Author: Jonathan Neville

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False and misleading geography theories

I’ve had to delay my new blog for reasons I won’t get into, but in the meantime, I wanted make another “final” post here.

The handful of LDS scholars who control LDS scholarly publications continue to insist that Cumorah is in Mexico, so I’m going to try again and make the issue as plain and simple as I can.

No one should be offended by this next paragraph; certainly I intend no offense by it. It’s simply a statement of fact.

If Cumorah is in New York, then every geography that puts Cumorah somewhere else is, by definition, false and misleading. This includes so-called “abstract” geographies.

There can be differences of opinion about how the New York Cumorah fits; i.e., arguments can be made about a hemispheric model (Chile to New York), a continental model (Mesoamerica to New York), or a limited geography model (Florida to New York, Iowa to New York, Pennsylvania to New York, or even all within New York).

But if Cumorah is in New York, then it can’t be anywhere else.

Which also means that any geography theory that puts Cumorah somewhere other than New York is false.

It’s that simple. And that clear.

(I’ll stipulate that if Cumorah is not in New York, then any geography that puts Cumorah in New York is itself false and misleading. I’m fine with that. IOW, everything hinges on Cumorah in New York. In my view, if Cumorah is not in New York, then it doesn’t really matter where else it is.)
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One well-known LDS scholar (whom I respect and like, so I’m not criticizing him/her) observed that “All nineteenth-century writers on Book of Mormon geography apparently assumed that the place where Joseph Smith found the plates and the hill where the Nephites met their destruction were identical.”

Now, why would they all “assume” that the Hill Cumorah was in New York?

The answer should be obvious, but apparently it’s not, so I’ll spell it out.

The first answer is Letter VII, which Oliver Cowdery wrote with the assistance of Joseph Smith. At the time, Joseph was President of the Church and Oliver was Assistant President. They wrote Letter VII as part of a series on Church history. They wrote Letter VII a few months before the Kirtland temple was completed; i.e., a few months before receiving the keys of the gathering and temple work directly from Moses, Elias, Elijah, and the Lord Himself.

So clearly (according to this handful of LDS scholars), Joseph and Oliver didn’t know what they were talking about.

(Okay, some will accuse me of sarcasm there, but this handful of scholars actually want people to believe that Joseph and Oliver didn’t know what they were talking about. They expect people to believe everything Oliver wrote, including what he transcribed as Joseph dictated and his accounts of Church history–except a few paragraphs in Letter VII that contradict their own theories. I discussed this in the lettrvii blog here.)
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Our scholar continues, “Aside from this one point, however, the diversity of nineteenth-century opinion is striking.”

Actually, what is striking about that statement is the phrase, “aside from this one point.”

“This one point” is the most important point of all.

I repeat: If Cumorah is in New York, then every geography that puts Cumorah somewhere else is, by definition, false and misleading. This includes so-called “abstract” geographies.

Now, it’s completely true that there is a diversity of opinion beyond the New York location of Cumorah; as I mentioned above, there are all kinds of possibilities with Cumorah being in New York.

But Cumorah is a pin in the map that no one should remove. In my opinion.
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The second reason why all of Joseph’s contemporaries accepted the New York setting for Cumorah is that Mormon’s depository was there.

So far as I can tell, every LDS scholar accepts Mormon 6:6.

 6 And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon, began to be old; and knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer the records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would destroy them) therefore I made this record out of the plates of Nephi, and hid up in the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni.

Everyone agrees that Cumorah was Moron’s depository.

Wherever that depository is, that’s where Cumorah is.

We have multiple accounts of Joseph and Oliver visiting this repository in the Hill Cumorah in New York. The most cited is Brigham Young’s account given in a special conference in Farmington, Utah, in 1877. It’s in the Journal of Discourses here, and I’ve written about it before, so I won’t repeat that. By now, everyone should know what he said. If you don’t, go to the link and read it for yourself. I’ll mention another thing he said on that occasion in the next section below. Several others corroborated what Brigham said.

Separately from Brigham Young’s account, the July 7, 1866, edition of The Latter-Day Saints’ Millennial Star ran a front-page article by Orson Pratt titled “The Hill Cumorah: Or the Sacred Depository of Wisdom and Understanding.” I wrote a post about this on the lettervii blog.
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In my opinion, there are no legitimate reasons for rejecting Letter VII and the many corroborating evidences for the New York Cumorah. So why is this handful of LDS scholars so adamant about doing so?

The only answer I’ve come up with so far is tradition and training.

This handful of LDS scholars have all learned from the same people, who in turn learned from the people who learned from the originators of the two-Cumorah theory and the limited geography Mesoamerican theory.

(Readers tell me they want me to name names, but personalities are beside the point and they’re distracting because people apparently get offended when they are named. This is not about the people; it’s about the theories. The origins, merits, and repercussions of the theories are what matter, not who came up with them originally or is perpetuating them today. It doesn’t matter to me whether it is a professor or a Sunday School teacher or a home teacher who is perpetuating these theories; you need to understand what matters most. If you’re in a situation where someone is talking about Book of Mormon geography, ask if they accept the New York Cumorah or not. Their answer will tell you what you need to know. You may get a response to the effect that “I don’t have an opinion.” If that’s the case, then they shouldn’t be saying anything about the geography at all, beyond explaining the issues; i.e., they should tell you about Letter VII and how a small group of LDS scholars rejects what Oliver Cowdery wrote, while others accept it, and so on. If they don’t know about Letter VII, but they still teach anything about geography, then educate them.)

I know how alluring the two-Cumorah and related ideas are. I was taught them myself, and I believed them for many years. But they are fundamentally inconsistent with what Joseph and Oliver taught, and how can anyone living today know more about the topic than Joseph and Oliver?

Not to mention, what Joseph and Oliver taught makes more sense than the modern theories anyway.

I’m working on a chapter about the origins of the two-Cumorah theory that contains some quite surprising material that I didn’t know until I dug into it. I think you’ll like it. Maybe I’ll post the chapter, or portions of it, on the new blog.

In the meantime, I want to end with this excerpt from Brigham Young’s sermon in Farmington. It comes after he spoke about the depository. Remember, he said about the depository that “I take this liberty of referring to those things so that they will not be forgotten and lost.” But to the handful of scholars who reject the New York Cumorah (and those who listen to them and perpetuate their teachings), the things Brigham Young taught are definitely forgotten and lost. (Or, worse, explained away as a vague vision of a mountain in Mexico.)

Brigham next spoke about the the foolishness of seeking after gold and silver instead of paying attention “to the legitimate business that God has given them to perform.” People were spending time and money seeking treasure by mining, but Brigham said “what they did get was just sufficient to allure them.”

The geography theories that put Cumorah anywhere but New York remind me of that. There’s just enough to be alluring, but they are an enormous waste of time and effort and money.

Here’s what Brigham said:

The Lord has permitted our enemies to come among us, who would destroy us if they could. They are only allowed to allure the minds of the foolish and those who lack judgment and who know not the things of God. But when we, as individuals and as a people, learn things as they are, we will find this fact—all truth is worthy and worth possessing, while all untruth is not worthy nor worth running after, nor working for, nor spending our lives for. The Gospel of life and salvation which God has revealed to us, incorporates all the systems there are. Every true principle and every true science, and every truth there is, are incorporated within the faith of the Latter-day Saints. This is something worth possessing, this is worth spending our time for; but the religions of the day, independent of their moral worth, are nothing but a myth, a shadow; there is no reality in them.

Based on past experience, no doubt someone will be offended that I republished Brigham’s statement in this context. If you’re offended, don’t be. This isn’t directed at you. I’ve explained before that I think this whole Mesoamerican thing originated with the overzealous efforts of a guy Joseph described as having a “rotten heart,” who “would injure the Church as much as he could.” Instead, let’s take another look and get back to the origins.

In my view, we can rely on Joseph and Oliver. 

Source: Book of Mormon Wars

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The Hill Cumorah: the sacred depository

On July 7, 1866, The Latter-Day Saints’ Millennial Star ran a front-page article by Orson Pratt titled “The Hill Cumorah: Or the Sacred Depository of Wisdom and Understanding.” This is in volume 28, No. 27. At the time, the Millennial Star was “Edited, Printed and Published by Brigham Young, Jun.” in Liverpool.

You can see it in the original format on google books here.

The article was republished in The Contributor in September, 1882, Vol. III, No. 12. online here. The Contributor was an independent Mormon magazine intended for the Young Men’s and Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Associations.

Because a lot of people have never seen this article, I’m republishing it here.

I’m not going to comment much, except to say we have to keep in mind that although Orson Pratt knew Cumorah was in New York, he speculated about the rest of the Book of Mormon geography. This is reflected in his 1879 footnotes to the Book of Mormon, in which he stated unequivocally that Cumorah was in New York but referred to other locations as possibilities; e.g., “it is believed that. Orson was not Joseph or Oliver; he didn’t experience the repository directly, so he may not have all the details correct, but there’s a lot of great material here for those who have eyes to see.

Pratt uses a lot of flowerly rhetoric, so the style seems strange to modern readers. I’ve divided the article into smaller paragraphs for easier reading. I’ve bolded some key points.

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THE HILL CUMORAH;
or the Sacred Depository of Wisdom and Understanding

The Hill Cumorah is situated in western New York, between the villages of Palmyra and Canandaigua, about four miles from the former. It is celebrated as the ancient depository of the sacred gold plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated.

Cumorah was the name by which the hill was designated in the days of the Prophet Moroni, who deposited the plates about four hundred and twenty years after the birth of Christ. The Prophet Mormon, the father of Moroni, had been entrusted with all the sacred records of his forefathers, engraved on metalic [sic] plates. New plates were made by Mormon on which he wrote, from the more ancient books, an abridged history of the nation, incorporating therewith many revelations, prophecies, the Gospel, &c.

These new plates were given to Moroni to finish the history. And all the ancient plates, Mormon deposited in Cumorah, about three hundred and eighty-four years after Christ.

When Moroni, about thirty-six years after, made the deposit of the book entrusted to him, he was, without doubt, inspired to select a department of the hill separate from the great sacred depository of the numerous volumes hid up by his father. 

The particular place in the hill, where Moroni secreted the book, was revealed, by the angel, to the Prophet Joseph Smith, to whom the volume was delivered in September, A.D. 1827. But the grand repository of all the numerous records of the ancient nations of the western continent, was located in another department of the hill, and its contents under the charge of holy angels, until the day should come for them to be transferred to the sacred temple of Zion.

The hill Cumorah, with the surrounding vicinity, is distinguished as the great battle-field on which, and near which, two powerful nations were concentrated with all their forces, men, women, and children, and fought till hundreds of thousands on both sides were hewn down, and left to moulder upon the ground.
Both armies were Israelites; both had become awfully corrupt, having apostatized from God: the Nephites, as a nation, became extinct: the Lamanites alone were left. This happened, according to their faithful records, near the close of the fourth century of the Christian era. The American Indians are the remnants of the once powerful nation of Lamanites.
The hill Cumorah is remarkable also as being the hill on which, and around which, a still more ancient nation perished, called Jaredites: this unparalleled destruction is recorded in the Book of Ether; and happened about six centuries before Christ.
The Jaredites colonised [sic] America from the Tower of Babel. After about sixteen centuries, during which they became exceedingly numerous, they, through their terrible wars, destroyed themselves. The hill Cumorah, by them, was called Ramah. Millions fought against millions, until the hill Ramah, and the land round about, was soaked with blood, and their carcases left in countless numbers unburied, to moulder back to mother earth.
There is no spot on this wide world of ours, which is calculated to excite more vivid reflections, than the wonderful hill of Cumorah. There the history of one-half of our globe, reposed, for fourteen centuries, in profound unbroken silence: there, ‘the everlasting Gospel,’ engraved, not on tablets of stone, but on plates of gold, awaited the voice of the heavenly angel to reveal the priceless treasure: there, buried in the holy archives of Cumorah’s sacred hill, are plates of brass, plates of gold, undimmed by time; sacredly guarded as the temple of heaven: there shines the Urim and Thummim, the stones of light, the gems of immortality: there, reposes in words of light, the hidden knowledge of ages past, the prophetic history of ages to come: there wisdom has selected her palace, and understanding her dwelling place, until “the spirit is poured out from on high” and “the skies pour down righteousness;” then, “the earth opens and brings forth salvation.”
Well did the inspired Patriarch, Job, inquire “Where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?” (28:12) “The place” cannot be sought out by man; “neither is it found in the land of the living. The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.” If neither the depths of the sea, nor the generations of the living, know the holy hidden place, where shall it e sought? Is it in some sequestered wild? in some uninhabited desert or wilderness, where roams the beasts of prey? Is it on the surface of the earth, exposed to the vultures gaze, or to the keen eye of the lofty eagle?
It is in “a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen: the lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.” “It is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.” If neither man, nor beast, nor fowl hath seen it; if it has been withheld from mortal gaze; where shall we turn to renew our researches?
The Patriarch exclaims, “Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.” How truthful is this saying! The countless millions, whose dust and ashes enrich the soil of Cumorah’s hill, “have heard the fame thereof.” Let the nations of the dead speak from their lonely sepulchres, and “whisper from the dust” the doings of bye-gone ages! Let the faithful records of hte ancient dead, declare the holy dwelling place of wisdom, the sacred depository of understanding!
Though hidden from the gaze of covetous man, and protected from the poluted [sic] touch of unholy beings, yet, “God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; to make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of thunder; then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yeah, and searched it out.”
From days of old, he ordained it; on the land that is afar off, He selected for it a habitation; “on the sides of the north,” in a land of fountains, rivers, and lakes, he constructed for wisdom a house, and said unto knowledge, here shalt thou dwell, until the heavens shall reveal thy hiding place, and thy presence is sought again among the sons of men; then shalt thou teach mortals in “the fear of the Lord,” and light the candle of understanding in their hearts; then shalt thou dwell in Zion, and light up the habitations thereof with thy glory.
These holy treasures, these sacred archives are too precious to be bought with the riches of this world. Hence, Job says, “It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, either shall it be valued with pure gold.”
All the wealth of ages is valueless, compared with the records of eternal wisdom, the inexhaustible fountain of understanding, hidden in the secret recesses of the wonderful—the beautiful—the lovely hill Cumorah! O, Cumorah! the hill of ancient Seers and Prophets! the hill
 of God! Sanctified by holy angels’ feet! 
From thy bowels is heard a voice, low, sweet, mild, of heavenly tones! yet it thrills through every fibre of the heart! It speaks of man—of God— of earth—of heaven—of hell! It speaks of the past—of the future—of the destiny of nations— the reign of Messiah—the resurrection—the final judgment! 
O holy, lovely mount! The sacred resting place of Zion’s law! In thy chambers dwell eternal riches! In thy lovely bosom are fountains that never dry! Speak! O speak again! 
Let Zion hear thy voice! for thy voice is not the voice of feeble helpless man! but the voice of the Eternal One, speaking from the ground.
Let Zion sing for joy! let the heavens be full of praise; for thou, O Lord, makest the earth to disclose its wonders; though bringest forth truth from the bowels thereof! thou openest the gates of wisdom, and showest thy word unto the sons of men! Hidden things are brought to light–things most precious to the soul! let th hills and mountains break forth into signing! let the earth itself utter songs of everlasting joy! let glory, honor, and everlasting power, be unto Him who sitteth upon throne, who beholdeth the keys of Creation and Redemption forever more.
O. Pratt

Source: Letter VII

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Oliver’s letters to Joseph in 1829

On 28 December 1829, Oliver wrote a letter to Joseph Smith. Oliver was in Manchester, NY; Joseph was in Harmony, PA. You can read the letter in the Joseph Smith papers here. We don’t have the original, but the letter was copied into Letterbook 1.

One interesting thing about the letter is that Joseph Smith himself copied it into the Letterbook; i.e., this is in Joseph’s own handwriting. In the Joseph Smith Papers, material written in Joseph’s own handwriting is put in bold text.

I think it’s important for those who consider Letter VII to better understand Oliver Cowdery and what motivated him. These letters give a good feel for what he was trying to do as a follower of Christ.

To me, they help demonstrate that the last thing he would have done in writing Letter VII would be to deceive or confuse the Saints.

Letter from Oliver Cowdery • 28 December 1829
Letter 2 Manchester Dececember 28th AD 1829
Brother Joseph Smith Jr–

It may Seam Superfluous for me to write as Father is going directly to your country but knowing that if a line from under my hand is as gladly received by you as one from you would at all times be by me I cannot in duty to my feelings let this oppertunity pass unimproved Your great anxiety will probably be to know of the progress of the work in the which we are So deeply engaged and possibly our Souls wellfare all of which Father can make known unto you it may look rather Strange to you to find that I have So Soon become a printer and you may cast in your mind what I Shall become next but be asured my cahngeing changing business has not in any degree I trust taken my mind from meditateing upon my mission which I have been called to fulfill nor of Slacking my diligence in prayr and fasting but but Some times I feel almost as though I could quit time and fly away and be at rest in the Bosom of my Redeemer for the many deep feelings of Sorrow and the many long Struglings in prayr of Sorrow for the Sins of my fellow beings and also for those who pretend to be of my faith almost as it were Seperateth my spirit from my mortal body do not think by this my Brother that I would give you to understand that I am freed from Sin and temptations no not by any means that is what I would that you Should undersstand is my anxiety at some times to be at rest in the Paradice of my God is to be freed from temptation &c.. You have our prayrs and our best wishes

Yours in Christ Amen

Oliver H P Cowdery

Joseph Smith Jr
P S we Send our respects to Emma &c——

I find it interesting here that Oliver has already become a printer. He writes, “it may look rather strange to you to find that I have so soon become a printer and you may cast in your mind what I shall become next but be assured my changing business has not in any degree I trust taken my mind from meditating upon my mission which I have been called to fulfill.” Of course, Oliver would go on to print not just the Book of Mormon, but newspapers and the Book of Commandments.

Joseph also copied a letter that Oliver wrote to Hyrum:

Letter, Oliver Cowdery to Hyrum Smith • 14 June 1829
Let 3 Fayette June the 14 1829
Dear Brother Hyram Hyrum Smith

These few lines I write unto you feeling anxious for your Steadfastness in the great cause of which you have been called to advocate and also feeling it a duty to write to you at every opportunity remember the worth of Souls is great in the Sight of God behold the Lord  Your God Suffered death upon the cross after the manner of the flesh wherefore he Suffered the pains of all men that all men might repent and come unto him and he and he hath risen again from the dead that he might bring all men unto him upon conditions of repentance and how great is his Joy in the Soul that repents and behold he commandeth all men to every where to repent and baptised and not only men but women children which have arrived to the Years of acountibility Stir up the minds of our friends aganst the time we come unto you that then they may be willing to take upon them the name of Christ for that is the name by which they Shall be called at the Last day and if we Know not not the name by which we are called I fear we shall be found on the hand I have many things to write but if the Lord will I shall Shortly come unto You Please tell Mrs Rockwell that those Shose shoes fit well and I received them as from the Lord tell him that whatever he does in the cause of Zion he will in no wise loose his reward Now may the Grace of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ be and abide with you all Amen this from your Brother Oliver Cowdery A fellow labourer in the cause of Zion

Oliver H P Cowdry

Hyram Smith
P S give my love to all those who anxiously inquire after my property &c

Obviously it’s interesting that this letter quotes from D&C 18, which was given at Fayette in June.

Then there is an earlier letter from Oliver to Joseph, again copied by Joseph Smith himself:

Letter from Oliver Cowdery • 6 November 1829
Letter 4 Manchester November the 6th. 1829
Brother Joseph Smith Jr.

I received your leter yesterday bearing date Oct—. 22d I had long time expectted to hear from you and had often enquired at the post office for a letter and of course it was gladly received by us all we rejoice to hear that you are well and we also rejoice to hear that you have a prospect of obtaining Some mony and we further rejoice that you are at rest from your percecutors and we rejoice the most to learn of your faithfulness in christ my dear Brother when I think of the goodness of christ I feel no desire to live or Stay here upon the shores of this world of iniquity only toto Serve my maker and be if posible an instriment in his hands of doing Some good in his cause with his grace to assist me when I consider and try to realise what he has done for me I am astonished and amaised why Should I not be for while I was rushing on in sin and crouding my way down to that awful gulf he yet Strove with me and praised be his holy and Eternal name he has redeemed my Soul from endless torment and wo not for any thing that I have merited or any worthyness there was in me for there was none but it was in and through his own mercy wraught out by his own infinite wisdom by prepareing from all Eternity a means whereby man could be saved on conditions of repentance and faith on that infinite attonement which was to be made by a great and last Sacrifice which Sacrifice was the death of the only begotten of the Father yea the eternal Father of Heaven and of Earth that by his reserection all the Family of man might be braught back into the presance of God if therefore we follow christ in all things whatsoever he commandeth us and are buried with him by baptism into death that like as christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Eternal Father even So we also Should walk in newness of life and if we walk in newness of life to the end of this probation at the day of accounts we Shall be caught up in clouds to meet the Lord in the air but I need not undertake to write of the goodness of God for his goodness is unspeakable neither tell of the miteries mysteries of God for what is man that he can comprehend and Search out the wisdom of deity for Great is the misteries of Godliness therefore my only motive in this writing is to inform you of my prospects and hopes and my desires and my longing to be freed from Sin and to rest in the kingdom of my Savior and my redeemer when I begin to write of the mercies of God I know not when to Stop but time and paper fails I would inform that Hyram Hyrum Smith and Martin Harris went out to fayette last week they had a joyful time and found all in as good health as could be expected Martin thinks of comeing to the South in the course of two or three weeks and will callculate to take back that horse the printing goes rather Slow yet as the type founder has been sick but we expect that the type will be on and Mr, Granden Egbert B. Grandin Still think he will finish printing by the first of febuary we all send respects to yourself and Emma——

My dear Brother I cannot hardly feel to close this letter as yet without informing you that we received one from Mr—Thomas B. Marsh from Boston Masacuchusetts Massachusetts dated the 25th Oct—. he informs us that he wishes to hear from us and know of our wellfare he says he has talked considerable to Some respecting our work with freedom but others could not because they had no ears my great desire is that we may be faithful and obedient and humble children of Christ here that we may meet together in his kingdom of Eternal Glory to go no more out to Spend an Eternity where the wicked cese from troubling and the humbl and penitent child in christ finds rest I remain with much Esteem and profound respect your Brother and companion in tribulation and persecution in the kingdom of patience and hope of a Glorious reserrection in christ our Savior and redemer Amen

Oliver Cowdery

Joseph Smith Jr
Let 5 P S I have Just got to alma commandment to his Son in coppyinng the manscrip we are all in tolerable health here but my Father health is poor

Next is a letter to Oliver from Joseph, copied by Frederick G. Williams:

Letter to Oliver Cowdery • 22 October 1829
Harmony— Oct. 22d— 1829——
Letter, 6 Respected sir I would in form you that I arrived at home on sunday morning the 4th. after having a prosperous journy, and found all well the people are all friendly to us except a few who are in opposition to evry thing unless it is something that is axactly like themselves and two of our most formadable persacutors are now under censure and are cited to a trial in the church for crimes which if true are worse than all the Gold Book business. we do not rejoice in the affliction of our enimies but we shall be glad to have truth prevail there begins to be a great call for our books in this country the minds of the people are very much excited when they find that there is a copy right obtained and that there is really books about to be printed I have bought a horse of Mr. Josiah Stowell and want some one to come after it as soon as convenient Mr Stowell has a prospect of getting five or six hundred dollars he does not know certain that he can get it but he is a going to try and if he can get the money he wants to pay it in immediately for books we want to hear from you and know how you prosper in the good work, give our best respects to Father & Mother and all our brothers and Sisters to Mr. Martin Harris and all the company concerned tell them that our prayers are put up daily for them that they may be prospered in evry, good word and work and that they may be preserved from sin here and from the consequence of sin here after and now dear brother be faithful in the discharge of evry duty looking for the reward of the righteous and now may God of his infinite mercy keep and preserve us spotless untill his coming and receive us all to rest with him in eternal repose through the attonement of Christ our Lord Amen
Joseph Smith Jr
Oliver H Cowdery

Source: Letter VII

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Benefits of consensus and the main stumbling block

Since the early 1830s there has been a variety of opinions about Book of Mormon geography. Difference of opinion persist. In 1890, George Q. Cannon noted that some of the brethren were studying the geography of the Book of Mormon. 

He focused on the problem that those who study the geography “are not united in their conclusions.” 

If we were united, the problem would go away and the positive aspects of the study of Book of Mormon geography and historicity would become evident. As he wrote over 100 years ago, “We are greatly pleased to notice the increasing interest taken by the Saints in this holy book.” A united voice on the geography question would have the same benefits in our day–when study of the Book of Mormon is more urgently needed than ever before.
President Cannon noted that “no two original investigators” could agree on all the details of a geography based on the text. This is why we can never reach a consensus about Book of Mormon geography if we rely on the text alone. Instead, we need modern revelation, which gives us two pins in the map: Cumorah and Zarahemla.
Another thing to remember is that while the Church has not taken a formal position on any particular geography, only one specific geography has been identified as incorrect. This is the one that causes Church members to become “confused and greatly disturbed in their faith of the Book of Mormon,” according to Joseph Fielding Smith. Of course, he was referring to the two-Cumorah theory.
Although he was specifically referring to the idea of a second “Cumorah” in Mexico, his rationale applies to any proposed geography that puts Cumorah anywhere but in New York.
To reach a consensus about Book of Mormon geography, an important step would be taking the advice of President Smith and reaffirming that Cumorah is in New York.
Not only was the New York setting for Cumorah unambiguously and universally accepted so long as Joseph Smith was alive, but this understanding extended beyond his death. In fact, “All nineteenth-century writers on Book of Mormon geography apparently assumed that the place where Joseph Smith found the plates and the hill where the Nephites met their destruction were identical.”

So I propose, again, that any legitimate Book of Mormon geography must at least locate Cumorah in New York. 
Obviously, this will require a reassessment of many geography theories that have been proposed. 
As I’ve said, those theories are fine for people who want to consider the Book of Mormon as a sort of parable that can be adapted to a local setting. If that works for people, great. 
But for those who accept the Book of Mormon as a literal history of real people living in a real place, we need to stick with the New York Cumorah and build out from there.
______________________
I realize that changing one’s views is difficult, but B.H. Roberts wrote something I hope all Book of Mormon enthusiasts can take to heart:
“We desire only to ascertain the truth; nothing but the truth will endure; and the ascertainment of the truth and the proclamation of the truth in any given case, or upon any subject, will do no harm to the work of the Lord which is itself truth. Nor need we be surprised if now and then we find our predecessors, many of whom bear honored names and deserve our respect and gratitude for what they achieved in making clear the truth, as they conceived it to be—we need not be surprised if we sometimes find them mistaken in their conceptions and deductions; just as the generations who succeed us in unfolding in a larger way some of the yet unlearned truths of the Gospel, will find that we have had some misconceptions and made some wrong deductions in our day and time. . . . The generation which preceded us did not exhaust by their knowledge all the truth, so that nothing was left for us in its unfolding; no, not even in respect of the Book of Mormon; any more than we shall exhaust all discovery in relation to that book and leave nothing for the generation following us to develop. All which is submitted, especially to the membership of the Church, that they may be prepared to find and receive new truths both in the Book of Mormon itself and about it; and that they may also rejoice in the fact that knowledge of truth is inexhaustible, and will forever go on developing.”
B. H. Roberts, New Witnesses for God, 3:503-4, emphasis added.
IOW, just because some scholars from the past or present have reached conclusions doesn’t mean they have not been mistaken in their conceptions and deductions. 
Two major mistakes have been: 
1) relying on the anonymous 1842 Times and Seasons articles and 
2) rejecting what the early brethren–and Joseph Fielding Smith as late as 1953–said about Cumorah in New York.
Fixing those two mistakes alone would bring everyone much closer to consensus. 
I 
______________________
THE JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR 
GEORGE Q. CANNON, EDITOR. 
SALT LAKE CITY, JANUARY I, 1890. 
EDITORIAL THOUGHTS. 
The Book of Mormon Geography. 
THERE is a tendency, strongly manifested at the present time among some of the brethren, to study the geography of the Book of Mormon. We have heard of numerous lectures, illustrated by suggestive maps, being delivered on this subject during the present winter, generally under the auspices of the Improvement Societies and Sunday Schools. We are greatly pleased to notice the increasing interest taken by the Saints in this holy book. It contains the fullness of the gospel of Christ, and those who prayerfully study its sacred pages can be made wise unto salvation. It also unravels many mysteries connected with the history of the ancient world, more particularly of this western continent, mysteries 
which no other book explains. But valuable as is the Book of Mormon both in doctrine and history, yet it is possible to put this sacred volume to uses for which it was never intended, uses which are detrimental rather than advantageous to the cause of truth, and consequently to the work of the Lord. 
We have been led to these thoughts from the fact that the brethren who lecture on the lands of the Nephites or the geography of the Book of Mormon are not united in their conclusions. No two of them, so far as we have learned, are agreed on all points, and in many cases the variations amount to tens of thousands of miles. These differences of views lead to discussion, contention and perplexity ; 
and we believe more confusion is caused by these divergences than good is done by the truths elicited. 
How is it that there is such a variety of ideas on this subject? Simply because the Book of Mormon is not a geographical primer. It was not written to teach geographical truths. What is told us of the situation of the various lands or cities of the ancient Jaredites, Nephites and Lamanites is usually 
simply an incidental remark connected with the doctrinal or historical portions of the work; and almost invariably only extends to a statement of the relative position of some land or city to contiguous or surrounding places, and nowhere gives us the exact situation or boundaries so that it can be definitely 
located without fear of error. 
It must be remembered that geography as a science, like chronology and other branches of education, was not understood nor taught after the manner or by the methods of the moderns. It could not be amongst those peoples who were not acquainted with the size and form of the earth, as was the case 
with most of the nations of antiquity, though not with the Nephites. Their seers and prophets appear to have received divine light on this subject. 
The First Presidency have often been asked to prepare some suggestive map illustrative of Nephite geography, but have never consented to do so. Nor are we acquainted with any of the Twelve Apostles who would undertake such a task. The reason is, that without further information they are not prepared even to suggest. The word of the Lord or the translation of other ancient records is required to clear up many points now so obscure that, as we have said, no two original investigators agree with regard to them. When, as is the case, one student places a certain city at the Isthmus of Panama, a 
second in Venezuela, and a third in Guiana or northern Brazil, it is obvious that suggestive maps prepared by these brethren would confuse instead of enlighten ; and they cannot be thus far apart in this one important point without relative positions being also widely separate. 
For these reasons we have strong objections to the introduction of maps and their circulation among our people which profess to give the location of the Nephite cities and settlements. As we have said, they have a tendency to mislead, instead of enlighten, and they give rise to discussions which will lead to division of sentiment and be very unprofitable. We see no necessity for maps of this character, because, at least, much would be left to the imagination of those who prepare them; and we hope that there will be no attempt made to introduce them or give them general circulation. Of course, there can be no harm result from the study of the geography of this continent at the time it was settled by the Nephites, drawing all the information possibly from the record which has been translated for our benefit. But beyond this we do not think it necessary, at the present time, to go, because it is plain to be seen, we think, that evils may result therefrom. 

Source: Book of Mormon Concensus

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Beyond the Rivers of Ethiopia

I’ve previously discussed Isaiah 18:1, which relates a prophecy about the location of the latter-day Zion, which, from the perspective of Isaiah living in Israel, is beyond the rivers (waters) of Ethiopia. I think that’s how Nephi knew he had to sail around Africa to reach the promised land.

Zephaniah, another Old Testament prophet, who was a contemporary of Lehi.

“Zephaniah saw our day and beyond. In it he both suffered and rejoiced. He suffered in spirit because of the desolation and destruction which he saw, but he was able to use this as a warning and threat to his own people. In the redemption and final blessings of Israel he saw a ray of hope to extend to Judah. No prophet has written more clearly or vigorously of the Day of the Lord. Zephaniah must be added to the list of prophets who give us a grave warning of disaster.” (Sidney B. Sperry, The Voice of Israel’s Prophets, p. 388.)

It’s significant that like Isaiah, Zephaniah referred to the land “beyond the rivers of Ethiopia” as the place from which “my suppliants” [those who seek the Lord] ” even the daughter [descendants] of my dispersed [Lehi was dispersed] shall bring my offering [as one commentator put it, “themselves as an offering to the Lord, souls and bodies, with all other spiritual sacrifices of prayer, praise, and well doing”].

Here is the verse in context:

Zephaniah 3:8 ¶Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
 9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.
 10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

I won’t take the time to go through this in more detail now, but it’s something to consider, together with Isaiah 18. The prophets knew where the promised land would be, and where the gathering would begin when the gospel was restored in the last days.

Source: Book of Mormon Concensus

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More on frauds and hoaxes: profit vs non-profit

I’ve had some questions about my post the other day about frauds and hoaxes. Basically, I was making the point that there are many frauds and hoaxes in archaeology. One time when I was in Lebanon I purchased some old Roman coins on the advice of the archaeologist who was accompanying me, only to find out that at least one of them was fake. It comes with the territory.

But in the Church, I think there’s no doubt that the biggest hoax of all time was the link between the Book of Mormon and Central America, perpetrated by William Smith and Benjamin Winchester in the Times and Seasons. That was my main point, and the sooner that is recognized, the sooner we can reach a legitimate consensus about Book of Mormon geography.

That said, there’s another angle that has raised questions. This isn’t directly related to the geography question, and I don’t have a dog in the fight, but when I see errors perpetrated, I like to correct them.

That blog post I mentioned the other day said this: “People who register .org domains or use the term “foundation” when in reality they are for-profit corporations or LLC’s are being disingenuous and doing a dis-service to the body of believers.”

That statement is itself disingenuous.

The domain .org “was originally intended for non-profit entities, but this restriction was not enforced and has been removed. The domain is commonly used by schools, open-source projects, and communities, as well as by for-profit entities.”

Maybe people have heard of Google, the second largest company in the world in terms of market cap. They use google.org.

microsoft.org directs to microsoft.com. Amazon.org directs to Amazon.com.

Then there is craigslist.org.

“Foundation” is not a legal term, either. It is often used by non-profit corporations or charitable trusts, but there is no legal limitation on the term. Even the Clinton Foundation, technically, isn’t a foundation in the traditional sense. It’s a public charity.

The distinction between “for profit” and “non-profit” corporations implicates fiduciary duties to shareholders and different tax filings, but when the shareholders of a “for profit” corporation support values other than maximizing profit, the distinction is blurred in a practical sense. Some states are allowing benefit corporations and low-profit limited liability companies (L3C). A “for profit” corporation can be more charitable than a “non-profit” corporation, depending on how the resources are allocated.

A “non-profit” corporation might actually pay its management far more than a “for profit” corporation, for example.

According to one survey, the median salary for an Executive Director at a non-profit is $63,546 per year. Some Executive Directors at non-profit corporations are paid much more than that.

Here is another range given based on operating budget:

Bottom line, it is a false dichotomy to differentiate between “for profit” and “non-profit” without examining the underlying data, objectives, and performance of the entity in question.

Source: Book of Mormon Concensus

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Olver was truthful about everything except…

Letter VII from Messenger and Advocate, July 1835

Those who reject Letter VII cite no reasons other than their preference for a different location for the Hill Cumorah.

It is interesting to take a look at Oliver Cowdery’s participation in the Church to put Letter VII in context. When he wrote it, he was the Assistant President of the Church. He had been commanded by revelation to select materials to publish. All eight of Oliver’s letters about history are accepted by Church historians as important insights into the early events of the Church.

The only ones who object to any of Oliver’s writings are the Mesoamerican advocates who reject just a few paragraphs out of one of the eight letters.

Oliver published Letter VII in July 1835. In February 1835, he, as one of the Three Witnesses, had selected the first members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He gave them their aspostolic charge. In April 1836, he, along with Joseph Smith, was visited in the Kirtland temple by Moses, Elias, Elijah, and the Savior Himself. Oliver and Joseph were given the keys of the gathering of Israel and the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham.

Mesoamerican advocates expect you to believe that Oliver Cowdery could faithfully record the entire Book of Mormon, most of the Book of Moses, and much of Church history. Oliver could faithfully edit and publish two Church newspapers, the Book of Commandments, and the original Doctrine and Covenants. He could accurately write the statement for the Three Witnesses. Of all the writing he did, you’re supposed to believe he was faithful and accurate except for a few paragraphs in one letter, solely because those paragraphs contradict the opinions of the scholars.

Here is the chronology. Everything that is okay is marked green. The items the scholars object to is marked red.
Date
Event
1829 April
Transcribes Book of Mormon as Joseph dictates
1829 May
Receives Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist, baptizes Joseph and is baptized by him
1829 May
Receives Melchizedek Priesthood from Peter, James and John
1829 June
Sees the plates and angel as one of the Three Witnesses
1829 June
Completes Book of Mormon and makes a printer’s copy, supervises printing and publication
1830 April
Helps organize the Church as a Second Elder and apostle, ordains Joseph Smith as First Elder
1830 June
Transcribes Book of Moses 1:1 through 5:43
1830 Oct.
Leaves on mission to the Lamanites
1830 Nov.
Baptizes Sidney Rigdon
1831 Jan.
Arrives in Jackson County, Mo.
1831 Summer
Meets Joseph in Jackson County
1831 Nov.
Takes revelations from Ohio to Missouri for publication
1832
Helps Phelps with printing operation in Missouri
1832 Apr.
Approves Book of Commandments
1833 Nov.
Sets up printing press in Kirtland, reprints Evening and Morning Star
1833 Dec.
Begins editing Evening and Morning Star
1834 Feb.
Chosen as founding member of Kirtland Council
1834 May-Aug.
Leader in Kirtland after Zions Camp left
1834 Oct
Edits LDS Messenger and Advocate and Northern Times
1834 Oct
Publishes Letter I about Church history, part of which is in the current Pearl of Great Price
1834 Nov
Publishes Letter II about Church history
1834 Dec
Publishes Letter III about Church history
1834 Dec
Ordained by Joseph Smith as “Assistant President of the Church”
1835
Publishes Letter IV about Church history
1835 Feb
With David Whitmer and Martin Harris, selects first members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
1835 Feb
Gives apostolic charge to the Twelve Apostles
1835 Mar
Publishes Letter V about Church history
1835 Apr
Publishes Letter VI about Church history
1835 May
Resigns from Messenger and Advocate
1835 July
Publishes Letter VII about Church history
1835 Aug.
Gets Doctrine and Covenants approved for printing
1835 Oct.
Publishes Letter VIII about Church history
1836 Mar.
Resumes editing the Messenger and Advocate
1836 Apr.
Visited in Kirtland temple by Moses, Elias, Elijah, and Christ, receives the keys of the gathering of Israel and dispensation of gospel of Abraham
1836 July
Accompanies Joseph to Salem, MA
1837 Feb.
Turns over printing company to Joseph and Sidney
1838 July
“Excluded from fellowship” for accusations against Joseph
1848 Nov.
Rebaptized into the Church
1850 March
Dies in Richmond at home of David Whitmer

Source: Letter VII

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Mesoamerica vs Moroni’s America

Those who care about Book of Mormon geography and historicity need to answer this question:

Is the Book of Mormon Hill Cumorah in New York or not?
The answer is really a referendum on the credibility and reliability of Oliver Cowdery, who stated in no uncertain terms that it was in New York (See Letter VII). I have a detailed blog on that in the LetterVII blog today.
For me, it’s a simple decision. I go with Oliver Cowdery.
I realize that others reject Oliver Cowdery because the New York Cumorah is incompatible with their preferred geography. There really is no other reason to reject Oliver Cowdery’s Letter VII. 
True, there have been some poorly researched, bias-confirming articles about how Cumorah is a “clean hill” in terms of archaeology. But those were transparent efforts to give people a pretext to dismiss Oliver Cowdery. I’ve addressed those in detail.
I also realize that emotional attachments are not affected by facts. The geography references in the Book of Mormon are vague and fluid enough to accommodate just about anywhere on the planet, especially if you operate under the assumption that Joseph Smith translated the text wrong (e.g., he should have dictated headwaters of Sidon instead of head of Sidon). In a sense, this vagueness is an advantage. It allows people anywhere in the world to apply the text to their own lands. And, in a very real sense, it’s true that the Lord’s covenants apply to everyone everywhere.  
In that sense, an abstract map is as good as anything else.
People can believe whatever they want. But of course we have to recognize that a universal approach has the downside of transforming the Book of Mormon into a parable instead of an actual history of actual people who lived in an actual place. 
As a parable, the Book of Mormon may work for some people, but it lets people off the hook. People don’t have to confront the harsh reality that Joseph Smith translated it by the power of God, and that the book is, literally, true.
As an actual history, the Book of Mormon forces people to confront this reality; i.e., that it could only exist because of divine intervention. Its origin makes it unique in human history.
I think the Book of Mormon can only fulfill its purpose if it is an actual history of actual people who lived in an actual place.
That’s why I keep coming back to the geography question.
_______________
Once we’re out of the parable realm, let’s get real. 
There are dozens (maybe hundreds) of ideas about where the Book of Mormon took place. In my view, any idea that puts Cumorah outside of New York fundamentally undermines the credibility and reliability of Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith, which in turn pushes the text over into the parable column.
I realize there are people who accept the literalness of the text and also believe it took place in Peru, Chile, Baja, Mesoamerica, Panama, Africa, Southeast Asia, and who knows where else. But when you examine the foundations for those theories, they boil down to a belief in a whole list of questionable assumptions that don’t compensate for the rejection of Joseph and Oliver.
The Mesoamerican theory has one thing going for it: the 1842 Times and Seasons articles that, for over 140 years, gave scholars a pretext for claiming Joseph approved, or at least was interested in, the Mesoamerican setting. I’ve shown from abundant evidence and from a variety of perspectives that Joseph had nothing to do with those articles, but traditions die hard. 
The question of historicity and geography really boils down to Mesoamerica vs. Moroni’s America.
Consequently, I’m going to continue examining the Mesomerican theory on a new blog I’ll announce tomorrow.
Stay tuned.

Source: Book of Mormon Wars

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Comparing fortifications

I thought readers might like to compare a couple of concepts and see which one they would find to be more astonishing if you were a Lamanite in Alma 49.

This is another chance to reach consensus if we just use common sense. Set aside everything Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery said and just look at the options.

Book of Mormon Central (BOMC) cites Becan as the ultimate example of a Nephite fortification created by Moroni. So does FairMormon (and probably all the other affiliates of BOMC). FairMormon gives us 4 images to consider, all of Becan. At least that’s somewhat scientific; BOMC gives us three illustrations of “a fortified Nephite city” (which is actually an unidentified rendition of Becan with the moat Mormon forgot to mention obscured by different coloration), “Captain Moroni’s Works of Timbers,” and “Nephite Fortifications,” all featuring the ubiquitous Mayan stone temples that appear in all the Mesoamerican artwork but not in the text.

Here is the place of entrance at Becan:

You have to cross the ditch (or moat) and fight off the defenders on either side, but it’s basically a straight shot. Not a problem with enough men.
And not very imaginative.
Here is the place of entrance at Fortified Hill in southern Ohio.
There are four places of entrance. Three are at the top of steep hills, and even then there is no straight shot. The fourth has a series of gauntlets an attacker would have to navigate. Here’s a closeup. 

Which of these would you find more “astonishing” if you were trying to attack?
The arrows in red show what the attackers would have to get through. Several layers of defenses, arranged like a maze, with defenders atop each of the banks of earth. And even if you survive the gauntlet, you’ve got a fresh army waiting for you at the end of the final passage.

Pretend you’re a Lamanite. You better hope you’re living in Mesoamerica and not Moroni’s America.

Source: Book of Mormon Concensus

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Yet another lost opportunity-KnoWhy #158

People started contacting me early this morning about the latest KnoWhy brought to you by Book of Mormon Central. The title: “What Was the Nature of Nephite Fortifications?”

I’ll just give you a quick overview of my thoughts, emphasizing as always that the people at Book of Mormon are great people. They just have a particular point of view that I don’t share.

You won’t be surprised to see the entire KnoWhy seeks to promote a Mesoamerican setting.

The main references are to Alma 49 and 50. Mormon describes the banks of earth that were thrown up around the cities, with well-defended places of entrance. There were ditches and “works of timbers” “upon the top of these ridges of earth.” This was around 72 to 67 B.C., according to the chapter headings.

Despite the detail about the fortifications, Mormon inexplicably forgot to mention the massive stone pyramids the walls were supposedly defending, as depicted in all the artwork in the KnoWhy.

The KnoWhy offers as an example the “defensive earthworks at Becan (ca. AD 100).” Other sources put the date of the defensive construction at Becan at ca. AD 250. Readers of the Book of Mormon might wonder why such massive defensive earthworks were being built during a time in which everyone had all things in common and the people were living in peace. (See 4 Nephi.)

One answer: Mormon wasn’t describing anything that happened in Central America.

The author of the study of Becan, David Webster, noted that “It requires no particularly inventive mind or prior tradition of military architecture to conceive of a ditch as an effective barrier, and the simple expedient of heaping up the excavated material to form an inner embankment is an immediately logical extension of the latter.” Consequently, we would expect to find such fortifications “among many ancient cultures,” as the KnoWhy recognizes.

So it should not be a surprise to also find them among the Native American Indians in North America.

For example, the complex found in Ohio on land owned by Mordecai Hopewell enclosed about 130 acres. (The Indians who lived there have been named after Mr. Hopewell. Had his last name been Nephi, everyone would be calling these ancient people Nephites.) The walls were originally 35 feet wide at the base. Archaeologists have determined that the embankment wall and ditch around the Hopewell site were likely built after mound building was well established at this site.

That lines up with what the text says. Captain Moroni had his armies “commence in digging up heaps of earth round about all the cities, throughout all the land which was possessed by the Nephites.” Alma 50:1. Later in chapter 50, Teancum defeats Morianton. In Chapter 52, Moroni, Teancum and other chief captains have a council of war. They decide to entice the Lamanite armies “to meet them upon the plains between the two cities.” During Zion’s Camp, Joseph Smith identified Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois as “the plains of the Nephites.” He passed within about 70 miles of the Hopewell site. Referring to the Nephites by name, Joseph said he and his men were “roving over the mounds of that once beloved people of the Lord, picking up their skulls & their bones, as a proof of its divine authenticity.”

To Book of Mormon Central, none of what Joseph said is relevant.

While the Mayans in Becan were building defensive structures during the time of peace described by 4 Nephi, in Ohio, according to the National Park Service, “the ancient American Indians who built this sprawling structure [at Hopewell] were part of a cultural golden age that flourished in this region from A.D. 1 to 400.” Give or take 30 years or so, it’s a pretty good match to the Book of Mormon.

The Hopewell site was under cultivation for over 200 years, and archaeologists have not found any dateable features associated with wall construction. They can only observe the walls were built after the interior mounds were established.

Maybe that’s why Joseph identified the plains of the Nephites for us.

Source: Book of Mormon Concensus