to Enjoy the Results of His Risky Venture

Columbus asked for certain rewards that, to some, may have seemed excessive. But these rewards were to be granted only if he discovered something of value that was approved by the king and queen. Columbus writes, "I want it understood that I will not put prices high or low to valuables or land that I discover. I have the authority from your Royal Highnesses to decide or not to decide but only under your authorization."3 Many people in court did not believe Columbus' theory, but they still felt Columbus was greedily asking for titles and tenths (the rewards that Columbus had requested).

Before continuing our story of Columbus' voyage to the new world, something must be said of this man's strong belief that he was a messenger for God to bring the knowledge of Christ to huge numbers of people in a new land. Perhaps nothing irked his contempories more than Columbus' frank assertion that God would and did lead him to a new land. Said he:

"God made me the messenger of the new heaven and new earth of which he spoke in the Apocalypse of St. John after having spoken of it through the mouth of Isaiah; and he showed rne the spot where to find it."

God Gave Him the Intelligence Needed

"When I was very young," wrote Columbus, "I went to sea to sail and I continue to do it today. This art predisposes on who follows it towards the desire to know the secrets of the world. More than forty years have already passed in which I have engaged in this activity; I have gone to every place that has heretofore been navigated. I have dealt with and held conversations with learned men, ecclesiastics and secular, Latins and Greeks, Jews and Moors, and with many others of other sects. I have found Our Lord very well disposed towards my desire, and I have from him the spirit of intelligence for carrying it out. He has bestowed the marine arts upon me in abundance and that which is necessary to me from [astronomy], geometry, and drawing spheres and situating upon them the towns, the rivers, mountains, islands and ports, each in it proper place."4

Trying not to over-emphasize his own abilities, Colurnbus wrote to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel: "I spent six years here at your royal court, disputing the case with so many people of great authority, learned in all the arts. Finally they concluded that it all was in vain, and they lost interest. In spite of that, [the voyage to the Indies] later came to pass as Jesus Christ our Saviour had predicted and as he had previously announced through the mouths of His holy prophets." (Some scriptural references are found in notations on fragments of Columbus' Book of Prophecies were Psalm 2:6-8, Psalm 18: 43-44, Psalm 22:27-28, Isaiah 14:1-2, and most notably John 10:16 which told of a whole new people. "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold. Them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.") ... If what I myself say does not seem to be sufficient evidence of this, I offer that of the Holy Gospel, which says that everything shall pass save for His marvelous Word. And in saying that, it says that everything must come to pass as it has been written by Him and by the prophets...I have already said that reason, mathematics, and mappaemundi were of no use to me in the execution of the enterprise of the Indies. What Isaiah said was completely fulfilled...5 In many ways, Columbus was similar to Moses. Columbus plead often before the Spanish king and queen. Like Moses, he sought his sovereign's permission with relentless persistence. Columbus then led the people out of a captivity of ignorance. In a sense, Columbus even parted the water so the children of Israel could cross to the promised land. Like Moses, Columbus sought to establish the true form of worship. Most important, however, he laid the foundations for what Isaiah called "a marvelous work and a wonder" in the new world.

The Voyage of Discovery Begins

Upon obtaining approval from the Royal Court, Columbus went to Palo, Spain, to purchase ships and.obtain supplies. With the help of the Pinzon brothers, who became the other two captains, they were able to take on fairly good crews in the famous ships: the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. They set sail on August 2, 1492. The voyage lasted much longer than Columbus expected, and rations ran low. The men became mutinous and wanted to turn back. However, Columbus was able to reassure them for a few days. At this time, Columbus wrote that he stood in need of God's help just as much as Moses had while he was leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. The Israelites dared not lay violent hands upon Moses on account of the miracles God had wrought in his behalf. The grumbling of the men quickly returned, and the Captains of the other two ships met with Columbus in his cabin. The other captains informed Columbus that they could not restrain the men any longer. Columbus asked for three more days, and the other two Captains agreed.

Columbus does not record what happened after he shut the door behind the two captains. It would be thrilling to know exactly what happened to Columbus at this point. No doubt, his conviction that God had chosen him to do something great flooded onto his mind. It was perhaps his greatest test of faith. We do know that at perilous times in later voyages, Columbus received heavenly reassurances that God was with him. For example, when faced with open rebellion in the new colony on his second voyage, Columbus wrote, "The only thing that sustained me is my hope in him who created everyone; his support has always been near. On one occasioa not long ago, when I was deeply distressed, he raised me with his right arm, saying: '0 man of little faith, arise, it is I, do not be afraid." And again on his fourth voyage when he was about to abandon all hope at the point of exhaustion, Columbus wrote, "I heard a very compassionate voice saying: '0 fool and slow to believe and to serve thy God, the God of all! ...Now in part He shows thee the reward for the anguish and danger which thou hast endured in the service of others...Fear not; have trust; all these tribulations are written upon marble and are not without cause."6 Again, we do not know what happened after the two Pinzon captains left Columbus alone, but something must have occurred to give him more resolve than ever, for on that day, Columbus entered into his journal that his name was "Christoferen", with the very significant meaning of "Christ bearer."7

Tierra! Tierra!

The next day, the crew followed what they thought was land. They pursued it all the day long, only to discover that it was a cloud. Strangely enough, the ships covered more than double the leagues ever traveled in one day. Birds began appearing in abundance. Then they discovered a branch with berries on it, floating in the water. They knew that land was not far away.

The Pinzon brothers felt that they should turn northward. But Columbus' sense of "dead reckoning" had thern stay on course. On October11, about 10 o'clock P.M., Columbus was walking on the deck. He suddenly saw a light straight ahead, which seemed to rise and fall as if someone were walking with a candle or lantern. Columbus called to those near him, and they agreed that it was definitely a light from land. About two hours after midnight, they spotted land. At daybreak, they saw an island. On shore, people were running to see the ship approach. After the anchors were dropped, Columbus and his men went ashore in their finest silks and velvets. With the royal banners of their sovereigns in hand, Columbus knelt on the sand and kissed it. Tears of joy streaming from his eyes, Columbus rendered thanks to his Almighty God and christened the island San Salvador in honor of his Savior.8 The land of the "other sheep" had been found!

Return to Spain

Af'ter exploring several islands, Columbus established a fort at La Navidad and set sail for Spain. As they came near the Azores, they encountered the worst storm ever recorded in history. It raged for fifteen days. Finally, they were able to put in at the Azores. After they left these little islands, they met another raging storm, but using his skills, Columbus was able to get the ship to Lisbon.

The people in Lisbon were ecstatic when they greeted Columbus and his crew, the King of Portugal treated them well before they returned to Spain. What a glorious day for that great kingdom and the queen who had always believed in Columbus!

Equal Rights and Justice for All

Columbus made three more trips to the new world and then his health gave out. He apparently became disheartened with the greed and lust of people who were creating havoc in the newly discovered land. In 1496, Columbus wrote to the king and queen, begging that the same laws that existed in Spain be applied to the islands. He asked that all, including the Indians, have access to the same justice. He asked that they "... procure for the Indians, that are coming under our rule, the same rules and protections as those we have been speaking of [here in Spain]....These rules are to apply to those in power and those not in power equally. I want them to have the same protection like I have as if they were my own flesh."9

"Gold Is Not Everything"

In 1497, he pleaded again: "I worry immensely about the future. I do not know what will happen in years to come. But we will discover new lands and we will negotiate in some of them according to the law of Castile and if this is not ruled by a strong hand then we will lose and rip apart our future and we will lose everything. I am afraid we will be misunderstood.... I tell you to do it this way because gold is not everything."10

Columbus' Book of Prophesies

Before his last voyage to the new world, Columbus compiled his "Book of Prophesies" in which he hoped to demonstrate the historical and prophetic meaning of his discoveries and his own role as "Christ-bearer".

Because this book deals with scripture, prophecy, and its fulfillment, most authorities on Columbus have either ignored it or passed it off as the ranting on an unbalanced mind. In the preface to his Book of Prophecies, Columbus addressed the king and queen by saying: "With a hand that could be felt, the Lord opened my mind to the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies, and he opened my will to desire to accomplish the project. This was the fire that burned within me when I came to visit Your Highnesses....who can doubt that this fire was not merely mine, but also the Holy Spirit who encouraged me with a radiance of marvelous illumination from his sacred Scriptures."

The Book of Prophecies contains the following major themes:

1) The salvation of the world and the rebuilding of Zion.

2) All the ends of the earth and all the islands shall be converted to the Lord.

3) The gospel has been preached to three parts of the world (Asia, Africa, and Europe) and now needed to be preached to the fourth part (the new world)

4) Jerusalem - its greatness and fall

5) Scripture and prophesies which foretell Christ taking his gospel to "other sheep" (John 10:16)

6) Restoration of Jerusalem prior to the final judgment.

7) A quotation of 26 scriptures referring to islands of the sea and their part in the last days.

In his introduction to the English translaticn of Columbus' Book of Prophecies, Delno West summarizes Columbus' character:

"Christopher Columbus looked upon himself as a man of destiny who had been given a charismatic gift to understand scripture, navigation, maps, winds, tides, astronomy, cosmography, mathematics and related sciences. His understanding of his mission, or enterprise, was drawn from the Bible or proved by the Bible, and he knew that he was opening up new lands rich with gold and other valuables. He believed himself a chosen person working for the good of all Christendom in opening up the rest of the world to the gospel message. He knew that he would be misunderstood and maligned, but he accepted that as the lot of a divinely chosen person."11

Final Testimony Writing to his good friend, Amerigo Vespucci, Columbus said, "I feel persuaded, by the many and wonderful manifestations of Divine Providence in my especial favour, that I am the chosen instrument of God in bringing to pass a great event-no less than the conversion of millions who are now existing in the darkness of Paganism."12

Columbus died on May 20, 1506 in Valladolid Spain. In his dying words, he said, "In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum,"13 which means, "Into thy hand, God, I commend my spirit'.

Notes:

1. Lester, Edwards The Life and Voyages of Vespuqci New Amsterdam Book NY 1903 page 75

2. Watts, Pauline Moffitt "Prophecy and Discovery: On the Spiritual Origins of Christopher Columbus's Interprise of the Indies." American Kstorical Review, Feb. 1985, page 94

3. Columbus, Christopher Letter to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel, 1496. Raccolta Collection, Racolta Di Documenti e Studi Publlicate dalla R. commissione Colomiana pel quarto centenario dalla Scoperta del America. Appendix Roma 1894, page 270.

4. Watts, p. 95

5. Ibid., p. 96

6. De Lamar Jensen, "Columbus and the Hand of God", Ensign, October, 1992, p. 12

7. Marshal, Peter. The Light and the Glory,, Fleming H. Revell Co., New Jersey, 1940. p. 39

8. Columbus Ferdinand, The Life of Admiral Christopher Columbus by his Son Ferdinand Columbus. Rutgers University, 1959. page 8

9. Columbus,Christopher. Letter to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel, 1497. Racolta di Documenti e Studi page 272.

10 Ibid., p.79

11 Jensen, Ensign, pp.

12-13. 12 Lester, p.79 13 Columbus, Ferdinand. p.284.

A statue of Christopher Columbus, located in front of city hall, was given to the city of Columbus by citizens of Genoa, Italy, birthplace of the famous explorer.Photo by Shelly L. McMurdie Deseret News, Church News. Week ending September 26,1992