Book of Mormon Evidence

Who said the BOM occurred in Central America?

Rian Nelson

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February 5, 2025

Who said the BOM occurred in Central America?

*Where did the idea that the Book of Mormon occurred in central America originate?
*What historical evidence from Joseph Smith exists to support the many Mesoamerica theories speculating about its geography?
*Where did the Book of Mormon history really take place and what did the Prophet, Joseph Smith, know about it, if anything?

“BYU law school graduate, former JAG attorney and author Jonathan Neville has conducted one of the most important, monumental and history clarifying research on these subjects. His research has culminated in one of the most important books on the Book of Mormon that has been written, a book that will finally lay to rest speculation about where to complete our search for the evidence of the reality of the Book of Mormon, a book that reveals new research that is destined to become… THE SMOKING GUN OF BOOK OF MORMON GEOGRAPHY…” Rod Meldrum

Saturday, June 11, 1842, was unusually cold in Boston, Massachusetts. It snowed in the city that day, the latest snow in Boston history. Also on that day, the Dollar Weekly Bostonian published the first in a series of articles written under a false name–a pseudonym–that were part of a scheme to change LDS thinking about the Book of Mormon. The scheme would misdirect Book of Mormon research for 173 years.

By 1842 standards, it was a simple plan, but there were complications. The now virtually unknown perpetrator–who will become known as the “Smoking Gun” of Book of Mormon geography –was well known at the time. He had to work anonymously. He had to work from a great distance. And he needed an accomplice, someone very close to the Prophet Joseph Smith whom no one would suspect until it was too late.

To pull off this scheme, it had to be an inside job.

It was brilliantly executed. The seeds sown by the conspirators in 1842 took root and prospered. Even today, the fruit is visible inside thousands of LDS chapels around the world, in the pages of Church manuals and magazines, and in illustrations published inside the Book of Mormon itself. Millions of people–members, investigators, and critics–have formed opinions and mental images of the Book of Mormon based on the work of the Smoking Gun.

Try this experiment. With your mind’s eye, picture Samuel the Lamanite on the city walls, preaching to the Nephites.

Did you see a man standing on top of a massive stone wall, his red cape blowing in the wind? The sun setting behind him? A muscular archer aiming directly for his heart?

Samuel the Lamanite in the Heartland by Clark Kelley Price 2024

If that is what you pictured (see picture left), you are experiencing the influence of this man… the Smoking Gun of Book of Mormon geography.

Editors note: Let’s update your visual reference. See our great friends new Heartland depiction of Samuel the Lamanite (right)

Arnold Friberg, who painted that image of Samuel the Lamanite and eleven other paintings in the famous series on Book of Mormon events, specifically set his paintings in Central America. His painting titled “Lehi and His People Arrive in the Promised Land” includes white birds flying around the ship. Friberg explained, “The birds are not seagulls, but rather swallow-tailed roseate terns, which are found in the tropical waters around Central America. Such details helped define the geographic location for this painting.” ¹

Why did Friberg choose a Central American setting? (See picture left). Why do so many people–perhaps most members of the Church today–think Book of Mormon events took place in Mesoamerica?

It was the work of a small group of men, led by the Smoking Gun.

Early church members speculated that the Book of Mormon events took place across the Americas. The “narrow neck of land” had to be Panama, they guessed, while the Nephites lived in North America and the Lamanites in South America. Such a hemispheric model might have made sense in a day when people did not have accurate maps–let alone satellites–to reveal the distances and geography involved. But Joseph Smith made statements that, had they been more widely

known, likely would have focused the Saints’ attention on a smaller geographic area.

(Today, the picture on the left represents a better picture of what the Heartland Geography of the Book of Mormon looks like near Newark, Ohio in the United States)

Joseph Smith’s and Oliver Cowdery’s view

The Book of Mormon text mentions only one site–Cumorah–that relates to a modern location. Cumorah is where the last great battles were fought, and is also the place where Joseph Smith obtained the plates. Some people believe there is one Cumorah; others believe there are two, one in New York and another–the scene of the last battles–in Mesoamerica. This raises the question, how did Joseph Smith’s Cumorah end up in Mesoamerica?

Wandering over the Plains of the Nephites by Ken Corbett

After crossing Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois as part of Zion’s Camp in 1834, Joseph wrote a letter to his wife Emma. (See picture above). He described “wandering over the plains of the Nephites, recounting occasionally the history of the Book of Mormon, roving over the mounds of that once beloved people of the Lord, picking up their skulls & their bones, as proof of its divine authenticity.“

Where are the plains of the Nephites? The Book of Mormon describes several plains where events took place, including plains near the city of Mulek (Alma 52:20), the plains of Agosh (Ether 14:15), the plains of Heshlon (Ether 13:28), and the plains of Nephihah (Alma 62:18). Joseph could have been referring to any or all of these.

As recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord sent missionaries to the Indians living in New York, Ohio, and Missouri, specifically identifying them as Lamanites and telling them that He (the Lord) “would go with them and be in their midst.” (D&C 32:2) During this mission, Joseph Smith told tribes from Michigan that the Book of Mormon was the history of their ancestors. He wrote that the Book of Mormon is a record of “the forefathers of our western tribes of Indians.” ²

Joseph identified an old Nephite altar in what is known as Adam-ondi-Ahman. He had a vision on Zelph’s Mound of a fallen Lamanite who was killed during the last great struggle with the Lamanites and Nephites, and who served under the great prophet Onandagus, who was known from the Hill Cumorah or east sea to the Rocky Mountains. Cumorah and “east sea” are both locations named in the Book of Mormon text. The Book of Mormon explains that the last battles occurred between Zarahemla and Cumorah. Zelph’s Mound is located about 70 miles southeast of Nauvoo–between Zarahemla and Cumorah.

Mormon claims that when he was eleven years old, he “was carried by my father into the land southward, even to the land of Zarahemla. The whole face of the land had become covered with buildings, and the people were as numerous almost, as it were the sand of the sea.” Mormon 1:6-7. (See painting below). One non-Mormon observer in the 1800s claimed that anciently, there were 5,000 cities at once full of people in eastern North America. Another reported over 3,000 tumuli, or mounds, along the Ohio River alone. Today there are 170,000 known “Indian” archaeological sites in Illinois alone. Artifact collectors in Iowa, directly across the Mississippi from Nauvoo, have found tens of thousands of arrowheads in the vicinity. More wash up whenever the rivers flood.

To help you understand how many mounds really did exist in North America, listen to what Dr. Gregory L. Little has said. “The most common question that is asked about mounds is, “How many exist?” In the 1800’s the Smithsonian sponsored many expeditions to identify mound sites across America. A map (shown below) was produced by Cyrus Thomas in 1894 in a Bureau of Ethnology book. They found approximately 100,000 mound sites, many with complexes containing 2 to 100 mounds. The figure of 100,000 mounds once existing— based on Cyrus Thomas map revealing 100,000 sites—is often cited by others, but that estimate is far, far too low. After visiting several thousand mounds and reviewing the literature, I am fairly certain that over 1,000,000 mounds once existed and that
perhaps 100,000 still exist. Oddly, some new mound sites are discovered each year by archaeological surveys in remote areas. But in truth, a large majority of America’s
mounds have been completely destroyed by farming, construction, looting, and deliberate total excavations” – Gregory L. Little, Ed.D., The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Native American Mounds & Earthworks, Eagle Wing Books, Inc., Memphis, TN [2009].

(We have taken the above map and laid on top of it the current Heartland Geography as we believe it to be. You will see an incredibly nice fit within all the red dots which constitute thousands of mound complexes.)

D&C 125:3 named the area in Iowa across from Nauvoo as “Zarahemla” and that location fits the proposed ancient Zarahemla when an abstract internal map based on the Book of Mormon text is overlaid on North America.

Despite all these links to North America, Arnold Friberg, who “established for Latter-day Saints what Book of Mormon people, landscapes, and events might have looked like,” ³ picked Central America–as have most artists who depict Book of Mormon events.

Why Central America?

As listed above, prior to 1842, there was a consistent record of Joseph Smith locating Book of Mormon peoples in North America. What caused the shift to Central America?

The Times and Seasons–the equivalent of today’s Ensign–reprinted the Bostonian articles mentioned in the opening paragraph. These articles prepared readers for three additional articles published in the September 15th and October 1st issues of the Times and Seasons that specifically linked Book of Mormon cities to Mesoamerica.

The first Mesoamerica article claims “these wonderful ruins of Palenque [Mexico] are among the mighty works of the Nephites,” and “the Nephites… lived about the narrow neck of land, which now embraces Central America.” A second article reads new material into the Book of Mormon text: “When we read in the Book of Mormon that… Lehi… crossed over to this land and landed a little south of the Isthmus of Darien…” The third outright states that “The city of Zarahemla… stood upon this land [referring to Central America or Guatemala]… It is certainly a good thing for the excellency and veracity, of the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon, that the ruins of Zarahemla have been found where the Nephites left them.”

Joseph Smith was listed as the publisher and editor of the Times and Seasons when these articles were published. For that reason, even though the articles themselves are unsigned, many historians and scholars assumed that Joseph wrote, or edited–or at least approved of–these articles. No one knew for sure, but this assumption has become the prevailing view and is the underlying basis for the Mesoamerican theory.

Now, thanks to new Church history research, we know Joseph did NOT write these articles. The Smoking Gun of Book of Mormon geography is now revealed.

Smoking Gun(s)

The earliest case in the career of Sherlock Holmes (1880) was titled “The Adventure of the Gloria Scott.” In the story, a fake chaplain shot the captain of the ship–proven because “the chaplain stood with a smoking pistol in his hand“–the first “smoking gun.” Now the term “smoking gun” refers to a fact that provides conclusive evidence of a crime.

Writing the three “Mesoamerica” articles for the Times and Seasons was not a crime in the technical sense of the word. But the mystery about their authorship has endured for 173 years because the stakes involved are so high. What reader of the Book of Mormon has not wondered where the events took place? Millions of people–members, investigators, and critics, as well as the curious and studious–have read the Book of Mormon. Having an idea of the actual setting is important in order to understand the Book of Mormon people and their society–as well as to establish the historicity of the book. If Joseph Smith wrote the Mesoamerican articles, then those who sustain him as a Prophet generally feel compelled to accept the Mesoamerican setting. In fact, it was the presumption that Joseph wrote, or at least approved of, these articles that led Church members to formulate the limited geography of Mesoamerica as the setting for the Book of Mormon in the first place. LDS scholars have worked diligently to vindicate what they thought were Joseph’s teachings about Mesoamerica.

But if Joseph did not write these articles, then shouldn’t the other things he wrote about the North American setting take precedence?

This brings us back to the central question: is there solid evidence of authorship? Is there in fact, a smoking gun?

Modern proponents of the Mesoamerican theory have used stylometry–the statistical study of linguistic style, word usage, etc.–to demonstrate that Joseph Smith was the author. Stylometry can find a “smoking gun,” but only if the actual author is among the candidates tested.

Two stylometry studies by LDS scholars have purported to prove Joseph was the author (or co-author) of the Times and Seasons articles. However, both studies limited their examination to only three possible authors: Joseph Smith, Wilford Woodruff, and John Taylor. Of the three, Joseph’s writing style was closest to the actual author’s, but not by much. The Mesoamerican articles were linguistic outliers. The results of the study showed it was unlikely that any of the three candidates they tested were the actual author. In fact, these studies essentially proved Joseph could not have been the author. (That analysis is too detailed for this article, but it is included in the book, “The Lost City of Zarahemla,” which discusses the historical facts in depth.)

So what went wrong? How and why did these scholars reach what seemed to be an incorrect result?

The scholars who wrote these stylometry studies are also proponents of the Mesoamerican theory. Perhaps there was an element of confirmation bias; i.e., because they believe the Book of Mormon took place in Mesoamerica, they believed Joseph was the author of these articles and when the results seemed to verify this, the analysis ended. But in fact, it was the articles in the Times and Seasons that led to the Mesoamerican theory in the first place! The stylometry studies did not solve the real mystery of who wrote the articles.

There are two key facts that have been overlooked regarding the authorship of the Mesoamerican articles. First, much of the material in the Times and Seasons consisted of reprints from other sources that were mailed to the newspaper. Some articles were even written under pseudonyms. Second, someone other than Joseph Smith was actually editing and publishing the Times and Seasons in August and September of 1842.

What no one noticed before now was a number of similarities between the Mesoamerican articles and the known writings of one Benjamin Winchester. Words, phrases, and concepts were common to both sets of documents–and unique to Winchester.

Winchester, in fact, was the Smoking Gun of Mesoamerican theory.

This realization led to further inquiry. Who exactly was Benjamin Winchester? Why did he write these articles? How did he get them published in the Times and Seasons? What did Joseph Smith think of them?

Benjamin Winchester

Although he is mostly forgotten now, Benjamin Winchester was well known in the early days of the Church. He had been the youngest adult (age 16) on Zion’s Camp in 1834. He had been ordained an Elder and a Seventy by the age of 20. He had been present when the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve were chosen and ordained. Along with them, he had received a blessing and a promise that he “shall push many people to Zion.” In fulfillment of that blessing, he became a zealous missionary–successful enough that the Times and Seasons published an account of his missionary work in its very first issue in 1839.

Winchester settled down in Philadelphia, where he became the Branch President Presiding Elder (equivalent to today’s Bishop). Frustrated with the anti-Mormon opposition and the inadequate success of the missionary work, he started his own newspaper, called The Gospel Reflector, to promulgate his ideas about Church doctrine and the Book of Mormon, he developed a “new course of argument” that he believed would persuade the world to read the Book of Mormon and join the Church. A thrilling book by John L. Stephens, titled Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan, was riveting readers with descriptions of an expedition that uncovered mysterious, long-lost civilizations. Accompanied by detailed illustrations of exotic ruins, the book became a national best seller. Winchester had previously sought to popularize the Book of Mormon by linking it to other books about archaeology, but the Stephens book was more sensational.

John E. Page, an Apostle who visited Philadelphia and conducted missionary meetings with Winchester along with another Apostle, William Smith (the Prophet’s younger brother), liked Winchester’s ideas. He wrote a letter to Joseph Smith, explaining this “new course of argument” with great enthusiasm. He gave the letter to William to hand-deliver to his brother Joseph. Winchester traveled through New York on his way to Massachusetts. Shortly thereafter, a member of the Church in New York, Dr. John Bernhisel, bought a copy of the Stephens book and sent it to Joseph Smith in Nauvoo. Winchester abandoned his mission and hastily relocated to Nauvoo, where he secured a job at the Times and Seasons following the death of Don Carlos Smith, another of Joseph’s brothers. He managed to reprint many of his Gospel Reflector articles in the Times and Seasons but the Quorum of the Twelve suspended him before he could reprint his Mesoamerica promoting articles, which were first published in the Gospel Reflector back in March 1841.

Later in May of 1842, Brigham Young formally silenced Winchester, printing a notice in the Times and Seasons so Mormons everywhere would see it. But Winchester remained convinced that his new course of argument would dramatically improve missionary work. His overriding motivation was missionary zeal. He was well intentioned, but he disregarded the counsel of his leaders, a problem Joseph Smith himself explained several times to Winchester personally. Joseph once told John Taylor, “You can never make anything out of Benjamin Winchester if you take him out of the channel he wants to be in… he can write for thousands to read while he can preach to but few.” And Winchester did not want to be out of the channel of proving the Book of Mormon with archaeological evidence from Mesoamerica.

But how could Winchester accomplish his goal when he was living in Philadelphia, especially after the Quorum of the Twelve had suspended him from the Times and Seasons and publicly silenced him? Was someone in Nauvoo working with him? Did he have an accomplice?

The first paragraph of this article mentioned a pseudonymous article published in a Boston newspaper. There were actually four such articles written, two by an author using the fake name “Q” and two by another named “A Lover of Truth.” The articles purported to be written by non-Mormons who were inordinately impressed with the Mormon preachers in Boston–including the link between the Book of Mormon and archaeological discoveries. The Times and Seasons reprinted these articles in July, August and September 1842.

There was no explanation in Church history regarding the authorship of these articles, but there was something suspicious about them. Winchester had been present at the Boston meetings, but he was not mentioned in the articles. A closer look at the linguistic style of the articles revealed another smoking gun: clearly, Winchester was “Q.” Why would he write under a pseudonym?

The answer was easy. He had to.

Winchester was posing as a non-Mormon. Plus, he needed to avoid attention from Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, who had previously reprimanded him so many times.

But who was “A Lover of Truth?” The writing style excluded Winchester. A series of investigatory breakthroughs uncovered yet another smoking gun. A Lover of Truth was a friend of Winchester’s.

Still, it seemed improbable that Joseph Smith, John Taylor, or Wilford Woodruff would have published articles from pseudonymous authors. Such an author could have been an enemy of the church, writing falsehoods to fool the saints and then discredit the Times and Seasons. Someone had to know the true identity of “Q” and “A Lover of Truth,” but who?

There was only one person in Nauvoo who knew their identity: William Smith, the brother of Joseph. William was the editor and publisher of The Wasp, another Nauvoo newspaper, but what did he have to do with the Times and Seasons? No account of Church history mentions William Smith in connection with the Times and Seasons. In fact, as the stylometry articles mentioned above showed, William was never even considered as having had anything to do with the Times and Seasons.

What everyone seemed to have forgotten is that William was publishing and editing The Wasp from the same printing shop using the same printing press as the Times as Seasons. In fact, there is abundant evidence that William was the acting editor of the Times and Seasons during August and September 1842. This is an astonishing discovery–yet another smoking gun–but it makes sense in the context of the other facts of this case. It was William who had hand-carried the letter from John E. Page to Joseph Smith that described the “new course of argument” Winchester developed. William had reprinted Winchester’s pseudonymous articles from the Bostonian. Therefore, it was William who published Winchester’s unsigned articles about Mesoamerica in the Times and Seasons.

But why would William participate in a scheme to link the Book of Mormon to Mesoamerica, especially if it contradicted Joseph’s own teachings? For one thing, William had a long history of confrontations with his brother Joseph. Shortly after Joseph’s assassination, William apostatized and became President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles under James Strang. In that position, he continued to promote the Mesoamerican theory of Book of Mormon geography.

So William Smith was Winchester’s Nauvoo insider and accomplice.

Joseph not only didn’t write the Mesoamerican articles, he didn’t edit, publish or even approve them. For several reasons (which are discussed in detail in the book), he couldn’t simply retract the articles. But he took action to mitigate their impact and prevent their recurrence. Within days of the unauthorized release of the three Mesoamerican articles in the fall of 1842, Joseph fired William from The Wasp, had Winchester removed as Branch President in Philadelphia, and resigned as Editor of the Times and Seasons himself.

The Legacy

The conspiracy fomented by Benjamin Winchester and William Smith is not merely an interesting and previously unknown aspect of Church history. George J. Adams, a close associate of Joseph’s, wrote that shortly before their martyrdom, “Joseph and Hyrum said that Winchester was rotten at heart, would apostatize, and injure the church as much as he could.” But as noted at the outset, Winchester has been largely forgotten. Few people other than serious students of Church history have ever heard of him. Has Joseph’s prophecy been fulfilled? Has Winchester injured the church?

The answer comes back to Winchester’s three Mesoamerican articles in the Times and Seasons. Certainly they have had a major influence on the Church through Mesoamerican Book of Mormon theories ever since.

For 173 years, faithful Mormons have been searching in Mesoamerica for evidences of the Book of Mormon. Scientific expeditions have been conducted. Books have been published, films produced, tours undertaken, and artwork and photos created and displayed, not only in chapels and temples but in the pages of the Book of Mormon itself. And yet, after all this time, energy and expense, not a single piece of evidence of the Book of Mormon civilizations has been discovered in Mesoamerica. At best, scholars find parallels and similarities. They’ve made an honest and sincere–but terribly costly–mistake.

All because of one Benjamin Winchester.

The Problem with Mesoamerica

The underlying premise of the Mesoamerican geography is that there are problems with the text as translated by Joseph Smith.

As an example, Mesoamerica has an east/west orientation. To the north is the Gulf of Mexico. To the south is the Pacific. However, the Book of Mormon speaks of the land northward and the land southward, not the land east and west. For Mesoamerica to qualify as the setting for the Book of Mormon, proponents must redefine the term “north” as used in the Book of Mormon (“Nephite north”), claiming it cannot be the same as the direction we call “north” today.

This has led one faithful LDS scholar to make the following statement:

“The Book of Mormon is the translation of a document from a culture with which Joseph Smith was not familiar. We have evidence that Joseph dictated ‘north.’ What we do not have evidence of is what the text on the plates said.” ⁴

This scholar doesn’t think Joseph’s translation is evidence of what was on the plates. It is difficult to conceive of an argument that undermines the Book of Mormon more than this. If Joseph couldn’t correctly or accurately translate a concept as basic as a cardinal direction, what basis is there for believing he could translate anything correctly or accurately? Joseph reviewed the Book of Mormon several times to make sure the translation was correct. If, as this quotation demonstrates, Mesoamerican proponents must cast doubt on the validity of Joseph’s translation to place the Book of Mormon in Mesoamerica, the Mesoamerican theory sows confusion and misdirection.

Another prominent and faithful LDS scholar has defended his Mesoamerican geography in a series of books on the topic. Here are some of his conclusions.

“There remain Latter-day Saints who insist that the final destruction of the Nephites took place in New York, but any such idea is manifestly absurd. Hundreds of thousands of Nephites traipsing across the Mississippi Valley to New York, pursued (why?) by hundreds of thousands of Lamanites, is a scenario worthy only of a witless sci-fi movie, not of history.” ⁵

“Joseph Smith became convinced in the last years of his life that the lands of the Nephites were in Mesoamerica.” ⁶

“The prospect that any other part of America than Mesoamerica was the scene of Book of Mormon events is so slight that only this obvious candidate area will be considered here.” ⁷

This “sci-fi” take on Joseph’s comments during Zion’s camp may be understandable if one believes that Joseph wrote the Times and Seasons articles, but now that we know he did not, what justification can there be for ridiculing a North American setting? The second quotation expresses a common belief among Mesoamerican advocates that Joseph’s views changed over the years, but what evidence is there of that, apart from Winchester’s articles? Once we recognize that Winchester, the Smoking Gun of Book of Mormon geography research, wrote these articles and that William Smith published them, everything that Joseph wrote or taught is consistent with a North American setting for the Book of Mormon.

The third quotation from this scholar shows that he didn’t even consider a site outside of Mesoamerica, presumably because of the Winchester articles. Hopefully he, and those who have collaborated with him, will now recognize that the foundations for the Mesoamerican theories have collapsed, leaving behind nothing but swirling dust and the smoke curling out of the smoking gun that is Benjamin Winchester’s.

Why Zarahemla?

It has long been somewhat curious that the final Mesoamerican Times and Seasons article focused on Zarahemla. Why Zarahemla? Why didn’t Winchester write about the city of Bountiful, or the city of Nephi or some other Book of Mormon location?

The site across the Mississippi River from Nauvoo had been named Zarahemla by the Lord in D&C 125:3. Some authors have stated, incorrectly, that the site was referred to as Zarahemla prior to this revelation, but the historical record shows this is not the case. The saints’ use of the term Zarahemla for the land across the river from Nauvoo followed the revelation.

The Times and Seasons published only one description of the development activity in Zarahemla, Iowa. The author stood by the temple and looked across the river, writing “The Temple also commands a fine view of Zarahemla, and the beautiful prairie that stretches along, at its wonted distance from the river for several miles. Several buildings are in progress in Zarahemla.“

As you may already have guessed, the author of that article was Benjamin Winchester.

Winchester first formulated his Mesoamerican theory in March 1841–the same month that, 850 miles away in Nauvoo, Joseph Smith had received the revelation now known as D&C 125. Was the Lord preparing Joseph for what Winchester would eventually propose? Was it Winchester’s missionary zeal that led him to link the Book of Mormon to a best-selling book about Mesoamerica? Did this theory of Winchester’s ultimately injure the Church as Joseph predicted?

Everyone can assess the evidence and decide, but in the end, best-selling books and public fascination do not have enduring value. Only the truth does.

Notes:

Vern G. Swanson, “The Book of Mormon Art of Arnold Friberg, ‘Painter of Scripture’” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/1 (Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 2001): 26-35, 33. ↩
Joseph Smith, “Mormonism,” The American Revivalist and Rochester Observer 7/6 (February 2, 1833). Only the last two paragraphs of Joseph’s letter to the newspaper were printed. The entire letter appeared eleven years later in the November 15, 18. issue of the Times and Seasons. ↩
Vern G. Swanson, “The Book of Mormon Art of Arnold Friberg, ‘Painter of Scripture, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/1 (Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 2001): 26-35, 33. ↩
Brant A. Gardner, ‘An Exploration in Critical Methodology: Critiquing a Critique,” FARMS Review 16/2 (Neal A Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, 2004): 173-223, p. 218 ↩
John L.Sorenson, Mormon’s Codex (The Neal A Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship and Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2013), p. 688. ↩
Ibid, p. 694. ↩
John L. Sorenson, The Geography of Book of Mormon Events: A Source Book (The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, Provo, Utah 1992): 407. ↩

Indiana Mounds of the Book of Mormon

Book of Mormon Evidence

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February 3, 2025

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Indiana is a likely location of the Narrow Neck, [Not the Narrow Neck of Land which is the Niagara Peninsula in Ether 10:20], spoken of in Alma 63:5, near the southern end of Lake Michigan, and in upper Indiana is also the possible location of Lachoneus (see 3 Nephi 3:11–13, 22–25) when he gathered his armies to prepare for a fight in the center of the land with the Lamanites. “And he caused that fortifications should be built round about them, and the strength thereof should be exceedingly great.” 3 Nephi 3:14 See map below.

An 1818 Palmyra newspaper said, “The author of this interesting and valuable work, in speaking of the antiquities of the state of Indiana that now exist near Vincennes, County of Knox, says that “On the hills, two miles east of the town, are three large mounds; and others are frequently met with on the prairies, and upland, from White River to the head of the Wabash. They are in every respect similar to those in Franklin County, already described.

The French have a tradition, that an exterminating battle was fought in the beginning of the last century, on the ground where Fort Harrison now stands, between the Indians living on the Mississippi, and those of the Wabash. [This area in present day Indiana seems to fit nicely the area of the Land Zarahemla and the Land Bountiful in the Book of Mormon]

The bone of contention was the lands lying between those rivers, which both parties claimed. There were about 1000 warriors on each side. The condition of the fight was, that the victors should possess the lands in dispute. The grandeur of the prize was peculiarly calculated to inflame the ardor of savage minds. The contest commenced about sunrise. Both parties fought desperately. The Wabash warriors came off conquerors, having seven men left alive at sunset, and their adversaries but five. The mounds are still to be seen where it is said the slain were buried.” Palmyra Register, 21 January 1818 Extract from the Western Gazeteer.

Narrow Neck Alma 63:5. The neck of land between the Great Black Swamp and the Grand Kankakee Marsh.

The Wabash River is ideal as the barrier between the Land Zarahemla and the Land Bountiful in present day Indiana. Number 1 one green above is the Narrow Neck of Land and number 2 in greed is the Narrow Neck.

Top Ten Native American Indian Burial Mounds & Earthworks in Indiana

“These are the top ten Indian mounds and earthworks that can still be visited in Indiana that were constructed by the Allegewi (Adena) and Hopewell (a confederation of Sioux, Iroquois Cherokee and Allegewi). Some of the mound sites in Northern Indiana could date as early as 1500 B.C. The mounds and earthworks in the central and southern part of Indiana were constructed from 500 B.C. – 500 A.D. There are close to 100 burial mound and earthworks sites that can still survive in Indiana, of these only 2 are recognized as “Historic Sites.” One of which is, Mounds State Park that continues to be excavated and destroyed by university archaeologist. If you’re a tourist in Indiana, all of these sites are in jeopardy of being destroyed.

1. Number One Ancient Tourist Attraction in Indiana. Mounds State Park, Henge Complex in Anderson Indiana

The burial mound in the center platform of the large henge marked the solstices for 2000 years before being destroyed by Indiana University archaeologists. A charge of a few dollars is required to enter Mounds State Park, but the tour of the mounds and earthworks is worth the price. Mounds State Park, despite the destruction by Indiana University archaeologists is one of the best preserved henge sites in the Ohio Valley. Mounds State Park, does not have all of the mounds and earthworks sites listed on their map. Discover the “lost” earthworks with “The Nephilim Chronicles: A Travel Guide to the Ancient Ruins in the Ohio Valley.”

Largest Henge of the southern group at Mounds State Park. The undulations in the outer wall are symbolic of the serpent wrapped around the central circle that was symbolic of the sun. The earthwork complex was a combination of solar and Earth Mother worship. Before touring Mounds State Park, learning of the symbolism of the ancient earthworks and how they were dedicated to the Sun god and the Earth Mother will enhance your visit.

Find out the directions to Mounds State Parks “Lost Henge” This is the site, park officials don’t want you to know about.

2. Serpent Mound near Holton, Indiana

Many people have toured to the famous serpent mound in Ohio, but did you know that Indiana has a serpent mound just as large? Above, an identical serpent mound as that in Indiana was mapped in Warren County, Ohio. If you are touring southeast Indiana, the serpent mound located near Holton, Indiana is a must see!

Indiana’s Serpent Mound undulated back and forth like the previous diagram. Despite the tens of thousands of people that visit Ohio Serpent mound, Indiana does not even recognize this ancient treasure as an historic spot.

3. Henge Complex near New Castle, Indiana

Traveling to Indianapolis? This historic site is an hour’s drive. This ancient tourist treasure is not recognized as a historic site in Indiana, despite being constructed over 2000 years ago.

The photo is a burial mound (#1 on map) in the distance and a the outer wall of the small henge ( #2 on map). This historic treasure has had a lot of damage done by Ball State University archaeologists, who have obliterated mound Number “1. A solar alignment of the mounds occurs every equinox. City officials have moved to not allow University archaeologist to continue to destroy this potential, popular tourist attraction.

4. Iroquois, Horseshoe Shaped Fort, Near Fort Wayne

The wall of the Iroquois Fort can still be seen near Fort Wayne, Indiana. If you are a tourist in Fort Wayne, this site has not been opened to the public, yet.

Three of these horseshoe shaped fort were constructed by the early Iroquois along the Maumee from Fort Wayne to Toledo. One of Indiana’s few Native American historic sites is not recognized, nor deemed worth saving.

5. An Iroquois Circular fort near Ashley, Indiana

A circular Iroquois fortification is located near Ashley, Indiana. This potential tourist attraction is also not recognized by the State. This ancient site is on private property but could be opened as a tourist attraction in the future.

6. Henge Complex near Cambridge City, Indiana

Henge complex at Cambridge City, Indiana. The northern Henge was aligned to the summer solstice sunrise with the lower aligned to the equinox sunrise. One of Indiana’s best historical sites. If you are looking for things to do Indianapolis, this site is only an hour away, but has not been opened to the public, yet.

This Adena Henge constructed in 200 B.C. is the same size as the one in Anderson, Indiana. It is currently being plowed and slowly over time, destroyed.

7. Large Henge in Strawtown, Indiana

HengeHenge, near Strawtown was constructed by the ancient Hopewell Confederacy. This henge was constructed by the Oto Sioux Indians about 2000 year ago.

8. HengeHenge, near Yorktown, Indiana

Henge near Yorktown, Indiana on private land. The Henge site at Yorktown, Mounds State Park, New Castle and Cambridge City are all about 20 miles apart.

9. Subterranean Oval Stone enclosure near LaFountain, Indiana

The purpose of this stone subterranean enclosure remains a mystery. It is located near the 1812 Mississenewa Battle Ground, but is much older than the short Miami Indian occupation of northern Indiana.

A sacred stone bowl with a natural spring that flows into it along the Mississenwa River. This site is on public land near the subterranean stone work.

10. Winchester, Indiana Earthwork

Winchester, Indiana work that measured 1320 X 1080 feet. Only a few remnants still exist of this possible tourist attraction.

All sites are listed here along with another 75 in Indiana and a total of 222 burial mounds and earthworks in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Michigan.” Indiana Tourism: Top Ten Native American Indian Burial Mounds and Earthworks in Indiana

There is an extraordinary amount of evidence of ancient mounds and earthworks all over the Heartland of North America. It makes sense that the Book of Mormon indeed began in this sacred land. Elder Perry said, “The United States is the promised land foretold in the Book of Mormon—a place where divine guidance directed inspired men to create the conditions necessary for the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Elder L. Tom Perry Ensign Dec. 2012.

Early Native American Indian Mound Builders in Hamilton County, Indiana

October 5, 2011 EARLY NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA INDIAN MOUNDS AND EARTHWORKS

Historic map left showing the locations of burial mounds and Earthworks in Hamilton County, Indiana

Indiana Department of Geology and Natural History (Fourteenth Annual Report), 1884But Strawtown has an antiquity evidently higher than the days of the Delaware Indians. The mound builders have left their footprints in this vicinity by the numerous relics of the Stone Age that have been picked up by the present inhabitants. A little west of the present village there is a burial mound about six feet high; it has been plowed over for a number of years, so that not only its height has been reduced, but its base rendered so indistinct that its diameter can not be accurately measures; it is, however, between seventy and eighty feet. It was opened in 1882 by Judge Overman, of Tipton, and four skeletons were found lying on the original surface of the ground, with their heads together and their feet directed to the cardinal points of the compass.

This type of burial was symbolic of the mound builders Sun god. This type of burial occurs frequently with the Adena and proto Iroquois and Sioux of the Ohio Valley, whom archaeologists call the Hopewell. This is consistent with reports from the excavations of this site by IPFW archaeologists who assigned this work to the Oto Sioux. At a distance of 150 yards southeast of this mound is a circular embankment, now about three feet high, and twelve feet on the base. It has a ditch on the outside, which evidently furnished a portion of the earth for the embankment. The diameter of the circle, measured from the bottom of the ditch on each side, is 315 feet. There is a doubt as to what period this work should be referred. A tradition among the “old settlers” claims that the remains of palisades that once formed a stockade, were standing on the embankment when the early immigrants settled here. This tradition is strengthened by the fact that in 1810 a stockade was built by the Delaware Indians somewhere near this spot, as a protection against their Miami neighbors north of White River. Moreover, it was not the custom of the mound builders to make a ditch on the outside of their embankments. On the other hand, the regularity of the work, and the perfect form of the circle, is hardly compatible with the idea that this is the work of modern savages. It is possible that the circle dates back to the period of the mound builders, and that the Delawares took advantage of it to build their stockade on, and made the ditch to strengthen their palisades. The ditch was been filled, and the embankment reduced much by cultivation.

Map showing the location of the henge at Strawtown. IPFW university determined that this site was constructed by the Early Native American Oto Sioux who psrt of the Hopewell Indian mound builders.” History of Hamilton County Indiana, 1915 The Fort and Mound

“The work of the Mound Builders found in Hamilton county is not as extensive or varied in character as in other counties in our state, but nevertheless the Strawtown Mound is very interesting tot he residents of Hamilton county and in some ways is distinctive and different from mounds in general. The Strawtown Mound is situated on the Roy Castor farm in White River township in the southeast part of the northwest quarter of section 3, township 19 north, range 5 east, near the center of the section.

In 1875 the state geologist, Professor E.T. Cox, made a visit to the mounds and gave the following description of his trip: “Through the kindness of General Moss and William M. Locke, I obtained the skull and ornaments for the state collection. I was taken by General Moss and Mr. Locke to Strawtown, seven miles from Noblesville, to see some prehistoric earth works. They are now in a cultivated field owned by J.R. Parker. The corn and weeds were so thick it was impossible to make an accurate or even satisfactory examination of the works. The main work is a circle about three hundred feet in diameter, thrown up in the center, but apparently level and surrounded by a ditch that Mr. Parker says was about six feet deep when he first saw it. Fifty yards to the south of the large circle is a lesser circle about fifty feet in diameter and now almost obliterated. The site of these works is on the second bottom of White River about a quarter of a mile from the bank and thirty feet above the overflow. Between the earth enclosures and the river there is a mound which commands an extensive view up and down White River. The large enclosure is one of the very few in the Mississippi Valley that has the ditch on the outside, and it therefore is worthy of more careful study.”

Editors Note: Many mounds of the Hopewell have a moat on the inside of the large earthern walls such as the Newark Earthworks in Newark, Ohio. This Newark site seems to not be defensive in nature but built as a ceremonial earthwork with the symbolic water on the inside as you see below.

The Newark Earthworks above built between 100 A.D. to 500 A.D.,* originally encompassed
more than four square miles. Taken as a whole, the earthworks appear to symbolize elements of the Plan of Salvation and Redemption:
1. Pre-Mortal Life as spirits being born with a…
2. Veil of Forgetfulness to begin mortal…
3. Earth life: “the four corners of the earth”
4. Direct path after death to a higher kingdom
5. Spirit Prison (holding area for the wicked)
6. Paradise (Gospel preached to the dead)
7. Vicarious Path with multiple check points
8. Lake of Filthy Water (worldly temptations)
9. Terrestrial Kingdom (cf. 1 Cor. 15:40) The Seal of
Melchizedek consists of two interlocked (or overlapping)
squares, making what appears to be an
eight-pointed star within the octagon.
10. Celestial Kingdom (narrow path entered only
through the realm of the Melchizedek Priesthood)

History of Hamilton County Indiana Continued, “The earthwork at Strawtown is best described as a ‘Henge’ that is defined as a circular earthwork with a outer wall and interior ditch with a gateway that is aligned to a solar event. The gateway is slightly visible on the southeast side that may have aligned to the winter solstice sunrise. Later, accurate measurements were made of the mound. It was found that the principle enclosure is situated about seven hundred feet west of the river on an elevated point of land extending in a northwesterly direction into the bend of White River. This elevated point of land overlooks a strip of low bottom land varying in width from four hundred feet on the east to three thousand feet on the west, with a similar view north and south. The principal mound is a circle with a diameter measuring two hundred eighty feet from side to side.

From this point the outer slope to the middle of the ditch surrounding it is about twenty feet, the ditch originally having been about thirty feet wide and nine feet deep, the earth and gravel therefrom forming the mound in the center. Inside the enclosure the middle area was originally, no doubt, of equal elevation with the surface outside.

There is very little doubt that the purpose of this mound was for defense, the ditch outside being designed to resist assault. From time to time various specimens of bones, pottery, flint, arrowheads, etc., have been found, though no thorough and systematic search has ever been made of the contents of the mound. In the spring of 1914 some men were plowing over that part of the field included in the ancient mound and they unearthed about two bushel baskets full of human bones. At various times in the past such discoveries had been made but this was the first disclosure of this sort for several years. The ditch surrounding the fort is becoming less and less distinct as the years go by, and though it still be plainly seen, in the course of a few more years the hand of Father Time probably will completely obliterate it.

Additional embankments can still be seen to the south of the earthwork that were not reported in the previous histories, nor found by university archaeologists.” History of Hamilton County Indiana, 1915 The Fort and Mound

Joseph Knew the Name of the Hill Cumorah before he Even Translated the Plates

Rian Nelson

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February 2, 2025

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Joseph Knew the Name of the Hill Cumorah before he Even Translated the Plates

The purpose of this blog is to discuss when the word “Cumorah” was first known to the leaders and people in the Church. Many Historians think the word “Cumorah” was only known after 1831, and Heartlanders believe it was as early as 1823 when Joseph knew the word “Cumorah” and the Church members knew this term as early as 1829.

Why is that important? Many historians say that the hill in New York was not called Cumorah until later in histroy as they claim the hill in NY [not called Cumorah], where Joseph found the gold plates was not the same hill where the last battles of the Nephites was fought. These historians believe the last battles happened somewhere in Mexico in a hill that does not necessarily have the name of Cumorah.

Some critics of the Church seem to continualy point out a disparity between what the prophets have taught about hill Cumorah and the revisionist Church history as a weapon to undermine faith. My feelings are that it would be far better to report the truth in the first place.

Millions of Church members plus future generations, may have no hope of learning the complete truth about the gospel, when the LDS book titled, “Saints”, The Standard of Truth, Volume 1, seems that some historians at times deliberately suppress and change Church history into what they think is an acceptable “narrative history”. I like the true history not someones made up narrative that they seem to like better.

“Saints” presents an opportunity to inform Church members about the truth using a narrative history, not necessarily a factual history. Some Church historians claim they are neutral on the location of Hill Cumorah. That appears to be the reason they may chose to mislead readers by not citing and quoting Lucy’s corrected account about the name of the hill as Cumorah, [as I speak about below], and other narratives they include like leaving the name Cumorah out of the “Saints” text replacing it with “the hill”, and at other times leaving out the word “Lamanites” from the text as well.

More blogs can be found at the end of this article that speak about how the book Saints eliminated the words Cumorah, and Lamanites. Also there are blogs that show how the Wentworth Letter was not fully quoted in a Church manual and why some scholars seem to edit things out of important Church works.

Mesoamerican Quotes

“The archaeology of New York—and specifically the Hill Cumorah—is persuasive evidence that Book of Mormon peoples did not live in that region. By implication, the Cumorah of the golden plates is not the Cumorah of the final battles—Mormon’s hill and Moroni’s hill are not one and the same. These conclusions follow from a few basic points and assumptions that the author explores in this article.” Clark, John E. “Archaeology and Cumorah Questions.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 13 (2004): 144–51, 174. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol13/iss1/15.

“We await answers for most questions evoked by this miracle of divinely supervised archaeological toil. What we do know is that Joseph Smith Jr. found the golden plates and other relics in a stone box in a hill near his home, a prominence now known as Cumorah.” Clark, John E. “Archaeology and Cumorah Questions page 146. As you see, Brother Clark says, “now known” not “then known” as Joseph and others have said.

Brother Clark also says, “Most proposals for the location of Mormon’s final stand fall into one of two possibilities: either the Palmyra hill or one in Middle America 2,000 miles to the south. Here I consider reasons for questioning the case for a New York location. I am unaware of any archaeological investigation of the hill itself, but sufficient information is available for the surrounding regions to make a critical assessment. Mormon’s hill and Moroni’s hill are not one and the same.” Clark, John E. “Archaeology and Cumorah Questions page 146 We believe there is only one possibility that Hill Cumorah was in New York.

Many Mesoamericans also don’t believe there was a cave in Cumorah NY, as a separate place from where the stone box was found at Cumorah in NY. They believe that Brigham Young’s quote about Joseph and Oliver going into a large cave at Hill Cumorah was a dream about some place in Mexico. Here is the quote, what do you think?

Cave in Hill Cumorah NY

“Oliver Cowdery went with the Prophet Joseph when he deposited these plates. Joseph did not translate all of the plates; there was a portion of them sealed, which you can learn from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. When Joseph got the plates, the angel instructed him to carry them back to the hill Cumorah, which he did. Oliver says that when Joseph and Oliver went there, the hill opened, and they walked into a cave, in which there was a large and spacious room. He says he did not think, at the time, whether they had the light of the sun or artificial light; but that it was just as light as day. They laid the plates on a table; it was a large table that stood in the room. Under this table there was a pile of plates as much as two feet high, and there were altogether in this room more plates than probably many wagon loads; they were piled up in the corners and along the walls. The first time they went there the sword of Laban hung upon the wall; but when they went again it had been taken down and laid upon the table across the gold plates; it was unsheathed, and on it was written these words: “This sword will never be sheathed again until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and his Christ.” I tell you this as coming not only from Oliver Cowdery, but others who were familiar with it, and who understood it just as well as we understand coming to this meeting. . . . [Don] Carlos Smith was a young man of as much veracity as any young man we had, and he was a witness to these things. Samuel Smith saw some things, Hyrum saw a good many things, but Joseph was the leader.” Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 17 June 1877

Not having a seperate place in NY Cumorah is also being purposely avoided my some Mesoamercanists as well as the final battles not fought in NY, but in some place in Mexico.

Parley P. Pratt’s Quote

Here is the quote that Mesoamerican theorists use to say no one knew the hill was called Cumorah until this quote by Parley P Pratt in 1831.

“This Book, which contained these things, was hid in the earth by Moroni, in a hill called by him, Cumorah, which hill is now in the State of New York, near the village of Palmyra, in Ontario County.” Quote from Parley P. Pratt in Feb 1831. The Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt – Revised and Enhanced Edition – Chapter 8

Knowledge of Cumorah before 1831 as Heartlanders know.

Heartlanders believe that Mormon’s hill and Moroni’s hill are both in Hill Cumorah NY at different locations in that same hill,and Joseph knew the name “Cumorah” as early as 1823 according to His mothers jourrnal as you see below.

1. Lucy Mack Smith’s Journal of 1845, hs a quote from the year 1823. “The record is on a side hill on the Hill of Cumorah 3 miles from this place.” Lucy Mack Smith https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1844-1845/41
2. Early 1827– Joseph Smith (Quoted by his mother Lucy Mack Smith) “Stop, father, Stop.” said Joseph, “it was the angel of the Lord— as I passed by the hill of Cumorah, where the plates are, the angel of the Lord met me and said, that I had not been engaged enough in the work of the Lord” https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1845/111
3. In 1829 David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, and Joseph Smith hear a messenger from their wagon while traveling to Fayette say, “No, I am going to Cumorah.’ This name was something new to me, I did not know what Cumorah meant.”David Whitmer http://www.lettervii.com/p/trip-to-fayette-references.html

More details here: https://bookofmormonevidence.org/the-geography-packet/

Below is a blog written by our good friend Jonathan Neville:

“Saints” First reference to Cumorah 1827

https://saintsreview.blogspot.com/2018/09/chapter-4-be-watchful.html

Chapter 4 of Saints, titled “Be Watchful,” covers the events leading up to the time when Joseph obtained the plates. You can read Chapter 4 here:

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2018/06/chapter-4-be-watchful?lang=eng

At one point, the chapter relates an account of Joseph being chastised.

Here’s the quotation:

Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844-5 the part quoted and cited in Saints is lined out

One day, Joseph went to town on an errand. Expecting him back for dinner, his parents were alarmed when he did not return. They waited for hours, unable to sleep. At last Joseph opened the door and threw himself into a chair, exhausted.

“Why are you so late?” his father asked.

“I have had the severest chastisement that I ever had in my life,” Joseph said.

“Who has been taking you to task?” demanded his father.

“It was the angel of the Lord,” Joseph replied. “He says I have been negligent.” The day of his next meeting with Moroni was coming soon. “I must be up and doing,” he said. “I must set myself about the things which God has commanded me to do.”19

Note 19 goes to this link:
http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1844-1845/59

This is Lucy Mack Smith’s history from 1844-5. If you go to the link, you’ll see that the quoted section is lined out.

We wonder, why would Saints misquote and cite a source that was lined out in the original?

_____

Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1845 The revision that quotes Joseph referring to Cumorah before he even got the plates is not mentioned, quoted or cited in Saints.

Here is the later, corrected version from 1845:

Presently he smiled, and said in a very calm tone, “I have taken the severest chastisement, that I have ever had in my life”.

My husband, supposing it was from some of the neighbors, was quite angry; and observed, “I would would like to know what business any body has to find fault with you.”

“Stop, father, Stop.” said Joseph, “it was the angel of the Lord— as I passed by the hill of Cumorah, where the plates are, the angel of the Lord met me and said, that I had not been engaged enough in the work of the Lord; that the time had come for the record to <be> brought forth; and, that I must be up and doing, and set myself about the things which God had commanded me to do: but, Father,’ continued he, ‘give yourself no uneasiness concerning the reprimand that I have received; for I now know the course that I am to pursue; so all will be well.”

http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1845/111

This statement about Cumorah completely supports the teachings of the prophets that Cumorah is in New York. Here Lucy explains that Joseph knew the name Cumorah even before he got the plates. He could only have learned this from Moroni.

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Saints should have used Lucy’s later version. In fact they cite the later version in note 22!.

Using the later one should be obvious.

So why did Saints use the old version?

I think the editors of Saints avoided the corrected version because they realize it refutes M2C.*

The editors will say that they are neutral on the question of Book of Mormon geography, including the New York Cumorah.

But is that a reason to quote and cite a passage they know Lucy later corrected, especially without telling readers what they’re doing?

_____

The M2C intellectuals always have a rationale for disbelieving early Church history accounts that contradict their theory. They have said we should disbelieve Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Lucy Smith, among others.

In this case, they claim we should disbelieve Lucy because she must have added this comment about Cumorah because she was confused; i.e., by the time she dictated this history in 1845, the New York Cumorah was well established by Letter VII, D&C 128, etc. Therefore, according to the M2C intellectuals, we can’t believe what Lucy wrote here.

And, apparently, the editors of Saints agreed with their M2C friends.

But consider this.

Just because the original sources are not “neutral” on Book of Mormon geography, does that give the editors of Saints the right to revise Church history?

I think not.

One of the tragedies of Saints is that it is teaching the world the revisionist Church history, not what the original documents actually say.

_____

Here is one of the practical consequences of this revisionist history.

Had Saints explained what Lucy said–what she directly quoted Joseph Smith as saying–readers would understand that Joseph knew the name of the hill before he even translated the plates.

Readers would realize that Joseph could have learned that only from Moroni.

And readers would realize that all the prophets and apostles who have taught that Cumorah is in New York were correct, while the M2C scholars who have taught that Cumorah cannot be in New York were not correct.

That would go a long way toward building unity in the Church.

Members everywhere would align themselves to what the prophets have taught instead of being misled by the teachings of the M2C intellectuals.

Now you see why the M2C intellectuals and their citation cartel don’t want members of the Church to even know about this.

_____

This may appear to be nit-picking, but I think this is a serious problem.

Even people fairly familiar with Church history would have passed this by unawares.

The millions of Church members around the world, in all languages, plus future generations, have no hope of learning the truth when Saints is deliberately suppressing and changing Church history this way.
_____

BTW, the same M2C intellectuals who cite Lucy’s account for other details–Lucy is the sole source for many important events in early Church history–insist she was wrong about this. She had a poor memory, they say, or she conflated this account with another account.

Those of us who accept Lucy’s account point to two important indicia of credibility and reliability.

First, the earlier draft was lined out and replaced with more detail. Lucy directed the revisions, an indication that when she read the first draft, she realized it was not completely accurate. For example, the first account has the angel telling Joseph he was “negligent,” but the revised account has the angel telling Joseph he “had not been engaged enough in the work of the Lord.” Which sounds more like the words of Moroni?

Second, Lucy’s account of Joseph learning the name Cumorah from Moroni has corroboration in other historical accounts. For example, the Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, a source cited in Saints (note 4 to Chapter 4), includes this quotation from Oliver Cowdery’s teachings to the Lamanites in Kansas: “This Book, which contained these things, was hid in the earth by Moroni, in a hill called by him, Cumorah, which hill is now in the State of New York, near the village of Palmyra, in Ontario county.” p. 57.

It’s possible Lucy knew what Oliver was teaching, but she didn’t get it from Pratt’s autobiography because it was not published until many years after this 1845 version of Lucy’s account was written.

_____

To summarize: Saints presented an opportunity to inform Church members about the truth.

The historians claim they are neutral on the New York Cumorah. That appears to be the reason they chose to mislead readers by not citing and quoting Lucy’s corrected account.

What they’re really saying is, the original sources are not neutral. They clearly taught that Cumorah is in New York.

The problem is not limited to Saints. The M2C ideology has been inserted throughout the commentary to the Joseph Smith Papers.

As a result, future generations will have no chance to learn the actual history and what the prophets have taught.

Critics of the Church will continue to point out the disparity between what the prophets have taught and the revisionist Church history as a weapon to undermine faith.

I think it would be far better to report the truth in the first place.

Of course, I also think it would be better to sustain the teachings of the prophets about the New York Cumorah, but the exact opposite is going on at BYU/CES/COB.” Jonathan Neville

More Details below about Historical LDS Book Edits

BLOG “Lamanites” and “Cumorah” not in Saints Book
BLOG Why Ideological Edits by Scholars & Historians?
BLOG “Religious Faith has Little Influence on Mormon Scholars” WHY
BLOG Wentworth Letter- Why was a Church Manual Edited?

Empty Quarters of the Jaredites

Rian Nelson

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February 1, 2025

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Below are the four most important questions you can answer that assist you in discovering the path of the Jaredites travel to the Promised Land of North America.

1-Where did the Lord command the Jaredites to travel to, after the tower of Babel fell? “That they should go forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where there never had man been?” Ether 2:5 Where is this quarter of land?
2- How many sets of barges did the Jaredites build as the Lord said, “go to work and build, after the manner of barges which ye have hitherto built” and where did the Jaredites build each seperate set of barges? Ether 2:16
3. How many days were the Jaredites on the water before reaching the Promised Land, and where in the world would barges be able to be continuously on the water in this long of a journey? “And thus they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four days upon the water.” Ether 6:11
4. Is there archaeology found today that can verify the Jaredites timeline [apx. 2200 BC] in these areas of travel? Yes!

I will discuss briefly these four questions. For my complete blog read here.

Answer these 4 questions and you will follow my logic in understanding where the Jaredites may have traveled from and to.

My Summation:
I believe the Jaredites traveled on foot from the Tower of Babel area, to near Kuwait, built their first set of barges and crossed “many waters” [gulfs, inlets, seas, bays etc] beginning at the Persian Gulf. After sailing through this gulf, they continued through the Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Laccadive Sea, Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea and perhaps the Philippine Sea. They plausibly arrived in either Japan, Taiwan, or near Shanghai, China and stayed for 4 years building their 2nd set of barges to sail on the Great Waters or ocean to the Promised Land. They were on the water 344 days, landing near Seattle WA.

Great Sea

Ether 2:13 that great sea which divideth the lands. [this=Atlantic, that=Pacific] Jared did not know about Atlantic which is only 150 years after Noah. “That” great sea always existed.
Ether 2:22 wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this (speaking from China) great water in darkness?
Ether 2:25 for ye cannot cross this (speaking from China) great deep

Into the Wilderness

After the destruction of the Tower of Babel, the Jaredites were commanded to “go forth into the wilderness”. Ether 2:5. Which direction did they travel? Southeast! Why? Ether 2:7 tells us their direction as we explain below.

Where There Never Had Man Been

We read in the Book of Momron in Ether 2:7, “Yea, into that quarter where there never had man been.” This scripture speaks about where the Brother of Jared traveled after leaving the area near the Tower of Babel after it was destroyed. Where is this quarter where man had never been? Can this area give us an indication of the path the Jaredites traveled on their way to the Promised Land? Yes!

As you see in the map above, the most likely quarter of land near the tower that was a place that man had never been was the southeast quarter of land. Why? Once Noah’s ark landed just north of the Tower of Babel, look above at which lands were mostly populated. South west was the land of Ham and his descendants. Traveling northwest into Europe were mostly the people of Shem and traveling into the northesat into Asia were the people of Japeth.

The Lord was directing the righteous Jaredites to travel to a place where “man had never been” so as to not be followed by the people who were less righteous than the Jaredites. Now realize there were most likely all three lineages of Ham, Shem, and Japeth that were part of these righteous Jaredites.

Today’s Empty Quarter

“That quarter where there never had man been” (Ether 2:5), is likely to the southeast or Babel which today is called the “Empty Quarter” as you read below.

Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter: Beauty and wealth of world’s largest sand desert

Mohammed al-Harbi, Al Arabiya Published: 03 April ,2018

“Saudi Arabia’s Rub’ al-Khali desert, also known as the Empty Quarter, is the world’s largest sand desert. It is the world’s largest area of continuous sand, covering about a quarter of the Kingdom’s land surface.

Dunes in the Empty Quarter, 1,000 mile area of dunes and desert, not crossed until 20th century, Arabian Peninsula, Sultanate of Oman

The basin lying mainly in southeastern Saudi Arabia is where the wind plays a major role in forming and shaping its sand. Its sandy elevations could match the mountains in their high altitude, some of which may reach more than 450 meters.

‘One who can exit it, must be born again, while those inside, remain missing,’ the ancients used to say of this mythical desert, in line with tales of the “Lost City”.
It is believed that entering the desert without a guide is a step leading to imminent death, because of scarce water resources, extreme heat and inescapable mazes of sand, a type of which the human body can get immersed in up until the knees.

The sand dunes vary in the Empty Quarter and the entire desert can be divided into five sections based on their types.

It extends over four nations. About 80 percent of it lies in Saudi Arabia, while its eastern edges extend to the United Arab Emirates, and its southern border is in Oman. Parts of its southern and southwestern limits lie in Yemen.

Life in the Empty Quarter

Though its name suggests that no one lives there, many tribes have lived and still inhabit the region. One of the famous travelers to Arabia, St. John Philby, said that bedouins called it the Empty Quarter to refer to the vast and mysterious wilderness, adding that the bedouins would still like to call it “empty” though they inhabit the region.” Source:

It is very likely the Jaredites entered this emply quarter in Saudi Arabia as the Lord sent them to “that quarter where there never had man been”. Ether 2:5

Jaredite Voyages- 1^st Set of Barges (“Many Waters”)

I believe the Jaredite information is so ancient (Apx 1800 to 2200 BC) which makes it difficult to be very accurate in determining the correct route of the Jaredites, but it is very interesting to speculate on the possibility of each voyage. With many hours of research, study and prayer I have come up with a very plausible route of the Jaredites to America.

Ether 2: 5 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded them that they should go forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where there never had man been. And it came to pass that the Lord did go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud, and gave directions whither they should travel. (See map below. I have divided the map in quarters using the location of the Tower of Babel (Baghdad, Iraq) as the center point, where we believe the Jaredites lived close by. The quarter that is most likely to be where the Lord said, “that quarter where there never had man been“, is most likely the south east quarter. We know after the flood, Noah had three sons, Ham, Shem, and Japeth who began civilization near Mount Ararat in Turkey. After Noah landed at just north of Baghdad, Ham Shem and Japeth with family’s spread all over. They went northwest into Turkey, Greece, Poland and Europe. They spread northeast into Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia. They also spread far into Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Ethiopia. It seems likely to me that they least traveled to the area of Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore as ship travel probably made it not as feasible to travel there. The people getting on a ship to go anywhere far away for just travel, seems unrealistic with all the land and water close by. Sea travel of course was great for trade around the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf, as the Phoenicians have proven. It says in Ether 2:6, they traveled in the wilderness, built barges, and crossed many waters. In my opinion it is most likely they traveled on foot towards the best water source to complete their long few voyages ahead. I don’t think they traveled towards the Mediterranean, as that is an area that many people were already located and not as the Lord said, “that quarter where there never had man been” Also travel to the north or east would require traveling over high mountainous terrain. See Map Below

Being surrounded by mountains, it is most likely the Jaredites traveled by foot parallel to the Zargos Mountains along the Tigris or Euphrates Rivers and right into the Persian Gulf. Map shows Lehi’s voyage to the Promised Land to the Gulf of Mexico and the Jaredite voyage towards the Promised Land arriving probably in Washington State on the West coast.

Babylon northward is surrounded by the Taurus Mountains, Armenian Highlands and the Pontic Mountains

This map shows you the Alborz Mountains and the elevation all around the Caspian Sea. This would definitely impede migration and travel from Baghdad or Tehran to the sea.

With the Jaredites in the area of Babylon, any movement to the Steppes or more mountainous areas would require a considerable distance through and over a series of very tall mountains, that have restricted traffic and migration for millennia now. See the solid mass of mountains to the northwest, north, and northeast of Mesopotamia and the home of the Jaredites. In brown text above see the many mountain ranges surrounding Babylon to the North and the East. As you can see above the majority of migration was to the North, and West of Babylon. Some travel went northeast and southwest. I am proposing “that quarter where there never had man been” is most likely towards the south east and the Persian Gulf.

I don’t believe the dating on this specific map as I feel best with **JohnPratt.com** information. Again, this map shows the incredible amount of migration everywhere except, “that quarter where there never had man been”, as the Lord describes the Jaredite voyage.

Most likely the Jaredites built barges near today’s city of Kuwait just before taking their voyage. “And it came to pass that they did travel in the wilderness, (Baghdad to Persia Gulf 655 Miles) and did build barges, (We aren’t told how many) in which they did cross many waters, (Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Laccadive Sea, Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea, Malacca Strait, South China Sea, and Yellow Sea), directed continually by the hand of the Lord.” Ether 2:6. Italics added.

Once we begin understanding the initial travels of the Jardites from the tower, we can then add pieces to the picture, to understnad the rest of their travels. It makes sense that the Jardites entering the “Empy Quarter” of today’s saudi Arabia lines up nicely with the scripture in ether 2:7 that says, “into that quarter where there never had man been.”

For my detailed blog visit here: https://bookofmormonevidence.org/jaredites-2-sets-of-barges/

Florida Hurricane Nicole Unearths Human Remains 500 BC

Rian Nelson

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February 1, 2025

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Florida Hurricane Nicole Unearths Human Remains 500 BC

The Lehi Landing c. 591 BC or the Land of First Inheritance was very plausibly near the Apalachicola River by Tallahassee Florida near Turtle Harbor, where we find the “Pierce Mounds” dated from 600 BC which I discuss below. We also discuss today the 500 BC bones found after Hurricane Nicole, reported Nov 10, 2022.

Lehi’s Voyage 2

Blog here about more details why the Florida Landing is very plausible.

The possibilities of Florida as the location of the First Landing of Lehi keeps growing. Historians tell us the Hopewell Culture began in Florida in 600 BC and I believe the Hopewell Culture is most likely the Nephites of the Book of Mormon.

[Nancy] White, Anthropologist from Southern Florida University, writes that the settlement at Turtle Harbor persisted until shortly before “the European invasion of Florida” in the 16th century. Why the Pierce Mound people left is unclear. Complete Archeological report from Nancy White here! Treasures taken from the site are in museum collections as far away as London, along with unpublished records and drawings from early excavations. Much of White’s research on Apalachicola’s prehistory took place in libraries. “This shows the value of the immensely difficult and complex labor of digging into unpublished field notes and maps, museum accession data, courthouse records, and other original sources,” she wrote. ”Today many think research is something done online.

But there is a wealth of unpublished, dusty old paper out there with information that can greatly change or help interpretation.” Artifacts at the British Museum were probably purchased, a common practice during the 19th century. The museum’s collection includes a clay pipe and four stone artifacts, obtained in 1869, from a dig at “Turtle Harbor near Apalachicola” and stone and shell tools and pottery, acquired in 1875, are “from mounds near Apalachicola.” Pottery from Pierce Mounds is showcased at the Smithsonian dated from 550 BC to 1500 AD.” Pierce Mounds Complex An Ancient Capital in Northwest Florida Nancy Marie White

Pierce Mounds in Apalachicola, FL- Very Likely Land of Lehi’s Inheritance

The mounds were named for Alton Pierce, an early owner of the site. Much of the site is now on private property and inaccessible to the public. I personally visited these 13- Pierce mounds with Mike and Betty LaFontaine and a few of their friends on Oct 2017 with George Mahr the owner of the property. We saw and walked and dug around the surface of these mounds which also included a sizeable temple mound and a shell midden more than a mile long, shared with a bustling village the area around what is now Magnolia Cemetery.

Daniel Seinfeld of Apalachicola times wrote the following: “The people who lived there were prosperous and powerful, influencing trade traffic to the north along Apalachicola River and to the east and west along the Gulf Coast. They were spared the hard work of farming by an abundance of seafood and game as well as wild fruit and nuts. There is evidence they imported cornmeal to broaden their diet. Skilled potters who produced both fanciful and utilitarian objects, they buried their dead with precious objects including silver, copper and pearls. The settlement was founded around 500 BC. Around the same time, the Scandinavian Iron Age began, the Chinese developed the handheld trigger crossbow, and burnt brick and donkey-powered grain mills were used for the first time in Greece.

More Pierce Mounds, Apalachicola, Florida 600 BC

“Pierce Mounds, at the mouth of the river (Apalachicola) and overlooking both north-south and east-west traffic, were part of a major multi-component center with remarkable Middle Woodland and Early Woodland mounds.

Materials clustered around the Apalachicola delta and coast close to Pierce and spread from there up the river. Prestige goods were possibly traded down to major mound centers then moved to other centers along the valley, ending up in burial mounds all over the valley, perhaps interred with important people during Swift Creek times, (100-800 AD) and interred in mass deposits in slightly later Weeden Island times. Such items likely were transported down the river to Pierce, where they were distributed to the inhabitants of nearby coastal mounds involved in the procurement and management end of the trade network, and then traded up the river to other trade partners. Since nearly all the mound sites documented in this thesis have both Swift Creek and Weeden Island pottery, the suggestion is also that these systems endured for a long time as ceramic styles and possibly associated archaeological cultures changed. This research should contribute to a better understanding of Middle Woodland ceremonialism in the Southeastern United States and the Apalachicola watershed, and the systems through which ceremonial artifacts moved around the land. In the future, data from higher up the river in Georgia and Alabama could be compared to help create a picture of Middle Woodland manifestation in the entire valley for comparison with the rest of the Southeast and discussion of differences between trade routes along major waterways and overland historic trails. Further testing of the exotic materials in the mounds for trace elements or other data could shed light on trade routes along which these artifacts and raw materials were traded. With better understanding of the major and minor routes, questions regarding the role of sites in Middle Woodland exchange can be answered. Mounds like Poplar Springs Mound are facing destruction from development and looting. It is essential that these sites are studied before they are gone.

In northwest Florida, the great Apalachicola River system is formed from the confluence of the Flint River, which originates near Atlanta, and the Chattahoochee River, which flows out of the Blue Ridge mountains of north Georgia. The Apalachicola runs over 100 miles to the Gulf of Mexico (Figure 1). It is Florida’s largest river in terms of flow, and the only one containing snowmelt. Its valley is home to several kinds of rare plants and animals and more reptile and amphibian species than anywhere else north of Mexico, amid an exceedingly rich biotic system. Where the river flows into Apalachicola Bay, the abundant life possible in estuarine systems provides the shrimp, oysters, and other seafood for which this region is famous today. The bays and sounds are protected by beautiful barrier islands with white sugar-sand beaches. At the mouth of the river sits the small town of Apalachicola, today known for oysters and picturesque old houses from its historic past. But for about 2000 years of prehistoric time, this location was an important Native American capital centered around the Pierce mounds.

The Pierce site consists of a long shell midden ridge, a large village area, and 13 mounds, constructed and inhabited over a period of time estimated to extend from perhaps 600 B.C. until around A.D. 1400. Its archaeological evidence indicates day-to-day occupation by indigenous peoples who fished, gathered, and hunted, leaving their food garbage and discarded artifacts piled along the riverbank. The evidence shows other aspects of their lives as well, in the construction of burial mounds and inclusion of elaborate ritual artifacts for the honored dead, expressions of ancient beliefs and probably spirituality.

New Exciting Archaeology Find

Two great friends, Jeff and Steve Downs made me aware of this recent article (Nov 10, 2022), about Hurricane Nicole in Florida which uncovered bones dated to around 500 BC. This is the correct timeline of the Nephites and Lehites living in this land of Florida.

Hurricane Nicole unearths human remains along Florida’s Treasure Coast By Andrew Wulfeck

Dozens of bones have been found during extreme weather events along Florida’s east coast. Early Thursday as the first November hurricane to make landfall in Florida since 1985.

MARTIN, COUNTY, Fla. – Impacts from Hurricane Nicole along Florida’s Treasure Coast are being credited for unearthing what are thought to be human remains from a historical Native American burial mound that could date back to 500 B.C.

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that it dispatched a team of criminal investigators to Hutchinson Island after a resident reported the finding to authorities.

Hurricane Nicole made landfall on the island as a Category 1 storm with sustained winds of 75 mph. It is only the third in recorded history to make landfall during the month of November in the Sunshine State, joining the “Yankee Hurricane” of 1935 and Hurricane Kate in 1985.

Deputies said the strong winds from the hurricane likely helped unearth at least six sets of bones from the ancient cemetery.

At least six human remains were found on Hutchison Island after Hurricane Nicole.

(Martin County Sheriff’s Office)

“Detectives are working diligently to preserve and carefully remove the remains that are exposed with the utmost care and respect. Those remains will be transferred to the Medical Examiner’s Office and then to the Bureau of Archeological Research,” the agency said.

NICOLE’S DANGEROUS STORM SURGE WASHES AWAY ROADS, BOARDWALKS ALONG FLORIDA COAST

The barrier island has been a hotbed of discoveries for decades, and archeologists believe that previous discoveries dated back to the Glades time period between 500 B.C. and 1750 A.D.

The Florida Public Archeology Network is aware of the sighting and said significant storms such as Hurricane Dorian in 2019 and other significant systems have helped unearth historical discoveries in the past.

“Florida has over 14,000 years of history,” said Emma Dietrich, an archeologist at the Florida Public Archeology Network. “It was a great place to live back then and is a great place to live today. So, it is not a surprise that people are making discoveries.”

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act dictates what will happen with the remains and requires witnesses and authorities to treat sacred objects and bones with dignity and respect.

Beachgoers who come across artifacts and other historical findings from the storm are encouraged to report them to the State of Florida at 850-245-6444 or their regional office of the Florida Public Archeology Network.

Years Before Present (BP)

Years Before Present (BP) refers to a time scale used by geologists and archaeologists among other scientists in different fields of studies to denote an event that took place in the past. January 1, 1950, is typically taken as the starting date of the time scale, indicating the 1950s as the time when scientists began using the technology of radiocarbon dating.

Radiocarbon Dating

Radiocarbon dating is a technique used to determine the age of different objects that have organic materials by the use of radiocarbon, which is a carbon isotope that is radioactive. This technique was discovered in the 1940s. Radiocarbon dating utilizes the idea that 14C (radiocarbon) is seamlessly being generated in our atmosphere through the interactions between atmospheric nitrogen and the cosmic rays. The oxygen in the atmosphere combines with the 14C resulting in radioactive atmospheric carbon dioxide that is used by plants during the photosynthesis process. The animals would acquire 14C when they consume plants. Eventually, when the plants and animals die, they stop carbon exchange with the environment. From that instant onwards, 14C continue to decrease because of radioactive decay. A sample of a dead organism like an animal or a plant can be analyzed for the remaining 14C and thereby determining when the plant or animal died. The half-life of radiocarbon 14C is 5,700 years. This is the time it takes for the quantity of 14C to reduce to half the initial value. source

“One advantage to using BP is it avoids the occasionally irate philosophical debate about whether, in this multicultural world of ours, it is more appropriate to use AD and BC, with their explicit references to Christianity, or to use the same calendar but without the explicit references: CE (Common Era) and BCE (Before the Common Era). The problem is, of course, that CE and BCE still use the estimated date of the birth of Christ as the reference points for its numbering system: the two years 1 BCE and 1 CE are numerically equivalent to 1 BC and 1 AD.

However, a major disadvantage of using BP is that the present year, of course, changes every twelve months. If it was a simple matter of counting backward, what was accurately measured and published as 500 BP today in fifty years would be 550 BP. We need a fixed point in time as a starting point so that all the BP dates are equivalent no matter when they are published. Since the BP designation was originally associated with radiocarbon dating, archaeologists chose the year 1950 as a reference point for ‘the present.’ That date was chosen because radiocarbon dating was invented in the late 1940s. At the same time, atmospheric nuclear testing, which throws huge amounts of carbon into our atmosphere, was begun in the 1940’s. Radiocarbon dates after 1950 are virtually useless unless and until we can figure out a way to calibrate for the excessive amount of carbon still being deposited in our atmosphere.” source

Weather extremes unearth human remains across US

If it isn’t a deluge of precipitation making human remains easier to spot, drought conditions in the Desert Southwest have also led to grisly discoveries.

Authorities along dwindling Lake Mead, which is located along the border region of Arizona and Nevada, have reported finding at least six sets of human remains during the past six months.

A megadrought and an increase in consumption of the country’s largest reservoir caused water levels to drop to an 80-year low during the summer.

All the remains have been transferred to the Clark County Coroner’s Office, which will be tasked with determining the deceased’s identity.

Challenges posed to investigators in identifying Lake Mead human remains

A fifth body has been exposed in Lake Mead as a severe drought continues to shrink the lake. FOX Weather’s Max Gorden talks to a forensic meteorologist about the investigations into the other four bodies that have been found in the lake and the challenges these kinds of investigations pose.

See the devastating damage Nicole left behind in Florida’s rare November hurricane strike

Response to Anti-Mormon Attack on Haplogroup X and Kennewick Man

Rian Nelson

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January 27, 2025

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Response to Anti-Mormon Attack on Haplogroup X and Kennewick Man

Just a few days ago I came across an article titled, “How Kennewick Man has Impaled Rodney Meldrum’s Heartlanders” by Simon Southerton in October 2020. I am saddened by the tone of the article.

I believe when Simon says demeaning things about Rod, Wayne, Jonathan, and now David Read, that is sad and has no place in the discussion. It’s fine to make your point about DNA that is contrary to Rod’s and David’s, but the words, “Snake Oil Salesmen”, saying people lie, making fun of people, is all cover for perhaps the weakness of Simon’s points. David has prepared a response to Simon’s article. As with anything, please read both and then you decide what to believe. David’s position to me is fantastic and I support it.

David Read Responds to Anti-Mormon Attack on Haplogroup X and Kennewick Man

By David Read

Simon Southerton is a former member of the Church who has written several articles and blog posts attacking the church. He has particularly focused on dismissing DNA evidence related to the Book of Mormon.

Many of you know that I (David Read) recently published an exciting new evaluation of DNA evidence that supports the Book of Mormon, called Face of a Nephite.

NEW Purchase Now!

One of the most interesting findings discussed in Face of a Nephite is that Kennewick Man (an ancient Native American skeleton found in Washington) has DNA tested as Haplogroup X, which is related to the Middle East. He also has a surprising Caucasian appearance, as shown in the Smithsonian’s facial reconstruction (seen on the book cover). Kennewick Man provides a unique look at one ancient Native American with this DNA type.

Southerton’s blog post is entitled “How Kennewick Man has Impaled Rodney Meldrum’s Heartlanders,” October 2020, at simonsoutherton.com. Southerton’s principal claim is that Kennewick Man must have lived before Book of Mormon times instead of during Book of Mormon times, and thus Haplogroup X was in America before the Book of Mormon and can’t relate to the Book of Mormon. The key question, therefore, for Haplogroup X is whether Kennewick Man properly dates to about 2,000 years ago (as I argue) or 9,000 years ago (as Southerton argues).

SUMMARY OF THE RESPONSE TO SOUTHERTON’S POST

I have reviewed Southerton’s attacks and his arguments are incorrect. He ignores important evidence and then claims other things as evidence that simply haven’t been proven.

In order to make the arguments easier to follow, I have created below a table briefly summarizing the main arguments and evidence for the two competing dates, which I will then discuss in detail for those interested in further investigation of the science:

My Evidence that Kennewick Man Lived About 2,000 years ago

Southerton’s Evidence that Kennewick Man Lived About 9,000 years ago

1. Several carbon tests (admittedly a minority) date Kennewick Man about 2,000-2,700 years ago, which reasonably fits Book of Mormon timeframes.
2. The depth of Kennewick Man’s burial in the soil is logically inconsistent with an 8,000+ year old date but is consistent with the more recent (2,000+ year old) alternative date.
3. A small amount of weathered volcanic ash from the Mt. Mazama explosion (generally dated as about 7,000 years ago) was found on Kennewick Man’s skeleton, which indicates that Kennewick Man lived more recently than the volcanic event and likely came into contact with the ash through the burial process. This evidence is again inconsistent with an 8,000+ year old date.

1. The majority of carbon date tests date him around 8,000-9,000 years ago, so that is the age generally accepted by scientists. [Note: In Face of a Nephite, I explain how these older dates are likely the result of “artificial aging” — as was proven to occur elsewhere in sediment samples taken near Kennewick Man’s burial site.]
2. A stone point (from a spear or arrowhead) lodged in Kennewick Man’s hip could be a Cascade Point which is generally believed to have been made and used 5,000-10,000 years ago. [Note: In Face of a Nephite, I point out that there is a scientific dispute as to whether the point is really a Cascade Point. Even if it is a Cascade Point, sometimes old arrowheads are reused at later dates, so there is also a possibility that it is an old spear point or arrowhead that was reused more recently.]

In his post, Southerton primarily attempts to attack my 1st and 3rd pieces of evidence above and claims that those attacks are fatal to my arguments. His attacks have already been considered and addressed in my book. However, he mostly ignores my 2nd piece of evidence about the burial depth, and he ignores my responses to his evidence (on the right above).

Contrary to Southerton’s arguments, the scientific evidence still supports a potential DNA connection between Native Americans and the Book of Mormon.

DETAILED DISCUSSION OF SOUTHERTON’S SCIENTIFIC CLAIMS

For those interested in detailed scientific responses to Southerton’s claims, I have repeated below his specific quotes in his blog post, and my detailed responses thereto. For a full understanding of the evidence, the best resource is the Face of a Nephite book, available at: https://www.digitalegend.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=357

Simon Southerton’s Arguments	My Responses
*Claim 1*: “The continual misrepresentation of the X2a science (described below) by Heartland apologists has now escalated further. … In Face of a Nephite, patent attorney David Read, misrepresents critical aspects of the scientific research on Kennewick Man in order to defend Meldrum’s X2a lineage claims …”	Response: In my book I have been very careful to correctly portray the science, citing facts to the best available resources so that the reader can check and verify the claims made. I clearly note the points where my conclusions differ from the general consensus. My goal was to present the truth, which supports the Book of Mormon; my intent was not about defending Rod Meldrum (although the evidence does support his central haplogroup X claims).
*Claim 2*: “The study of Kennewick Man is the most comprehensive forensic analysis of an ancient skeleton in American history. Inadvertently, this research has provided conclusive evidence that the Book of Mormon Heartland movement is based on falsehoods. Clearly, Kennewick Man lived well over 8,000 years ago. This research provides irrefutable evidence the X2a lineage was not brought to the Americas by Hebrew sailors in 600BC.”	Response: As explained in Face of a Nephite, the available evidence instead points to Kennewick Man living a little over 2,000 years ago, consistent with Book of Mormon timeframes.
*Claim 3*: “To understand how David Read could misrepresent the Kennewick Man research so badly, I contacted the scientists who did the original work. I was disturbed to discover that Jim Chatters, the forensic scientist who collected Kennewick Man’s remains, had already pointed out these exact same mistakes to David Read. Chatters was intimately involved in the soil analysis and collection of samples for radiocarbon analysis; however, Read chose to completely ignore Chatters’ criticism.”	Response: I have correctly represented the evidence related to Kennewick Man. I did exchange some emails with Dr. Jim Chatters regarding my Kennewick Man research. It is true that Dr. Chatters is not a member of our church and was not a fan of my conclusions about Kennewick Man. The arguments Dr. Chatters presented (which Southerton repeats below) have already been covered in my book in the sections where I consider and address questions and counterarguments about the research. Dr. Chatters’ comments were addressed, not ignored.
*Claim 4: “The discovery of Kennewick Man has provided the latest and most compelling evidence that Rodney Meldrum’s claims cannot be trusted. You would think, faced with such comprehensive evidence, the Heartland team would withdraw its claims, but alas, the blizzard of falsehoods has escalated. In Face of a Nephite, David Read takes Heartland pseudoscience to the next level. With his conclusions locked in, Read attempts to undermine the research on Kennewick Man based on two key falsehoods. In Face of a Nephite, David Read claims:Mazama ash was attached to Kennewick Man’s bones and this proves he was buried after the Mazama eruption.The carbonate dates (@ 2000 years ago) are the more reliable estimates of Kennewick Man’s age.”*	Response: Contrary to Southerton’s claims, I have been careful to correctly portray the science. In addition, Southerton focuses on 2 of my pieces of evidence, avoiding evidence related to Kennewick Man’s burial depth. As explained in Face of a Nephite, the depth at which he was buried, combined with the preservation and lack of animal scavenging of the skeleton, show that Kennewick Man must have been buried much more recently than the 7,000 year old Mazama volcanic eruption, and excludes the 8,000+ year old dates. See Face of a Nephite for further explanation of this evidence. A clarification to Southerton’s paraphrasing of my claims: over time the weathering of volcanic ash can turn the ash into an aluminosilicate mineral called allophane, and it is allophane that was attached to Kennewick Man’s bones, as explained in the book. See Wada, “Minerals formed and mineral formation from volcanic ash by weathering,” Chemical Geology Vol. 60, Issues 1-4, pgs 17-28 (1987).
*Claim 5*: “False claim 1: Mazama ash attached to bones“No Mazama ash was found in sediment around the skeleton, and believe me it is ubiquitous in younger sediments. Therefore, the skeleton if buried, went into a pit dug before the ash fell.” — Jim Chatters, June 10, 2020 Read is confusing Mazama ash with allophane, the weathered products of the ash which had washed down the soil profile (See Figure 4). Chatters’ clearly told Read Mazama ash was not attached to the bones. Allophane, a clay breakdown product derived from the weathering of Mazama ash, had washed down the soil profile from the Mazama layer and was found in the carbonate soil layer and some was still attached to the bones. However, this type of weathering happens wherever Mazama ash is found. It is a normal weathering process that occurs during soil formation the world over. It’s the reason why the clay content in soil goes up the deeper you dig. The presence of allophane attached to the skeleton, but not Mazama ash, confirms, yet again, the skeleton was buried before the Mazama eruption 7,700 years ago.”	Response: Southerton is incorrect about three things here. First, I stated in the book’s Frequently Asked Questions section that the volcanic material attached to Kennewick Man’s foot bone was allophane, which is weathered volcanic ash. Allophane is what the volcanic ash turns into as it sits in the right conditions. The book is correct. Second, while Dr. Chatters did argue in his email that there was no Mazama ash around the skeleton, that statement was factually incorrect because the evidence instead showed that there was allophane (weathered volcanic ash) attached to the foot bone. In addition, trying to draw a distinction between allophane and ash here makes no sense because either one means the same thing — that Kennewick Man’s skeleton had come into contact with the Mazama volcanic ash layer in the soil, which means that Kennewick Man was born after the Mazama volcanic event. Third, there is no evidence that allophane “washed down the soil profile” as claimed by Southerton. To the contrary, volcanic ash turns into allophane in situ; the volcanic ash (including the weathered ash product allophane) is found in a distinct ash layer in the soil with the rest of the volcanic material (aka tephra). The volcanic material is in a distinct layer and does not migrate through any other soil layers. Allophane is an insoluble product and there is no evidence that it has migrated down through the soil as claimed by Southerton. If he has any citations showing that the allophane migrated down through the soil, I would be interested in seeing them, but I have not seen any research backing that claim. Therefore, the most likely explanation remains that the allophane comes from the same soil layer that has the rest of the volcanic ash and ash products and thus points to a more recent burial date and life for Kennewick Man. One final note on this topic: Even if Southerton were correct on this point and there was no ash from the ash layer on Kennewick Man’s foot, as explained in my book that actually would not have been a surprising result since the soils around the Kennewick Man skeleton had been washed away just prior to his discovery. It would negate one piece of the evidence but the burial evidence together with the carbon dating evidence would still point to the 2,000 year old dates as the most likely date for the skeleton.
*Claim 6*: “False claim 2: The carbonate dates are reliable estimates of Kennewick Man’s age.‘The ca. 2000 year dates you cling to are actually dates on soil carbonate, which deposits continuously from water percolating down from the surface. They are not dates on the skeleton at all.’ — Jim Chatters, June 10, 2020 In a follow-up email Jim Chatters again stressed the unreliability of Kennewick Man’s carbonate dates. ‘Bottom line: The carbonate dates from K-man’s bone are not reliable. There was really no research reason to do them.’ — Jim Chatters, June 12, 2020 You can appreciate why the carbonate dates would be less reliable by examining this image from Owsley and Jantz’s book (Figure 5). Figure 5. Locations and radiocarbon ages of collagen (bottom left) and carbonate samples in bones of Kennewick Man. (drawn from Figure 3.8 in Owsley and Jantz, 2014) They are all measurements from regions of the bone most exposed to deposition of calcium carbonate from water percolating through the soil. The collagen, however, was extracted from the interior of the most well-preserved portions of the bones.”	Response: These arguments were fully addressed in Face of a Nephite. Chatters and Southerton are factually incorrect. As explained in the book, the 2,000 year old dates were taken to date the skeleton as expressly shown in the cited research. See, e.g., Stafford, “Chronology of the Kennewick Man Skeleton,” Kennewick Man: The Scientific Investigation of an Ancient American Skeleton, Chapter 3, at Table 3.5, pages 68-69 (2014). As explained in Face of a Nephite, the carbon dating for Kennewick Man mainly congregates around two date ranges: (i) 2,000-2,700 years ago, or (ii) 8,000-9,000 years ago. The question is which of the two date ranges is more reliable. Carbon dating can be affected by surrounding conditions that can cause artificial aging or de-aging of tested samples. In Face of a Nephite, I explain that the surrounding conditions for Kennewick Man support the more recent (2,000 year old) dates as being more reliable. The older dates are explained by significant artificial aging which has already been documented in the surrounding sediments. In contrast, there is no evidence of significant artificial de-aging. The Figure 5 picture to the left that Southerton points to actually illustrates the point. Looking at the picture you should notice that the interior portions of the bone (which would be more protected from effects caused by surrounding conditions) test as the younger dates (2,170-2,340 years) while the less protected exterior portions produce older dates, thus pointing to artificial aging, not de-aging, caused by the exterior conditions. The artificial de-aging in the surrounding environment is explained by the fact that the surrounding sediment (with accompanying organic material) was deposited in the context of ancient carbon (either from reworked ancient carbon from upstream or from the very low carbon glacial meltwater water source). See, e.g., Kennewick Man: The Scientific Investigation of an Ancient American Skeleton, at 63, 85,and 318 (2014).
*Claim 7*: [criticizing the burial evidence] “Why would the people who dug Kennewick Man’s grave dig a hole almost a metre deep? This would have been extremely difficult given they only had stone tools. All the evidence suggests he was buried in a shallow pit and covered by about 10cm of alluvial soil and Mount Mazama erupted about 850 years after his burial.”	Response: This is incorrect. First, even if he were only buried just 1 foot deep or more it would still mean that he was buried after the Mazama volcanic event and that the 8,000+ year old carbon dates are impossible. As explained in the book, the remarkable preservation of Kennewick Man’s skeleton and lack of animal scavenging indicate that it was not a shallow burial and likely more than 20 inches deep at least. This means that the 8,000+ year old carbon dates are inconsistent with the surrounding evidence and that the 2,000 year old carbon dates are the more supportable dates. In addition, the relatively even and flat surrounding soil layers are not consistent with Southerton’s “pit burial” idea. The soil where Kennewick Man was buried was relatively flat (“planar”) and formed by slow deposition from low energy overbank flows, as noted in Chatters, “Geography, Paleoecology, and Archaeology,” Kennewick Man: The Scientific Investigation of an Ancient American Skeleton, Chapter 2, at page 44 (2014). There is no evidence to support a pit or pit burial.
*Claim 8*: “The reliable radiocarbon age of K-man, based on both the projectile point in his pelvis and the protein in his bones is around 8400 BP. Again, the embedded point is not of the western stemmed tradition or any exotic form. It is a classic Cascade point of the Olcott form, which dates older than 7600 years in western Washington.” — Jim Chatters, June 12, 2020	Response: While the projectile point in Kennewick Man’s hip has some features consistent with a Cascade Point, scientists have noted that the features are not exclusive to Cascade Points, and there is a scientific dispute as to whether it is really a Cascade Point. See Fagan, “Analysis of Lithic Artifact,” Report on the Non-Destructive Examination, Description, and Analysis of the Human Remains from Columbia Park, Kennewick, Washington, National Park Service (1999); Stanford, “The Point of the Story,” Kennewick Man: The Scientific Investigation of an Ancient American Skeleton, Chapter 23, at page 457 (2014). Even if it is a Cascade Point, sometimes old arrowheads are reused at later dates, so there is also a possibility that it is an old spear point or arrowhead that was reused later and does not exclude a more recent date for the skeleton.
*Claim 9*: [Read falsely states that] “… as few as four DNA mutations have occurred for mitochondrial DNA haplogroup X between some of the occurrences in the New World and the Old World,”By the time of the most recent Heartland conference in September 2020, the number of mutations had dropped even further:“Indeed, one recent study found a variety of haplogroup X in Egypt that is just one mutation away from the type found in Native Americans”Read does not understand the science he is writing about. The lowest number of DNA mutation differences between an Old World X lineage (X2j) and modern New World X2a lineages, is 15 and the average is about 19. Figure 6 uses data taken from the Rasmussen paper on Kennewick Man’s genome. The Egyptian haplogroup X David Read is referring to is the X2j lineage found in Arabs from the el-Hayez oasis in western Egypt.Figure 5. Family tree of Native American mitochondrial X2a lineages, including their closest relative in the Middle East, the X2j lineage. Modern X2a lineages in Native Americans are all descended from the X2a lineage possessed by Kennewick Man. Redrawn from Rasmussen et al. (2017) The ancestry and affiliations of Kennewick Man. Nature doi:10.1038/nature14625”	Response: There are only four common DNA mutations that separate the Native American haplogroup X2a branch from its closest known common ancestor (X2a’j) with its closest related DNA branch anywhere in the world (haplogroup X2j found in Egypt and Iran). The question I was addressing was not how many mutations exist in random particular individuals but instead the number of common mutations differentiating the respective DNA branches. Southerton’s Figure 5 to the left actually supports this, as his figure also notes only four mutations (marked with four small blue circles) separating X2a and X2a’j, which is the proposed common ancestor with the Middle Eastern X2j line (which has been found in Egypt and Iran). The reference to only a single mutation was a mistake made earlier in a presentation I had made in April 2020 (misinterpreting a reference) before I had completed the research for the Face of a Nephite book. This was subsequently corrected in the process of completing and checking the research for the book. The most important point for the haplogroup X research is that the closest DNA relative to X2a comes from an area (Egypt and Iran) around the Middle East and is thus consistent with the Book of Mormon. Whether the number of intervening mutations is 4 or 15 is not the main point. Any proposed relatives in Siberia or Asia are even farther away. The key question for the haplogroup X research is whether the haplogroup X2a DNA evidence supports the proposition of a portion of Native American ancestry coming from the Middle East as indicated in the Book of Mormon, and the answer is Yes, it does.

Kennewick Man’s bones. Photograph by Chip Clark, Smithsonian Institution.

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David’s Presentation and Bio

Despite popular belief, the currently available DNA evidence supports the Book of Mormon. Critics who attempt to rely on DNA evidence to attack the truth of the Book of Mormon misinterpret or misconstrue what the DNA evidence actually shows. In this presentation, Mr. Read will present more DNA evidence that has recently come to light supporting Book of Mormon claims. As one example, Mr. Read will discuss further scientific studies which again confirm that mitochondrial DNA haplogroup X (previously publicized by Rod Meldrum) is found among Native Americans and originated in the Middle East

Indeed, one recent study found a variety of haplogroup X in Egypt that is just four mutations away from the type found in Native Americans, which undermines the critics’ previous claims that Native American haplotype X2a has “too many mutations” from the haplogroup X haplotypes found in the Middle East to fit a Book of Mormon timeframe for a migration from the Middle East to the Americas. Mr. Read will also present new DNA evidence regarding Y DNA haplogroup R, which is a second non-Asian DNA type found in large numbers among some Native American groups. Mr. Read will present evidence showing that this non-Asian DNA type also predates Columbus and has a distribution pattern in common with haplogroup X. This means that there is now a second and separate line of DNA evidence that corroborates the haplogroup X information and is again consistent with the Book of Mormon. Finally, Mr. Read will explain the significance of recent findings about an ancient Native American skeleton known as Kennewick Man, whose DNA is haplogroup X, but whose carbon dating has been commonly reported as being over 8,000 years old. Because of the reported carbon dating, Kennewick Man is now often used by critics to argue that haplogroup X in the Americas predates Book of Mormon timeframes. However, this again misconstrues the evidence. Mr. Read will demonstrate that a more complete analysis of the carbon dating for Kennewick Man shows that his correct age is within Book of Mormon timeframes and once again supports the DNA evidence in favor of the Book of Mormon. David possesses many intellectual interests. Before finishing his juris doctorate in law and becoming a patent attorney and later a judge, he earned undergraduate degrees in chemistry and philosophy. Over the past 10 years, he has completed a considerable amount of research into the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon with a particular emphasis on DNA evidence related to the Book of Mormon. Through this research, he has recently uncovered additional DNA evidence that corroborates and supports the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon.

David is an accomplished researcher. Over his career as a patent attorney, he has collaborated with inventors in numerous scientific fields. These include pharmaceuticals, medical devices, firearms, computer software, hybrid vehicles, battery technologies, pollution control technologies, textile manufacturing equipment, diesel and gasoline engines, chemical testing equipment, agricultural chemicals, turbocharging systems, fuels, coal gasification, and power plant technologies.

In each of these areas, he researched and came up to speed on the state-of-the-art knowledge in the field to thoroughly understand the new invention and the scientific consensus, interacted with experts in that field, and assessed and argued whether an invention was new or would be obvious to other experts in that scientific field. His work required him to reliably evaluate the state of established scientific knowledge in various scientific fields. He has taken that experience and applied it here to the DNA evidence related to Native Americans.

David lives in Michigan. He and his wife Barbara have five children: Amy, Charlotte, Sarah, Seth, and Matthew. David currently serves as the Sunday School President in his ward.

Photos of the Ainu people of Japan, thought to be among his closest living relatives, were inspiration for Kennewick Man’s reconstruction. National Anthropological Archives

“The discovery of Kennewick Man adds a major piece of evidence to an alternative view of the peopling of North America. It, along with other evidence, suggests that the Jōmon or related peoples were the original settlers of the New World. If correct, the conclusion upends the traditional view that the first Americans came through central Asia and walked across the Bering Land Bridge and down through an ice-free corridor into North America.” Complete Article Here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/kennewick-man-finally-freed-share-his-secrets-180952462/?preview=_page=3_page=3&page=1

The Tools and Symbols of Nephi’s Temple

Rian Nelson

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January 25, 2025

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I, NEPHI, DID BUILD A TEMPLE

By faith, Nephi obtained the plates of brass, brought Ishmael’s family from Jerusalem, subdued his brothers time and again, obtained food for his family, received revelation from the Lord, taught the Law of Moses, and following the Lord’s instructions said, “I, Nephi, did build a Temple.” 2 Nephi 5:16. Nephi is the ultimate example of faith and one who we all look to as a righteous representative of our Savior Jesus Christ. Nephi also said, “And upon the wings of His Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore, I was bidden that I should not write them.” 2 Nephi 4:25.

The Title “Nephi”

In Nephi’s words we feel the magnitude of the sacred relationship that Nephi shared with Jehovah, the Great I Am, whose name is vital in our understanding of Him. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “To the Lord’s covenant people, names—particularly proper names—have always been very important. Adam and Eve themselves bore names that suggested their roles here in mortality (see Moses 1:34; 4:26) and, when important covenants were made, men like Abram and Jacob took on new names that signaled a new life as well as a new identity. (See Gen. 17:5; 32:28). Because of this reverence for titles and the meanings they conveyed, the name Jehovah, sometimes transliterated as Yahweh, was virtually unspoken among that people. This was the unutterable name of Deity, that power by which oaths were sealed, battles won, miracles witnessed. Traditionally, he was identified only through a tetragrammaton, four Hebrew letters variously represented in our alphabet as IHVH, JHVH, JHWH, YHVH, YHWH.” Whom Say Ye That I Am? Jeffrey R. Holland Ensign Sept. 1974.

Written in Paleo-Hebrew and used from 1000 BC – 400 AD,represents the name “Jehovah”, or the tetragrammaton. All throughout the Old Testament, the word ‘LORD’ (all small caps), replaced the sacred name “Yahweh” as described above. “I Am” in Hebrew is “Yahweh” and “Adonai” is the Hebrew word for LORD.

“Here is an interesting note about the name Nephi. “Nephi; This is also an Egyptian name, usually given as Knephi, and transliterated into Hebrew as Nebi. It means “prophet” or one who speaks with God. The great Osiris, one of the Egyptian gods, was called Nephi or Knephi and the city in his honor was n-ph (vowels always had to be supplied). It is the city we know today as Memphis, located across the Nile from Cairo, but it is referred to by its original name of Noph (a variant of Nephi) in the writings of Hosea, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.” Treasures from the Book of Mormon by W. Cleon Skousen. See “Noph” in LDS Bible Dictionary.

“In speaking about the 13th Atotarho (or Sachem or Chief ) in the Iroquois tradition, we read also in the Book of Mormon. “And whoso should reign in [Nephi’s] stead were called by the people, ‘Second Nephi,’ ‘Third Nephi,’ and so forth…” (Jacob 1:11)

This name, Atotarho was used like a title such as King, or Sachem, or Prince, etc. Just as the name Nephi may have been used as a title. We know there are many names of Nephi in the Book of Mormon, but they may have also meant titles of Nephi 1, Nephi 2, Nephi 3, etc. Just as you see in history of the Iroquois naming many various Atotarho’s. It seems there were variations of the name of their leader or king. See the many titles below one only one page as King Tah-to-tah #1-6, on records of the St George Temple. King Tah-to-tah names #7-15 were on the next page of the temple records.

The St. George Temple record, pages 196-201 Copy by Rod Meldrum

Complete Story-Page 554 Annotated Book of Mormon

“Tadodaho was said to be a warrior and primary chief of the Onondaga people. Depending on the speaker’s dialect and the writer’s orthography, other versions of the name include Adodarhoh, Atartaho, Atotarho, Tatotarho, Thatotarho, and Watatohtahro. In the 1883 work The Iroquois Book of Rites, edited by Horatio Hale, the term Atartaho is said to signify “entangled”. Wikipedia

Delores Kahkonen-85 Cheifs Baptized

“The St. George Temple record, pages 196-201, shows proxy baptisms and confirmations for 85 Native American Chiefs that were performed on August 29th, 1877. These records were initially found by Robert Goodwin and Rod Meldrum. Then I, Delores Kahkonen of the Six Nations-Upper Cayuga, saw the records at Rod Meldrum’s conference. I recognized that they were my people and afterwards began the first additional temple work and the completion for these 85 Chieftains. I saved an endowment for Rod, Chief Canessetego, not aware of how special it was to him. Then later Rod and his wife were able to perform the proxy sealing for Chief Canessetego and his spouse in the St. George Temple. Furthermore, from 2014 to June 2024 about 11,000 [Updated today in Jan 2025 to 13,000] Native American Indian names have been submitted and with the assistance of numerous, wonderful volunteers their proxy temple work has been completed. The sacred effort of gathering the house of Israel on the other side of the veil has resulted in these Lamanites becoming a People of Zion for Heavenly Father. This incredible holy work for them continues today!” Delores Kahkonen

What was Nephi’s Path as he Escaped his Brothers?

See Nephite’s escape from his brothers in #2 above.

The Nephites loved and followed Nephi as he taught them about faith in the Lord. 2 Nephi 5 says, “And we did take our tents and whatsoever things were possible for us, and did journey in the wilderness for the space of many days. And after we had journeyed for the space of many days we did pitch our tents. [See Unicoi Gap I call Nephi’s Valley, in the map above]. And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses. And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance…” 2 Nephi 5

The Tools of Nephi

2 Nephi 5 continued, “And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind. And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass; and also the ball, or compass, [See art above]which was prepared for my father by the hand of the Lord, according to that which is written. And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us; for I knew their hatred towards me and my children and those who were called my people.” 2 Nephi 5:7,10-12,14. [See Nephi’s Tools picture above]. The Lord speaks of the importance of earthly tools or sacred relics when he said, “And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual.” Moses 6:63.

The tools of faith shown in this painting above by Ken Corbett, were utilized by Nephi and subsequent Prophets, and delivered to Joseph Smith in our day. The Lord said through Joseph Smith, “Behold, I say unto you, that you must rely upon my word, which if you do with full purpose of heart, you shall have a view of the plates, and also of the breastplate, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim, which were given to the brother of Jared upon the mount, when he talked with the Lord face to face, and the miraculous directors which were given to Lehi while in the wilderness, on the borders of the Red Sea. And it is by your faith that you shall obtain a view of them, even by that faith which was had by the prophets of old.” D&C 17:1-2.

Nephi’s breastplate in this painting represents Nephi’s readiness for the protection of his people and was not necessarily the one that Joseph Smith found at Cumorah, but it may have been. The breastplate at Cumorah was possibly one of those mentioned in Mosiah 8:10, given to Mosiah by Limhi’s explorers. This Jaredite breastplate was handed down to Alma (Mosiah 28:20), and eventually to Moroni to be buried with the other tools of faith at Cumorah.

Mosiah the Second used seer stones or interpreters, to translate the twenty-four Jaredite plates (Mosiah 28:13), as his grandfather Mosiah the First interpreted the Jaredite stone record (Omni 1:20). These seer stones are represented in the painting and may have been handed down from Lehi or Nephi.

Moses and the Israelites were also blessed with similar tools of faith that physically represented spiritual things. “…The ark of the covenant overlaid roundabout with gold, wherein was the golden pot [ie liahona] that had manna, and Aaron’s rod [ie Sword] that budded, and the tables of the covenant;[Plates] And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.” Hebrews 9:4-5.

After Nephi and his people were driven into the wilderness and found a place to settle, Nephi continued to instruct and serve his people. “And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance. And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.” 2 Nephi 5:15-16 italics added.

Nephi wanted his temple to be like Solomon’s, not in size, but in functionality. To perform the rituals prescribed by the Law of Moses his people would need a temple parallel to Solomon’s in rooms and relics. The workmanship of the temple as Nephi stated was “exceedingly fine”, and likely required organized building plans, [See art above] using measuring rods, a line of flax, and other mathematical tools. Ezekiel 40:2-3. Nephi may have written these plans on parchment. 2 Tim. 4:13. Over 85% of the Dead Sea Scrolls were written on calf skin parchment known as vellum, so it’s easy to imagine that the Nephite culture used similar material.

Nephi may have used black inks like those found on the Dead Sea Scrolls that are made up of carbon soot mixed with olive oil, honey, or water, to thin the ink to a proper consistency for writing. In order to apply the ink to scrolls or parchment, its writers used “reed pens” by sharpening a reed straw, piece of bamboo or other wood. “In the oldest book in the Bible, in Job 19:24, there’s a reference to inscribing with an iron pin on lead. “Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book. That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever” Job 19:23-24

One of Lehi’s contemporaries was Jeremiah. “Some of Jeremiah’s prophecies were contained in the brass plates [See art above] of Laban secured by Nephi.” LDS Bible Dictionary; Jeremiah. Another contemporary of Lehi’s was the Prophet Ezekiel who prophesied from c.608-570 BC, about a messenger showing him the specific steps in building a temple. It seems possible those instructions to Ezekiel, may have been on the plates of brass or shared with Lehi. [Ezek. 47–48, the description of the latter-day temple in Jerusalem, the river running from the temple into the Dead Sea to heal it, and the building of a city “foursquare.”]. Notice in the art above that the plates have 4 rings not 3 as Jospeh Smith described the Gold Plates. We don’t know what the Brass Plates looked like but the art distinguished the various sets of plates.

The Nephites surely had tabernacles in the wilderness as Moses did to offer sacrifices, so why did the Nephites need temples? The brief account in Alma 10 about Aminadi, who interpreted the writing on the wall of the temple, which was written by the finger of God, may help us understand. It wasn’t about sacrifice, but about the revelation of higher knowledge and how to come into the presence of God, accessing knowledge from Him and becoming more like Him. The temple then was a place for the revelation of higher truths that could only be understood through wisdom given by God’s Spirit.

The temple would be built on the highest point of the Nephite settlement. (Painting represents Lookout Mountain, TN above Moccasin Bend on the Tennessee River). It would be facing directly east symbolic of The Savior’s coming. It was to be built like Solomon’s. The altars of the temple were made of stacked stone, not hewn stone. “The word in Exodus 20:25 which is translated as ‘tool’ is the Hebrew חרב which most literally means ‘sword’. There explains that a sword is designed to shorten life, while an altar is designed to lengthen life by being used to achieve atonement. It makes sense, therefore, that one should not be used in the formation of the other.” Rashi, Medieval French Rabbi.

Angel Mound Indiana. Mortar applied to the wood structure for strength.In reference to Solomon’s Temple, the LDS Bible Dictionary says; “The temple walls were composed of hewn stone made ready at the quarry. The roof was of cedar and the walls were paneled with it. The cedar was carved with figures (cherubim, palm trees, and flowers) and was overlaid with gold fitted to the carving. All the materials for the house were prepared before they were brought to the site… There were two temple courts. The inner court was surrounded by a wall consisting of three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams.” 1 Kgs. 6:36. “And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.” 1 Kings 5:18. “Pillars of Solomon’s temple (1 Kgs. 7:21; 2 Chr. 3:17); the names denote “He will establish” [Jachin] and “In Him is strength” [Boaz]. The pillars, which stood on the south and north sides of the porch, were probably ornamental and not intended to support any part of the weight of the building.” LDS Bible Dictionary.

Angel Mounds, Indiana. Wood structures covered in mortar for strength.

The outside of the temple may have been finished with a mortar cement made out of limestone [See above] which was prevalent in the Promised Land. We also find mention of cement houses in the Book of Mormon. Heleman 3:7. “Lime mortar is a type of mortar composed of lime and an aggregate such as sand, mixed with water. It is one of the oldest known types of mortar, dating back to the 4th century BC and widely used in Ancient Rome and Greece.” Lucas, A. 2003 Ancient Egyptian Materials and Industries. After processing, products derived from limestone have the unique ability to return fairly quickly to their original chemical form. We use mortar today on LDS temples as you see below.

President Gordon B. Hinckley applies mortar to the coverstone at the Nauvoo LDS Temple June 27th, 2002. Allred/photo (Submission date: 06/27/2002)

Nephi’s building of the temple was to bless the lives of his people. Elder Maxwell explained the significance of temple worship in our day when he said, “The real act of personal sacrifice is not now nor ever has been placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal that is in us upon the altar—then willingly watching it be consumed! Such is the ‘sacrifice unto [the Lord of] a broken heart and a contrite spirit.’ (3 Nephi 9:20).” Neal A Maxwell, Meek and Lowly 1987.

Joseph Smith during Zion’s Camp, stopped some men from killing rattlesnakes and then said, “…Let man first get rid of his destructive propensities and then we may look for a change in the serpents’ disposition.” The Prophet Joseph Smith also taught us about faith and sacrifice saying, “A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things.” Joseph Smith Jr. Lectures on Faith.

President Ezra Taft Benson succinctly restated the message of Abraham 3:25 when he said: “The great test of life is obedience to God… We are not here to test or “prove” God, but to be tested and proved ourselves. We are on trial, not God.” Ensign, May 1988.

Nephi ordained his brother Jacob and others to teach in the temple. Jacob 1:17. Nephi knew his people needed the greater light that a temple would provide. Nephi’s faith is a great example to us all of passing this important test of life, and the building of the first Nephite temple was a sign to all, of his devotion to the Great Jehovah.

Banner Upon the High Mountain

2 Nephi 23:11-2 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. See also Isaiah 13

Elder Oaks said, “What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?

If we would do those things then, why not now? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained?

Evil that used to be localized and covered like a boil is now legalized and paraded like a banner. The most fundamental roots and bulwarks (protective walls) of civilization are questioned or attacked. Nations disavow their religious heritage. Marriage and family responsibilities are discarded as impediments to personal indulgence. The movies and magazines and television that shape our attitudes are filled with stories or images that portray the children of God as predatory beasts or, at best, as trivial creations pursuing little more than personal pleasure. And too many of us accept this as entertainment.

The good, the true, and the beautiful are being replaced by the no-good, the “whatever,” and the valueless fodder of personal whim. Not surprisingly, many are caught up in pornography, pagan piercing of body parts, self-serving pleasure pursuits, dishonest behavior, revealing attire, foul language, and degrading sexual indulgence.

All of this is grievous in the sight of our Heavenly Father, who loves all of His children and forbids every practice that keeps any from returning to His presence.

What is the state of our personal preparation for eternal life? The people of God have always been people of covenant, including the sacred promises we made in the waters of baptism, in receiving the holy priesthood, and in the temples of God. Are we promisers who do not fulfill and believers who do not perform?

Are we following the Lord’s command, “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly”? (D&C 87:8).” How to Prepare for the Second Coming By Elder Dallin H. Oaks Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles April 2004

Nephi’s Temple was needed then and we need the signs, symbols and strength moreso today. Lehi likely built an altar in Florida when the Nephites landed, and we have spoken about the first Nephite temple likely near Chattanooga, TN. In the Book of Mormon the second temple was bult likely near Montrose Iowa or Nauvoo Illinois and the third temple most likely was in Ohio near Newark or Kirtland. Yes the Nephtes had temples in the Promised Land of the Unites States area.

“Now is the time for each of us to arise and unfurl a banner to the world calling for a return to virtue. May we so live that we can be instruments in preparing the earth for His Second Coming, “that when he shall appear we shall be like him, … purified even as he is pure.” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.” A Return to Virtue Elaine S. Dalton 2008 Young Women General President

“As you remember, almost one year ago our presidency climbed a mountain and unfurled a gold banner calling for “a return to virtue.” We called for young women and women across the world to arise and shine forth as a standard to the nations (see D&C 115:5). As a result, the value of virtue has been added to the Young Women theme and to Personal Progress so that it may be “written in [your] hearts” (Romans 2:15).” Come Let Us Go Up to the Mountain of the Lord Elaine S. Dalton 2009 Young Women General President

A Banner on the Hill Cumorah in 1923

“Because the Church was still several years away from purchasing the entire Hill Cumorah, conference organizers secured special permission from non–Latter-day Saint Pliny T. Sexton, owner and proprietor of the hill and surrounding farmland, to hold ceremonies on his property.87 The missionaries and members made their way, flags in hand, to the top of the hill while the sun peeked over the eastern horizon. When everyone summited, the appointed “Flag Sergeants” erected America’s national banner. They also raised a unique “Cumorah—Ramah” [See picture below] flag specially designed for the occasion—bisected into two colors, the blue “Cumorah” side bore the hill’s name “as it was known by the Nephites” in bright gold letters. The purple “Ramah” side similarly bore the ancient name of the hill in gold, as it “was known to the Jaredites—the people who first possessed the land.88″ Pilgrimage to Palmyra: President B. H. Roberts and the Eastern States Mission’s 1923 Commemoration of Cumorah Author Reid L. Neilson and Carson V. Teuscher

87. See David F. Boone, “‘A Man Raised Up’: The Role of Willard W. Bean in the Acquisition of the Hill Cumorah,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 13, nos. 1–2 (2004): 24–37, 168–69.

(88. Smith, “Minutes—the First General Conference of the Eastern States Mission,” 3; and “Palmyra Scene Re-Enacted,” 1. 89)

This example of a Nephite Temple built in North America seems very realistic as you each study and ponder about these things. Knowing the exact location of Nephi’s first Temple will not matter in the big picture, but didn’t Moroni say we may know the truth of all things?. I strongly believe the tools and symbols of thie Nephite Temple are the saime today in our faith and symbolic worship practice in today’s Temples as they dot the earth. In conclusion, may we sacrifice as Elder Mazwell said, “The real act of personal sacrifice is not now nor ever has been placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal that is in us upon the altar—then willingly watching it be consumed!

The Geography Packet

Book of Mormon Evidence

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January 24, 2025

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THE BOOK OF MORMON IN NORTH AMERICA
Why Geography Matters!

“I want to share with you some of my thoughts about the Hill Cumorah in New York being the only Hill Cumorah. Intellectuals have taught about the two Cumorah theory which I believe is just not accurate. I know many in the Church like me that have been looking to make sense of why Mexico has occupied the minds of Saints in the Church for so many years. I feel I have found answers that “just make sense.” I know wonderful Lamanites are found in many places of North, Central and South America, but I feel the main events spoken of in the Book of Mormon happened in the Heartland of North America.

I have researched and studied and found secondary evidences about the Book of Mormon in North America. My testimony is based on solid spiritual confirmation of this Church and the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I am not trying to prove my point or to prove anyone wrong. It is fine with me for others to believe Book of Mormon geography happened in Central America, and there are those who really don’t care either way. I have been trying for over 40 years to find the other Cumorah somewhere in Central America and I had become complacent as I had never found any answers. In about 2011, I learned what an Indian Mound was, and how hundreds of thousands of these ancient mounds existed during the Nephite time period. Since then I have been a believer that The Book of Mormon events happened in the Heartland of North America. There are hundreds of thousands of ancient mounds, fortifications, cities, and artifacts all over the United States that I have researched. I love this quote below by a non-Mormon.

“The most common question that is asked about mounds is, “How many exist?” In the 1800’s the Smithsonian sponsored many expeditions to identify mound sites across America. A map (shown below) was produced by Cyrus Thomas in 1894 in a Bureau of Ethnology book. They found approximately 100,000 mound sites, many with complexes containing 2 to 100 mounds. The figure of 100,000 mounds once existing— based on Cyrus Thomas map revealing 100,000 sites—is often cited by others, but that estimate is far, far too low. After visiting several thousand mounds and reviewing the literature, I am fairly certain that over 1,000,000 mounds once existed and that perhaps 100,000 still exist. Oddly, some new mound sites are discovered each year by archaeological surveys in remote areas. But in truth, a large majority of America’s mounds have been completely destroyed by farming, construction, looting, and deliberate total excavations” – Gregory L. Little, Ed.D., The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Native American Mounds & Earthworks, Eagle Wing Books, Inc., Memphis, TN [2009]. As quoted in Annotated Book of Mormon by David Hocking and Rod Meldrum, page 260

I know there are Lamanites in Central America and in other countries, but they are not necessarily the ones spoken of in the Book of Mormon time frame. The Book of Mormon only contains a fraction of the history of the Promised Land Lehites. But, I believe that small fraction of history speaks about Lehi, and Nephi, and Alma, and Mormon as they lived and fought in these United States.

Why does the geography matter? Think of that question if we are speaking about Israel. Does it matter where the Savior was born, or where the Biblical events happened? Yes. At Mount Moriah where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac, the Lord made a special covenant with Abraham. The land around Mt Moriah was a covenant land and God’s people were given that covenant land as long as they are righteous. However, if they disobey the commandments, God’s people will be swept off that sacred land. The Jews, Muslims, and Christians fight over control over this one piece of land why? Because it is a beautiful piece of real estate? No, because it is a covenant land. All three religions say Mt Moriah is sacred to them and they are willing to die over it.

In the same token what is the Promised Land spoken of in the Book of Mormon? According to the Book of Mormon this Promised land must meet certain requirements to be the Promised Land. 1. No Kings upon the land 2. Land choice above all other lands 3. Land of Liberty 4. Land where sacred record is kept 5. Land kept from the knowledge of other nations. 6. Land of the New Jerusalem 7. Gentiles to scatter and afflict the Remnant. 8. The place where the Marvelous Work and Wonder happened. These are only 8 of 36 prophecies and promises in the Book of Mormon so it makes sense to me that the USA is the Promised Land. Not Canada, Mexico, England, or South America.

Just as Israel is a Promised Land forever, so the USA is a Promised Land forever and it does matter where this Promised Land is located. It is in the Heartland of North America. The Nephites practiced the Law of Moses. To do this they needed the following plants and animals to keep the Law. Sheep, Rams, Goats, Bullocks, Doves, Wheat, Barley, and Wine. None of these animals or items are found anywhere in Mesoamerica during the Nephites times, only in the USA. So, the land and where things happen is critical to us and especially to the Lord.

If we in the church cannot even decide among ourselves where the Book of Mormon happened, how confusing is that to our youth and adults? The Anti-Mormons love the idea that we don’t even know where our sacred scriptures happened. There are over 100 theories of where the Book of Mormon happened, including, Baja, Chile, Malaysia, Honduras, Peru, etc.

I know the Brethren of the Church take a neutral position on the geography of the Book of Mormon. There are many CES instructors and other BYU professors that teach the Two Cumorah theory or Mesoamerican theory, and they say a second Hill Cumorah exists somewhere in Mexico, but they aren’t sure where. I believe there is only one Hill Cumorah which is associated with the Heartland Model of the Book of Mormon. For you and I to take a neutral stand is not required. The Lord told us to read and study, and in the promise to Moroni, He said we may know the truth of ALL things, and that would include knowing the location of the Book of Mormon events. I believe knowledge of the Spirit and of the head, are both important in learning truth. I used to believe in the Mesoamerican theory, but after research and prayer I believe in the Heartland Model.

Elder Jeffrey Holland shares the following about heart and head learning. “Truly rock-ribbed faith and uncompromised conviction comes with its most complete power when it engages our head as well as our heart… truth borne by the Holy Spirit comes with, in effect, two manifestations, two witnesses if you will—the force of fact as well as the force of feeling… I believe God intends us to find and use the evidence He has given—reasons, if you will—which affirm the truthfulness of His work…” Jeffrey R. Holland The Greatness of Evidence Aug 2017

I feel strongly that the location of the many Book of Mormon events happened in the United States of America. I will support and follow the Brethren where ever they say it is located, but what if they never tell us and we find out it was our duty as Latter-day Saints to find this out on our own? I would just love for all to consider a North American setting for the Book of Mormon. I believed as many others did about two Cumorah’s for 40 years But, with new information in the Joseph Smith Papers and Letter VII written by Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith in 1835, I am so excited about the new knowledge the Lord is sending us today to strengthen our testimonies.

I love the “Packet” that Jonathan Neville has put together below. I feel you will learn some new truths about the Hill Cumorah. I haven’t found one quote of Joseph Smith speaking about a Hill Cumorah in Mexico, yet I have found hundreds of Apostles, Prophets, and Saints discuss just One Cumorah in New York, as you will can read here.” Rian Nelson

BYU-CES Packet for Book of Mormon Classes, by Jonathan Neville

Full Article Here: http://www.lettervii.com/p/byu-packet-on-cumorah.html

When the issues of evolution and the origin of man generated controversy at BYU, the administration developed an “Evolution packet” in 1992, titled “Evolution and the Origin of Man.” See https://content.byui.edu/file/fdc3a775-634d-4ff2-b4e9-d1538d36a16e/1/Text/BYU%20Packet%20on%20Evolution.pdf

The explanation included this statement: “the selection of material for such a packet could not depend on the content of the statements. The goal is not to achieve some kind of “balance” among the views that have been expressed, but to give students the full range of official views so that they can judge the different positions they encounter. The full range of official views should provide the basis for the evaluation of other views that have been expressed but that do not have the status of official Church positions.”

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Now that the issue of Book of Mormon geography has generated similar controversy, this packet of statements by Church leaders is intended to achieve a similar purpose.

Guidance accompanying the “Evolution packet” is equally relevant to the “Geography packet.”

“None of us involved in preparing this packet for Board review anticipate that professors will be limited from distributing other materials to their students. It is only requested that BYU faculty members refer students to the materials in this specific packet along with the other items they may choose to distribute. When other items are distributed, they should be clearly separated and given as a supplement to this material and include a fair sampling of the diverse viewpoints among LDS leaders. For example, if one included statements by LDS apostles in a handout on evolution, the range of views would include some statements against evolution, some sympathetic to evolution and several shades of opinion in between. We want to avoid the implication that a greater sense of unanimity or resolution of this topic exists than is actually the case, and we are eager to avoid contention. The university has also suggested that faculty members limit supplemental LDS material on the subject of evolution and the origin of man to published documents, avoiding private letters or other private material.

This packet contains, as far as could be found, all statements issued by members of the First Presidency and official publications of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the subject of the hill Cumorah and the geography of the Book of Mormon.

These statements evince a sharp distinction between two separate but related teachings by Church leaders that have often been commingled or conflated; i.e.,

The Hill Cumorah of Mormon 6:6 is in western New York, near Palmyra.
We don’t know where the other events of the Book of Mormon took place, but there are many possibilities.

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See the 21 Geography Comments Below

1. Lucy Mack Smith’s Journal of 1845

According to Lucy, when Moroni first appeared to Joseph Smith in 1823, he identified the hill as Cumorah:

“[Moroni, after telling Joseph about the record, said] but you cannot get it until you learn to keep the commandments of God For it is not to get gain. But it is to bring forth that light and intelligence which has been long lost in the Earth

Now Joseph beware or when you go to get the plates your mind will be filled with darkness and all manner of evil will rush into your mind. To prevent you from keeping the commandments of God that you may not succeed in doing his work and you must tell your father of this for he will believe every word you say.

The record is on a side hill on the Hill of Cumorah 3 miles from this place. Remove the grass and moss and you will find a large flat stone pry that up and you will find the record under it laying on 4 pillars of cement— then the angel left him.” https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1844-1845/41

2. Early 1827– Joseph Smith (Quoted by his mother Lucy Mack Smith)

[In January 1827, Joseph] returned with his wife, in good health and fine spirits. Not long after this his father had occasion to send him to Manchester on business. <And,> as he started quite early in the morning, we expected him home, at the outside, by 6. o clock in the evening. But when 6. came he did not arrive.— we always had a peculiar anxiety about him whenever he was absent from us; for, it seemed as if something was always taking place to jeopardize his life. But to return, he did not get home till the night was far spent. On coming in, threw himself into a chair, apparently much exhausted. My husband did not observe his appearance, and immediately exclaimed, “Joseph, why have you staid so late? has anything happened you? we have been much distressed about you these three hours. As Joseph made no reply, he continued his interrogations until I finally said: now, father, (as that was the manner in which I commonly addressed him) let him rest a moment— dont touble him now— you see he is home safe, and he is very tired; so pray wait a little.

The fact is, I had learned to be a little cautious about matters with regard to Joseph; for I was accustomed to see him look as he did on that occasion, and could not easily mistake the cause thereof. Presently he smiled, and said in a very calm tone, “I have taken the severest chastisement, that I have ever had in my life”. My husband, supposing it was from some of the neighbors, was quite angry; and observed, “I would would like to know what business any body has to find fault with you.”

“Stop, father, Stop.” said Joseph, “it was the angel of the Lord— as I passed by the hill of Cumorah, where the plates are, the angel of the Lord met me and said, that I had not been engaged enough in the work of the Lord; that the time had come for the record to <be> brought forth; and, that I must be up and doing, and set myself about the things which God had commanded me to do: but, Father,’ continued he, ‘give yourself no uneasiness concerning the reprimand that I have received; for I now know the course that I am to pursue; so all will be well.”

It was also made known to him at this interview, that he should make another effort to obtain the plates on the 22d. of the following September; But this he did not mention to us at that time. https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1845/111

3. In 1829 David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, and Joseph Smith hear a messenger from their wagon while traveling to Fayette say, “No, I am going to Cumorah.’

David Whitmer remembered the first time he heard about Cumorah, which was in early June 1829 when he picked up Joseph and Oliver from Harmony. Before leaving Harmony, Joseph had given the plates to a divine messenger. On the way back to Fayette, they encountered the messenger along the road.

“When I was returning to Fayette with Joseph and Oliver all of us riding in the wagon, Oliver and I on an old fashioned wooden spring seat and Joseph behind us, while traveling along in a clear open place, a very pleasant, nice-looking old man suddenly appeared by the side of our wagon who saluted us with, “good morning, it is very warm,” at the same time wiping his face or forehead with his hand. We returned the salutation, and by a sign from Joseph I invited him to ride if he was going our way. But he said very pleasantly, “No, I am going to Cumorah.’ This name was something new to me, I did not know what Cumorah meant. We all gazed at him and at each other, and as I looked round enquiringly of Joseph the old man instantly disappeared, so that I did not see him again.” REPORT OF ELDERS ORSON PRATT AND JOSEPH F. SMITH to President John Taylor and Council of the Twelve. http://www.lettervii.com/p/trip-to-fayette-references.html

4. Stephen S. Harding, the fourth territorial Governor of Utah, about Martin Harris

“Currently (July 2020) in the United States there is a controversy about federal officers in cities such as Portland, Oregon, who are protecting federal property. This is reminiscent of the challenges faced by Stephen S. Harding, the fourth territorial Governor of Utah.
In 1862, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln appointed Harding as Governor of the Utah Territory. Harding had conflicts with Brigham Young and was unable to enforce federal law. In 1863, President Lincoln appointed Harding as Chief Justice of the Colorado Territory’s Supreme Court.

Harding was born in Palmyra, NY, on February 24, 1808. His family moved to Indiana in 1820, but he remembered Joseph Smith, Jr., from seeing him fishing often.
In 1829, Harding returned to Palmyra to visit friends, including Pomeroy Tucker. While visiting the printing shop, he met Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Smith, and Joseph’s father. When he expressed interest in the Book of Mormon that was being prepared for printing, he was invited to spend the night at the Smith home. Oliver Cowdery read from the manuscript.

Harding left to visit his brother, but two weeks later he ran in to Martin Harris again in Palmyra. Here’s the account Harding wrote in a published letter.
“About two weeks after this I met Martin Harris. He was glad to see me; inquired how I felt since my dream. He told me that since he saw me at Mr. Smith’s he had seen fearful signs in the heavens. That he was standing alone one night, and saw a fiery sword let down out of heaven, and pointing to the east, west, north, and south, then to the hill of Cumorah, where the plates of Nephi were found.”
https://archive.org/details/GR_1666/page/n65/mode/2up

Harding wrote this letter in 1882, but he relates several details that attest to his solid memory. Of course, this is not proof that the hill in New York is the same as the Cumorah of Mormon 6:6, but it does show that at least Martin Harris believed it was, even before the Book of Mormon was printed.

That Harris would refer to Cumorah this way is another corroboration of other accounts that Joseph Smith’s contemporaries understood that the hill where Joseph found the plates was the Cumorah of the Book of Mormon.

Source: Letter VII by Jonathan Neville

5. 1830– Oliver Cowdery (quoted by Parley P. Pratt) during the mission to the Lamanites (D&C 28, 30 and 32).

“This Book, which contained these things, was hid in the earth by Moroni, in a hill called by him, Cumorah, which hill is now in the State of New York, near the village of Palmyra, in Ontario County.

“In that neighborhood there lived a young man named Joseph Smith, who prayed to the Great Spirit much, in order that he might know the truth; and the Great Spirit sent an angel to him, and told him where this Book was hid by Moroni; and commanded him to go and get it. He accordingly went to the place, and dug in the earth, and found the Book written on golden plates.

“But it was written in the language of the forefathers of the red man; therefore this young man, being a pale face, could not understand it; but the angel told him and showed him, and gave him knowledge of the language, and how to interpret the Book. So he interpreted it into the language of the pale faces, and wrote it on paper, and caused it to be printed, and published thousands of copies of among them; and then sent us to the red men to bring some copies of it to them, and to tell them this news. So we have now come from him, and here is a copy of the Book, which we now present to our red friend, the chief of the Delawares, and which we hope he will cause to be read and known among his tribe; it will do them good.”

We then presented him with a Book of Mormon.

There was a pause in the council, and some conversation in their own tongue, after which the chief made the following reply: “We feel truly thankful to our white friends who have come so far, and been at such pains to tell us good news, and especially this new news concerning the Book of our forefathers; it makes us glad in here”—placing his hand on his heart.

Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, http://www.gutenberg.org/files/44896/44896-h/44896-h.htm

6. First formal Church History, 1835

– Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith wrote a series of essays, published as letters, about early Church history, including the restoration of the Priesthood, the visit of Moroni, and Joseph’s recovery of the plates. Letters I and II were published in The Messenger and Advocate in Kirtland, Ohio, in October and November 1834. An excerpt from Letter I was canonized in the Pearl of Great Price as a note to Joseph Smith-History.

In December 1835, Joseph Smith ordained Oliver Cowdery as Assistant President of the Church. In 1835, when Letters IV through VIII were published, the First Presidency consisted of Joseph Smith, Jr., President; Oliver Cowdery, Assistant President; Sidney Rigdon, First Counselor; and Frederick G. Williams, Second Counselor.

President Williams began copying the letters into President Smith’s personal history before another scribe completed the work, as Joseph noted in his journal. This history can be seen in the Joseph Smith Papers and is the source of the quotations below.

In 1840, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon specifically approved of the republication of all eight letters in the Gospel Reflector, a newspaper in Philadelphia published by Benjamin Winchester. Also in 1840, Joseph Smith gave the letters to his brother, Don Carlos Smith, with instructions to republish them in the Times and Seasons in Nauvoo. Don Carlos published them in 1840-1841. Parley P. Pratt republished all eight letters in the Millennial Star.

7. Excerpt from Letter IV.

He [Moroni] then proceeded and gave a general account of the promises made to the fathers, and also gave a history of the aborigenes of this country, and said they were literal descendants of Abraham. He represented them as once being an enlightned and intelligent people, possessing a correct knowledge of the gospel, and the plan of restoration and redemption. He said this history was written and deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother’s privilege, if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain and translate the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited for that purpose with the record.

“Yet,” said he, “the scriptures must be fulfilled before it is translated, which says that the words of a book, which were sealed, were presented to the learned; for thus has God determined to leave men without excuse, and show to the meek that his arm is <not> shortned that it cannot save.”

A part of the book was sealed, and was not to be opened yet. The sealed part, said he, contains the same revelation which was given to John upon the isles of Patmos, and when the people of the Lord are prepared, and found worthy, then it will be unfolded unto them.

On the subject of bringing to light the unsealed part of this record, it may be proper to say, that our brother was expressly informed, that it must be done with an eye single to the glory of God; if this consideration did not wholly characterize all his procedings in relation to it, the adversary of truth would overcome him, or at least prevent his making that proficiency in this glorious work which he otherwise would.

While describing the place where the record was deposited, he gave a minute relation of it, and the vision of his mind being opened at the same time, he was permitted to view it critically; and previously being acquainted with the place, he was able to follow the direction of the vision, afterward, according to the voice of the angel, and obtain the book.

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1834-1836/68

8. Excerpt from Letter VII.

I must now give you some description of the place where, and the manner in which these records were deposited.

You are acquainted with the mail road from Palmyra, Wayne Co. to Canandaigua, Ontario Co. N.Y. and also, as you pass from the former to the latter place, before arriving at the little village of Manchester, say from three to four, or about four miles from Palmyra, you pass a large hill on the east side of the road. Why I say large, is because it is as large perhaps, as any in that country. To a person acquainted with this road, a description would be unnecessary, as it is the largest and rises the highest of any on that rout. The north end rises quite sudden until it assumes a level with the more southerly extremity, and I think I may say an elevation higher than at the south a short distance, say half or three fourths of a mile. As you pass toward canandaigua it lessens gradually until the surface assumes its common level, or is broken by other smaller hills or ridges, water courses and ravines. I think I am justified in saying that this is the highest hill for some distance round, and I am certain that its appearance, as it rises so suddenly from a plain on the north, must attract the notice of the traveller as he passes by.

At about one mile west rises another ridge of less height, running parallel with the former, leaving a beautiful vale between. The soil is of the first quality for the country, and under a state of cultivation, which gives a prospect at once imposing, when one reflects on the fact, that here, between these hills, the entire power and national strength of both the Jaredites and Nephites were destroyed.

By turning to the 529th and 530th pages of the book of Mormon120 you will read Mormon’s account of the last great struggle of his people, as they were encamped round this hill Cumorah. (it is printed Camorah, which is an error.) In this vally fell the remaining strength and pride of a once powerful people, the Nephites—once so highly favored of the Lord, but at that time in darkness, doomed to suffer extermination by the hand of their barbarous and uncivilized brethren. From the top of this hill, Mormon, with a few others, after the battle, gazed with horror upon the mangled remains of those who, the day before, were filled with anxiety, hope or doubt. A few had fled to the South, who were hunted down by the victorious party, and all who would not deny the Saviour and his religion, were put to death. Mormon himself, according to the record of his son Moroni, was also slain.

But a long time previous to this disaster it appears from his own account, he foresaw approaching destruction. In fact, if he perused the records of his fathers, which were in his possession, he could have learned that such would be the case. Alma, who lived before the coming of the Messiah, prophesies this. He, however, by divine appointment, abridged from those records, in his own style and language, a short account of the more important and prominent items, from the days of Lehi to his own time, after which he deposited, as he says, on the 529th page, all the records in this same hill, Cumorah and after gave his small record to his son Moroni, who, as appears from the same, finished, after witnessing the extinction of his people as a nation. …

This hill, by the Jaredites, was called Ramah: by it, or around it pitched the famous army of Coriantumr their tents. Coriantumr was the last king of the Jaredites The opposing army were to the west, and in this same vally, and near by, from day to day, did that mighty race spill their blood, in wrath, contending, as it were, brother against brother, and father, against son. In this same spot, in full view from the top of this same hill, one may gaze with astonishment upon the ground which was twice covered with the dead and dying of our fellow men. Here may be seen where once sunk to nought the pride and strength of two mighty nations; and here may be contemplated, in solitude, while nothing but the faithful record of Mormon and Moroni is now extant to inform us of the fact…

In this vale lie commingled, in one mass of ruin the ashes of thousands, and in this vale was destined to consume the fair forms and vigerous systems of tens of thousands of the human race—blood mixed with blood, flesh with flesh, bones with bones and dust with dust!

9. Excerpt from Letter VIII

I have now given sufficient on the subject of the hill Cumorah—it has a singular and imposing appearance for that country, and must ex[c]ite the curiosity curious enquiry of every lover of the book of Mormon: though I hope never like Jerusalem and the sepulcher of our Lord, the pilgrims. In my estimation, certain places are dearer to me for what they now contain than for what they have contained. For the satisfaction of such as believe I have been thus particular, and to avoid the question being a thousand times asked, more than any other cause, shall procede and be as particular as heretofore.

10. 1836 Aug “Moroni’s Lamentation written by Lucy Mack Smith

I have no home, where shall I go, Ten thousand that were led by me
While I am left to weep below? Lie round this hill called Cumorah;
My heard is pain’d, my friends are gone Their spirits from their bodies fled,
And here I’m left on earth to mourn. And they are number’d with the dead!
I see my people lying round, Well might my father in despair,
All lifeless here upon the ground: Cry, O ye fair ones! once how fair
Young men and maidens in their gore; How is it that you’ve fallen! Oh!
Which does increase my sorrow more! My soul is fill’d with pain for you.
My father look’d upon this scene, My life is sought! where shall I flee?
And in his writings has made plain, Lord take me home to dwell with thee,
How ev’ry Nephite’s heart did fear, Where all my sorrow will be o’er,
When he beheld his foe draw near. And I shall sigh and weep no more.
With axe [ax] and bow they fell upon Thus sang the son of Mormon when
Our men and women, sparing none, He gaz’d upon his Nephite men.
And left them prostrate on the ground, And women too, which had been slain,
Lo here they now are bleeding round! And left to moulder [molder] on the plain!

LATTER DAY SAINTS’MESSENGER AND ADVOCATE Vol. II. No. 11] Kirtland, Ohio, August, 1836. [Whole No. 23. Page 368

11. 1836 “An Angel Came Down from the Mansions of Glory”

Hymn 16, Collection of Sacred Hymns, 1835 (published in 1836)

Pursuant to D&C 25, Emma Smith selected hymns for the first Church hymnal, published in Kirtland, Ohio, in 1836. Hymn 16 mentions Cumorah.
An angel came down from the mansions of glory,
And told that a record was hid in Cumorah,
Containing the fulness of Jesus’s gospel;
And also the cov’nant to gather his people.

Attributed to W.W. Phelps

From the Historical Introduction in the Joseph Smith Papers: “At a meeting of the church’s presidency on 14 September 1835, it was “decided that Sister Emma Smith proceed to make a selection of sacred hymns, according to the revilation, and that President W. W. Phelps be appointed to revise and arrange them for printing.” (Minute Book 1, 14 Sept. 1835)”

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/collection-of-sacred-hymns-1835/24

Emma retained this hymn in the hymnal she produced in Nauvoo in 1841 as Hymn 262.

12. 1840 An Angel from on High

Elder Parley P. Pratt wrote the lyrics of this hymn, which he included in the hymnal he, Brigham Young and John Taylor published in Manchester, England in 1840 as hymn #197.

https://archive.org/stream/collectionofsacr00youn#page/218/mode/2up

Emma Smith added this hymn to her 1841 Nauvoo collection as hymn #275.

https://archive.org/stream/collectionofsacr01smit#page/302/mode/2up

These are the lyrics of the first verse.

An angel from on high

The long, long silence broke;

Descending from the sky,

These gracious words he spoke:

Lo! in Cumorah’s lonely hill

A sacred record lies concealed.

Lo! in Cumorah’s lonely hill

A sacred record lies concealed.

Lyrics by Parley P. Pratt

In the 1985 Hymnal (current) this hymn appears as #13

https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/an-angel-from-on-high-13?lang=eng&_r=1

13. 1842 Times and Seasons (D&C 128)

Eighteen months after Don Carlos Smith republished the eight historical letters in the Times and Seasons, Joseph Smith wrote a letter that he sent to the Editor of the Times and Seasons for publication.

This letter has since been canonized as D&C 128:20. And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the book to be revealed. A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of the book! The voice of Michael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light! The voice of Peter, James, and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times!

14. 1844 The Prophet in New York City.

In 1844, Joseph’s brother (and Apostle) William Smith republished the eight historical letters in a Church newspaper in New York City titled The Prophet. Also in 1844, the eight letters were republished in England as a separate pamphlet that sold thousands of copies.

15. 1877 President Brigham Young

Just two months before he died, as he was travelling through Utah reorganizing the Priesthood and setting in order the Temple ordinances, Brigham Young spoke to a Special Conference in Farmington. As recorded in the Journal of Discourses, President Young said this:

“I lived right in the country where the plates were found from which the Book of Mormon was translated, and I know a great many things pertaining to that country. I believe I will take the liberty to tell you of another circumstance that will be as marvelous as anything can be. This is an incident in the life of Oliver Cowdery, but he did not take the liberty of telling such things in meeting as I take. I tell these things to you, and I have a motive for doing so. I want to carry them to the ears of my brethren and sisters, and to the children also, that they may grow to an understanding of some things that seem to be entirely hidden from the human family.

Oliver Cowdery went with the Prophet Joseph when he deposited these plates. Joseph did not translate all of the plates; there was a portion of them sealed, which you can learn from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. When Joseph got the plates, the angel instructed him to carry them back to the hill Cumorah, which he did. Oliver says that when Joseph and Oliver went there, the hill opened, and they walked into a cave, in which there was a large and spacious room. He says he did not think, at the time, whether they had the light of the sun or artificial light; but that it was just as light as day. They laid the plates on a table; it was a large table that stood in the room. Under this table there was a pile of plates as much as two feet high, and there were altogether in this room more plates than probably many wagon loads; they were piled up in the corners and along the walls. The first time they went there the sword of Laban hung upon the wall; but when they went again it had been taken down and laid upon the table across the gold plates; it was unsheathed, and on it was written these words: “This sword will never be sheathed again until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and his Christ.”

I tell you this as coming not only from Oliver Cowdery, but others who were familiar with it, and who understood it just as well as we understand coming to this meeting, enjoying the day, and by and by we separate and go away, forgetting most of what is said, but remembering some things. So is it with other circumstances in life. I relate this to you, and I want you to understand it. I take this liberty of referring to those things so that they will not be forgotten and lost. Carlos Smith was a young man of as much veracity as any young man we had, and he was a witness to these things. Samuel Smith saw some things, Hyrum saw a good many things, but Joseph was the leader.

Now, you may think I am unwise in publicly telling these things, thinking perhaps I should preserve them in my own breast; but such is not my mind. I would like the people called Latter-day Saints to understand some little things with regard to the workings and dealings of the Lord with his people here upon the earth.”

http://jod.mrm.org/19/36

16. 1899, Improvement Era.

President Joseph F. Smith, as counselor in the First Presidency and Editor of the Improvement Era, republished the eight historical letters again in Salt Lake City in 1899.

17.1928, President Anthony W. Ivins in General Conference

On April 6, 1928, President Anthony W. Ivins of the First Presidency spoke in General Conference about the Hill Cumorah in New York, which had recently been purchased by the Church.

“Reference has been made by the President of the acquisition by the Church of the spot of ground in the state of New York known as the hill Cumorah. It appears to me to be an event of such importance that I desire to devote the short time which is at my disposal this morning to a discussion of that subject. There have been some differences of opinion in regard to it, and in order that I might be correct in the statements which I make I have this morning finished a short manuscript which I would like to read—the first time, I believe, in my experience, that I have ever addressed a congregation in this manner, and I do it for the purpose stated….

This sealed portion of the record which came into the hands of Joseph Smith but was not translated by him so far as we are aware, with the abridgment made by Mormon, the record of Ether, and the other sacred records which were deposited in the hill Cumorah still lie in their repository, awaiting the time when the Lord shall see fit to bring them forth, that they may be published to the world.

Whether they have been removed from the spot where Mormon deposited them we cannot tell, but this we know, that they are safe under the guardianship of the Lord, and that they will be brought forth at the proper time, as the Lord has declared they should be, for the benefit and blessing of the people of the world, for his word never fails….

“All of these incidents to which I have referred, my brethren and sisters, are very closely associated with this particular spot in the state of New York. Therefore I feel, as I said in the beginning of my remarks, that the acquisition of that spot of ground is more than an incident in the history of the Church; it is an epoch—an epoch which in my opinion is fraught with that which may become of greater interest to the Latter-day Saints than that which has already occurred. We know that all of these records, all the sacred records of the Nephite people, were deposited by Mormon in that hill. That incident alone is sufficient to make it the sacred and hallowed spot that it is to us…. Those additional records will come forth, they will be published to the world, that the children of our Father may be converted to faith in Christ, our Lord and Redeemer, through obedience to the doctrines which he taught.”

18. 1975 President Marion G. Romney.

In the October 1975 General Conference, President Romney, then First Counselor in the First Presidency, gave a talk titled “America’s Destiny” that included these statements:

In the western part of the state of New York near Palmyra is a prominent hill known as the “hill Cumorah.” (Morm. 6:6.) On July twenty-fifth of this year, as I stood on the crest of that hill admiring with awe the breathtaking panorama which stretched out before me on every hand, my mind reverted to the events which occurred in that vicinity some twenty-five centuries ago—events which brought to an end the great Jaredite nation.

You who are acquainted with the Book of Mormon will recall that during the final campaign of the fratricidal war between the armies led by Shiz and those led by Coriantumr “nearly two millions” of Coriantumr’s people had been slain by the sword; “two millions of mighty men, and also their wives and their children.” (Ether 15:2.)

As the conflict intensified, all the people who had not been slain—men “with their wives and their children” (Ether 15:15)—gathered about that hill Cumorah (see Ether 15:11)….

Thus perished at the foot of Cumorah the remnant of the once mighty Jaredite nation, of whom the Lord had said, “There shall be none greater … upon all the face of the earth.” (Ether 1:43.)

As I contemplated this tragic scene from the crest of Cumorah and viewed the beautiful land of the Restoration as it appears today, I cried in my soul, “How could it have happened?”

“The tragic fate of the Jaredite and the Nephite civilizations is proof positive that the Lord meant it when he said that this “is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.” (Ether 2:9.)”

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1975/10/americas-destiny?lang=eng

19. 1978. Elder Mark E. Peterson.

In the October 1978 General Conference, Elder Mark E. Peterson of the Quorum of the Twelve said:

Moroni’s father was commander of the armies of this ancient people, known as Nephites. His name was Mormon. The war of which we speak took place here in America some four hundred years after Christ. (See Morm. 6.)

As the fighting neared its end, Mormon gathered the remnant of his forces about a hill which they called Cumorah, located in what is now the western part of the state of New York.

Their enemies, known as Lamanites, came against them on this hill….

When finished with the record, Moroni was to hide it up in that same Hill Cumorah which was their battlefield. It would come forth in modern times as the Book of Mormon, named after Moroni’s father, the historian who compiled it.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1978/10/the-last-words-of-moroni?lang=eng

20. Articles of Faith, by James E. Talmage, published by the Church

“The final struggles between Nephites and Lamanites were waged in the vicinity of the Hill Cumorah, in what is now the State of New York, resulting in the destruction of the Nephites as a nation, about 400 A.D. The last Nephite representative was Moroni, who, wandering for safety from place to place, daily expecting death from the victorious Lamanites, wrote the concluding parts of the Book of Mormon, and hid the record in Cumorah. It was this same Moroni who, as a resurrected being, gave the records into the hands of Joseph Smith in the present dispensation. …

Here they [the Jaredites] became a flourishing nation; but, giving way in time to internal dissensions, they divided into factions, which warred with one another until the people were totally destroyed. This destruction, which occurred near the Hill Ramah, afterward known among the Nephites as Cumorah…”

21. 1990 – Letter (right) from the Office of the First Presidency, personally approved by President Ezra Taft Benson and his counselors, Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson.

“The Church has long maintained, as attested to by references in the writings of General Authorities, that the Hill Cumorah in western New York state is the same as referenced in the Book of Mormon.”
From Jonathan Neville

See my blog here Titled, Moroni Told Joseph Smith the Hill was called Cumorah

Joseph Smith’s Last Three Dreams

Rian Nelson

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January 13, 2025

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“In early Church records, there are references to several dreams attributed to Joseph Smith Jr. They were recorded by Joseph himself, his clerks, or others who interacted with him. For the most part, Joseph’s dreams include no explanation, by either him or the recorder, concerning their purpose or interpretation. Yet, we know that Joseph viewed dreams as a legitimate channel of revelation, as evidenced in the fact that he recorded his dreams and used them in his public sermons.” LDS Living

“To impel us to do that which is required. As a young Apostle, Spencer W. Kimball was privileged to learn from George F. Richards (1861–1950),[23] who was an alert man and attentive to God-given dreams. He did not think they were the least unusual for the faithful. While addressing the topic of dreams in a general conference, President Kimball referred to the following experience told by George F. Richards in council with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles nearly thirty years earlier.

I believe in dreams, brethren. The Lord has given me dreams which to me are just as real and as much from God as . . . any . . . that we might read in the scriptures… It is not out of place for us to have important dreams. . . . More than 40 years ago I had a dream which I am sure was from the Lord. In this dream I was in the presence of my Savior as he stood mid-air. He spoke no word to me, but my love for him was such that I have not words to explain. I know that no mortal man can love the Lord as I experienced that love for the Savior unless God reveals it to him. I would have remained in his presence, but there was a power drawing me away from him.

As a result of that dream, I had this feeling that no matter what might be required of my hands, what the gospel might entail unto me, I would do what I should be asked to do even to the laying down of my life. . . . If only I can be with my Savior and have that same sense of love that I had in that dream, it will be the goal of my existence, the desire of my life.” https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-12-no-1-2011/quiet-slumber-revelation-through-dreams

The Blessing of Dreams

Many Prophets like Lehi, Daniel and Joseph sold into Egypt had the gift of a seer and a revelator. They could see past, present, and future events. Many prophets had dreams and could interpret them with the Spirit of the Lord accompanying them. The Prophet Joseph Smith was also a blessed seer and prophet. Joseph Smith had 3 dreams which I will discuss below. What did these dreams mean and how can we learn from them?

The first of Joseph Smiths dreams happened about four months prior to his death and spoke about a sinking steamboat. Then again about two days before his death he had another dream about a sinking boat. This third dream happened the night before his death, while in Carthage jail, one about a barn he built on his land in Kirtland. It had become old and worn out and various people were fighting over it. Joseph got out of the worn out barn in his dream and also out of the two sinking boats. Joseph Smith’s life was preserved in all three dreams. What do they possibly mean?

It is not my purpose to decipher these dreams, but to make the reader aware of them. After just reading these dreams a short while ago, I believe they are most appropriate for us to read and study to assist us in our mortal journey today. What can we learn from personal revelation? President Nelson said, “Learn for yourself—right now at your age—how to receive personal revelation. And nothing will make a bigger difference in your life than that!” Russell M. Nelson Hope of Israel

Joseph’s Two Dreams about Sinking Boats

Dream 1
In early February 1844, four months prior to his death, Joseph Smith had a dream, which he related to Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, and W. W. Phelps. He stated, “I was standing on a peninsula, in the midst of a vast body of water where there appeared to be a large harbor or pier built out for boats to come to. I was surrounded by my friends, and while looking at this harbor I saw a steamboat approaching the harbor. There were bridges on the pier for persons to cross, and there came up a wind and drove the steamboat under one of the bridges and upset it. I ran up to the boat, expecting the persons would all drown; and wishing to do something to assist them, I put my hand against the side of the boat, and with one surge I shoved it under the bridge and righted it up, and then told them to take care of themselves. But it was not long before I saw them starting out into the channel or main body of the water again. The storms were raging and the waters rough. I said to my friends that if they did not understand the signs of the times and the spirit of prophecy, they would be apt to be lost. It was but a few moments after when we saw the waves break over the boat, and she soon foundered and went down with all on board. The storm and waters were still very rough; yet I told my friends around me that I believed I could stem those waves and that storm, and swim in the waters better than the steamboat did; at any rate I was determined to try it. But my friends laughed at me, and told me I could not stand at all, but would be drowned. The waters looked clear and beautiful, though exceedingly rough; and I said I believed I could swim, and I would try it anyhow. They said I would drown. I said I would have a frolic in the water first, if I did; and I drove off in the raging waves. I had swam but a short distance when a towering wave overwhelmed me for a time; but I soon found myself on the top of it, and soon I met the second wave in the same way; and for a while I struggled hard to live in the midst of the storm and waves, and soon found I gained upon every wave, and skimmed the torrent better; and I soon had power to swim with my head out of water: so the waves did not break over me at all, and I found that I had swam a great distance; and in looking about, I saw my brother Samuel by my side. I asked him how he liked it. He said, “First rate,” and I thought so too. I was soon enabled to swim with my head and shoulders out of water, and I could swim as fast as any steamboat. In a little time it became calm, and I could rush through the water, and only go in to my loins, and soon I only went in to my knees, and finally could tread on the top of the water, and went almost with the speed of an arrow. I said to Samuel, See how swift I can go! I thought it was great sport and pleasure to travel with such speed, and I awoke” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 6:194–95, bold & italics added).

Dream 2
Joseph Smith Jr. (Related by W. W. Phelps)

In June 1844, when Joseph Smith went to Carthage and delivered himself up to Governor Ford, I accompanied him, and while on the way thither, he related to me and his Brother Hyrum the following dream.

He said: “While I was at Jordan’s in Iowa the other night, I dreamed that myself and my brother Hyrum went on board a large steamboat lying in a small bay, near the great ocean. Shortly after we went on board there was an alarm of fire, and I discovered that the boat had been anchored some distance from the shore out in the bay, and that an escape from the fire, in the confusion, appeared hazardous: but, as delay was folly, Hyrum and I jumped overboard, and tried our faith at walking upon the water.

“At first we sank in the water nearly to our knees, but as we proceeded we increased in faith, and were soon able to walk upon the water. On looking towards the burning boat in the east, we saw that it was drifting towards the wharf and the town with a great flame and clouds of smoke; and, as if by whirlwind, the town was taking fire, too, so that the scene of destruction and horror of the frightened inhabitants were terrible.

“We proceeded on the bosom of the mighty deep and were soon out of sight of land. The ocean was still; the rays of the sun were bright and we forgot all the troubles of our mother earth. Just at that moment I heard the sound of a human voice, and turning around, saw my brother Samuel H. approaching towards us from the east. We stopped and he came up. After a moment’s conversation he informed me that he had been lonesome back there, and had made up his mind to go with me across the mighty deep.

“We all started again, and in a short time were blest with the first sight of a city, whose gold and silver steeples and towers were more beautiful than any that I had ever seen or heard of on earth. It stood, as it were upon the western shore of the mighty deep we walking on, and its order and glory seemed far beyond the wisdom of man. While we were gazing upon the perfection of the city a small boat launched off from the port, and, almost as quick as thought, came to us. In an instant they took us on board and saluted with welcome, and with music such as is not of earth. The next scene, on landing, was more than I can describe; the greeting of old friends, the music from a thousand towers, and the light of God Himself at the return of three of His sons, soothed my soul into quiet and a joy that I felt as if I were truly in heaven. I gazed upon the splendor; I greeted my friends. I awoke, and lo, it was a dream!

“While I meditated upon such a marvelous scene, I fell asleep again, and behold I stood near the shore of the burning boat, and there was great consternation among the officers, crew and passengers of the flaming craft, as there seemed to be much ammunition or powder on board. The alarm was given that the fire was near the magazine, and in a moment, suddenly, it blew up with a great noise, and sank in the deep water with all on board. I then turned to the country east, among the bushy openings, and saw William and Wilson Law, endeavoring to escape from the wild beasts of the forest, but two lions rushed out of a thicket and devoured them. I awoke again.” I will say that Joseph never told this dream again, as he was martyred about two days after. I relate from recollection as nearly as I can. Source: W. W. Phelps, Joseph Smith’s Last Dream, 1–9.

Dream 3 Joseph’s Neglected Home

Joseph Smith Jr. <June 27, 1844> [Carthage Jail] . . .

Joseph related the following dream which he had last night:

“I was back in Kirtland, Ohio, and thought I would take a walk out by myself, and view my old farm, which I found grown up with weeds and brambles, and altogether bearing evidence of neglect and want of culture. I went into the barn which I found without floor or doors, with the weather boarding off, and was altogether in keeping with the farm. While I viewed the desolation around me, and was contemplating how it might be recovered from the curse upon it, there came rushing into the barn a company of furious men, who commenced to pick a quarrel with me. The leader of the party ordered me to leave the barn and <the> farm, stating it was none of mine, and that I must give up all hope of ever possessing it. I told him the farm was given me by the Church, and although I had not had any use of it for some time back, still I had not sold it, and according to righteous principles it belonged to me or the Church. He then grew furious, and began to rail upon me and threaten me, and said it never did belong to me nor the Church. I then told him that I did not think it worth contending about; that I had no desire to live upon it in its present state, and if he thought he had a better right I would not quarrel with him about it, but leave; but my assurance that I would not trouble him at present did not seem to satisfy him, as he seemed determined to quarrel with me, and threatened me with the destruction of my body. While he was thus engaged, pouring out his bitter words upon me, a rabble rushed in and nearly filled the barn, drew out their knives, and began to quarrel among themselves for the premises; and for a moment forgot me, at which time I took the opportunity to walk out of the barn about up to my ankles in mud. When I was a little distance from the barn I heard them screeching and screaming in a very distressed manner, as it appeared they had engaged in a general fight with their knives. While they were thus engaged the dream or vision ended.” Source: “History, 1838–1856, volume F-1,” 177–78.

Possible Dream Interpretation

Dreams can be interpreted in many ways. Gifted ones like Daniel and Joseph of the Old Testament, did so using the Spirit. Some see Joseph’s last three dreams as a way for him to escape his enemies emotionally, overcoming them in the end. Others see a more ominous meaning in them in connection with our day – the current state of things. All of us interpret things from our own perspective and experience, like Peter’s attempt to go to the Savior, where he get out of the boat and went to Him. Some see Peter’s failure. Others see his faith in leaving the comfort of the boat to go to the Lord. Knowing the truth of dreams, from God’s perspective, gives us a great advantage. Walking on Water in the New Testament, Peter leapt out of the boat and tried to walk on water to get to Jesus, only to sink – but eventually be saved by the Master. He was gently chastised for his lack of faith. Many only see the negative in Peter’s attempt to get to the Master and his supposed lack of faith. What is more important is that he desired to be with Him, and left the safety of the boat to do so. Joseph and Hyrum also did this, jumping from a boat and into the water in both dreams to save their lives. They sank in the water for at time, but their faith increased and they soon able walked on the water. There reward was that they made it to the Master. They did not sink in the burning, sinking ship they left behind. For some, staying in the boat is not always the best decision. While some see Joseph overcoming traitors in his final three dreams, others see in them trouble for our day – trouble by staying in the boat or “the box” with an “all is well” complacency, when trouble is all around. Joseph built the barn. It had no floor or doors in the dream. Some tie the floor of the barn to its foundation. In the New Testament, the foundation of the barn or church was Prophets and Apostles. D&C 64:39 states: “And liars and hypocrites shall be proved by them, and they who are not apostles and prophets shall be known.” D&C 50:4, 6 adds: “Behold, I, the Lord, have looked upon you, and have seen abominations in the church that profess my name. But wo unto them that are deceivers and hypocrites, for, thus saith the Lord, I will bring them to judgment.” With no doors on the barn, weeds and destruction can come in. Jesus said in Matthew 13:22. “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; And the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.” Moroni said it more pointedly. Speaking of the last-days and what he saw, he stated, “O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies—because of the praise of the world? (Mormon 8:38). Jumping into the water from the sinking boats, provided salvation for Joseph Smith in his dreams. He also escaped the old barn and its dangerous men. Lehi and his family left Jerusalem for very similar reasons – to raise up righteous seed on this land, away from the influences of Egypt and Babylon that were destroying Jerusalem. Bold and italics added.

What do these things mean?

Are we in 2025 understanding His signs as a type of trouble or a precurser to learning? Are we part of a group who are hypocrites and deceivers? Do we have faith to be saved?

“Truly He was the Son of God” by Clark Kelley Price

(Remember being saved through the Resurrection and Atonement does not necessarily mean living with God again. All who are born into this life will all be saved, or Resurrected without any works on our own). Are we ones who proceed with faith into dark and troubled waters believing we will be saved by the Lord or do we resist the trouble ahead in order to save ourselves? Do we believe our faith in Christ is able to save us, or that avoiding the diffiult earthly challenges we can be saved in the end? Do we put too much stock in the things of this world while complaining to the Lord in our station of life? When we see trouble do we run away or do we run in; towards the trouble and save those we can? Just like a firefighter or policeman, are we the first to run into danger, or are we the one who tries to avoid it. What makes someone run into danger?

Are we more concerned for our own safety or the saving of others? In these last days, 2025, are we waiting fo others to save us or do we have faith to move forward and warn and resue others, not thinking of ourselves? Why is this test of faith so difficult? Have we forgotten our Savior and all He has done for us, especially during times of trouble?

These are many things to think about as we seek to understand Joseph Smith’s dreams. Were these symbolic of things to come, or have we not even heard or thought about these dreams. Like myself, I barely became aware of these marvelous dreams and they have given me more hope to stay on the Celestial Path that President Nelson speaks of today.

The Gift of Dreams

Ryan C. Jenkins, “Quiet Slumber: Revelation through Dreams,” Religious Educator 12, no. 1 (2011): 73–89 said, “Prior to Joseph Smith’s First Vision, the Lord prepared the mind and heart of his father, Joseph Smith Sr., to believe his son’s vision. From 1811 to 1819, Joseph Smith Sr. received at least seven dreams, and his wife, Lucy Smith, detailed five of them…

“The forthcoming events of the Restoration through his son Joseph Smith Jr. would bring ordinances and covenants assuring the venerable patriarch of future salvation. These dreams prepared Joseph Smith Sr. for what was about to unfold in the latter days and more intimately, among his own family. When Joseph Smith Jr. approached his father and told him what had transpired during Moroni’s initial visits, his father counseled, “My son, these things are of God; take heed that you proceed in all holiness to do His will.” A messenger coming to his son must have resonated with the messenger in his own inspired dreams. Though the dreams of Joseph Smith Sr. were not recorded in Book of Commandments, their validity and timing confirm the Lord’s practice of reaching the children of men through this avenue of revelation.

These dreams confirm what the Lord taught his disciples: “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do” (Luke 12:4; see also Matthew 10:28). Through Joseph Smith Sr. and his son Joseph Smith Jr. we see that the Lord comforted and prepared these men for events that were to come to them. Both men prospered despite their circumstances, were delivered from their enemies’ malicious behaviors, and were taught the word of God which was accompanied with great power—their dreams assured them it was so.

“It is to teach us a principle.” President Wilford Woodruff proposed that “we may have dreams about things of great importance, and dreams of no importance at all. . . . There are a great many things taught us in dreams that are true, and if a man has the spirit of God he can tell the difference between what is from the Lord and what is not. . . . Whenever you have a dream that you feel is from the Lord, pay attention to it.” He illustrated this truth by recounting an occurrence during a mission in England:

When I was in the City of London on one occasion, with Brother George A. Smith, I dreamt that my wife came to me and told me that our first child had died. I believed my dream, and in the morning while at breakfast, I felt somewhat sad. Brother George A. noticed this and I told him my dream. Next morning’s post brought me a letter from my wife, conveying the intelligence of the death of my child. It may be asked what use there was in such a thing. I don’t know that there was much use in it except to prepare my mind for the news of the death of my child. But what I wanted to say in regard to these matters is, that the Lord does communicate some things of importance to the children of men by means of visions and dreams as well as by the records of divine truth. And what is it all for? It is to teach us a principle. We may never see anything take place exactly as we see it in a dream or a vision, yet it is intended to teach us a principle.

The blow of Wilford Woodruff’s heartbreaking letter was softened by the Lord preparing him through his dream. He was certain the communication was from God, and George A. Smith would stand as a second witness to the truthfulness of the account. However, Wilford Woodruff had to determine the principle the Lord was teaching him with this dream for himself. Likewise, we must wisely discern what we are supposed to learn from our own inspired dreams.” https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-12-no-1-2011/quiet-slumber-revelation-through-dreams

Fulfillment of Signs Today

Ezra Taft Benson said, “Are we not witnessing the fulfillment of these signs today? The gospel is being extended to all nations which permit our missionaries to penetrate their countries. The Church is prospering and growing. Yet in undiminished fury, and with an anxiety that his time is short—and it is—Satan, that great adversary of all of us, is attempting to destroy all we hold dear. We constantly hear or read of wars and rumors of wars. Atheism, agnosticism, immorality, and dishonesty are flaunted in our society. Desertions, cruelty, divorce, and infidelity have become commonplace, leading to a disintegration of the family. Truly we live in the times of which the Savior spoke, when “the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound….

This preparation must consist of more than just casual membership in the Church. You must learn to be guided by personal revelation and the counsel of the living prophet so you will not be deceived. Our Lord has indicated who, among Church members, will stand when he appears: D&C 45:” https://speeches.byu.edu/speakers/ezra-taft-benson/

and here: History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844]

The Great Seal of the State of Ohio- A Vision

Rian Nelson

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January 9, 2025

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The Great Seal of the State of Ohio- A Vision

The Deseret Book embroidery kit (Main Picture) shows the sun behind Sugarloaf Mountain and the word Christ situated directly above Mount Logan! It is a symbolic second-leg chiasmus of this site and it invites the youth to be introduced to the imagery in preparation of even greater things!” Anthony George Researcher and Long-Time Resident of Ohio

The State of Ohio contains a larger number of prehistoric remnants than any other equivalent area in the Mississippi valley. Some have estimated the number of mounds at 10,000 and the enclosures, villages, and caches at around 1,500, making the total number of earthworks in Ohio more than 11,000. Ohio is likely the place the Savior visited the Nephites, spoken of in the Book of Mormon.

“The Great Seal of the State of Ohio, a vision impressed on the founding fathers of Ohio as they were gathered at an all night celebration regarding the newly acquired statehood. The story tells of the excitement at the event as being feverish. The women were gathered on the frontier for the social event of the decade at Adena (Hebraic for Eden or paradise. Also the namesake of the large mound just below the hill which was the namesake of the Adena people) estate, the manor house of of our first senator, Thomas Worthington. The men were giddy and engaged in planning the tasks ahead of them regarding the new government.

Ohio was the first state carved out of the Northwest Territory. Worthington’s estate was significant. The home (designed by Latrobe, the same architect who planned the central portion of the US capitol building) overlooked the Scioto Valley with a backdrop of 7 noteworthy hills to the east and Chillicothe immediately to the south. The land in that valley was part of Worthington’s holdings and included Dunlap Earthworks, Mound City, Shriver Circle, several other circles and mounds. The opposite side of the river included the Ginther mound and ancient village site, the Gartner site, Cedar Bank which is of the exact dimensions of Solomon’s temple, Hopeton Earthworks, and dozens of other mounds. Anyway, back to the celebration…. as the night continued, the attendees were invited to step-out for fresh air. As they did, they walked to the edge of the hill where the house was at and beheld the valley with all I described before them.

The timing was perfect. The sun was just rising in the east over those seven hills. The gathering sensed the moment and realized the spiritual symbolism. The dawning of a new era was being heralded. The Shawnee (who were still allowed at that time in the area for passage, hunting and salt gathering) were asked to leave the area in 1795 and move to Indian(a) Territory. The new stewards of the land were represented by that gathering who witnessed the sunrise. The scene was so impressive that the visage ultimately became the seal for all official state documents for Ohio.

The sun rising in the east, proclaiming a new era, and providing a clue to what was about to happen in Ohio some thirty years later is noteworthy.

The hills depicted on the Great Seal (interesting that we call it a ‘great’ seal) include Sugarloaf to the north and Mount Logan to the south. To these hills many of the ancient earthworks align, even from very far distances. Mound 7 in Mound City is an exact replication of Sugarloaf. Mound 3 is an exact replication of Mount Logan.

The many other details are left out here for the interest of time. Suffice it to say something extremely significant happened here 2000 years ago with these hills and valley being the centerpiece of great attention.

so much more on this….”

Ohio is the Land Bountiful of the Book of Mormon

Anthony George Researcher and Long-Time Resident of Ohio

Nephite Coins?

Archaeology

Book of Mormon Evidence

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January 3, 2025

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See Alma 11 Here

So far no one has found what I would call credible evidence for a coin from the time of the Nephites. I don’t know if they even had coins or just a monetary system of weights and balances. I share this information as a way for you to compare the various information inside and outside the Church to help you understand the term “Nephite Coins”

Metal Coin

“At Lawn Ridge, 20 miles north of Peoria, Illinois, in August of 1870, three men were drilling an artesian well, when – from a depth of over a hundred feet – the pump brought up a small metal medallion to the surface. One of the workmen, Jacob W. Moffit, from Chillicothe, was the first to discover it in the drill residue. A noted scholar of the time, Professor Alexander Winchell, reported in his book Sparks From a Geologist’s Hammer, that he received from another eye-witness, W.H. Wilmot, a detailed statement, dated December 4, 1871, of the deposits and depths of materials made during the boring, and the position where the metal “coin” was uncovered. The stratification took this form: Soil – 3 feet; yellow clay – 17 feet; blueclay – 44 feet; dark vegetable matter – 4 feet; hard purplish clay – 18 feet; bright green clay – 8 feet; mottled clay – 18 feet; paleosol (ancient soils) – 2 feet; coin location; yellowish clay – 1 foot; sand, clay and water – 11 feet. The strange “coin-medallion” was composed of an unidentified copper alloy, about the size and thickness of a U.S. quarter of that period. It was remarkably uniform in thickness, round, and the edges appeared to have been cut. Researcher William E. Dubois, who presented his investigation of the medallion to the American Philosophical Society, was convinced that the object had in fact passed through a rolling mill, the edges showed “further evidence of the machine shop.” Despite its “modern characteristics”, however, Dubois plainly saw that, upon the object, “the tooth of time is plainly visible.”

Both sides of the medallion were marked with artwork and hieroglyphs, but these had not been metal engraved or stamped. Rather, the figures had somehow been etched in acid, to a remarkable degree of intricacy. One side showed the figure of a woman wearing a crown or headdress; her left arm i[ez-toc]s raised as if in benediction, and her right arm holds a small child, also crowned. The woman appears to be speaking. On the opposite side is another central figure, that looks like a crouching animal: it has long, pointed ears, large eyes and mouth, claw-like arms, and a long tail frayed at the very end. Below and to the left of it is another animal, which bears a strong resemblance to a horse. Around the outer edges of both sides of the coin are undecipherable glyphs – they are of very definite character, and show all the signs of a form of alphabetic writing..

As a sidelight, the enigmatic coin was not the only item that came from deep levels in Illinois. In 1851, in Whiteside County, another well-drilling bit brought up from a sand stratum 120 feet deep two copper artifacts: What appears to be a hook, and a ring. Their age is thought to be the same as that of the coin – about 150,000 years old.” 12th Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 1890-1891 (published in 1894)

The actual text of the 1830 Book of Mormon does not mention coins. The word “coins” was added in the 1920 edition to the chapter heading for Alma 11. In the 1948 edition of the Book of Mormon, we see the following chapter heading: Judges and their compensation—Nephite coins and measures—Zeezrom confounded by Amulek

This is the chapter heading in the 1981 LDS Edition of Alma 11, “The Nephite monetary system is set forth—Amulek contends with Zeezrom”

“The Nephite Gold and silver monetary system was based on “a measure of every kind of grain;” no coins are mentioned” Annotated Edition of the Book of Mormon by Hocking and Meldrum page 221

The chapter headings in the Book of Mormon are not necessarily part of the sacred text. Elder Bruce R. McConkie, who composed the chapter headings for the 1981 edition of the LDS scriptures, said: “[As for the] Joseph Smith Translation items, the chapter headings, Topical Guide, Bible Dictionary, footnotes, the Gazetteer, and the maps. None of these are perfect; they do not of themselves determine doctrine; there have been and undoubtedly now are mistakes in them. Cross-references, for instance, do not establish and never were intended to prove that parallel passages so much as pertain to the same subject. They are aids and helps only.” Mark McConkie (editor), Doctrines of the Restoration: Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie (Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1989),289–290. ISBN 978-0884946441

In understanding that coins are not mentioned in the text of the Book of Mormon, it is interesting to note there are several historical references to members of the church finding what they called “Nephite Coins”, or money.

Here is an article found in the Deseret News December 12, 1860 speaking of “An Old Nephite Coin”

Hon. George Peacock, of Manti, has exhibited in our office an old copper coin, recently found by some explorer or hunter on the Colorado River, on both sides of which are hieroglyphics or characters and Hebrew coin letters. Not being one of the “learned”, we submitted it to Professor Phelps, who has given us the following as a literal translation of the characters. On one side, it reads according to the rendition:

The “Nephite Coin” (as depicted in several treasure books) was found 15′ below the surface in Salt Lake City and is actually a ‘Pice’ issued in British India in Bengal by the mint in Calcutta in 1831. Made of copper. How this came to rest in Salt Lake could be an interesting story.

“The King, Hagagadonihah, over the kingdom near the sea west, sends to all greeting: one sinine”

On the other side—“In the 95th year of the Kingdom of Christ, 9th year of my reign: Peace and life. Weapon to weapon: Life for life.”

The coin is 1765 years old: and is evidently a Nephite Senine or farthing, as mentioned in the fifth chapter of second Nephi, in the Book of Mormon–English edition, page 517. It is about the size of an English farthing. The numerals are plain Arabic figures.

I wonder what ever became of that coin? I don’t know if anyone in the Peacock clan still holds it or if it was turned over to the Church. The coin supposedly dated 5 A.D. I know that the Church has “things” that the common member doesn’t know about. When my father was a member of the quorum of 70 he was shown several items of which the only particular one he told us about was some pages from the original manuscripts of the Book of Mormon. He mentioned other “items” but would not elaborate.

Lorenzo Snow, September 23, 1899

You can read the completer letter in the gallery of 5 pictures that are under the “Source of Nephite Coin Information” below!

— September 23, 1899
…The next morning (Sept. 23, 1899) Brother Carleton came out of his room with a coin in his hand and told me that he had plowed it up in his field on the banks of the St. Mary’s River [Florida]. He also told me that he had felt impressed during the night to give the coin to me although he had refused the Elder who had baptized him. “I looked at the coin as he handed it to me and I thought that I knew what it was, as I had seen a picture of Nephite coins on the fly leaf of the old edition of the Book of Mormon. The coin bore a striking resemblance to those coins.”…I told him I had made up my mind to take it to the First Presidency of the Church…On the way home between Pueblo, Colorado and Salt Lake City, the first morning out, there was on the train an historian and writer from England by the name of Willis…He then said to me, “…I will place seven thousand dollars ($7000) in the bank to your credit…I thanked him for his interest but repeated that the coin was not for sale…In the office of the First Presidency there were President Lorenzo Snow, President Joseph F. Smith, President Francis M. Lyman and _________. After reporting my mission, I took the coin out and showed it to them. President Lyman went and got the old edition (probably the first edition) of the Book of Mormon in which pictures of nephite coins were printed, and found the same coin immediately.

Description of the Nephite Coin

The Egyptian characters were identically the same as those on one of the pictures in the Book of Mormon. The coin had not tarnished and the characters looked as if they had been stamped. The coin was about the size of a five-dollar gold piece, eight cornered and about as thick again as common tin, it was stamped on both sides, the characters running around the outside. The characters were small, somewhat like script or cursive writing, more like the hieratic than the hieroglyphic form. As I have said before, they were identical with the characters pictured on the Nephite coin in the old edition of the Book of Mormon.

I was asked what I intended doing with the coin and I turned to President Snow and told him that I was making him a present of the coin; that President Rich had told me that that was the proper thing to do and that I was following his instructions.

President Snow put his arm around my shoulder and said, “brother Robinson, you have been faithful and have kept the pledge.”

He then went and got the money purse or leather bag that President Brigham Young had brought to the Rocky Mountains with him, also the Seer Stone and said, “This is the Seer Stone that *the Prophet Joseph Smith used. There are very few worthy to view this, but you are.” HE handed the Seer Stone to me and I couldn’t express the joy that came to me as I took that stone in my hands. Words are not equal to the task of expressing such a sublime joy.” He then told me to hand the seers stone to my wife and I handed it to her. He then blessed us with the greatest blessing I have ever heard fall from the mouth of man.”

*(Editor’s Note: Notice how President Snow said, “this is the seer stone Joseph used.” He didn’t say this is the seer stone that Joseph Smith used to translate the gold plates. I believe Joseph probably had several seer stones but they were used for purposes other than to translate the gold plates. I believe the Jaredite breastplate and the two stones in a silver bow were prepared by the Lord for Joseph to use for translation of the plates. As it says in Ether 3:28, “he should seal up the two stones”, meaning that the Lord actually touched 18 total stones. Sixteen for the Jaredite barges and two additional ones to be sealed up, (Two stones in the bow in the Hill Cumorah) “until the Lord should show them”, to the Prophet Joseph Smith to aid in translating the gold plates).

Description of the Seer Stone

“The Seer Stone was the shape of an egg though not quite so large, of a gray cast something like granite but with white stripes running around it. It was transparent but had no holes, neither in the end or in the sides. I looked into the stone, but could see nothing, as I had not the gift and power of God that must accompany such a manifestation.” (1)

— Sep 23, 1899; Saturday
The First Presidency were at the office. At 11 A.M. they met with the presidents of the five canal companies owning the waters of the Jordan river in this county, and it was decided to take such steps as would prevent the man Lambson from acquiring rights in the waters of that stream and of Utah lake.

Bishop [William B.] Preston called in the afternoon and met Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [George Q.] Cannon. His business was in relation to a note given to him, in trust for the Church, by Thomas Taylor, which note was past due and would outlaw in about sixty days. It was secured by a mortgage on the iron properties at Cedar City [Utah], and the question was whether Bishop Preston should foreclose the mortgage, or dispose of the note for $6,000, which sum had been offered for it. It was decided to foreclose the mortgage.

President Snow and family moved into the Beehive house today. (2)

Endnotes:
1 – Richard M. Robinson, “The History of a Nephite Coin,” 4-5, signed by Robinson and his wife Maria, 30 Dec. 1934, LDS Archives, MS 5147
2 – First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes

LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow

Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/

Source of Nephite Coin Information

The pages below are from the following website: https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/search

When you do a search for Nephite Coins it takes you to this website: https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=8b11984f-244a-4795-986e-fca0f5649e3b&crate=0&index=0

Nephite Coin? Photographs

https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=5dce6ddd-0f32-4702-a3f2-6475e04cfb9f&crate=0&index=0

Below is a “Pice” from India which looks very similar to the one above from the Church marked as a Nephite Coin.

“Alma 11:22. “Six Onties of Silver”
• An onti was the greatest monetary value in Nephite society. One possible purpose for the inclusion of the Nephite coinage in Alma 11 is t demonstrate the extent of the bribe Zeezrom offered if Amulek would “deny the existence of a Supreme Being” (Alma 11:22). It appears that six onties of silver was the equivalent of 42 days wages for a judge in the society of the people of Ammonihah (see Alma 11:3, 11–13).” 1979 Book of Mormon Student Manual – Religion 121-122 page 186

King Mosiah’s Monetary System

Section 8: Money in the Book of Mormon

Explanation:

King Mosiah’s system of weights and measures established equivalencies between amounts of silver, gold, and grains. This chart compares the precious metals with their grain equivalents, as described in Alma 11. These measurements for the most part increase exponentially, much like the ancient Egyptian system of measurement (see chart 113). In King Mosiah’s system, the limnah or onti, worth “the value of . . . all” measurements (Alma 11:10), was worth the sum of the gold senine, seon, and shum or the silver senum, amnor, and ezrom.

Coin From Little Bear’s Video

According to Little Bear a Cheyenne Medicine man, this coin below shows King Benjamin on one side from the Book of Mormon. It is in possession of Shawn Little Bear and his family. His grand mother in Oklahoma had this coin wrapped and tied in many knots in a blue bandanna to secure and keep it safe. Little Bear was able to see it from his grandmother’s hand in 1982. She was 101 years old when Little Bear met with her in Oklahoma. See the Video Here The part about the coin is about 47 Minutes into the video. I have not verified any of this information.

Below you will find much more detail about coinage in the Book of Mormon if you are interested. Compare Alma 11

History and Analysis of:
THE SCHOOLMASTER’S ASSISTANT by THOMAS DILWORTH
The following document reproduces a single entry comprising pages 479-86 in: Rick Grunder, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source (Lafayette, New York: Rick Grunder – Books, 2014), a PDF file of 2,307 pages published digitally only, (ISBN 978-0-9814708-1-8) described at www.mormonparallels.com

OVERVIEW: A dizzying display of the confused weights, measures and reckonings which haunted the British and Americans of the period. Dilworth’s hopelessly complicated story problems and conversion guides may shock the modern reader. More to the point of Mormon parallels, his book supplies perspective for the Nephite system described in Alma 11.

Search apologetic literature and Internet sites, and you will find varying interpretations of an apparently complex and distinctive Nephite monetary or exchange system as given awkwardly in Alma 11:3-19. Perhaps the most serious analysis of this system appears in John W. Welch’s “Weighing & Measuring in the Worlds of the Book of Mormon” (Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8:2 [1999], pp. 36-46). As in his studies of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon, however (see MP 193, Hunt), Dr. Welch discovers much here which may not be as readily perceived by all readers. I would argue that while he has identified some very interesting parallels among mixed ancient cultures, he has over-complicated the matter by searching far into the past for monetary intrigue and elegance which were just as available in early nineteenth-century America.

The most frustrating aspect of the described Nephite system occurs in the summaries of denominations (senine, seon, shum, shiblon, “shiblum,” etc.), wherein the relative worth of the largest gold piece is identified merely as “the value of them all,” and the largest of the silver pieces, “. . . as great as them all.” (Alma 11:10, 13). Dr. Welch interprets these phrases in a manner calculated to suggest “numerical elegance,” yet he allows that their meaning is not absolutely clear (Welch 1999, text accompanying his tables 4 and 5). Other Book of Mormon defenders see even less clarity there (in their various articles on the topic), but all join to search for deep meaning, complexity, and ancient parallels in the vague Book of Mormon structure of relative precious metal and grain values. I have prepared the following summary of the system from the Book of Mormon itself

“In summary, Joseph Smith dictated three series of monetary denominations (above, with corresponding grain values, Alma 11:3, 5-19). In two of these series (gold and silver standards), the smallest basic whole unit – a gold SENINE piece, or its equivalent silver SENUM piece – is doubled in value by the next unit up, which in turn is doubled by the next higher unit after that. A fourth and largest unit is described in all-encompassing terms, instead of relative numerical terms.

A third series of monetary denominations works its way down from the basic senum or senine, in fractional pieces of silver, halving with each descending unit, so that in this “lesser” series, the highest unit is simply the lowest of the values in the first two series. That basic whole unit in either standard (the “senine” of gold or the equivalent “senum” of silver) is the monetary price of “a measure of barley, and . . . every kind of grain.” (Alma 11:7). This “measure” is designated as one day’s wages for a Nephite judge

Finally, the names in two of the series, when heard in the order they were considered in Joseph Smith’s dictation (ascending in value for whole gold denominations, descending for the fractional silver denominations), involve a nearly poetic pattern: three rather similar-sounding denominations, each beginning with s and ending with n or m, followed by the final term beginning with l and ending with ah:

Senine- seon- shum, limnah; Senum- shiblon-[ shilum], leah.

CASUAL PERUSAL of the desperately complex Schoolmaster’s Assistant here at hand will alert us to the wide variety of systems known in Joseph Smith’s world. It will also remind us of the cumbersome measuring structures which we have owned from our youth, in which simple metric arrangements still struggle to supplant older systems prevalent in England, America – and the Book of Mormon. King Mosiah, writes Dr. Welch elsewhere, . . . “did not reckon after the manner of the Jews who were at Jerusalem” (Alma 11:4). Evidently he drew on some other system of weights and measures. Perhaps Mosiah obtained the legal form of his economic decree from the Mulekites, who had contact with the Jaredites, who had left from Mesopotamia not long before the time of Eshnunna. [Welch 2002, 350; referring earlier to “the laws of Eshnunna, promulgated in Babylonia probably during the early eighteenth century B.C. but not discovered until the mid-twentieth century A.D. . . . ,” Welch 2002, 348]

– or obtained it even more readily, I might insinuate, from the most elementary systems known to Joseph Smith in his youth. “Moreover,” continues Welch, Mosiah’s system is distinctively binary: each unit of measure is half the size of the next larger unit. Perhaps Mosiah found this binary manner of reckoning somewhere on the plates of brass, which, after all, were written in a type of Egyptian text. Indeed, as became known in the early twentieth century, the units in the ancient Egyptian grain measure were also binary in ratio.

Of course, we cannot be sure how to explain the similarities between the laws of Mosiah and Eshnunna or between the Nephite and Egyptian grain measures, but this much can be said: Such similarities between the laws of Mosiah and Eshnunna and the Egyptian mathematical papyri (which were unknown in Joseph Smith’s day) show yet another way in which the Book of Mormon presents specific details whose roots run unexpectedly deep in ancient societies. [Welch 2002, 350, continuing without break from the paragraph quoted above)] Dr. Welch thus proposes a culture in which the simple decree of government could overcome popular usage, contrary to modern America where we cling jealously to our yards and inches, our ounces and pounds. And it is here in modern America, rather than the ancient world, where the most ready basis for the Nephite system still lurks. If a binary system existed both in ancient Egypt and in recent America, then where ought we most logically suppose Joseph Smith learned it? I remember, when I was a boy, buying a bent bamboo cane from an old Carny man at the Western Idaho State Fair in the 1950s.

“How much?” I asked, timidly. “Six bits,” came the casual reply. “How much is a bit?”

“Two bits to the quarter.”

So a dollar must be eight bits, I reasoned, and handed over the seventy-five cents. That was my first exposure to the archaic term. I took this exciting knowledge home to my elders who chuckled that I hadn’t known the value of a “bit” – a strange 12½ cents, but a real unit in people’s minds, the eighth part of a dollar. And sure enough, on Dilworth’s page 87 we find listed first among the “foreign coins” which were used in the British colonies: “Pieces of Eight.”

Even though the American monetary system is metric (dollars and cents rather than pounds, shillings, and assorted units), we still think of half and quarter- dollars two centuries after Joseph Smith. And if we rarely think of a half-quarter today, plain-speakers still disparage the inexpensive (if self-employed) lady of the street as a “two-bit wh—.” Anyone, too, who has long followed the stock market knows that prices on Wall Street remained in dollars and eighths until January 2000.

In earlier times, United States money usage was more difficult than today, requiring guides for children like our Schoolmaster’s Assistant. The old Spanish real (that eighth bit of a dollar) became the American shilling, for example, with regional differences to frustrate both spender and recipient. Yet let its precise value be ever so complicated, the shilling was a common unit of exchange in the United States. “The complexity of working out financial values between the different states,” explains Andro Linklater, during the formation of the new American government in the 1780s, hobbled every commercial transaction. Although the legal tender remained officially the British pound, divided into twenty shillings, each in turn subdivided into twelve pennies, its value in America differed from one state to the next. The commonest single coin, the Spanish dollar, . . . contained eight bits in Pennsylvania [where the book of Alma was dictated] but was divided into ten bits in Virginia. . . . Familiarity taught most people to juggle the sums, and just as the teenage Washington casually reckoned up his pay in pistoles and doubloons, so Jefferson, scribbling a quick note of a sale of land, recorded that the price had been “200 {pounds} of which 20 half-Joes are paid.” [Linklater, 65-66]

“Every one remembers,” Jefferson warned Congress, while debating the future American system in 1784 that when learning money arithmetic, he used to be puzzled with adding the pence, taking out the twelves and carrying them on; adding the shillings, taking out the twenties and carrying them on. . . . The bulk of mankind are school boys thro’ life. These little perplexities are always great to them [quoted in Linklater, 66]

Obviously, American children were exposed to complex systems of measures and denominations. The Nephite system would be cleaner. But it must not sound modern. It could be based – I postulate – on the most elementary, old- fashioned binary money and grain units of Joseph Smith’s practical experience. Those would be easy to imagine and to dictate, if ultimately confused by curious names . . .

With two additional dry-measure denominations not mentioned by Dilworth above, p. 18, but very real terms (the double gallon and double peck), grain measures of Joseph Smith’s day were perfectly binary up through the familiar bushel.

IF ONE WERE DICTATING from one’s head during the early period of the United States, and one were thinking of silver, gold, and grain, I think the most obvious units would be the dollar and the bushel. Both were made up of repeatedly doubled units, in common folk-binary divisions. I believe one would think of a bit (in the form of the standard “York shilling” of Joseph Smith’s own state – which everyone knew was worth 12½ ¢), and its double (the quarter), its double (the half-dollar), and finally the largest unit, expressed awkwardly as “the value of them all,” the dollar itself, the national standard upon which all are named or based.

Grain measures, as we have seen above, were also binary, just like drinking units (if one were inclined toward cider, a little rum, or other liquid refreshment typically taken in gills, pints – or for the stout at heart, even larger binary units).

SHILUM/SHILLIN‘

THE AMERICAN SHILLING, finally, appears even more intriguing in this context than I have suggested. It persisted well into the nineteenth century, and may not be entirely invisible in the Book of Mormon. The name of the small piece of silver in Alma 11:16-17, the “shiblum,” was an apparent typesetter’s error, its letter “b” evidently continued from the adjacent “shiblon” of the preceding verse. What the printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon actually says – and what Joseph Smith appears to have spelled out for Oliver Cowdery in the original manuscript – is “shilum.”75

“. . . And all I deserve is a shillin’ a day,” mused Kipling’s tired O’Kelly, home from the service in India – reminding us how that word “shilling” must have sounded in young Joseph Smith’s colloquial environment as well . . .

(Chorus) Shillin’ a day
Bloomin’ good pay—
Lucky to touch it, a shillin’ a day!76

In the New York system described by Judge Thomas G. Waterman in 1825, the 12½ cent fee (one York shilling) was a prominent figure assigned to several lesser judicial and law enforcement duties that could be performed in a fraction of a day. Remember, by comparison, that the smallest non-fractional Nephite silver or gold piece (senine or senum) was the value of a measure of grain equal to a full day’s wages f or a judge — wages which had just been mentioned in Alma 11:1-2, a passage clearly descriptive of the New York State judicial system at the level at which Joseph Smith had suffered it first-hand, upriver from Harmony, Pennsylvania in 1826; see MP 457 (Waterman).

It would be difficult for any narrator to keep the exact names and values of all these denominations consistent and logical. Yet when reduced to my explana- tions above, those everyday details of Alma 11 make ready sense. Even the Antion fits nicely, because multiples of three smaller units would be handy in transactions of Joseph Smith’s experience. A common price for various goods and services at that time was 37½ cents, or three York Shillings (12½ X 3 = 37½). That was exactly what a copy of Mary Jemison’s stories of the Indians cost in 75 Documented by Royal Skousen in considerable detail, concluding that “. . . the correct name for the monetary unit shilum (in place of the shiblum of all the printed editions . . .” should be restored in Alma 11:16-17 (Skousen, 1810-11, portion quoted here from p. 1811). For the original version of “shilum” instead of “shiblum,” see Book of Mormon. The Original Manuscript, 214, lines 8-9, in conjunction with Book of Mormon. The Printer’s Manuscript, 442, lines 5-6.

76 Rudyard Kipling, “Shillin’ a Day,” in Barrack-Room Ballads and Other Verses (London: Methuen and Co., 1892). In Joseph Smith’s day, many a newly-arrived Brit on our shores rued the day he accepted a job at (New) York shilling wages – a decent-sounding unit of money back in England then, but worth only half the value in the American version nearby Canandaigua, New York in 1824 (MP 371, Seaver, section on publisher James D. Bemis). That was also the amount which Judge Waterman said it cost to summon a jury (MP 457, illustration). If the American/Book of Mormon correlations which I have presented are not perfect, they are simplicity itself when viewed against the labored arguments offered by modern Book of Mormon defenders. I cannot say that Joseph Smith thought consciously like I propose, but I will insist that his task was easier than many people have imagined.

The Number Eight- Symbolic of the Atonement

Book of Mormon Evidence

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January 2, 2025

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The Number Eight- Symbolic of the Atonement

From Alma 34 in the introduction it says, “Amulek testifies that the word is in Christ unto salvation—Unless an atonement is made, all mankind must perish—The whole law of Moses points toward the sacrifice of the Son of God—The eternal plan of redemption is based on faith and repentance—Pray for temporal and spiritual blessings—This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God—Work out your salvation with fear before God. About 74 B.C.”

Amulek speaks of the Atonement

He Truly Was the Son of God by Clark Kelley Price (My Favorite Art)

“My brother has called upon the words of Zenos, that redemption cometh through the Son of God, and also upon the words of Zenock; and also he has appealed unto Moses, to prove that these things are true.

And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.” Alma 34:7-9

The above words were tauught by Alma and then Amulek explained those words to the people. Amulek also explained how Alma spoke about the words of Zenos and Zenock. The words about the Atonement muct have been powerful words as 4 prophets testified of these things.

Zenos and Zenock/Another Testament

Zenock—prophet of Israel and of the lineage of Joseph
predicted that Christ would be lifted up by wicked men, 1 Ne. 19:10.

Zenos—prophet of Israel and of the lineage of Joseph
prophesied of Christ’s burial, three days of darkness, 1 Ne. 19:10, 12.

You will see how pure the words are from these Book of Mormon prophets, and how easy to understand, where as the Bible’s words seem less understood about the Atonement. That is why we should study the Book of Mormon to really understand the Atonement of Christ in it’s pure and undefiled words. We can make it “Another Testament”.

Tyndale’s Words “at-one-ment”

William Tyndale was an English Biblical scholar and linguist who became a leading figure in the Protestant Reformation in the years leading up to his execution. He translated much of the Bible into English, and was influenced by the works of prominent Protestant Reformers such as Martin Luther.

“[William] Tyndale went in search of the perfect word that could be used as a noun or a verb and would describe the process by which man would offer sacrifices and offerings in order to cover over, appease, make amends, or reconcile with God. The word he coined was atonement. While many have stated that Tyndale invented this word, the Oxford English Dictionary lists several variations and combinations of “at” and “one,” such as “to one,” “at one,” or “at once,” “one ment” (used by Wycliffe), and “atonement,” that were used in Tyndale’s time. But Tyndale saw that this term was a very good match for the theological context of the relationship between God and man and put the verb atone and the noun atonement into his passages in the Old and New Testaments.

Tyndale used atonement in his 1526 New Testament in 2 Corinthians 5:18: “preaching of the atonement” (KJV “ministry of reconciliation”). While this term has become a common theological term in religious discussions, the King James translators continued to use this word in terms of the Old Testament usage but only actually used the term atonement in Romans 5:11. They preferred to use the words reconciliation and propitiation in the New Testament. Nevertheless, this term has become the common designation throughout Christianity for the saving acts of Jesus Christ on behalf of the children of men and the possibility of reconciliation and “at-one-ment” offered through His sacrifice…

The words atone and atonement occur throughout the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price as a description of the redemptive sacrifice of the Savior. The English word atonement is regularly used in explaining the nature of Christ’s redemptive sacrifice and its ability to heal, make whole, and reconcile the broken relationship between God and humans caused by the Fall and by our sins. And who can imagine singing the hymn “I Stand All Amazed” without the image of presenting oneself at the “mercy seat”?” BYU Religious Studies by David Rolph Seely

Symbolism of the Number 8

The seal of Melchizedek has 8 points
The Book of Mormon had eight witnesses, to whom Joseph showed the plates
The Jaredites were symbolically baptized while crossing over the ocean in eight vessels
A person may be baptized at age eight in LDS doctrine
Lehi wandered in the wilderness for eight years
Number of points on the Bethlehem star
Number eight in Hebrew always points to a new beginning
Eight souls were saved in Noah’s Ark
The Sabbath was changed from the seventh day to the eighth day
In Hebrew text eight symbolizes beyond nature and is perfection.
Maccabees’ resolve the battle the Greeks in eight days
Tabernacle was dedicated in an eight-day ceremony.
High Priests wore eight garments
Righteous King Josiah began his rule of Judah at the age of eight
Eight days after His resurrection, Christ appeared to the disciples
The Transfiguration occurred on the eighth day
Elijah performed eight miracles; and Elisha doubled that with sixteen (8 + 8).
The 8-day festival of Hanukkah (Chanukah), is one of light over darkness.
King David, a prefigure of Messiah Yeshua, was the eighth son of Jesse
Eight surpasses the completed work of seven and moves one into the world to come.
The Brit Milah is the Jewish circumcision ceremony, held on the eighth day of life
Hebrew High Priests wore eight garments: a linen tunic, linen breeches, a linen turban, and a long sash, the ephod, breastplate, a cloak of blue wool with bells and pomegranates, and a golden plate on their forehead inscribed with, “Holy to YHWH.”

Greatest Sacrifice

What was our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s greatest sacrifice? Was it His suffering in the Garden or at Calvary on the Cross? Yes, they were both wonderful and selfless sacrifices for all of mankind. I believe both sacrifices had to each be carried out as a part of His lat and great sacrifice. Let’s discuss what is called the Atonement.

“As used in the scriptures, to atone is to suffer the penalty for sins, thereby removing the effects of sin from the repentant sinner and allowing him or her to be reconciled to God. Jesus Christ was the only one capable of carrying out the Atonement for all mankind. Because of His Atonement, all people will be resurrected, and those who obey His gospel will receive the gift of eternal life with God.” Source

First we will look at an ancient mosiac representation of Christ’s sacrifice from the Basilica of San Vitale. “The Basilica of San Vitale is a late antique church in Ravenna, Italy. The sixth-century church is an important surviving example of early Byzantine art and architecture, and its mosaics in particular are some of the most-studied works in Byzantine art. It is one of eight structures in Ravenna inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.Justinian the Great, was the Roman emperor from 527 to 565.” Source

Here is the Atonement described in the Old Testament. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your soul : for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:11 Here are words about the Atonement from the New Testament. “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” Romans 5:11

Secondly we will discuss the Atonement from a more modern perspective, using the current LDS Temples, specifically the San Diego Temple, as we see the symbols and artisty of this beautiful temple. You can also see in the Book of Mormon, the words about the Atonement in Alma 34:7-9 above, are much easier to understand in my opinion.

Ancient Symbolism

San Vitale, begun c. late 520s, consecrated 547, mosaics date between 546 and 556. The Church was restored 1540s, 1900, 1904, and in the 1930s, Ravenna, Italy (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

“San Vitale is one of the most important surviving examples of Eastern Roman “Byzantine” Empire architecture and mosaic work. It was begun in 526 or 527 AD under Ostrogothic rule. It was consecrated in 547 and completed soon after.

One of the most famous images of political authority from the “middle ages“ is the mosaic of the Emperor Justinian and his court in the sanctuary of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. This image (below) is an integral part of a much larger mosaic program in the chancel (the space around the altar).” Source

Chancel with Justinian mosaic at lower left and apse mosaic at center, San Vitale, consecrated 547, Ravenna, Italy (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

On either side of this large mosaic is the re-enactment of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and sacrifices in the Old Testament that prefigure the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.

San Vitale, pre-Sanctuary space, right side. Photographed at the basilica by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.

Notice the “Seal of Melchizedek” in the front middle of the altar in the picture above. More about this seal will be discussed below.

Christianicoography.info says, “This mosaic is on the right side of the space that precedes the presbytery, where the clergy celebrate the Eucharistic liturgy, which is considered a memorializing re-enactment of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Appropriately, both this and the mosaic on the left below side focus on sacrifices in the Old Testament that prefigure the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.

San Vitale, pre-Sanctuary space, left side

“In the large lunette Abel offers a lamb and Melchizedech a loaf. The wine that Melchizedech also offered is already in a chalice on the altar. Like his garments, the structure behind Abel is simple and rustic, but in its shape and position it presages the church that stands behind Melchizedech, who is dressed as a priest. God’s acceptance of the sacrifices is represented by the hand reaching down from the sky.

The sacrifice of Abel is in Genesis 4:1-8; that of Melchizedech, Genesis 14:18-20. Both sacrifices, of course, relate to the liturgy that is celebrated in this place. The bread and wine prefigures the elements of the Eucharist, and the lamb prefigures Christ himself.” Source

Modern Symbolism

Modern scripture says, “And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me” (Moses 6:63). This of course means both Ancient and Modern symbols, art, and signs bear witness of Christ and the Atonement.

The Number Eight and the Seal of Melchizedek Points to Christ

There is a wonderful article written at LDSLiving.com in 2015 by a good friend of ours named Ernest Lehenbauer titled, “Why this symbol appears 10,000 times in the San Diego Temple.” He has spoken at many of our Firm Foundation Conferences.

I quote from Ernest here: “Another powerful way the seal points to Christ is with the number of points of the star: eight. In scripture, the number eight always points to a new beginning, purification, or the Atonement. It is found in association with temples, ordinances, or other holy themes. To help illustrate this, it helps if we first understand that the symbolism of eight is directly related to the symbolism of seven. In Genesis, we read:

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished … And on the seventh day, God ended his work which he had made” (Genesis 2:1–2).

Seven, therefore, in the Hebrew tradition means finished, whole, or complete. What then becomes of the eighth day? The eighth day then becomes the first day of a new period. In other words, not the beginning, but a new beginning. By exploring a few scriptures, we see that this new beginnings represents purification the Atonement of Christ.

For example, animals used for sacrifices stayed with the mother seven days, and then were slain on the eigth day. These animals were symbolic of Christ as an eternal sacrifice. Similarly, the priests of Aaron under Moses were to purge seven days, and on the eighth day they could enter the tabernacle, being purified, and make an atoning sacrifice.

We learn in Ezekial that “upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord” (Ezekiel 43:26–27).

Baptism is associated in the Christian world with the octagram, which is also symbolic of the Atonement. The number eight also refers to when the Lord “baptized” the earth through flooding, wherein eight souls were saved in the ark. The association of eight with baptism is further reinforced in the Book of Mormon:

When Lehi and his sons had wondered in the wilderness for eight years, they then crossed over the ocean (symbolic of baptism) from the old sinful land of Jerusalem into a new, pristine beginning in the promised land. Similarly, Jared and his group of Jaredites were symbolically “baptized” while crossing over the ocean in eight vessels, literally submerged in water, leaving a fallen people and sailing to a new, pure beginning in the promised land. Confirming that motif in latter-day revelation, the Doctrine and Covenants declares a soul may be baptized at age eight. (See 1 Ne 17:4, Ether 3:1, D&C 68:27)

In the New Testament we learn that after the Atonement, the Sabbath was changed from the seventh day to the eighth day, or in other words, the first day of the week, which was Sunday. The disciples then met on the eighth day every week to partake of the Lord’s Supper, or the sacrament.” Ernest Lehenbauer

Gallery of pictures from the San Diego Temple and the Seal of Melchizedek

Put the Animal in Us upon the Altar

“For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.” Alma 34:10

“The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar.” Neal A. Maxwell “Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father”

“Real, personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed.” Neal A. Maxwell April General Conference 1995

Ernest Lehenbauer is the coauthor of the book The Seal of Melchizedek: The Modern Rebirth of an Ancient Symbol with Alan Rex Mitchell. He has three certificates of graduation from the Utah State University Institute of Religion, as well as a bachelor of arts in political science from USU. He has started several businesses and was a photojournalist during the Iraq War while simultaneously working as a Field Service Representative and certified Instructor Mechanic for the largest armored-vehicle company in the Middle East. He has lived and worked in countries such as Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Iraq, and now runs Seal of Melchizedek.com. He and with his wife, Peggy founded Seal of Melchizedek™ Jewelry & Art to celebrate and share the powerful messages of inspirational symbolism

Council of Fifty & Lewis Dana

Rian Nelson

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December 31, 2024

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Council of Fifty Intended to Bring a Political Transformation

Latter-day Saints believe that one reason the gospel was restored was to prepare the earth for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as the Church was to bring about religious changes in the world, the Council of Fifty was intended to bring a political transformation. It was therefore designed to serve as something of a preparatory legislature in the Kingdom of God. Joseph Smith ordained the council to be the governing body of the world, with himself as chairman, Prophet, Priest, and King over the Council and the world (subject to Jesus Christ, who is “King of kings.” Clayton, Journal, 22 June 1844; Events of June 1844, in Council of Fifty Report , “Record.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in 1830 to begin the restoration the the Lord Jesus Christ’s church on this earth. The foundation was laid. We now understand that Joseph Smith tried to bring that Kingdom forward. Did the church fail with the Kirtland Safety Society, the United Order, the Establishment of the Temple in Independence, and with the Council of Fifty? NO! In my opinion the restoration of the gospel continues as we prepare for the second coming of the Lord to the Earth. We did not fail, but we are progressing and learning. There is much to do if we are to be ready for the Lord to come again.

Understanding the Council of Fifty

Less than four months before his death in 1844, Joseph Smith convened a council to discuss proposed Latter-day Saint settlements in areas that were then outside the United States, such as in California and Texas. The council deliberated not only about how Church leaders would govern these settlements but about how to establish a political kingdom or government in preparation for the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith and his associates saw this council as the beginning of such a kingdom. The council was composed of about 50 members who typically referred to it as the “Kingdom of God” or the “Council of Fifty.”

Joseph Smith intended the council to function separately from the Church. While the Church was responsible for spiritual concerns and the eternal salvation of God’s children, the Council of Fifty was a political or civic organization formed to “govern men in civil matters.” Many of Joseph’s closest associates participated in the council, including members of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Nauvoo High Council. Joseph also admitted three non-Mormons to the council.

Editors added quote here: “[Joseph Smith admitted three men who were not members of the Church to the council, explaining that “we act upon the broad and liberal principal that all men have equal rights, and ought to be respected, and that every man has a privilege in this organization of choosing for himself voluntarily his God.]” Quote Source: https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/council-of-fifty-minutes-joseph-smith-papers?lang=eng

R. Eric Smith and Matthew J. Grow continue saying, “The Latter-day Saints’ desire to lay the foundation for a new civil government was partly in response to the persecution they had experienced in Missouri. Joseph Smith and other Church leaders became convinced that the local, state, and national governments were either unwilling to defend or incapable of protecting the Church’s rights as a religious minority. One important purpose of the council was to adopt measures that would protect the “religious rights and worship” of the Latter-day Saints and others. The council’s minutes contain powerful teachings from Joseph Smith about religious liberty. He spoke of “the importance of thrusting from us every spirit of bigotry and intolerance towards a man’s religious sentiments.”

Editor’s Note: This is what is happening today in our cities and communities. As Latter-day Saints we have experienced bigotry for years and now other religions and good people are feeling similar. It is becoming harder and harder for our own State, City, County or Township to protect our religious rights and our right to freedom.

In Utah the council met sporadically between the late 1840s and the 1860s. John Taylor reorganized the council in 1880, but meetings ceased before the end of that decade.” Church Resources R. Eric Smith and Matthew J. Grow, “Council of Fifty in Nauvoo, Illinois,” Perspectives on Church History, history.lds.org. Matthew J. Grow, Ronald K. Esplin, Mark Ashurst-McGee, Gerrit J. Dirkmaat, and Jeffrey D. Mahas, eds., Administrative Records: Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846. Vol. 1 of the Administrative Records series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Ronald K. Esplin, Matthew J. Grow, and Matthew C. Godfrey (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2016).

The Joseph Smith Papers project contain the Nauvoo Council of Fifty minutes.

Joseph Smith’s Journals. Photograph by Welden C. Andersen and Mark Ashurst-McGee. (Church History Library, Salt Lake City.)

What is perhaps the most powerful teaching in the entire Nauvoo Council of Fifty record? Joseph Smith’s statement on religious liberty from the meeting on 11 April, 1844. Those minutes are below, with highlighted areas drawing attention to the most salient parts (as chosen by the author of this article) R. Eric Smith and Matthew J. Grow

COUNCIL OF FIFTY, MINUTES, 11 APRIL 1844

Title page from the 1844 Council of Fifty meetings minutes book

“He then went on to say that for the benefit of mankind and succeeding generations, he wished it to be recorded that there are men admitted members of this honorable council who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, neither profess any creed or religious sentiment whatever, to show that in the organization of this kingdom men are not consulted as to their religious opinions or notions in any shape or form whatever, and that we act upon the broad and liberal principle that all men have equal rights and ought to be respected, and that every man has a privilege in this organization of choosing for himself voluntarily his God, and what he pleases for his religion, inasmuch as there is no danger but that every man will embrace the greatest light.

God cannot save or damn a man only on the principle that every man acts, chooses, and worships for himself; hence the importance of thrusting from us every spirit of bigotry and intolerance towards a man’s religious sentiments, that spirit which has drenched the earth with blood. When a man feels the least temptation to such intolerance he ought to spurn it from him.

It becomes our duty on account of this intolerance and corruption—the inalienable right of man being to think as he pleases, worship as he pleases, etc., being the first law of everything that is sacred—to guard every ground all the days of our lives. I will appeal to every man in this council, beginning at the youngest, that when he arrives to the years of hoary age he will have to say that the principles of intolerance and bigotry never had a place in this kingdom, nor in my breast, and that he is even then ready to die rather than yield to such things. Nothing can reclaim the human mind from its ignorance, bigotry, superstition, etc., but those grand and sublime principles of equal rights and universal freedom to all men. We must not despise a man on account of infirmity. We ought to love a man more for his infirmity. Nothing is more congenial to my feelings and principles than the principles of universal freedom and has been from the beginning. . . .

Let us from henceforth drive from us every species of intolerance. When a man is free from it he is capable of being a critic. When I have used every means in my power to exalt a man’s mind, and have taught him righteous principles to no effect, he is still inclined to his darkness, yet the same principles of liberty and charity would ever be manifested by me as though he embraced it. Hence in all governments or political transactions a man’s religious opinions should never be called in question. A man should be judged by the law independent of religious prejudice; hence we want in our constitution those laws which would require all its officers to administer justice without any regard to his religious opinions, or thrust him from his office.

There are only two or three things lacking in the Constitution of the United States. If they had said all men born equal, and not only that but they shall have their rights, they shall be free, or the armies of the government should be compelled to enforce those principles of liberty.”

(Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844, vol. 1, pp. [116]–[121], Church History Library, in Joseph Smith Papers, Administrative Records, Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846, 97–101)4 Author DYEJO 2 October 2018

The minutes of the Council of Fifty, featured in this fascinating 734-page volume (link below), were recorded in three small books and cover twenty-one meetings before the death of Joseph Smith and forty-two meetings between then and January 1846.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/27033799

Council of 50: Summary from the Joseph Smith Papers

An organization intended to establish the political kingdom of God on the earth.1 An 1842 editorial in the church newspaper stated that the “design of Jehovah” was to “take the reigns of government into his own hand.”2 On 10 and 11 March 1844, JS and several prominent elders met to discuss letters proposing a new gathering center for Latter-day Saint settlement in the Republic of Texas.3 On 11 March, they formally organized as a council, as William Clayton recounted, to “establish a Theocracy” somewhere in western North America.4 A 14 March 1844 revelation stated that the name of the council should be “The Kingdom of God and his Laws, with the keys and power thereof, and judgment in the hands of his servants. Ahman Christ.”5 The members, however, generally referred to it as the “Kingdom of God” or the “Council of the Kingdom,” or more simply as the “Kingdom” or the “Council.”6 Seniority and voting order in the council were based on age, though JS presided over it as the standing chairman.7 On 11 April 1844, the council voted to receive JS as “our Prophet, Priest & King.”8 When the council reached fifty members, including three men who were not Latter-day Saints, JS declared “the council was full.”9 Though the council sometimes had more or fewer than fifty members, it became known as the “Council of Fifty.”10 JS taught that there was “a distinction between the church of God and the kingdom of God” and that the laws of the kingdom were “not designed to effect our salvation hereafter.”11 Rather, the council’s purpose was to protect the Saints “in their religious rights and worship.”12 On 25 April 1844, a JS revelation stated that the council itself was the constitution of the kingdom of God and that its members were God’s “spokesmen” in civil matters.13 In March and April 1844, the council discussed principles of proper government, petitioned the U.S. government on behalf of the Saints, sought information on potential gathering places in the West, and planned missionary work among American Indians.14 In May 1844, most of the members left Nauvoo to campaign for JS as U.S. president.15 After JS’s death, the Council of Fifty reassembled on 4 February 1845 and voted to sustain Brigham Young as standing chairman and JS’s successor.16 Under Young’s leadership, the council helped supervise the exodus of the Saints from Nauvoo and establish civil government in Utah.17 It met infrequently thereafter until its final meetings in the 1880s.18

Lost Teachings of the Prophets: Recently Uncovered Teachings of Joseph Smith and Others from the Council of Fifty Record

“I have sworn by the eternal gods that I will never vote for another Democrat again; and I intend to swear my children, putting their hands under the thigh, as Abraham swore Isaac, that they will never vote a Democratic ticket in all their generations. It is the meanest lowest party in all creation…the lowest, most tyrannical beings in the world. They opposed me in Missouri, and were going to shoot me for treason, and I had never committed any treason whatever.” The Prairies, Nauvoo, Joe Smith, the Temple, the Mormons &c (The Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette, September 15, 1843) Another Source:

Have the two prophets already come and will they come again?

New DVD- Unlocking The Mystery of the Two Prophets-by The Joseph Smith Foundation

Did you know that the Revelation 11 prophecy aligns with events in the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum? Is it possible the two prophets have already come and will come again? Who are the two prophets in Revelation 11? The two messengers who lie dead in the great city? An assassination by enemies, a forbidden burial by persecutors, and bodies lying in the street for three and a half days are only a few of the clues found in scripture revealing their identity. The two prophets have generally been shrouded in mystery . . . until now. Did Joseph and Hyrum Smith perform a specific ministry within the period of three and one half years that triggered the fulfillment of thousands of years of ancient Biblical prophecy? Why was Joseph Smith crowned King of Israel in Nauvoo? Why did John reference the ark in Heaven when describing the mission of the Two Prophets? Is the ark of the covenant a similitude or foreshadowing of the Latter-days? Did you know that there are two joint heads for this last and final dispensation? How were Joseph & Hyrum Smith “clothed in sackcloth” in Nauvoo?

Proclamation to the Saints Scattered Abroad

A Proclamation of the First Presidency of the Church to the Saints Scattered Abroad (January 15, 1841, Nauvoo, Illinois) [This document, signed by Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith, reviews the progress of the Church in spite of hardships and persecution, and speaks at length on the prospects of the settlement of Nauvoo, as the following excerpts illustrate. ]

Beloved Brethren: -The relationship which we sustain to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, renders it necessary that we should make known from time to time, the circumstances, situation, and prospects of the Church, and give such instructions as may be necessary for the well being of the Saints, and for the promotion of those objects calculated to further their present and everlasting happiness.

We have to congratulate the Saints on the progress of the great work of the “last days,” for not only has it spread through the length and breadth of this vast continent, but on the continent of Europe, and on the islands of the sea, it is spreading in a manner entirely unprecedented in the annals of time. This appears the more pleasing when we consider, that but a short time has elapsed since we were unmercifully driven from the state of Missouri, after suffering cruelties and persecutions in various and horrid forms….

It would be impossible to enumerate all those who, in our time of deep distress, nobly came forward to our relief, and, like the good Samaritan, poured oil into our wounds, and contributed liberally to our necessities, and the citizens of Quincy en masse, and the people of Illinois, generally, seemed to emulate each other in this labor of love….

We would likewise make mention of the legislators of this state, who, without respect to parties, without reluctance, freely, openly, boldly, and nobly, have come forth to our assistance, owned us as citizens and friends, and took us by the hand, and extended to us all the blessings of civil, political, and religious liberty, by granting us, under date of December 16, 1840, one of the most liberal charters, with the most plenary powers ever conferred by a legislative assembly on free citizens, “The City of Nauvoo,” the “Nauvoo Legion,” and the “University of the City of Nauvoo.”…

The name of our city (Nauvoo) is of Hebrew origin, and signifies a beautiful situation, or place, carrying with it, also, the idea of rest; and is truly descriptive of the most delightful location. It is situated on the east back of the Mississippi river, at the head of the Des Moines rapids, in Hancock county, bounded on the east by an extensive prairie of surpassing beauty, and on the north, west, and south, by the Mississippi….

Having been instrumental, in the hands of our heavenly Father, in laying a foundation for the gathering of Zion, we would say, let all those who appreciate the blessings of the Gospel, and realize the importance of obeying the commandments of heaven, who have been blessed with the possession of this world’s goods, first prepare for the general gathering; let them dispose of their effects as fast as circumstances will possibly admit, without making too great sacrifices, and remove to our city and county; establish and build up manufactures in the city, purchase and cultivate farms in the county. This will secure our permanent inheritance, and prepare the way for the gathering of the poor. This is agreeable to the order of heaven, and the only principle on which the gathering can be effected. Let the rich, then, and all who can assist in establishing this place, make every preparation to come on without delay, and strengthen our hands, and assist in promoting the happiness of the Saints….

The Temple of the Lord is in process of erection here, where the Saints will come to worship the God of their fathers, according to the order of His house and the power of the Holy Priesthood, and will be so constructed as to enable all the functions of the Priesthood to be duly exercised, and where instructions from the Most High will be received, and from this place go forth to distant lands. Let us then concentrate all our powers, under the provisions of our Magna Charta granted by the Illinois legislature, at the “City of Nauvoo” and surrounding country, and strive to emulate the action of the ancient covenant fathers and Patriarchs, in those things which are of such vast importance to this and every succeeding generation….

The greatest temporal and spiritual blessings which always flow from faithfulness and concerted effort, never attended individual exertion or enterprise. The history of all past ages abundantly attests this fact. In addition to all temporal blessings, there is no other way for the Saints to be saved in these last days [than by the gathering], as the concurrent testimony of all the holy Prophets clearly proves, for it is written-“They shall come from the east, and be gathered from the west; the north shall give up, and the south shall keep not back.” “The sons of God shall be gathered from far, and His daughters from the ends of the earth.”

Lesson from President Nelson: from the Institute Study Manual Lesson 22: The Gathering of Scattered Israel Key Doctrine, Principles, and Concepts

“[The] doctrine of the gathering is one of the important teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. … We not only teach this doctrine, but we participate in it. We do so as we help to gather the elect of the Lord on both sides of the veil” (“The Gathering of Scattered Israel,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006, 80).

It is also the concurrent testimony of all the Prophets, that this gathering together of all the Saints, must take place before the Lord comes to “take vengeance upon the ungodly,” and to be glorified and admired by all those who obey the Gospel.” The fiftieth Psalm, from the first to the fifth verse inclusive, describes the glory and majesty of that event. The mighty God, and even the Lord hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth (that He may judge the people). Gather my Saints together unto me; those that have made covenant with me by sacrifice.

We might offer many other quotations from the Scriptures, but believing them to be familiar to the Saints, we forbear.

We would wish the Saints to understand that, when they come here, they must not expect perfection, or that all will be harmony, peace, and love; if they indulge these ideas, they will undoubtedly be deceived, for here there are persons, not only from different states, but from different nations, who, although they feel a great attachment to the cause of truth, have their prejudices of education, and, consequently, it requires some time before these things can be overcome…. Therefore, let those who come up to this place be determined to keep the commandments of God, and not be discouraged by those things we have enumerated, and then they will be prospered-the intelligence of heaven will be communicated to them, and they will eventually, see eye to eye, and rejoice in the full fruition of that glory which is reserved for the righteous.

In order to erect the Temple of the Lord, great exertions will be required on the part of the Saints, so that they may build a house which shall be accepted by the Almighty, in which His power and glory shall be manifested. Therefore let those who can freely make a sacrifice of their time, their talents, and their property, for the prosperity of the kingdom, and for the love they have to the cause of truth, bid adieu to their homes and pleasant places of abode, and unite with us in the great work of the last days, and share in the tribulation, that they may ultimately share in the glory and triumph.

We wish it likewise to be distinctly understood, that we claim no privilege but what we feel cheerfully disposed to share with our fellow citizens of every denomination, and every sentiment of religion; and therefore say, that so far from being restricted to our own faith, let all those who desire to locate themselves in this place, or the vicinity, come, and we will hail them as citizens and friends, and shall feel it not only a duty, but a privilege, to reciprocate the kindness we have received from the benevolent and kind-hearted citizens of the state of Illinois. ” Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, Presidents of the Church [HC 4:267-73]. 1,260 Days until June 27, 1844

Jan 1, 1892 [Apostle Abraham H. Cannon Journal]

(At a Stake Conference at Brigham City) President Snow reported that on one occasion Joseph Smith was once asked who he was: “The Prophet smiled kindly upon his interlocutor and replied, “Noah came before the flood; I have come before the fire.” 3 – Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4

3 and one half days after the proclamation above, Hyrum was ordained a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator Jan 19, 1841

“And from this time forth I appoint unto him that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my church, as well as my servant Joseph; That he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph; and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery; That my servant Hyrum may bear record of the things which I shall show unto him, that his name may be had in honorable remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever.” D&C 124:94-96

President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) described how the law of witnesses (see 2 Corinthians 13:1) was fulfilled by Oliver Cowdery being present every time priesthood keys were restored: “The Lord called Oliver Cowdery as the second witness to stand at the head of this dispensation assisting the Prophet in holding the keys. The records inform us that every time the Prophet received authority and the keys of the priesthood from the heavens, Oliver Cowdery shared in the conferring of those powers with the Prophet. Had Oliver Cowdery remained faithful and had he survived the Prophet under those conditions, he would have succeeded as President of the Church by virtue of this divine calling ” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 1:213; emphasis added). On January 19, 1841, because Oliver did not remain faithful, “the Lord commanded Joseph Smith to ordain Hyrum Smith and confer upon him all the keys, authority, and privileges placed upon the head of Oliver Cowdery, and make him the ‘Second President’ of the Church” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:220).

The Council never rose to the stature Joseph intended

Members (which included individuals that were not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) were sent on expeditions west to explore emigration routes for the Saints, lobbied the American government, and were involved in Joseph Smith’s presidential campaign. But only three months after it was established, Joseph was killed, and his death was the beginning of the Council’s end. Brigham Young used it as the Saints moved west and settled in the Great Basin, and it met annually during John Taylor’s administration, but since that time the Council has not played an active role among the Latter-day Saints.

The Council of Fifty was designed to serve as something of a preparatory legislature in the Kingdom of God

Latter-day Saints believe that one reason the gospel was restored was to prepare the earth for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as the Church was to bring about religious changes in the world, the Council of Fifty was intended to bring a political transformation. It was therefore designed to serve as something of a preparatory legislature in the Kingdom of God. Joseph Smith ordained the council to be the governing body of the world, with himself as chairman, Prophet, Priest, and King over the Council and the world (subject to Jesus Christ, who is “King of kings”[1]).

The Council of Fifty, while established in preparation for a future Millennial government under Jesus Christ (who is the King of Kings) was to be governed on earth during this preparatory period by the highest presiding ecclesiastical authority, which at the time was the Prophet Joseph Smith. Joseph had previously been anointed a King and Priest in the Kingdom of God by religious rites associated with the fullness of the temple endowment, and was placed as a presiding authority over this body in his most exalted position within the kingdom of God (as a King and a Priest).

Joseph was anointed as the presiding authority over an organization that was to prepare for the future reign of Jesus Christ during the Millennium

The fact that Joseph’s prior anointing was referenced in his position as presiding authority over this body creates the confusion that he had been anointed King of the Earth. He was in fact only anointed as the presiding authority over an organization that was to prepare for the future reign of Jesus Christ during the Millennium. The fact that Joseph had submitted his name for consideration as President of the United States during this same period adds fodder for critics seeking to malign the character of the Prophet.

Council of Fifty Summary http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/topic/council-of-fifty?highlight=council%20of%20fifty

An organization intended to establish the political kingdom of God on the earth.1

An 1842 editorial in the church newspaper stated that the “design of Jehovah” was to “take the reigns of government into his own hand.”2

On 10 and 11 March 1844, JS and several prominent elders met to discuss letters proposing a new gathering center for Mormon settlement in the Republic of Texas.3

On 11 March, they formally organized as a council, as William Clayton recounted, to “establish a Theocracy” somewhere in western North America.4

A 14 March 1844 revelation stated that the name of the council should be “The Kingdom of God and his Laws, with the keys and power thereof, and judgment in the hands of his servants. Ahman Christ.”5

The members, however, generally referred to it as the “Kingdom of God” or the “Council of the Kingdom,” or more simply as the “Kingdom” or the “Council.”6

Seniority and voting order in the council were based on age, though JS presided over it as the standing chairman.7

On 11 April 1844, the council voted to receive JS as “our Prophet, Priest & King.”8

When the council reached fifty members, including three men who were not Latter-day Saints, JS declared “the council was full.”9

Though the council sometimes had more or fewer than fifty members, it became known as the “Council of Fifty.”10

JS taught that there was “a distinction between the church of God and the kingdom of God” and that the laws of the kingdom were “not designed to effect our salvation hereafter.”11

Rather, the council’s purpose was to protect the Saints “in their religious rights and worship.”12

On 25 April 1844, a JS revelation stated that the council itself was the constitution of the kingdom of God and that its members were God’s “spokesmen” in civil matters.13

In March and April 1844, the council discussed principles of proper government, petitioned the U.S. government on behalf of the Saints, sought information on potential gathering places in the West, and planned missionary work among American Indians.14

In May 1844, most of the members left Nauvoo to campaign for JS as U.S. president.15

After JS’s death, the Council of Fifty reassembled on 4 February 1845 and voted to sustain Brigham Young as standing chairman and JS’s successor.16

Under Young’s leadership, the council helped supervise the exodus of the Saints from Nauvoo and establish civil government in Utah.17

It met infrequently thereafter until its final meetings in the 1880s.18

Council of Fifty Voted JS to be Received as Prophet, Priest & King

11 April 1844 Council of Fifty voted to receive JS as “Prophet, Priest & King,” Nauvoo, Illinois.1 http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/event/council-of-fifty-voted-js-to-be-received-as-prophet-priest-king?highlight=council%20of%20fifty

Council of Fifty Minutes Buried

23 June 1844 In Nauvoo, Illinois, JS instructed William Clayton to conceal minutes of Council of Fifty by sending them away, burying them, or burning them; Clayton buried them in his garden.1

http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/event/council-of-fifty-minutes-buried?highlight=council%20of%20fifty

William Clayton Began Copying Council of Fifty Records

18 August 1844 William Clayton began copying records of Council of Fifty into small leather-bound volume by this date, Nauvoo, Illinois.1

3 July 1844 William Clayton dug up records of Council of Fifty and found they had been damaged by water, Nauvoo, Illinois.1

Discussion of Finding New Home in West for Saints, 1 March 1845

In Nauvoo, Illinois, Council of Fifty discussed sending delegation west with Lewis Dana to find new home for Saints among American Indians.

21 March 1844 Council of Fifty Assigned Others to Draft Petition to Congress

In Nauvoo, Illinois, Council of Fifty assigned Willard Richards, Hyrum Smith, and William W. Phelps to draft petition to Congress requesting authority for JS to raise large company of volunteers to protect American settlers and interests in Republic of Texas, Oregon, and other areas in West. Council also assigned James Emmett to visit American Indians in Wisconsin Territory.1

http://files.lib.byu.edu/mormonmigration/articles/RefugeesMeetTheMormonsAndIndiansInIowa.pdf

List of Members, Council of Fifty, probably between 25 April and 3 May 1844

Source Note Document Transcript

1 Joseph Smith Chairman

19 John M Bernhisel

37 Alexander Badlam [Sr.]

2 Samuel Bent

20 John D. Parker

38 Chas. C. Rich

3 John Smith

21 Hyrum Smith

39 George J. Adams

4 Alpheus Cutler

22 Lucian [Lucien]Woodworth

40 Orson Pratt

5 Uriah Brown

23 Brigham Young

41 Wm. Smith

6 Reynolds Cahoon

24 Heber C. Kimball

42 Merinus G. Eaton

7 Ezra Thayer

25 Orson Spencer

43 Alman Babbut [Almon Babbitt]

8 W[illiam] W. Phelps

26 James Emmett

44 Amasa Lyman

9 Amos Feilding [Fielding]

27 Philip B. Lewis

45 Joseph W. Coolidge

10 Wm. Marks

28 Elias Smith

46 Orrin P[orter] Rockwell

11 Sidney Rigdon

29 Orson Hyde

47 Jedidiah [Jedediah] M. Grant

12 John P. Green[e]

30 Samuel James

48 George A. Smith

13 George Miller

31 Wilford Woodruff

49 Erastus Snow

14 N[ewel] K. Whitney

32 P[arley] P. Pratt

50 Lorenzo D. Wasson

15 Peter Haws

33 Edward Bonney

51 Benjn. F. Johnson

16 Joseph Fielding

34 David D. Yearsley

52 Lyman Wight

17 Cornelius P. Lott

35 David S. Hollister

53 Wm Clayton Clerk

18 Levi Richards

36 John Taylor

54 W[illard] Richards

Recorder [p. [1]]

List of Members, Council of Fifty, probably between 25 April and 3 May 1844, p. 1, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed December 31, 2024, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/list-of-members-council-of-fifty-probably-between-25-april-and-3-may-1844/1

Lewis Dana, Oneida Indian Chief

“On the morning of March 1, thirty-eight-year-old Lewis Dana became the first American Indian to join the Council of Fifty. After Joseph’s death, council meetings had stopped, but once the Nauvoo charter was repealed and the Saints realized their days in Nauvoo were numbered, the Twelve had called the council together to help govern the city and plan its evacuation. A member of the Oneida nation, Lewis had been baptized with his family in 1840. He had served several missions, including one to the Indian territory west of the United States, and had ventured as far away as the Rocky Mountains. Knowing Lewis had friends and relatives among Indian nations to the west, Brigham invited him to join the council and share what he knew about the people and lands there”. “In the name of the Lord,” Lewis told the council, “I am willing to do all I can.” Saints, Endowed with Power Chapter 46

Dana (Denna), Lewis Biography in the Joseph Smith Papers

1 Jan. 1805 –8 June 1885. Farmer. Born in Oneida Co., New York. Son of Jonathan and Nelly Dana. Chief of Oneida Indian tribe, in New York. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by May 1840. Received elder’s license, 13 May 1840, in Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois. Preached in Indian Territory, summer 1840. Returned to Michigan or Wisconsin Territory, by 1843. Returned to Nauvoo, Jan. 1845. Admitted to Council of Fifty, 1 Mar. 1845. Appointed to explore western U.S. and select new location for Latter-day Saints to settle among Indians; left on expedition, 24 Apr. 1845. Married Mary Gont, 14 Oct. 1845, in Nauvoo. Arrived at Fort Leavenworth, unorganized U.S. territory, to confer with local Indian chiefs, 21 Nov. 1845. Moved to settlement on Silver Creek, Pottawattamie Co. (later in Mills Co.), Iowa, between 1847 and 1853. Present at organization of Alpheus Cutler’s Church of Jesus Christ, 19 Sept. 1853, in Fisher’s Grove (later in Shenandoah), Fremont Co., Iowa. Resided in Fisher Township, Fremont Co., 1860. Settled with group of Cutlerites at Clitherall, Otter Tail Co., Minnesota, 6 May 1865. Moved to Girard, Otter Tail Co., by 1885. Buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, in Clitherall.

Links here: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/lewis-dana-denna

Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 3, 6 May 1845–13 January 1846

“Coun. D. Spencer then arose to give a report of his mission to the West. Their mission was to the Seneca Indians. They proceeded about five hundred miles up the Missouri River and there met brother Lewis Dana, from him they learned that brother Jonathan Dunham was dead. 26 They tarried five days 27 with the Stockbridge tribe. 28 This tribe expressed great kindness towards them and the Mormons. They have considerable knowledge of the Mormons and of what is going on among us. Their interests seem to be identified with ours. 29 From brother Dana they learned that the Cherokees had given permission for any number of our people to settle by them, and offered to lend us any assistance they could either to locate or to go West to explore. 30 Brother George Herring has been with several tribes and says (Page 17 continues) they are all friendly and seem to understand what is going on among us, and are ready to render us any assistance they can. 31 Many of the Stockbridge tribe are joined in with the Baptists but they are dissatisfied with their doctrine. 32 They like the Mormon doctrine better. Their chief expects to be here about the 6th. of October. They preached to them, and they seem satisfied with our doctrine. From what brother Dana said they concluded it unnecessary to go to the Senneca tribe. They learned that Dana had accomplished among that tribe what they were sent for.

The following letters were then presented and read by the clerk. 33

Webbers Falls Cherokee nation July 5th. 1845 [p. [17]]”

Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 3, 6 May 1845–13 January 1846, p. 16-17, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed December 31, 2024, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/council-of-fifty-minutes-march-1844-january-1846-volume-3-6-may-1845-13-january-1846/20

Discussion of Finding New Home in West for Saints

1 March 1845 In Nauvoo, Illinois, Council of Fifty discussed sending delegation west with Lewis Dana to find new home for Saints among American Indians.1 Lewis Dana. Oneida Tribe

http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/event/discussion-of-finding-new-home-in-west-for-saints?highlight=lewis%20dana

Daniel Spencer and Charles Shumway’s Return to Nauvoo

1 September 1845

Daniel Spencer and Charles Shumway returned to Nauvoo, Illinois, from mission to Indian Territory after conferring with Lewis Dana.1

Group Departed for Exploratory Mission to Indian Territory

23–24 April 1845

Phineas Young, Lewis Dana, Jonathan Dunham, Charles Shumway, and Solomon Tindall leave Nauvoo, Illinois, for exploratory mission to Indian Territory.1

Missionaries’ Arrival at Indian Territory

31 May 1845

Western missionaries arrived at Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, and learned that council of Indian leaders in the Creek reservation they had intended to attend had been held 13–16 May. Charles Shumway and Phineas Young decided to return to Nauvoo, Illinois; Jonathan Dunham, Lewis Dana, and Solomon Tindall remained in Indian Territory.1

HC 7:379 Saturday, March 1, 1845.–I met with the “General Council’ 4 (link is external) at the Seventies Hall. We decided to send nine brethren westward, to search out a location for the saints; many eloquent speeches were made on the present position of affairs: had a good meeting, which continued all day.

Tuesday, 4.–Continued sickly. General Council met at Seventies Hall; Elder Kimball presided; the subject of the western mission was discussed.

Steady the Ark of God

D&C 85:8. What Does It Mean to “Steady the Ark of God”?

This phrase refers to an incident during the reign of King David in ancient Israel. The Philistines had captured the ark of the covenant in battle but returned it when they were struck by plagues (see 1 Samuel 4–6). David and the people later brought the ark to Jerusalem in an ox cart, driven by Uzzah and Ahio. “And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error, and there he died by the ark of God” (2 Samuel 6:6–7; see vv. 1–11). The ark was the symbol of God’s presence, His glory and majesty. When first given to Israel, the ark was placed in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle, and not even the priest was allowed to approach it. Only the high priest, a type of Christ, could approach it, and then only after going through an elaborate ritual of personal cleansing and propitiation for his sins. The scriptures teach that no unclean thing can dwell in God’s presence (see Moses 6:57). His presence is like a consuming fire (see Hebrews 12:29). Those who bear the vessels of the Lord must be clean (see D&C 133:5).

However well-meaning Uzzah’s intentions, he approached casually what could only be approached under the strictest conditions. He had no faith in God’s power. He assumed that the ark was in danger, forgetting that it was the physical symbol of the God who has all power. We cannot presume to save God and His kingdom through our own efforts.

“Uzziah’s offence consisted in the fact that he had touched the ark with profane feelings, although with good intentions, namely to prevent its rolling over and falling from the cart. Touching the ark, the throne of the divine glory and visible pledge of the invisible presence of the Lord, was a violation of the majesty of the holy God. ‘Uzzah was therefore a type of all who with good intentions, humanly speaking, yet with unsanctified minds, interfere in the affairs of the kingdom of God, from the notion that they are in danger, and with the hope of saving them’ (O.V. Gerlach).” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, bk. 2: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, “Second Book of Samuel,” p. 333.)

In modern revelation the Lord referred to this incident to teach the principle that the Lord does not need the help of men to defend his kingdom (see D&C 85:8). Yet even today there are those who fear the ark is tottering and presume to steady its course. There are those who are sure that women are not being treated fairly in the Church, those who would extend some unauthorized blessing, or those who would change the established doctrines of the Church. These are ark-steadiers. The best intentions do not justify such interference with the Lord’s plan. President David O. McKay said:

“It is a little dangerous for us to go out of our own sphere and try unauthoritatively to direct the efforts of a brother. You remember the case of Uzzah who stretched forth his hand to steady the ark. (See I Chron. 13:7–10.) He seemed justified, when the oxen stumbled, in putting forth his hand to steady that symbol of the covenant. We today think his punishment was very severe. Be that as it may, the incident conveys a lesson of life. Let us look around us and see how quickly men who attempt unauthoritatively to steady the ark die spiritually. Their souls become embittered, their minds distorted, their judgments faulty, and their spirits depressed. Such is the pitiable condition of men who, neglecting their own responsibilities, spend their time in finding fault with others.” (McKay, Gospel Ideals, p. 258.)

President John Taylor observed:

“We have more or less of the principles of insubordination among us. But there is a principle associated with the kingdom of God that recognizes God in all things, and that recognizes the priesthood in all things, and those who do not do it had better repent or they will come to a stand very quickly; I tell you that in the name of the Lord. Do not think you are wise and that you can manage and manipulate the priesthood, for you cannot do it. God must manage, regulate, dictate, and stand at the head, and every man in his place. The ark of God does not need steadying, especially by incompetent men without revelation and without knowledge of the kingdom of God and its laws. It is a great work that we are engaged in, and it is for us to prepare ourselves for the labor before us, and to acknowledge God, his authority, his law and his priesthood in all things.” (Taylor, Gospel Kingdom, p. 166.)

The Book of Mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of Indians; having been found through the ministration of an holy angel, and translated into our own language by the gift and power of God, after having been hid up in the earth for the last fourteen hundred years, containing the word of God which was delivered unto them. By it we learn that our western tribes of Indians are descendants from that Joseph which was sold into Egypt, and that the land of America is a promised land unto them, and unto it all the tribes of Israel will come, with as many of the Gentiles as shall comply with the requisitions of the new covenant. But the tribe of Judah will return to old Jerusalem. The city of Zion spoken of by David, in the one hundred and second Psalm, will be built upon the land of America, “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads” (Isaiah 35:10); and then they will be delivered from the overflowing scourge that shall pass through the land. But Judah shall obtain deliverance at Jerusalem. See Joel 2:32; Isaiah 26:20-21; Jeremiah 31:12, Psalm 1:5; Ezekiel 34:11-13. These are testimonies that the Good Shepherd will put forth His own sheep, and lead them out from all nations where they have been scattered in a cloudy and dark day, to Zion, and to Jerusalem; besides many more testimonies which might be brought.

And now I am prepared to say by the authority of Jesus Christ, that not many years shall pass away before the United States shall present such a scene of bloodshed as has not a parallel in the history of our nation; pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquake will sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face of the land, to open and prepare the way for the return of the lost tribes of Israel from the north country. The people of the Lord, those who have complied with the requirements of the new covenant, have already commenced gathering together to Zion, which is in the state of Missouri; therefore I declare unto you the warning which the Lord has commanded to declare unto this generation, remembering that the eyes of my Maker are upon me, and that to him I am accountable for every word I say, wishing nothing worse to my fellow-men than their eternal salvation; therefore, “Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come.” Repent ye, repent ye, and embrace the everlasting covenant, and flee to Zion, before the overflowing scourge overtake you, for there are those now living upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in death until they see all these things, which I have spoken, fulfilled. Remember these things; call upon the Lord while He is near, and seek Him while He may be found, is the exhortation of your unworthy servant.

HC 1:[Page 316]

[Signed] Joseph Smith, Jun.

The Lamanite by President Kimball

Rian Nelson

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December 27, 2024

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If you love the Native Americans of North America as much as I do, or any of our Lamanite brothers and sisters, this article is a must read by all. The brief quote of Pres Kimball below should make each of us stop and read, ponder, and then act, on how we may each help, love and support our great Lamanite friends.

The Greatest Problem of the Lamanites

“Above all of the problems which the Indian has, his greatest one is the white man— the white man, who not only dispossessed him, but the white man who has also never seemed to try to understand him — the white man who stands pharisaically above him — the white man who goes to the temple to pray and says, “Lord, I thank thee that I am not as other men are.” There are too many Pharisees among the white men, who are worried about unwashed hands; and too few Galileans who heal palsied hands and teach untutored minds and comfort broken hearts.

There are too many who “strain at a gnat and swallow a camel,” and too few who have judgment and faith and mercy and kindness for the unfortunate. There are too many who pray on their knees for fulfilment of prophecy and too few who let their hearts be softened and become “nursing fathers and mothers” to the downtrodden. There are too many Levites who pull their robes about them and pass by with disdain, and too few who “take them to the inn” and give them tender treatment and care.

There are too many curiosity seekers and too few laborers. We are constantly reminded of the eloquent scripture given to the Nephites:

Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness; but ye shall remember your own filthiness. (Jacob 3:9.)

Again, there are too many who push down and tread under, and too few who lift up, encourage, and help.

There are too many goats and too few sheep. There are too many who exploit and profit by his misfortune, and there are too few who give the stranger meat and drink and clothe his nakedness and visit him in prison.

My good people: Accept the Lamanite as your brother. I ask for him, not tolerance — cold, calculating tolerance; haughty, contemptible tolerance; scornful, arrogant tolerance; pitying, coin-tossing tolerance. Give them what they want and need and deserve — opportunity and brotherliness and understanding, warm and glowing fellowship, unstinted and beautiful love, enthusiastic and affectionate brotherhood.” The LAMANITE by Elder Spencer W. Kimball OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE

THE LAMANITE
by Elder Spencer W. Kimball OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE April 1955 Improvement Era page 227

“If there ever was a people in the world who needed friends, sympathetic, understanding friends, it is the Lamanites. They are trying now to pick themselves up by their bootstraps, but it is a rather difficult thing when so many of them have neither straps nor boots. It isn’t enough merely to give them freedom to grow and develop; they need nursing fathers and mothers; they need. friendly hearts; they need understanding.

The Lord is at the helm. He has, through his prophets, predicted that the Lamanites would fall and that they would then be recovered. Let me quote holy scriptures:

And the angel said unto me [Nephi, in his vision] : Behold these shall dwindle in unbelief.

And it came to pass that I beheld after they had dwindled in unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations. (1 Nephi 12:22-23.)

… I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them.

Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten. (2 Nephi 1:1011.)

. . . the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation among the Gentiles, yea, even upon the face of this land; and by them shall our seed be scattered. (1 Nephi 22:7.)

But behold, it shall come to pass that they shall be driven and scattered by the Gentiles; and after they have been driven and scattered by the Gentiles, behold, then will the Lord remember the covenant which he made unto Abraham and unto all the house of Israel. (Mormon 5:20.)

They have been scattered. They have been driven. How cruelly have they been decimated and how literally have the prophecies been fulfilled.

We approach the day when the latter part of those predictions may be fulfilled, when the Lord will remember the covenant which he made unto Abraham and unto all the house of Israel.

Students of history recognize the harsh treatment which these people received, even though they may not know it came as a matter of fulfilment of prophecy. The Lehites had forgotten their Lord. They had committed all manner of abominations, and the Lord brought them to the bar of justice.

Columbus and others discovered this promised land; the colonists came and settled the country; the Revolutionary War was a part of the program to bring freedom to the new world; and all of these developments were charted and permitted by the Lord. And when religious liberty was a reality through this God-given Constitution of the United States, then it was possible for the gospel to be restored. And Joseph Smith was raised up, the plates were found in the Hill Cumorah, and the Book of Mormon came forth, and the gospel was restored through the Gentile nations and thus came to the Lamanite people. The Prophet Joseph Smith immediately began to send the gospel to the red men, and this soon after the Church was organized. As soon as he had read accounts of them in the Book of Mormon he became aware of their destiny. Repeated attempts have been made through these many years to reach the Lamanites.

At the time Columbus came there were many large and proud nations of them on this continent. True, they were fighting among themselves, but they were not at first hostile to the whites. The Indians occupied the entire country and the whole land was covered with them. The Indian population was greater then than now. They have been decimated and destroyed by the peoples from Gentile nations who came to settle their country.

The Cherokee nation is a good example and typical of the many peoples who suffered the wrath of the Gentiles which were to come and possess their land. There is only one way, as I see it, that this nation can ever pay for what it has done to the Lamanites, and that is to educate them and bring the gospel to them so that they may receive the blessings so long withheld.

At first the Cherokee nation occupied many of the states in the southeastern part of the United States. Parts of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama were acknowledged as their land. By treaties which were written “in water and in the air,” they were dispossessed of half of that area back in the beginning of the nineteenth century. And then from time to time, their land was reduced until it was called by their chiefs, “The Last Little.”

When the state of Georgia began to press for the removal of the Cherokees, they resisted. One little Indian girl expressed their feelings thus: “If the people want more land, why don’t they go back to the country they came from?” And Edward Everett, later to share the Gettysburg platform with Abraham Lincoln, said to the House of Representatives: “These, sir, are your barbarians — whom you are going to expel from their homes — and you will do it for their good! In the west you grant the same land two or three times to different tribes. What is the population of Georgia where there is no room for these few Indians? It is less than seven to the square mile. We, sir, in Massachusetts, have seventy-four to the square mile and space for a great many more.”

The Cherokees, with others of the five civilized nations, had an alphabet, an educational program, a constitution, and a democratic government, and they resisted, not with swords and spears, but in legal and peaceful ways, the encroachment of the people of the states into their country. When the removal bill was passed by the state of Georgia, according to historical accounts, the Cherokees brought an injunction against the state, but they lost their suit since sometimes, “might makes right.” They tried to establish themselves as an independent nation but were never completely recognized as such.

Time and time again, they sent delegations of their members to Washington, D.C., to secure redress for their wrongs. Though the Cherokees had assisted General Andrew Jackson in his battle to suppress the last revolt of other Indians in that area, they were to find that Andrew Jackson, as President of the United States, was not friendly to their cause, for he refused to interfere with the operation of the vicious state laws.

The Cherokees were not permitted to meet regularly in their own councils and took them across the line into another state and became in 1830, a government-in-exile. The state then sent survey parties onto the Cherokee lands, and the property was allocated to white men through a lottery system. Another protest went from the Indians to Washington, but it was unavailing. It seemed that Cherokee self-government was to be wholly terminated. The annuity, which had been paid for many years from the government of the United States to the tribe, was now no longer to be given to the tribe but to be paid individually to the Indians if they came for it. This took from them their tribal funds. The Cherokees were incensed at this injustice; and though they needed the funds, they would not go for them. The amount was only forty-four cents an Indian, and only two percent — or about two hundred sixty, out of a total population of 16,000 — called at the agency for their forty-four cents a head. This represented about fifty families.

Even when the 550 surveyors came in to divide their land, the Cherokees did not rise in armed rebellion. They took the matter to the Supreme Court, where they were sustained. However,. President Jackson said: “John Marshall made the decision; let him enforce it.” And the persecution persisted, and new squatters came into the area to take over the property rightly belonging to the Indians.

The state laws suspended all Cherokee laws in that state, and removal or extermination seemed certain. By the fall of 1832, the homes which the Indians had built, the crops they had planted, the livestock they had raised were taken by new people — whites from the South. More delegations went to Washington to see whether their grievances might be relieved. Andrew Jackson, president, was unsympathetic to their cause. The Indian leaders declared that if they were forced out of their own country, they would go beyond the limits of the country: “If the United States would not live up to its obligations, they would put themselves forever beyond its reach.” Texas and Oregon were both considered as a possible home.

“President Van Buren came into the -“- presidency. Even though he seemed to have some sympathy for the Cherokees, he was unwilling to take a stand for them. And in effect, he said: “Your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you.”

Pressures became terrific. Ultimate moving was almost certain. A first group, under almost enforced enrolment, was assembled at Hiwassee on the Hiwassee River, and they were put on flatboats and sent down the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers, up the Arkansas River to the insect infested Arkansas country, later known as the Indian Territory. This was a tragic move. Many died of cholera en route. The living reached Little Rock, Arkansas, when the water was too low to carry their barges. They must walk then through the mosquito-malaria country to their new country, and one-half of the survivors at Little Rock died before the first year was ended.

The body of the Cherokees had not yet yielded, and an agent, Schermerhorn, with some official recognition, went into tne Cherokee country. In an underhanded way he secured treaties. He called a council for December 23, 1835, urging all Indians to be present and offering a blanket to all comers. To it came only seventy-nine legal voters of the 16,000 Indians. But this agent was not to be defeated, so he announced that all absentees were counted in favor of the treaty. He selected twenty men and had this “committee of twenty” ratify this treaty, which most Cherokees would not ratify and which was obnoxious to them. Again they protested that they were being denationalized, that they had neither land nor homes, nor a resting place which could be called their own. They appealed to the justice, to the magnanimity, to the compassion of the bodies of Congress and to the people in general, asking to be sustained in their protest against the enforcement of a compact in the formation of which they had no agency, no voice. These petitions were signed by a large number of the Indians.

So outraged did these Indians feel that they would not accept the government rations which came, for fear they would compromise their positions. Many of them preferably returned to their hills to live on wild game and roots and herbs.

The final roundup began May 23, 1838, according to published accounts, and the unopposed state militia, with bayonets in their guns, gathered up these defenseless property owners and moved them up the road away from their homes, toward a new world. This mass movement was called “The Trail of Tears,” for a nation of defenseless, homeless, people was en route with tears in their eyes and in their hearts.

The trek of the Mormon Pioneers from Nauvoo to Salt Lake Valley is not more bloody, not more heartrending than the enforced trek of the Cherokee Indians from the Southern States to the Indian Territory. The census of 1835 in Georgia showed 16,542 Cherokees; and except for those who were killed and those who escaped into the hills, these thousands were removed — driven from their homelands to a country to be called “Indian Territory,” a swampy and mosquito-infested country — most undesirable and unhealthful. This Indian Territory already belonged to tribes of Indians who had it as their home, but the government now reallocated and gave it to these many other tribes. And now some thirty tribes of Indians in Oklahoma are taking the place of those who previously possessed it. Each summer now, there is presented in the hills of North Carolina, a pageant depicting the sufferings of this long “Trail of Tears.”

The new settlers took from the Indians the newly discovered gold mines; they appropriated the Cherokee farms and homes and crops and livestock; they took possession of the land; and these peaceable Indians, taking a last, fond look at their beloved homeland, were pushed north and west. There were new babies to carry in their arms; there were unborn babies to come en route; there were mothers who were destined to die by the roadside; there were consumptives and cripples who needed to be carried; there were blind who needed to be led; there were parents who were separated from their children and little frightened ones who ran into the woods and were never found. There were unmilked cows with swollen udders; chickens and pigs unfed; and empty cabins and sometimes smoking ruins.

This virtuous, civilized nation was on enforced move. They plodded on through, rain and cold. Blue-lipped babies became heavy; newborn ones came into the world but found it too difficult to stay. Possessions were carried in blankets over shoulders. Thousands of Cherokees were in custody on the bank of the river. Dysentery and fever increased the difficulties. They were held in concentration camps. Hundreds escaped and returned to their hills, resisting to the last. They would not give their names; they would accept no rations. One party which left Hiwassee with 800 souls, had only 489 at Paducah, Kentucky; 311 had either died or escaped.

Summer was as hazardous a time with the rivers low, and summer fevers, and infested areas. Disease broke out. There was no shelter, no sanitation, uncertain and questionable water supplies. They were herded together as animals. One missionary said, “This is the most painful and expensive way of putting people to death,” and “All over sixty should have been killed before the trek began.” Babies died by the hundreds. Newborn ones seldom survived their first weeks. It is estimated that by October, two thousand had died in the camps alone.

All this was in direct fulfilment of the prophecies which the Lord had caused his prophets to declare:

. . . the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation among the Gentiles, yea, even upon the face of this land; and by them shall our seed be scattered. (1 Nephi 22:7.)

And now when the river route proved disastrous, authorities determined that they should be fitted out and sent over land. And a great nation, in fourteen parties of seven hundred to a thousand each, went overland. About 645 wagons, 5000 horses, and a large number of oxen were assembled, and the body of the nation was on wheels and on foot.

The exodus began about October 4. What an unfortunate hour! What horrors faced them! Through Nashville they traveled to the Ohio River, down it across the Mississippi River, and then southwest to Arkansas. Through the fall months of 1838 there was a stream of wagons, a cloud of dust, a chain of graves. Often the refugees cut wood and pitched camp as many as three times before they were permitted to settle for the night — this because of unwilling, unkind people through whose territory they were moving. Apples suddenly rose in price from six to fifty cents a dozen, and eggs and milk and other supplies likewise rose to unheard of and prohibitive prices.

Winter came on. The roads were frozen; feet were bare. They waited two weeks on the banks of the Mississippi before they could cross.

And now that the Cherokees were evacuated from their lands, President Van Buren issued an article “congratulating the nation that the Indian removal had at last been peaceably achieved.” The weary, heartsick, and bedraggled survivors began to arrive in the Indian Territory from early January to late in March. It was estimated that 4000 of them had died en route, and another 600, who had escaped into the hills in their own country, had passed away. More than one-fourth of the nation had paid the supreme price, and all had been subjected to heavy prices of sorrow, pain, and bitterness.

One missionary said: “From the first of June, I feel as if I had been in the midst of death.” A general funeral sermon was preached upon arrival, to take care of all of the dead from the Carolina hills in Georgia to the Indian Territory swamps. Another missionary wrote: “With regard to the West, all is dark as midnight. Oh, that my head were waters and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughters of my people.”

The new land offered some opportunity. There was ground to clear and crops to plant and logs with which to build homes, but one old Cherokee veteran said: “For whom do I build here? I had three sons. One died in General Scott’s camp; one died on the trail; the third died here. For whom do I build my house?”

The Civil War further divided them and prostrated them. The Cherokee Nation was humbled and scattered and stripped. In the east the escapees had returned to the hills. They had given their new babies such names as “Going Home.” They preferred starvation in their own hills to an enforced move to distant, forbidding lands.

The story is told of one Tsali who, with his family, had been started on the westward trek. His wife could not keep up with the soldiers’ pace. They had prodded her with a bayonet. In extreme bitterness, Tsali planned. In quiet, conversational Cherokee he calmly talked to his tribal brothers in the line of march. They were alerted when the password was given. The English-speaking soldiers little realized the trap that was being set. When they came to a heavily wooded area, the password “Ho” was given. Each Cherokee took a soldier, wrested from him his gun, and all of the large group escaped into the forest and returned to the shelter of their own hills. But unfortunately one gun went off, and one soldier was killed. No count was made and little thought was given to the hundreds of Indians who had lost their lives, but there was now a price on the head of Tsali and his sons. These escapees could not live openly in the hills nor peaceably in their own country. They could not plant crops nor build fires. An ultimatum came from the government. Tsali and his sons must be given up for punishment. This information was presented to Tsali in his hideout cave. He reasoned that he was an old man and his wife and one child had already died in the hills. He would soon die, anyway, and so Tsali and his sons came down the mountain and surrendered as scapegoats, and all were shot except the youngest boy, Washington. Before his death of sacrifice, Tsali said: “Oh, Euchella, if the Cherokee people beyond the Mississippi carried my heart in their bosoms, they would never have left this beautiful land, this our mountain land. My little son must never go beyond the father of waters but die in the land of his birth. It is sweet to die in one’s own country and to be buried by the margin of one’s native stream.”

And as it was with the Cherokees, so it was with the Sioux, the Navajos, the Apaches, and others of the -tribes.

In 1868 the United States government had signed a treaty with the Sioux, Cheyenne, and other tribes of the Great Plains, designating a large area in western Dakota and Nebraska and part of eastern Wyoming as an Indian reservation. The government agreed to protect the Indian nations in these badlands, but in less than six years gold had been found in the Black Hills in the heart of their reservation by US soldiers. A gold rush ensued, and the Indians were overrun again and pushed out of another new land given them. When they resisted, General Custer was sent with an army of men to bring into submission these rebellious natives. And Custer made his last stand on the Little Big Horn up in Montana. I was there not long ago, and I saw the monument on which were many names. These were the names of the 231 officers and enlisted men and civilians and Indian scouts who were killed by the six thousand Sioux Indians. There were little graves with white markers all around the great monument, graves of the white men who lost their lives. Nowhere could I see any evidence of the graves of the many hundreds of the Indians who lost their lives in that last great battle and were buried in that soil. That was perhaps the last important armed resistance of the American Indians in the north plains. They had fought these many years valiantly for their land, the home of their fathers, but now their resistance was broken.

The great Navajo nation had a similar fate. They had resisted the white man’s encroachment. They had felt justified in defending their homes and their land against invading forces. Finally the army of the United States was sent in to Navajo country, and the natives subdued by starvation were herded into the canyons and crevices of the rocks where they took refuge in Canyon De Chelly and Canyon del Muerto. The army burned the hogans; they rooted up the crops; they cut down the peach trees; they killed the cattle and the sheep; and finally in desperation, the Navajos surrendered, and thousands of them were marched across the trackless desert to Bosque Redondo on the Pecos River in central New Mexico. This merciless trek was called “The Long Walk.” Here for four years they starved and froze in a land that was unproductive, unkind, harsh, and cruel to them. There was little wood to burn; the winds were fierce; the cold was penetrating; their rations from the government were limited. And after four years of intense suffering, they were released. A treaty was signed between a great Gentile nation and a fast vanishing native nation, and the refugees were permitted to move painfully back through central New Mexico into northeastern Arizona to the hills and canyons from which they had come — and to which they were glad to come — and those were blood-stained miles — desolate miles — heartbreaking and backbreaking miles. Many hundreds of those thousands suffered death in those perilous years at Fort Sumner and in “The Long Walk” each way; and as desolate as was the Navajo land, it was home. That was the last organized resistance of the Navajos. They never rose again.

Down in Apache land, where I used to live, an old chief, Cochise, a great warrior and an honorable man, led his Apaches for many years in resistance to what he felt was invasion by foreign forces into his own beloved land. There was Mangas Coloradas, the great leader of the Mimbres Apaches. There were Victorio and Nana, and Eskiminzin, and many other great warriors and chiefs who fought the “Battle of America,” their war of defense, and in the end they lost. Their resistance was broken; their lands were gone; they were placed on reservations, virtually concentration camps.

Down near Lordsburg, New Mexico, was placed a little monument which says: “Near here Geronimo surrendered. This was the last battle.” That was 1868. The Indians were subdued; the end had come for these proud peoples as independent nations. Prophecy was fulfilled; the penalty was exacted. And now for many years, these deprived and scattered and stripped people have been confined on small reservations, limited and deprived, with few opportunities.

One missionary expressed the feeling of the American people in the old days of the Cherokee problem. He said: “Americans do not feel toward the Indians as they do toward other heathen nations. Therefore, reports of their wretchedness do not excite sympathy as they ought, but paralyze every exertion. There by that old and cruel theory, Indians are to be destroyed.” Actually at different times in this country there have been these theories advanced by religionists that the Indians were not wholly human, and therefore it was nothing to kill an Indian. I am grateful that such a feeling has been greatly modified. Yet there is still intolerance.

I should like here to recall the story of the Good Samaritan. The Lord was speaking of people such as these who had suffered such deprivation and who even now need good Samaritans. The lawyer said, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And the answer was: “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” And then he said: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God . . . and thy neighbour as thyself.” The lawyer, trying to justify himself, said: “And who is my neighbour?” and then the Lord gave that beautiful story about “a certain man (who) went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.” (See Luke 10:25-30.)

Was the Lord looking forward about sixteen’ to nineteen centuries? Was he seeing the travail of this deprived people, who through centuries, fought the battle of America and continually lost, resulting in their scattering and suffering and their being dispossessed? Was he seeing this Lamanite people — who “fell among thieves, which wounded him, and stripped him of his raiment, and departed, leaving him half dead?”

If in all America or even in the Church, there could be developed a sympathy, a love, an understanding — if good Samaritans could be raised up, men and women who would go out and mold public opinion, who would vote at the polls, who would influence Senators and Representatives, who would do the things which will finally bring to these deprived people education, opportunity, and the healing oil of understanding!

The Lord said, in speaking of the time when he would come in his glory, that he would gather all nations and separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from his goats, the sheep on the right and the goats on the left. And then he speaks of these sheep:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matt. 25:35-40.)

Then follows the Lord’s curse on those who were not kind, merciful, and charitable.

Depart from me, ye cursed. . . . (Ibid., 41.)

Applying such punishment to those of whom he spoke saying:

Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (Ibid., 45.)

There are more than 400,000 of these “the least of these my brethren” in our land. And when you do it unto them, you do it unto Him.

A few more battles like Cumorah would have completely taken every soul of the Nephites and Lamanites upon this continent. Not a Lehite would have been left to greet Columbus, or the Pilgrims, not one to be proselyted or eventually to help build the holy temple, but the Lord did not permit a total destruction. He had destined that the remnant of this seed of Lehi should live to possess the land until the Gentile nation, which he had in mind, would come to possess it. He intended that the Gentile nation, which would bring with them the Holy Bible containing the gospel of Jesus Christ, could eventually, if it were alert, bring to these people education, progress, development, growth, and, above all, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Lord said that this people would again become white and delightsome. They are on their way. They are making progress, with help from us and a great deal from themselves. They are making headway in educational fields. They are equal to us and to our children in their mental powers, and authorities, by actual survey, place them above many of the rural areas in the United States. These people, who have a high IQ, have had little opportunity, and therefore their progress has been retarded. Official statistics indicate that in the early 50’s only one percent of the Arizona-Utah Indian children reached the twelfth grade and that only three percent of those Indian children in that area reached the ninth grade; this condition is improving. Navajo children numbering 4421, selected from perhaps six or seven times that many, were sent to schools at Chemawa, Chillocco, Sherman, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Brigham City, and other off reservation schools. But still there were many thousands who could not find opportunity for schooling.

One survey in the late 40’s indicated that 3.7 percent of all Americans had had no schooling, but 25.2 of all Indians in the United States, and 66 percent of all Navajo Indians had had none. The survey indicated also that the average time spent in school in the United States was 8.4 years; whereas all Indians spent an average of 5.7 years, and the Navajo about .9 of a year. And there were many thousands who had never spent a single day in a school and had never had a slate or a pencil or book in in their hands. As late as 1940 there were Navajos who still resisted the white man’s school, but in the early ’50’s it is almost unheard of to find Indians who are not begging for schools. In at least two communities in Navajo land the eager parents brought logs from the mountains, got together a few hundred dollars for nails, hinges, and glass, and built their own school buildings without help from state or nation.

There are good and bad Indians as there are good and bad white people; there are honest and dishonest; there are moral and immoral. But they beg for schools, for opportunity. These people are grasping the gospel. Each year we baptize hundreds of them in the Indian reservation. Not only the Navajos, but also the Hopis, the Zunis, the Pueblos, the Apaches, and others are accepting the gospel. They are learning to live the Word of Wisdom and the law of tithing. They are learning the law of chastity. They attend their meetings; they fast; they have their family prayers; they go to the temple.

Above all of the problems which the Indian has, his greatest one is the white man— the white man, who not only dispossessed him, but the white man who has also never seemed to try to understand him — the white man who stands pharisaically above him — the white man who goes to the temple to pray and says, “Lord, I thank thee that I am not as other men are.” There are too many Pharisees among the white men, who are worried about unwashed hands; and too few Galileans who heal palsied hands and teach untutored minds and comfort broken hearts.

There are too many who “strain at a gnat and swallow a camel,” and too few who have judgment and faith and mercy and kindness for the unfortunate. There are too many who pray on their knees for fulfilment of prophecy and too few who let their hearts be softened and become “nursing fathers and mothers” to the downtrodden. There are too many Levites who pull their robes about them and pass by with disdain, and too few who “take them to the inn” and give them tender treatment and care.

There are too many curiosity seekers and too few laborers. We are constantly reminded of the eloquent scripture given to the Nephites:

Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness; but ye shall remember your own filthiness. (Jacob 3:9.)

Again, there are too many who push down and tread under, and too few who lift up, encourage, and help.

There are too many goats and too few sheep. There are too many who exploit and profit by his misfortune, and there are too few who give the stranger meat and drink and clothe his nakedness and visit him in prison.

My good people: Accept the Lamanite as your brother. I ask for him, not tolerance — cold, calculating tolerance; haughty, contemptible tolerance; scornful, arrogant tolerance; pitying, coin-tossing tolerance. Give them what they want and need and deserve — opportunity and brotherliness and understanding, warm and glowing fellowship, unstinted and beautiful love, enthusiastic and affectionate brotherhood.” The LAMANITE by Elder Spencer W. Kimball OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE https://archive.org/details/improvementera5804unse/page/226/mode/2up

Below is a PDF you can download

Joseph the Seer Dec 23, 1805

Rian Nelson

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December 3, 2024

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“Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.” D&C 135:3

“If the Book of Mormon is true, then America is a choice land, but if it is to remain such the inhabitants of the land must worship the God of the land, the Lord Jesus Christ. The histories of two great nations, told with warning in this sacred volume, indicate that while we must have science, while we must have education, while we must have arms, we also must have righteousness if we are to merit the protection of God.” Gordon B. Hinckley The Power of the Book of Mormon Ensign June 1988

[Apostle Abraham H. Cannon Journal] (at a stake conference at Brigham City) President Snow reported that on one occasion Joseph Smith was once asked who he was: “The Prophet smiled kindly upon his interlocutor and replied, “Noah came before the flood; I have come before the fire.” 3 – Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts,

For those concerned how this occultic “Joseph Smith” could make its way into Church publications, President Ezra Taft Benson offered this advice, “Sometimes from behind the pulpit, in our classrooms, in our Council meetings and in our church publications we hear, read or witness things that do not square with the truth. . . . Now do not let this serve as an excuse for your own wrong-doing. The Lord is letting the wheat and the tares mature before he fully purges the Church. He is also testing you to see if you will be misled. The devil is trying to deceive the very elect.” Ezra Taft Benson, “Our Immediate Responsibility” (BYU Devotional, Provo, October 25, 1996),

Known by the Ancients

Ancient American Magazine LDS Issue 3 by Wayne May Purchase Here

The dispensation of the fulness of times was destined to bring to consummation the work of the Lord. Because this era would be a time when God would “gather together … all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth” (Eph. 1:10), it was a day anticipated and longed for by the early Saints. It was known and spoken of by them, as was the man who would lead the final dispensation. President Brigham Young thus observed concerning Joseph Smith: “It was decreed in the counsels of eternity, long before the foundations of the earth were laid, that he, Joseph Smith, should be the man, in the last dispensation of this world, to bring forth the word of God to the people, and receive the fulness of the keys and power of the Priesthood of the Son of God. The Lord had his eye upon him, and upon his father, and upon his father’s father, and upon their progenitors clear back to Abraham, and from Abraham to the flood, from the flood to Enoch, and from Enoch to Adam. He has watched that family and that blood as it has circulated from its fountain to the birth of that man. He was foreordained in eternity to preside over this last dispensation” (in Discourses of Brigham Young, selected by John A. Widtsoe, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1954, page 108; emphasis added).

A Great Man Was Born

Joseph Smith Jr. was born on December 23, 1805, to Lucy Mack Smith and Joseph Smith Sr. At the time, the Smiths lived in a small home on a farm owned by Lucy’s father, Solomon Mack. On the 100th anniversary of Joseph Smith Jr.’s birth, a 50-foot granite obelisk was raised on the site. Today, the grounds at the birthplace serve as a contemplative space open to the public. A visitors’ center provides information about Joseph Smith’s life and his mission as the prophet through whom Jesus Christ began to restore His gospel to the earth.

The Monument and Memorial Grounds Today

Since its dedication, the birthplace site has welcomed visitors, inviting them to connect with their religious heritage and gain a greater appreciation for the Prophet Joseph Smith. Visitors to the site can explore the landscape, see the monument, and go through a visitors’ center, which offers exhibits and information about the Prophet’s life, his family, and their New England heritage.

Doorstep stone of the home at the Joseph Smith birthplace.

Several features on the grounds also help visitors connect to the site’s past. The original stone doorstep and stone garden mark the approximate location of the birthplace home. In the visitors’ center, the home’s original hearthstone is also on display. Visitors can also see the nearby foundations of the homes once owned by Solomon Mack and Lucy’s brother Daniel G. Mack.

Nestled within a rotunda of dense forest, the Joseph Smith Birthplace Monument and Memorial grounds offer visitors a quiet spot to contemplate the life and prophetic mission of Joseph Smith.

John Pratt Calendar’s about Joseph Smith

Dr. John Pratt

This editor has read John Pratt’s material for many years. John is a very brilliant man, but reader beware. Some of his ideas are so hard to understand. John Pratt is a dear friend of Dr. John Lefgren who works with us at the Heartland Research Group. With my condolences, John Pratt passed away a few months ago.

I love the prophet Joseph and I use these Pratt quotes about Joseph Smith’s birthday, as an example of how special a man Joseph Smith is. Using the signs in the heavens, it is interesting to me how the Lord can speak to us truth through various signs and wonders in heaven. Be prayerful.

JOSEPH SMITH’S BIRTH: 1 TEBETH

The Prophet Joseph Smith was born on Mon 23 Dec 1805. That is close to the winter solstice, which usually occurs on 21 December, which has led to the suggestion that his birth symbolized the time when darkness would begin to recede and that the light would return to the earth. But that date is about two days off, according to our calendar. When we looked at the Savior’s birth and death dates, we saw that his birth was timed down to the quarter-day period before the midnight which commenced Thu 6 Apr 1 BC. Similarly, his resurrection must have been after midnight and before dawn on the morning of Sun 3 Apr AD 33. If the Savior’s birth and death were timed so precisely, we might expect that of Joseph Smith to have been also. At this point it might be well to remember that the Lord tends to use the calendars which he has revealed, rather than the one originating with Julius Caesar, which we currently employ. On the Hebrew Calendar, (Below left) the four seasonal markers are the first days of the months Nisan (spring), Tammuz (summer), Tishri (autumn) and Tebeth (winter).

What was the day 23 Dec 1805 on the Hebrew Calendar? While the true Hebrew Calendar is not yet perfectly understood, all indications are that the evening of 23 Dec 1805 began the Hebrew day 1 Tebeth, the precise day of the winter solstice on that calendar. The identification of Joseph Smith as one of the four angels associated with the four seasons suggests that his birth date was carefully planned to coincide with one of the four seasonal markers on a calendar which God has endorsed. On the Hebrew calendar, the first day of every month is considered a holy day, so Joseph Smith was not only born on a holy day, but apparently was the standard bearer for the day of the winter solstice throughout all time. Source

The Modern Hebrew Calendar. The lunar months all begin near a new moon, and an extra month is inserted seven times every nineteen years before Nisan to keep that month in the spring. Note that Nisan is numbered as the first month (Ex. 12:2) even though the civil year begins with the planting season in the fall (Lev. 25:3-22) on 1 Tishri. The original seven holy days of the law of Moses are indicated with black dots. This modern calendar is based entirely on calculations; the Judean calendar used at the time of Christ was based on actual observations of the thin crescent of the new moon to determine the beginning of the month. For some purposes years are reckoned from Nisan, but the official civil year begins on 1 Tishri.

The modern Hebrew Calendar is a lunisolar (“luni”= moon, “solar”=sun) calendar, meaning that it starts its months at the new moon and uses years which are tied to the seasons of the sun. Each month has either 29 or 30 days, which are alternated as needed to keep in sync with the moon’s 29.53-day period of phases. Similarly, either 12 or 13 months are included in the year to track the 365.24-day seasonal year. There is a more detailed description of lunisolar calendars in general in the Introduction to Calendars section, which describes the mathematics of how this is accomplished. The Hebrew Calendar has Several Holy Days, shown in the illustration above.

Oh How Lovely was the Morning (DVD)

This is the true story about two men who had never met, who were on the same search for important dates associated with the History of the Church. Little did they know that their paths would come together many years later in such an important way. The event of the First Vision and the appearance of the Father and the Son to the Prophet Joseph Smith, stands alone as the pivotal event from the Lord in these last days! John Lefgren and John Pratt conclude the date of The First Vision was March 26, 1820. The date on the Star Calendar for the birth of the Prophet Joseph is 10 Sgr. That corresponds to a star in the bow of the Archer (Sagittarius). With so many constellations available representing him, the birth date seemed surprising at first.

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Joseph’s Birth Date

The date on the Star Calendar for the birth of the Prophet Joseph is 10 Sgr. That corresponds to a star in the bow of the Archer (Sagittarius). With so many constellations available representing him, the birth date seemed surprising at first.

The blessings given to his twelve sons by Jacob have many references to constellations in them. Reuben is called unstable as water (Waterbearer), Dan is a serpent which bites heels (Scorpion) and Judah is a Lion. In the later blessing by Moses, Joseph is referred to as a wild ox (the Bull, mistranslated “unicorn” in KJV), with his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh being the two horns (Deut. 33:17).

What was Jacob’s blessing to Joseph? Here is part of it:

But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob (Gen. 49:24)

We know a lot of detail about the life of Joseph of Egypt. Having his bow be strong does not sound like a highlight of his life. It might refer to his descendants being mighty warriors. But it is well known that many of these blessings have obscure and/or multiple meanings. Consider the possibility that another intended meaning of this blessing could be a reference to the Prophet Joseph Smith being the “bow”. If so, then the word “his” in “arms of his hands” could refer to the strength of Joseph Smith. He was known for his great strength, which allowed him to become a champion wrestler.

In any case, it seems possible that Joseph Smith could indeed be symbolized by the Bow of the Archer. If so, then Joseph was born on a day representing him. That star is called the “Bow” in my work now. The day proposed in my work for the date of the death of Isaac was also on the day of the Bow, so Joseph is in good company.

Joseph’s Death Date

Joseph Smith died on the day of the brightest star in the sky in the Big Dog, which represents him. (Photo by Alan Dyer)

The death date of Joseph Smith is more clearly symbolized in the constellations than that of his birth and provides a strong witness as to his identity. The Prophet was murdered on the afternoon of Thu 27 Jun 1844 about 5 p.m. On the Star Calendar that martyrdom day was the day of the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, in the Big Dog, which represents Joseph Smith! There is such a small probability that Sirius would fall exactly on the Prophet’s death date by chance, that this is taken as strong evidence that his death date had been known from the beginning.

Fig. 4. The Raven (Corvus) attacking the Fleeing Serpent is Joseph Smith

There is also a second witness. In my work the name of the day of the Hebrew Calendar (10 Tammuz) on which the Prophet Joseph Smith was murdered has been called “Raven Day” because it was the same day as Noah released the raven from the ark. Moreover, it was suggested that it should be considered a holy day because it completes the set of four fast days of mourning which all occur on the tenth day of the months that begin each of the four seasons. That day ties Joseph Smith to his mother because she was born on Raven Day (10 Tammuz) on Sat 8 Jul 1775. It was mentioned in an earlier article that those dates being the same provides both a mother-son link but also emphasizes the importance of that day.^[9]

Now two more witnesses appear, making it much harder to ignore all of these witnesses as due to random chance. There is a constellation of a Raven in the heavens. There are three figures attacking the female Fleeing Serpent in the last days as shown in the constellations (see Figure 4). First, there is the Lion (Leo) who is running after her and pouncing on her head to crush it. That Lion has been identified with Adam (as well as Christ). Second, there is a Raven clinging to its back and pecking at it (depicted by the same star being in the serpent’s back and the raven’s beak). And third, there is a Cup attached to it which may represent the Cup of the Wrath of God which is to be poured out on the great and abominable church to cause its demise. Thus it appears that Adam again has two helpers in his quest to destroy his enemy. It is here proposed that the Raven represents Joseph Smith. The cup may represent Abel, but that is not yet clear.

Fig. 5. Using Priesthood Pattern to identify Joseph Smith’s star.

Why a raven for Joseph Smith? In folk tale symbolism, the raven often represents someone who has died and is bringing a message as a spirit. That matches what the Perseus myth says was required from Perseus to be able to slay the Medusa (invisibility). Thus, it is consistent with the symbolism that the Prophet would be martyred on Raven Day on the Hebrew Calendar.

Now consider the Star Calendar. The constellation of the Raven (Corvus) is just below the Maiden (Virgo). The brightest star in the Raven, which represents the entire constellation, has its star slot on the day 13 Vir. It turns out that the prophet’s martyrdom occurred on the very day of the Raven on the Uniform Star Calendar! Thus there are two witnesses that Joseph Smith is the Raven because that was also the day on the Hebrew Calendar.

https://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/2016/star_cal.html#2.2

Seven Angels

**Table 2. Proposed Seven Chief Angels**
Angel	Man
1. Uriel	Peter
2. Raguel	Moses
3. Sariel	Abel
4. Raphael	Enoch
5. Phanuel	Joseph Smith
6. Gabriel	Noah
7. Michael	Adam

In a previous paper by this author, the seven holy angels who serve the Lord were tentatively identified with seven men who have lived on earth.^[2] Those proposed identifications are summarized in Table 2. The numbers correspond to how the scriptures number them, which turns out also to be the millennium over which they preside (D&C 88:108-110). A later paper also identified each with seven constellations,^[3] some of which are shown as illustrations in this article in the section for each angel.

Until now, there has been no obvious way to verify that those proposed identifications were correct. Now a new pattern emerges. If all seven of those men had birth or death dates during the brief spans when the Venus and Uniform Venus Calendars align, it would be beyond chance and hence set a requirement for any proposed candidate to be a chief angel. The chance of any one already proposed or known date occurring in one of the 20-year alignment intervals every 434 years is only 20/434 or 1 in 22. To have either the birth or death date of all seven occur in those intervals from chance would be (2/22)⁷ which is 1 in 19,000,000. In other words, it would be totally beyond chance (unless one believes chance created the universe, in which case anything is considered possible). With that in mind, let us look at suggested vital dates of each of the seven proposed chief angels.

Twins Reversed

God’s house is a house of order, and it is fair to ask in what order are the columns of the seven angels found. According to the numbers assigned to them for the order in which they sound the trump, noted in the “Seven Angels” section above, the order they appear here is 2, 4, 6, 1, 5, 3, 7. This is nearly identical to the order of the seven rewards of Revelation (but with Adam at the last).[21] That order is seen in Figure 5, by tracing a the line between the points. The exception is that Joseph and Abel are reversed. That reversal of the Twins seems justified in order to put Abel’s column adjacent to Adam’s, because those two are part of each other’s stories. But as I wrote this article, it hit me that there could me something much more important symbolized here. It is also curiously reminiscent of the reversal of the order of blessings to the sons of Joseph of Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim, who were also most likely twins, both being born when Joseph was age 34.[22] The same thing also happened with the twin sons of Judah (Zerah and Pharez), who are also represented by the same colors (the red rose and white rose), and who have reigned alternately on the throne of Israel.[23] The figures are actually also reversed also in the heavens. Castor (Abel) is not nearest the Lion (Adam), and Pollux (Joseph Smith) is not nearest the Bull (Joseph Smith) as might be expected.[24] There is probably some very deep symbolism here having to do with birth order and birth rights before this life.

The Twins

One note on the colors of their clothing shown in my illustrations, white for Pollux and red for Castor. Those colors seemed right for them long before the connection to Joseph Smith and Abel was discovered. They are shown in those colors in my article on the twelve stones.[25] Why? The colors for the Twins are those of Benjamin, being red and white, but which is which? Because it seemed clear that the twins represent Christ at his first coming (lower earthly twin) and also at his second (higher, heavenly, resurrected twin), and the Savior will wear red at his second coming (Rev. 19:13), the higher twin was clothed in red. But now that turns out also to be perfect coloring for Pollux and Castor. Pollux is in white, being Joseph Smith, whose color is white, and Castor is Abel, dressed in red, the color of his father Adam. The attention to detail in all of the symbolism represent. https://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/lds/meridian/2006/49constellations.html

Joseph Smith The Hero

In all of my work so far, the Prophet Joseph Smith has had a lack-luster birth date. It was an important holy day on the Hebrew (PHC) calendar, being 1 Tebeth, the winter solstice, but not a holy day on any other calendar. He was born on 9 Quake, which seems like just an average day on the Sacred Round.

Now for the first time something really unusual shows up about his birth date of Mon 23 Dec 1805. It was 9 Quake (SR), 9 Prime (V), 9 Prime (M), and 9 Prime (UV). The importance of 9 is just being discovered in my work, such as the 9 holy points of the Venus Calendars. For the purposes of this research, that is the same day on both the Venus and the Uniform Venus Calendars, so that meets the criterion being investigated for the chief angels. Adding 2 cycles of 868 years to AD 67 brings one to AD 1803. So with full alignments every 868 years, the birth date of Joseph Smith falls two alignment intervals after Peter’s death.

https://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/lds/meridian/2013/uniform_venus.html#2.5

Maya Civilization of Mexico. Baffling Links with Ancient India

Rian Nelson

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November 21, 2024

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Maya Civilization of Mexico. Baffling Links with Ancient India

Before we answer the question about how the Maya Civilization of Mexico links to Ancient India, let’s ask another related question. Were the Mayans & Aztecs Scattered by the Gentiles? The simple answer is No! However the Native American Lamanite in the USA was SMITTEN and SCATTERED during the “Trail of Tears.”

Mayans from Cambodia and India. Not Scattered by the Gentiles

“In the book The Conquest of the Maya by J. Leslie Mitchell, he explains that the basis of the old Maya empire was not of the work of the ancestors of the present day Maya, but was an import from the same foreigners that built the palaces and temples of the Chams and Khmers in Cambodia, and the temples in Java.

“The Mayan people, also known as technicians, were no doubt named as such because of being connected with this person named Maya or Mayasura and Maya Danava. They were a part of his clan or tribe. They had fallen away from the Vedic way of life and were sent or escaped to the region of Central America. They also carried with them much of the science of astronomy and navigation for which this Mayasura was known…

“South American pyramids are of course related to Egyptian pyramids. If the Mayans have much in common with the Egyptians, then they must share a common origin… Dr. Ganapati Sthapati of Chennai, a foremost expert on Vastu shatra, the ancient Hindu architecture, has visited the Mayan structures in Central America and found many similarities between the design and construction methods of the Mayans and that of the ancient Hindus.” Mayan Origins in Ancient Southern India Posted by Bhaktivedanta Ashram

Hugh Nibley Quotes about the Book of Mormon in North America

“Though such piles as the great pyramid-temple of Chichén Itzá yield to few buildings in the world in beauty of proportion and grandeur of conception, there is something disturbing about most of these overpowering ruins. Writers describing them through the years have ever confessed to feelings of sadness and oppression as they contemplate the moldy magnificence—the futility of it all: “They have all gone away from the house on the hill,” and today we don’t even know who they were.

The great monuments do not represent what the Nephites stood for; rather, they stand for what their descendants, “mixed with the blood of their brethren,” descended to. But seen in the newer and wider perspective of comparative religious studies, they suggest to us not only the vanity of mankind and the futility of man’s unaided efforts, but also something nobler; the constant search of men to recapture a time when the powers of heaven were truly at the disposal of a righteous people.” Ancient Temples: What Do They Signify? By Hugh Nibley September 1972

“If my insistent harping on central Asia annoys you, let me remind you again that the book of Ether gives us no choice. It never lets us forget that what the Jaredite kings did was a conscious imitation and unbroken continuation of the ways of “the ancients,” of “them of old” on the other side of the water. This, incidentally, is another indication that we are not to regard the Jaredite migration as taking place immediately after the flood, for the fall of the tower saw the destruction of an ancient and established order. The Jaredites left their homeland driving great herds of cattle before them in the immemorial Asiatic manner, and even if they had never been nomads before, they certainly lived the life of the steppes during those many years before they set sail (Ether 3:3), and when they embarked, they crammed all they could of their beasts into their small boats, “flocks and herds” and other beasts (Ether 6:4), and upon reaching the New World continued to cultivate “all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep” just as their ancestors had in the old country (Ether 9:18). Now you know, how the Nephites could have had sheep in North America brought to this land by the Jaredites. The Nephites could continue practicing the Law of Moses in the land of The New Jerusalem.” (2 Nephi 25:24 Mosiah 2:3) Hugh Nibley from Lehi in the Desert; The Great Open Spaces

Sheep, Rams, Bullocks, Doves, Wine and Goats are not found in Mesoamerica dating to the Book of Mormon timeline. There exists all those animals, grain, and wine found in North America during 600 BC to 400 AD.

Maya Civilization of Mexico. Baffling Links with Ancient India

Ancient India and Mayan civilization | HINDUISM AND SANATAN DHARMA (pparihar.com)

By Anand Sharma

The archaeological remains of ancient Maya civilization of Mexico are lying scattered in the parts of Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco and eastern half of Chiapas as well as in the territory of Quintana Roo of the republic of Mexico. Covering an area of about 125,000 square miles, its traces are to be found in the western section of Honduras Republic, Peten and adjacent highlands of Guatemala and practically in the whole of Honduras.

Admiral Christopher Columbus mistakenly called the New World inhabitants as Indians. Although he corrected himself subsequently, the natives of Americas continued to be called ‘Indians’. During the course of his third journey, Columbus came into contact with ‘Maya’ people.

Many theories have been advanced by scholars to explain the origins of these American Indians and if there were any links between the ancient civilizations of the Old World and the New World. There are historians who believe that the American civilizations were purely native in origin and also those who maintain the theory of Asians crossing over through Bering Strait via Alaska and reaching the American continent some 12,000 – 15,000 years ago. (The editor of this blog doesn’t believe in the Bering theory). However, the antiquity of American Indians remains shrouded in the veil of mystery. In spite of a great deal of investigations, explorations and deep study by scholars and innumerable historians during the last many centuries, what we know about pre-Columbus America is very little in comparison to what we do not know. To quote Glyn Daniel from his book ‘The First Civilizations’, “within 15 years, between 1519 to 1533, the Western world discovered and brutally destroyed three civilizations – the Aztecs of Mexico, Maya of Yuacatan and Guatemala and Inca of Peru.”

The unique elaboration of the Mayan civilization has been a challenge to the imagination of explorers and students of history. The Mayans had attained the highest maturity in art, craft, sculpture and hieroglyphs. Innumerable theories exist about these ancient people. Their magnificent achievements in social, economic, political and religious fields, their calendar and hieroglyphic writings, reasons of the sudden collapse of their classic culture everywhere in Mesoamerica, the reality of ‘Kulkulkan Quetzal-Coatl’ myth are some of the riddles of Mexican history challenging modern research. The ‘19th century’ Indians spent thousands of years in building their magnificent monuments and Mayapan, Palenque, Copan, Tikal, Kaminalijuyu and Piedras Negras were the centres where Mayan culture flourished in splendour. How and why these places were deserted in the past is still a mystery. Although modern scientists have achieved significant success in deciphering Maya calendar system, none has been able to decipher their hieroglyphic system of writing.

The possibility of links of these people with Old World civilizations and particularly with ancient India is not acceptable to many historians. However, there are those who hold a different view. Eminent scholar-writers like Mackenzie, Hewitt, Tod, Pococke and Mrs. Nuttal have collected plenty of data to show that ancient American civilizations were influenced by Old World civilizations. We have to remember that the post-Columbus history of America for 300 years was the story of ruthless destruction and fanatics like Bishop Diego da Landa burnt a huge bonfire of valuable documents and nothing but the three codices of ‘Chilam Balam’ could survive the holocaust.

There are two specific archaeological discoveries pertaining to 761 AD, about which most Mexican historians are silent, that attract our attention as possible links of Maya civilization to ancient India. The first one is a wall panel (Panel No. 3 of Temple 0-13, at Piedras Negras, Guatemala; reproduced as Plate 69, page 343 of ‘The Ancient Maya’ by S.G. Morley) belonging to the Later Classic Stage of Mexican history, associated with the peaking of Maya architecture and sculpture. Mexican historians have not given any interpretation of this panel. It appears that the scene depicted in the panel relates to the great Indian epic ‘Ramayana’. It shows a king sitting on the throne and one maidservant with two children standing on the right side of the throne. A guard stands behind the three. On the other side of the king, three important personages are standing whereas the vassal chiefs and important feudatories are sitting in front of the throne. The king on the throne is believed to be Suryavanshi Ram with his three illustrious brothers standing by his side. The two little children are his two sons with a maid and a guard behind them. Amongst the three persons on the right, two are engaged in a discussion whereas the third one, apparently Lakshman, is standing with a bold, brave and confident demeanour which was characteristic of him. The above panel is a beautiful piece of sculpture and an evidence of great Mayan heritage, their artistic taste and superior creative ability and, above all, an archaeological evidence to prove India’s link with Mexico in the 8th century at least.

The artistic design and postures of the figures carved can be compared to those found at Ajanta and Ellora caves in India. This interpretation, however, remains only a plausible one till the hieroglyphics and frescoes surrounding the wall panel are deciphered.

Plate I — Stela 12 from Piedras Negras, Guatemala Image Number: 19318

Another archaeological discovery at the same place i.e. Piedras Negras, Guatemala, is a stone stela (No. 12, Plate No. 18, page 61 of ‘The Ancient Maya’ by S.G. Morley). A mythological scene has been carved in this stela, depicting the architectural and artistic maturity of the Maya people of the Classic Stage (594 – 889 AD).

There is a beautiful image of a deity with eight hands (ashtabhuja). The art style is discernibly Indian as in no other religion of the world deities of this type were worshipped. It may be mentioned that the ruling dynasty of Mexico at the time of the conquest by Spaniards was ‘Aztec’ or Ashtak (Eight). The evidence in the form of such images leaves little doubt about the presence of Indian culture amongst the ancient Mexicans. The stela pertains to the period of more than eight centuries before Columbus set foot on the soil of the so-called New World.

The place where these pieces have been discovered – Piedras Negras – appears to
be a distorted form of ‘Priyadarsh Nagraj’ in Sanskrit, as has been the case with so
many words distorted by European pronunciation.

These stone sculptures are adornments of a Mayan temple and depict some popular mythology prevalent amongst the people of the time. Both human sacrifice
and idolatry were much in practice amongst Maya people. Morley has given a
detailed and vivid account of Maya culture and society in his book ‘The Ancient
Maya’, profusely quoting Bishop Diego de Landa.

Bishop Landa states that Maya people “…had a very great number of idols and
temples which were magnificent in their own fashion and besides the community
temples, the lords, priests and leading men also had oratories and idols in their houses where they made their prayers and offerings in private”. Not only of gods but idols of even animals and insects were prepared by Maya people, who believed in immortality of soul and afterlife. This definitely smacks of an Indian connection.

More serious efforts to connect the ancient American civilizations with those of ancient India have to be made. The Trans-Pacific contacts of the people of south-east Asia with the people of ancient America have been established beyond doubt. It is also a well-proven fact of history that Indians of ancient times were great seafarers. In pre-Mahabharata era as well as in the subsequent period, the kings of southern India possessed large fleets used for trade with the Arabian and European countries where Indian merchandise was much in demand. India’s links with south-east Asia and other far-off islands of the Pacific Ocean are an established fact of history. The conquest of Malaya by Rajendra Chola, the story of Buddhagupta the Great Sailor (Mahanavik), the religious expeditions of Indians to preach the gospel of Buddhism in the distant lands of Cambodia, Annam, Bali, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and China are proofs of the impact of Indian culture.

A remarkable feature of the Indian culture has been that colonial domination was never identified with economic exploitation. The Buddhist Jatakas (folk tales) narrate many stories relating to maritime adventures and daring sea journeys which establish that such activities were an essential part of Indian life at that time.

The author is a historian settled in Vienna.

http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/pyramids-in-latin-america

Ancient Mayan and Indian architecture

“The Lord Permits them [Lamanites] to Chasten Us” 1866

Rian Nelson

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November 18, 2024

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“The Lord Permits them [Lamanites] to Chasten Us” 1866

Accountability of the Covenant

Throughout history, the Lord has always provided the best way for each of us to get back to live with Him again. One of the greatest gifts the Lord has given us is free agency.

The Lord does not choose favorites, ever. Because of the wisdom of God, He makes covenants with some people or groups offering them a Sacred Land, Protection, Productivity and a Posterity, in exchange for Godly obedience.

With this covenant between God and some people such as; Adam, Noah, Jaredites, Abraham, Moses, Lehi, David, Christ, Pilgrims, Washington, and others, there is always a two way agreement or this agreed upon covenant will become obsolete, and those blessed with the blessings of the covenant will be smitten if not obedient and are held to be more accountable than those who had never entered into the Covenant.

We read, “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:48

Also the Apostle James says, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17

Thus, Where much is given, much is expected”. And “If you know to do good and doeth it not it is a sin.

Now think of the Lamanite who sinned because of their forfathers, not after making a covenant with God. The Lamanites learned from their mothers and fathers but no covenant was made between them and God. The Nephites learned from prophets who had made a covenant with God as their learning was from a prophet and not just their parents. “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam’s transgression.” Second Article of Faith

Prophets making Covenants with Christ:
Adam: 4070 BC
Enoch: 3313 BC
Noah: 2943 BC
Shem: 2441 BC
Jaradites: 2200 BC
Abraham: 2052 BC
Jacob (Israel): 1892 BC
Judah: 1804 BC
Joseph: 1801BC
Moses: 1542 BC
David: 1057 BC
Lehi: 600 BC
Limhi: 122 BC Mosiah 21:32
Moroni: 72 BC Alma 46:21
Pilgrims: 1620
Washington:1789
Joseph Smith: 1820
Dates From Johnpratt.com

“If We Do Not Do Right They Will Be A Scourge” 1853

“What do I care for what the world says? I care no more about it than I do for the squawking of a goose. It is none of their business if I have a mind to be a Saint, and keep the commandments of God; and as you have heard it said, so say I—the time will come in which you will dwell in peace and safety; and when the time comes that you will go back to Jackson County, you will be independent, and live without any opposition at all. Can the Lord do it? Yes. All the people are in His hands, and He can turn the nations as I can an obedient horse. They are governed and controlled by the Almighty as much as we are. What can they do against us? Why nothing whatever, but if we do not do right they will be a scourge in the hands of God to scourge us, just as the Indians are at this time. There never would have been a disturbance if this people had done as they were told.

I am not speaking of the people in this city any more than of the people of other settlements. To my certain knowledge there is not a settlement in these mountains but were instructed by brother Brigham to build good forts and live in them; and on these conditions alone were volunteers permitted to go out and make new settlements.

Have any of them built forts? Tell of one settlement, if you please, excepting they commenced one in Iron County which remains unfinished yet. The Indians are now upon us, and our brethren are scattered off, three, four, and five families in a place, away off in this and in that direction, exposed to the Lamanites. They have been called into the city that they might be safe, and they are now teasing us, and wanting to go back again, and live in those exposed locations without a fort… I have lived in the State of New York, town of Bloomfield, Monroe County, right in the heart of the country where the ancient Lamanites, and other veterans, destroyed each other, root and branch; where the Book of Mormon was discovered in the hill of Cumorah. From among those rich hills the people are flocking to these mountains. Why? Because this is the richest place in the world.” A Discourse by President Heber C. Kimball, Delivered at the Special Conference in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, August 13, 1853

President Kimball Loves the Lamanites

“The converted Lamanite is devout. Few ever apostatize. Some lose their way as they partake of the worldliness about them, but generally the children of Lehi of the twentieth century have inherited that grace and ability to believe like their ancestors of the long ago. We read in Hel. 6:36: ‘And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words’” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982], p. 178; emphasis added).

“The Lamanites must rise again in dignity and strength to fully join their brethren and sisters of the household of God in carrying forth his work in preparation for that day when the Lord Jesus Christ will return to lead his people, when the millennium will be ushered in, when the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory and its lands be united and become one land. For the prophets have said, ‘The remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away.’ (Eth. 13:8.) “In this I have great faith.” Spencer W. Kimball (“Our Paths Have Met Again,” Ensign, Dec. 1975, p 5, 7.)

“Have you ever tried to recover something that you have lost in your memory all at once, as you strain and struggle, here it comes back? That is the way the Gospel is to the Lamanites. One good Navajo man said to me: “All our lives we knew that we were off line. We used to be with you folks in the long ago; then we came to a division in the road with a great stone in the middle. We went one way and you went the other, but now we are around it and we are all coming back together (Lamanite Conference April 24, 1971 President Kimball). Ether 13:8

“Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they (Lamanites) shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old;… (In parenthesis added)

Alma 9:16-17
16- For there are many promises which are extended to the Lamanites; for it because of the traditions of their fathers that caused them to remain in their state of ignorance; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them and prolong their existence in the land.
17- And at some period of time they will be brought to believe in word, and to know of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the Lord will be merciful unto all who call on his name.

“And that the Lamanites might come to the knowledge of their fathers, and that they might know the promises of the Lord, and that they may believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ, and be glorified through faith in his name, and that through their repentance they might be saved.” (D&C 3:18–20.)

“The Book of Mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western Tribes of Indians, having been found through the ministration of an holy Angel translated into our own Language by the gift and power of God, after having been hid up in the earth for the last fourteen hundred years containing the word of God, which was delivered unto them, By it we learn that our western tribes of Indians are descendants from that Joseph that was sold into Egypt, and that the Land of America is a promised land unto them, and unto it all the tribes of Israel will come. with as many of the gentiles as shall comply with the requisitions of the new covenant. But the tribe of Judah will return to old Jerusalem.” ~Joseph Smith.

In July of 1866 Elder Wilford Woodruff said the following: “If the Elders of Israel had always treated the Lamanites as they should, I do not believe that we should have had any difficulty with them at all. This is my firm conviction, and my conclusion according to the light that is in me. I believe that the Lord permits them to chasten us at the present time to convince us that we have to overcome the vindictive feelings which we have harbored towards that poor, downtrodden branch of the House of Israel.”

We are Relatives

“Truly our paths have met once more—we a mixed remnant of Israel, principally Ephraim, even referred to as gentiles, now come forth out of captivity (see, e.g., 1 Ne. 13:19, 39), a people with a long history of apostasy and darkness and persecution, now only through the grace of Almighty God restored to the blessings of the gospel, that we in turn might be a blessing to the nations of the earth; and the Lamanites, also a people of disobedience now returned to the fold, whose sufferings have been sore, and punishment severe, and humiliation complete, whose affliction these many centuries must certainly be fruit meet for repentance. And what should be the nature of our reunion? We are relatives. We are brothers and sisters under the skin. We should receive each other with great joy, as the prodigal son was received, who, “when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20.)

I rejoice that it has been my privilege to carry the gospel to the Lamanites from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic, from the reaches of Canada to southern Chile, and in the islands from Hawaii to New Zealand. I have eaten with and visited with these my brethren and sisters and have been a guest in their homes.

I have met some who are a little bit ashamed that they are Lamanites. How can it be? Some would rather define themselves as Nephites, or Zoramites, or Josephites, or something else. Surely there must be a misunderstanding. Would they separate themselves from the great blessings the Lord has promised to his covenant people? Would they cast off their birthright? For the Lord himself has chosen to call these people Lamanites—all the mixed descendants of Father Lehi, and Ishmael, and Zoram, and Mulek, and others of the Book of Mormon record; all of the literal seed of the Lamanites, “and also all that had become Lamanites because of their dissensions.” (D&C 10:48.)

You who are Lamanites remember this: Your Lamanite ancestors were no more rebellious than any of the other branches of the house of Israel. All the seed of Israel fell into apostasy and suffered the long night of spiritual darkness, and only through the mercy of God have any of the branches been saved from utter destruction—the gentile-Ephraimite mixture first, and then the Lamanite remainder of Joseph, that the saying might be fulfilled, “the last shall be first, and the first last.” (Matt. 20:16.) You who are Lamanites remember: In your past are men such as the Nephi and his brother Lehi who, cast into prison while in the service of the Lord as missionaries, were so righteous and full of faith that though they were encircled by fire they could not be burned; whose faces shone like that of Moses when he descended from the mount; whose persecutors asked, “Who is it with whom these men do converse?” And the reply came: “They do converse with the angels of God.” (Hel. 5:38–39.)

You are a chosen people; you have a brilliant future. You might possess all of the wealth of this earth, but you would be nothing compared to what you can be in this Church. You might rule over many nations, but you would have nothing compared to what you can have, through the holy priesthood, as a king or a queen unto the Most High God.

You non-Lamanites who, looking at these your brethren and sisters, can only see that which is “dark and loathsome,” take heed to yourselves! Look into your own past—any of our pasts—and you will find centuries of loathsomeness and unrighteousness. And then look to the scriptures and discover the Lord’s opinion of his chosen people, among whom the Lamanites are numbered. You who “pass by on the other side” when you meet one of these who have, as one may say, gone down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fallen among thieves and been stripped and beaten; in the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith, “you know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and Kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap. You don’t comprehend it.” (Wilford Woodruff, General Conference Report,April 8, 1898, p. 57.) if you had been with me recently to witness a chorus of small Lamanite children singing “I Am a Child of God,” you would have begun to see a vision of what the Lord has in mind for these, his people….)

The Covenant Again!

There is one point I would like to make clear as I repeat what the Lord said: “I will give this land to you on one condition.” The title to the land of America is a conditional title, and only those who live the laws of God and serve him faithfully can inherit it. He wanted the Jaredites to come over. They found America. They lived for a long while here and ripened in iniquity before they encountered the people of Mulek. The land then was given to Lehi and to his sons and their families, but when a fulness of iniquity arose among these children of the land, they were swept off. Therefore, I want us to keep in our minds the fact that this land is ours only so long as we live the commandments of God. Whether it is Greeks or Italians or Norwegians or whoever is going to enjoy this land, they are going to serve God or they shall be swept off.

That is what makes me so frightened today when I read the magazines and the newspapers and see that the gentiles who are living upon this land today are failing, to some extent at least, to live the commandments. There is much evil, much wrong, much wrongdoing in this land of ours. Many people break the laws of God, and the day will come when he just cannot tolerate it. He says he won’t. When they become ripe in their iniquity, the day will come when they will be swept off. That day frightens us a little bit, doesn’t it, when people get so near the edge with their immoralities and their ugliness.

So, my appeal today is for the Lamanites, all the Lamanites, the Mexicans, the Polynesians, the Indians, to live the commandments of God and prove themselves worthy of this choice land. And a further word of caution: Keep your strength up to high purpose. Keep your eye single to the glory of God. Maintain your faith and live the principles of the gospel. Remember that the gospel of Jesus Christ is not compatible with radicalism or communism or any other of the “isms.” There could be those who would profess to be your saviors. They could enslave you with their force or their strange philosophies. If some of their leaders have motives that are selfish and questionable, have nothing to do with them. Perhaps some would even excite you to unwise actions. Beware of them. Keep your feet on the ground and your heads high. Listen to your duly elected tribal leaders and stay with those who want independence, equality, and full freedom for the Indian people by peaceful means alone. Only these kinds of successes will be enduring.

The Lord has a comprehensive plan, and I have a firm conviction that the blueprint he worked out many millennia ago will be carried out through the programs of the Church. Even now the Church is bringing to bear its resources to educate the Lamanites, to improve their living conditions and their health, to bring them to a knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer. I have asked for increased effort in the missionary work among the Lamanites, and I have been most gratified by the response. The missions in the Lamanite areas are the most active and most productive of all, with many more converts per missionary than in any of the other missions. It is as in days of old: “And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words.” (Hel. 6:36.) We have many Lamanite missionaries in the field now, and there will be many, many more, I am sure.

And can we not exercise our faith to expand this work even further? Enos prayed a prayer of mighty faith and secured a promise from the Lord that the Lamanite would be preserved. How glorious it would be if a million Latter-day Saint families were on their knees daily asking in faith that the work among these their brethren would be hastened, that the doors might be opened.

The Lamanites must rise again in dignity and strength to fully join their brethren and sisters of the household of God in carrying forth his work in preparation for that day when the Lord Jesus Christ will return to lead his people, when the millennium will be ushered in, when the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory and its lands be united and become one land. For the prophets have said, “The remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away.” (Ether 13:8.)
In this I have great faith.” Our Paths Have Met Again BY PRESIDENT SPENCER W. KIMBALL 1978

Conclusion

I believe there are great Lamanites all over North, South and Central America today and in other countries, but they all are not necessarily the ones spoken of in the Book of Mormon who originally come to settle in the Heartland of the U.S. The Book of Mormon only contains a fraction of the history of the Promised Land Lehites. But I believe that small fraction of Book of Mormon history speaks about Lehi, and Nephi, and Alma, and Mormon as they lived and fought in these United States.

In my opinion there are many Lamanites who began living in North America around Florida near 592 BC and many of these Lamanites likely migrated and inter-married and spread out all over North, South and Central America. To read about why I believe Lehi landed near Florida read here! https://bookofmormonevidence.org/lehis-first-landing-hopewells-first-beginning-not-a-coincidence/

I spent over 40 years looking and studying the Mesoamerican theory and other many theories, and found them very lacking. Like I mentioned, I will have an open mind until the church acknowledges the specific location. I will follow the 15 chosen Prophets and Seers.

I know the Brethren of the Church take a neutral position on the geography of the Book of Mormon. For you and me to take a neutral stand is not required. The Lord told us to read and study, and in the promise to Moroni, He said we may know the truth of ALL things, and I feel that would include knowing the location of the Book of Mormon events. I believe knowledge of the Spirit and of the head, are both important in learning truth. As Elder Holland in 2018 said, “truth borne by the Holy Spirit comes with, in effect, two manifestations, two witnesses if you will—the force of fact as well as the force of feeling.”

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