Part 1 ⎜ Part 2 ⎜ Part 3 ⎜ Part 4 ⎜ Part 5 ⎜ Part 6 ⎜ Part 7 ⎜ Part 8 ⎜ Part 9 ⎜ Part 10 ⎜ Part 11 ⎜ Part 12 ⎜ Part 13
This post begins a series of blog posts in which I will compare two proposed locations for the Book of Mormon. An important caveat is that I have published on the Mesoamerican model and prefer it. Having stated that I do begin with bias, I will nevertheless attempt to deal with evidence more than prejudice. I will attempt to represent comparable aspects of both the Heartland and Mesoamerican models. Also important is the declaration that I present this information as my own studied opinion and intend no implication that my ideas represent The Interpreter Foundation or the Interpreter journal.
The very first point of comparison is that it is going to be difficult to make the comparison. The reason is that the two geographic models are built on completely different concepts of how one should arrive at a solution to the question of where the Book of Mormon took place. Although both models produce maps that reflect the locations of Book of Mormon named places, there is an extreme difference in how the models are created.
John L. Sorenson highlights what he considers the foundation for searching for a real-world location of the Book of Mormon:
The first place to seek for knowledge of the Book of Mormon context is in the book itself. Going back to the original is the basis of sound scholarship whenever anyone works with an ancient text. . . .
Building an internally consistent map is but the first step. Next we must match up Book of Mormon lands and rivers and mountains with actual places, location for location, as scholars have done for much of the information in the Bible.[1]
Although Sorenson’s model has become the most widely accepted of the Mesoamerican models for the Book of Mormon, Sorenson was not the only one who created an internal model. Some of those who created internal models never attempted the elaboration of attempting to place that model on a real-world location. The variation in the internal maps echoes the wide variation of the real-world models that have been proposed (covering, apart from the Heartland or Mesoamerican models, a Great Lakes Model, a Delmarva Peninsula model, a Baja model, South American models, and Hemispheric models).
The following are different models created to demonstrate the relationships of Book of Mormon internal locations:
Two more modern examples:
There are others, but these four are representative. Notice that while different, they all propose general similarities. Although the one published in the Improvement Era does not have the overall hourglass shape of the other three, it nevertheless places a narrow neck on the northern end of the Nephite lands.[2]
Note how different the shape of the map becomes when the conceptual map, based on the Book of Mormon text, is compared to the two Heartland maps:
As with different conceptual models, these latter two Heartland maps were created by two different people.[3] What is immediately noticeable is that while both the Neville and Coon maps are placed in the eastern half of the United States, they have no obvious narrow neck as do the conceptual models. Of course, their geographies do place a narrow neck on the map, but how is it that the conceptual models can be so dramatically different from the Neville and Coon maps?
The conceptual maps and the Heartland maps begin with very different starting points. Where the conceptual maps begin with the Book of Mormon, the Heartland maps began with the commitment to the Hill Cumorah: “For over 10 years, the majority of people did not doubt that Cumorah was really in New York, and the prophets were consistent in their teachings about that fact.”[4] W. Vincent Coon corresponded with Ed Goble about the beginnings of this geography. In part of an email exchange, Goble noted: “I always believed Cumorah was in New York, but couldn’t make the rest work in the early days.”[5]
The two different starting points unsurprisingly lead to different conclusions. By beginning with the declaration that the New York hill where Joseph Smith found the gold plates was the very Hill Cumorah mentioned in the Book of Mormon, the rest of the geography had to be imagined in ways that made that beginning focal point fit. As Goble mentioned, it wasn’t an easy fit.
Although there have eventually been maps printed that show how the Book of Mormon fits the Heartland, the recent maps differ substantially from the original in the Goble and May book.[6]
This unusual slanting of the map to create a Nephite North was undoubtedly inspired by a similar slanting of the Mesoamerican map in order to fit the north/south orientation of the internal models.[7] It does not appear in any of the subsequent Heartland models.
Beginning with a definition of the expected geography rather unsurprisingly leads to finding that very geography. As Jacques Barzun and Henry F. Graff note: “in research as in life one is far more likely to find what one looks for than what one neglects.”[8] The two very different beginnings to the search for a real-world location for the Book of Mormon make a comparison between the two extremely difficult. This difficulty stems not only from the geographical beginning points but also from the Heartland position that the geography the text describes is not as fundamentally important as a posited theological position on geography.
In their book proposing the Heartland location for the Book of Mormon, Bruce H. Porter and Rod L. Meldrum list the priorities they used to identify Book of Mormon lands:
The proposed methodology presented in this book utilized four highly corroborative resources that assist in coming to an understanding of the lands described in the Book of Mormon text. . . .
- Book of Mormon prophecies and promises testified of in relation to the Promised Land and the people associated with it.
- Inspired and revealed statements of the Prophet Joseph Smith on geography.
- Physical “real world” evidence, such as correlating civilizations in the correct time frame, archaeological findings as described within the text, cultural lifestyles, genetic relationships, and linguistic ties.
- Geographical indicators or passages contained within the Book of Mormon.[9]
There can be reasoned discussion of their points 3 and 4 because they relate to factors that are open to scholarly inquiry. The first two, however, are matters of faith. They may be important underpinnings of the Heartland model, but they are not available for scholarly comparison. They are personal, and one person’s faith in a model should not be argued against a different person’s faith in a different model. Thus, the blog posts in my 13-episode blog discussion will necessarily be limited in the type of evidence that can be examined.
Although one’s faith in how a model fits into Latter-day Saint theology and history cannot ultimately be challenged, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does have an official position on the geography of the Book of Mormon. The introduction to the Gospel Topics essays explains the vetting process:
Recognizing that today so much information about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can be obtained from questionable and often inaccurate sources, officials of the Church began in 2013 to publish straightforward, in-depth essays on a number of topics. The purpose of these essays, which have been approved by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, has been to gather accurate information from many different sources and publications and place it in the Gospel Topics section of ChurchofJesusChrist.org, where the material can more easily be accessed and studied by Church members and other interested parties.[10]
Therefore, the statement on Book of Mormon geography may be seen as officially sanctioned by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve apostles. It states:
The Church’s only position is that the events the Book of Mormon describes took place in the ancient Americas. The Prophet Joseph Smith himself accepted what he felt was evidence of Book of Mormon civilizations in both North America and Central America.[11]
Note that they include Joseph Smith’s ideas about geography in that statement.
This series of blog posts will examine questions about the geography of the Book of Mormon based on evidence that can be determined from the text of the Book of Mormon and from qualified scholars (almost always degreed scholars) to create comparisons of how the Heartland and Mesoamerican models fit into a geography and then into a known historical context.
The History of The Church denies a Mesoamerican model.
The Title Page states the record was abridged by Mormon and Moroni. Yet, the small plates of Nephi are in the first person. See 1st Nephi 1:1. “I, Nephi.”
Meaning the Small Plates of Nephi were not buried in the stone box by Moroni.
After the loss of the 116 pages by Martin Harris, the small plates were retrieved from Mormon’s repository of records from the Hill Cumorah in New York. (Not from Mexico.)
See the account by David Whitmer of seeing one of the Three Nephites appearing beside his wagon (with Joseph and Oliver) while traveling from Harmony, PA to Fayette stating he was going to Cumorah. Then the old man showing the record to Mary Whitmer in Fayette, NY.
The small plates of Nephi are those other records mentioned to Oliver Cowdery in D&C 8 & 9.
You may also recall David Whitmer’s field being prepared by three unknown men so he could travel to Harmony the next day to pick up Joseph and Oliver to bring them back to Fayette.
This account in Church History proves the Hill Cumorah of the final battles and of Mormon’s repository of other Nephite records is in New York.
This information was obtained by Joseph F. Smith in an interview with David Whitmer.
Isn’t it fascinating that these late interviews with David Whitmer can be used to support the NY Hill Cumorah, but David Whitmer’s later interviews are suspect when he talks about the seer stone being used in translation? The same man is both the best and worst witness–depending upon what you want to prove.
David Whitmer is one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon and was chosen to do so by God. Questioning his testimony is a desperate measure and brings into question the validity of the entire book.
David Whitmer never saw Joseph Smith translate. How would he know what was used or how Joseph did it? All heresay or third hand I guess. Of course the witness of Whitmer about the plates is critically important. but how can we trust him about the method of translation as he never saw it.
Rian, friend of rend, stout with doubt: David Whitmer saw and heard an angel who angelically showed him the golden plates. To boot, he was in the company of others during the Divine incident. Even after leaving the Church he always firmly affirmed the truth of this. On the matter of method of translating, see Brant Gardner’s magisterial work, “The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon.” Brant has a gift for worthwhile analysis. I am simplistic—in my view, the methods God uses to bring forth his Word is none of my business. Moses used a burning bush that did not consume. What if the Prophet Joseph used an ignited tumbleweed? What if a talking horse? I choose not the ooze of straining at gnats. I want to remember to seek the things that matter most. Be blessed on your journey valued brother.
Unless of course, you don’t believe in D&C 17:1 where David Whitmer was shown the Urim and Thummim created from the stones given to the Brother of Jared specifically to seal up with his record and to translate records and was not shown a seer stone by the Angel Moroni who speaks by the power of The Holy Ghost, a member of the Godhead.
Then later David Whitmer changed his account in his book, “An Address to All Believers in Christ” in which he claimed the not yet fallen Prophet Joseph Smith used a rock in a hat, to appease the claim in the anti-book “Mormonism Unvailed” of the Prophet Joseph Smith hiding behind a veil and plagiarizing from the Spalding manuscript, but was out in the open for all to see he wasn’t plagiarizing, despite the Angel telling the Prophet not to show the U&T and the plates to anyone unless commanded.
But Whitmer and others never saw the Spalding manuscript which was later discovered after Whitmer’s death and shown it had no similarity to The Book of Mormon, so was a moot point from the beginning.
Then again, the RLDS Church didn’t know about or didn’t believe in Brigham Young over the polygamy issue and the belief Brigham Young stole the Church from the Prophet’s son.
Thus the RLDS Church didn’t know or believe in the account of Oliver Cowdery telling Brigham Young of he and the Prophet Joseph Smith entering into the Hill Cumorah and seeing piles of records.
Thus when the RLDS Church lost the Hill Cumorah due to their adopting a hemispheric model in 1899, by 1911 H.A. Stebbins proposed the actual Hill Cumorah was somewhere yet unknown in Central America.
Then by 1917 L.E. Hills created his first LGT Mesoamerican map of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and his later three books each with similar maps, which can be found online and in libraries. Now called the Sorenson Model.
Today we have the HillCumorahExpeditionTeam.com located in Buckner, Missouri due to this RLDS tradition.
Respectfully,
Thank you for your time.
So you have said before. Other opinions and readings of history differ from yours.
It’s not a matter of opinion. I can refer you to actual RLDS source documents through the wonder of GoogleBooks ahving scanned libraries across the country.
This is a 1901 RLDS publication called, “Autumn Leaves” in which it discusses a debate about the location of the Hill Cumorah on the RLDS Hemispheric map:
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=iau.31858045096413&view=2up&seq=502&size=125&q1=debate
Note on the left page 474, first column, bottom paragraph starting with the title, “Lamoni” referring to Lamoni, Iowa the then location of the the headquarters of The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The article continues to the top of the second column mentioning the debate in the basement of the Church, which building today no longer stands.
“Many expressed themselves as surprised at the evidence the negative side could show on this question that Cumorah, as applied to the hill in New York where the plates were found, is not correct.”
This is the RLDS hemispheric map sold in the recent past at Boston Rare Maps. The site explains the RLDS Committee on American Archaeology and its attempts to explain Book of Mormon geography. On this map, Cumorah is located in New York.
https://bostonraremaps.com/inventory/weston-mormon-geography-1899/
It was a small minority of RLDS Members who believed in and debated that Cumorah was located in Central America, the alleged narrow neck, due to distance issues on the hemispheric map. Thus the debate.
This idea continued into 1917 when L.E. Hills introduced his first Tehuantepec map, to solve the distance issue of Zarahemla and the Land of Nephi from Cumorah in New York. I can direct you to the exact date in The Saints’ Herald.
F.A.R.M.S. adopted this latter model and is what you are still promoting today based on correcting the false premise of a hemispheric model, not only by the RLDS Church but earlier LDS members before the RLDS Church was officially organized in 1860.
Orson Pratt, for example, in his 1840 pamphlet, “An Account of Several Remarkable Visions” gave his opinion of a hemispheric model.
The Prophet Joseph Smith corrected him in his 1842 “Church History,” now referred to as “The Wentworth Letter” mentioning “this country.”
Orson Pratt missed the memo, if you will, and after the death of the Prophet published footnotes in the 1879 edition of The Book of Mormon again referring to a hemispheric model.
Many LDS members grew up believing in a hemispheric model, including Dr. John L. Sorenson, (who is the same age as President Nelson), who thought it was ridiculous to believe Nephite and Lamanite armies fought each other from Central America all the way to New York.
Thus Dr. John L. Sorenson embraced L.E. Hills’ ideas.
This document at LatterDayTruth.org mentions RLDS publications:
https://latterdaytruth.org/pdf/100358.pdf
On Page 71 item 0001200330858 in one by L.E. Hills.
I contacted Rachel Killebrew at the Community of Christ Library and Archives and obtained a copy, which she kindly scanned and shared through a GoogleDrive.
https://cofchrist.org/church-history-and-sacred-story-team/
It’s an undated typewritten document by L.E. Hills on how he created his Limited Mesoamerican Geography restricted to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
I have the scanned digital copy in my possession.
You can find his books online at HathiTrust:
1918
https://tinyurl.com/LEHills1918map
1919
https://tinyurl.com/Hills1919Map
1924
https://tinyurl.com/LEHills1924bookNoPanama
Here L.E. Hills argued that the Isthmus of Panama did not always exist, to try to cast “New Light on American Archaeology” on that former RLDS Committee that embraced a hemispheric model.
I have much much more information on this RLDS History.
It’s not my opinion. It’s all original source documentation.
Respectfully,
Thank you for your time
I agree with Two Cumorah Fraud. He has researched this subject over and over and has legitimate historical evidence about the real location of Cumorah in the Heartland and not in Mesoamerica.
And I do not, based on other historians who have also done a massive amount of research.
I would also like to add that L.E. Hills’ books are located at ScriptureCentral:
https://scripturecentral.org/search?q=L.%20E.%20Hills
Respectfully,
Thank you for your time
There were only two people who saw the instruments while translating, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Emma, Martin, and David never saw the three items during translation, plates, spectacles, and breastplate. I’d be happy to share quotes and detail at my email. riannelson@aol.com
Please be assured that I have seen the evidence.
If you have seen the scriptures how can the method be denied? See JSH 1:35,52,62,75*; Mosiah 28:13, 20; Ether 3:22-23; 4:5; Alma 37:21, 24-25 No stone in a hat mentioned. Let’s believe scripture not historians.
In the picture of two maps above, you are half correct. The picture on the left was drawn by myself with Jonathan Nevilles perspective. The map on the right is not from Vincent Coon. It was drawn by Rod Meldrum and is in his book “Exploring the Book of Mormon in America’s Heartland”
Thank you for the corrections.
The plates that the old man showed to Mary Whitmer were not the small plates as she indicated in her description “which in size and appearance corresponded with the description subsequently given by the witnesses to the Book of Mormon”. It was the full plate stack the same as the witnesses gave (which included the sealed portion which did not exist in the small plates). John C. Whitmer’s 1878 account, as recorded by Andrew Jenson (see his Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia 1:283, Salt Lake City, Utah: 1901.
I disagree. The original plates Joseph had finished the first translation that were sealed were given back by Joseph and the messenger was carrying these to be deposited at the repository in hill Cumorah with the other wagon load of plates. The plates this angel who I believe is said to be Nephi by Mary or one of the three Nephites, took the small set of plates from the repository of Cumorah (not the stone box of Cumorah) and showed those to Mary Whitmer as the second set of plates that Joseph was to translate. There were two separate sets of plates just as Jonathan Neville says.
So you are saying that John Whitmer and/or Mary Whitmer is lying when they described seeing the plates? Just because you believe something doesn’t make it true. What is your evidence that the plates that Mary Whitmer saw are the small plates? Please don’t reference Jonathan Neville, please provide me the actual historical record that indicates that.
Just like you, I don’t know as we weren’t there. I am surmising as you are. I think Jonathans information is most credible in my opinion. I’m not trying to convince you of anything.
A model that seeks to synthesize Mesoamerican and Heartland models, comprising an internal model, real-world locations, and utterances attributed to Joseph Smith, is the work-in-progress Mexican Highland Continental Model by Lance Weaver.
https://gatheredin.one/13279/book-of-mormon-geography-mexican-highland-model-summary
The Lehites had to Land somewhere. This is the point we need to understand, not where the Nephites ended up or are today. They are spread all over North, South and Central America. I’m a Heartlander and believe the ancient Hopewell Culture and the Deptford and Swift Creek culture that historically began in 600 BC in Florida, they are likely Nephites. The Hopewell Culture historically ended in 400 AD in New York and historians don’t know why. Sounds like Nephites to me. I have personally been to Apalachicola, FL and found 500 BC pottery that was authenticated by Dr. Nancy White, Anthropologist at South Florida University in her amazing research called, “Pierce Mounds Complex An Ancient Capital in Northwest Florida nmw@usf.edu. I welcome feedback. riannelson@aol.com
I agree that the Pierce site in the Florida Panhandle is Nephite, and I believe the site to be at the southern end of the land of Bountiful. The Lamanites at that time controlled the Florida Peninsula.
“And it came to pass that the Nephites had inhabited the land Bountiful, even from the east unto the west sea, and thus the Nephites in their wisdom, with their guards and their armies, had hemmed in the Lamanites on the south, that thereby they should have no more possession on the north, that they might not overrun the land northward.” (Alma 22:33)
But that was far from where the Lehites laned. Where they landed there was “all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper “(1 Nephi 18:25). The US Geological Survey shows there are no gold deposits in the state of Florida.
Lehi after landing in Florida and prospering there, Nephi and his people fled from Laman and Lemuel. Most likely they traveled north up the Flint river or the Chattahoochee River. We know they traveled “many days”. Travel time by boat up the river to a place near Helen, Georgia would take 7-9 days which would qualify for “many days” as spoken in the Book of Mormon. Once reaching the head of the Chattahoochee River the Nephites could have easily taken the Hiwassee River at its head, north to the Tennessee River right into Chattanooga Tennessee. This is where I propose the City Nephi was located. The necessary ores for Nephites are found in abundance in East Tennessee in the area near Ducktown. The mine there has extracted over 15 million tons of copper ore in modern times. The French Huguenots enjoyed friendly relations with the Mountain Apalachee Indians, who were mining gold, copper and silver near their villages. The gold came from what is now Georgia; the silver from western North Carolina; and the copper from southeast Tennessee. To honor his friendship with these Native Americans, De Laudonniere named the region, “Les Montes Apalachiens.” Moroni’s America page 351. In 1799, gold was discovered in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, when Conrad Reed found a 17-pound “glittering stone” in Little Meadow Creek. In 1828 Dahlonega, GA was the site of the first major gold rush in the United States. Ducktown TN was the center of a major copper-mining district from 1847 until 1987. The district also produced iron, sulfur and zinc as by products.
The gold, silver and copper were found near Lehis landing. Later, at the place of Neph they found “copper, and of brass (copper and Zinc), and of steel, and of gold and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance.” (2 Nephi 5:15) To find all of these ores within a thirty-mile radius one must go as far north as New Jersey. (USGS)
Additionally, the trailhead from the city of Zarahemla to the land of Nephi was west of the river Sidon and the city of Zarahemla, meaning that the river Sidon and land of Zarahemla was east of the trail that led to the land of Nephi (alma 2:21-27). The only thing east of Florida and Georgia is the Atlantic Ocean.
In fewest words: there is a Naples Island in Long Beach California, adjacent Belmont Shore. And a Naples Island in Italy. Two Cumorah’s. Yet so much wordcraft from the wordsmith’s.
What a great comparison. I have studied both concepts extensively myself. I have been several times to Central America and done the tours several times. I have even flown my own small airplane over the jungles and thoroughly enjoy the area. I even have served as church calling in South America and many there bring up the quote from President Kimball stating his thoughts that South America was the spot of first inheritance. I, too, at one time thought Central America to be the spot. However, I have since changed my thinking after much further study. I have flown over the ‘narrow neck of land’ proposed by Sorenson and others. It is long (125 miles) and goes up over rough terrain and mountains. When Sorenson states,”they could run further in those days”. How does he know? Was he there? What evidence does he give other than just stating it. Where are the migrating beasts of the Book of Mormon that is so easily explained in North America? Where is the ‘drifting snow’ described by Nephi? Why do some think we have to twist the whole continent to get the north-south directions right? None of this makes sense to me. Yes, there is evidence of Christianity in Central and South America. Could have happened in the missionary work of the 250 years of peace after the Lord’s coming to the America’s. Or, we have been told in the BoM itself that the Lord visited ‘Other of the lost tribes’ at the time of his resurrection. Could not the areas of Central and South America be possible locations where others were led? I think these explanations are just as viable. I believe there is too much evidence that the Heartland model has equal standing as any other. I have read and studied most of the published works of ‘degreed scholars’. With some of their assumptions of their findings I can agree, with others I find fault. It is wonderful that my testimony does not rely on one idea or another. It lies in the Testimony of the Book of Mormon itself. That it testifies of our Savior.
‘drifting snow’ described by Nephi. Do you have a text reference for that?
Brandley friend, as we hie to Nephi, we realize what we have in translation from hat or thummim are words given to give understanding to us. Nephi could be describing his love of native popcorn. Let’s us not fuss about kernel or snowflake, and take divine word for what it’s worth, which is Light, delight, and magisterial text that saves. Be blessed, fellow traveler on road with load!
No where in the scriptures does it mention a stone in a hat. Let’s learn from scripture the proper method of translation was the two stones in a silver bow and attached to the breastplate. See, JSH 1:35,52,62,75*; Mosiah 28:13, 20; Ether 3:22-23; 4:5; Alma 37:21, 24-25
Yah. On other hand, toilets are not mentioned in the scriptures either. What if the Prophet used a toilet instead of a hat to block out light? The more we contemplate the more we complicate; the stink of over-think.
Toilets are not scripture and dont need to be discussed. The breastplate was under Joseph’s shirt as Lucy Mack said, “That of which I spoke, which Joseph termed a key, was indeed nothing more nor less than a Urim and Thummim by which the angel manifested those things to him that were shown him in vision; by which also he could at any time ascertain the approach of danger, either to himself or the record, and for this cause he kept these things constantly about his person.” The farmers hat was used to block the view of Emma from seeing the two stones in a bow that was attached to the breastplate.
There is one reference to snow in the Book of Mormon. “And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.” (1 Nephi 11:8)
Thanks. This reference is from before they came e to America. Jerusalem gets two or three snowstorms per year so Nephi would have been familiar with snow.
I Nephi 11:8 Here is a long but good analysis.
“NEPHI recorded the description of his previous vision of the Tree of Life: “And I looked and beheld a tree… and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow” (1 Nephi 11:8).
Nephi was addressing his own people after having separated from the Lamanites and wrote this description on the small Plates of Nephi, which he was commanded to make forty years after arriving in the Promised Land (2 Nephi 5:30-34). It was thirty years after he made the large set of plates which were used by his father Lehi to record his history and visions. Nephi’s children and grandchildren never lived in Jerusalem.
The Nephites were living in the land choice above all others where “driven” snow must have been common in order for them to understand the analogy of “whiteness of the driven snow,” an expression not found in Hebrew Scripture. As an example, Isaiah wrote: “…though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…” a passage that was written on the Plates of Brass in the book of Isaiah (1:18). Nephi did not write, “they shall be as white as snow,” Nephi instead wrote, “…the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.”
“I want to mention something about the driven snow from an artist point of view. When the sun is at an angle and it hits the snow that is piled up or driven, it reflects so brilliantly that at certain angles it’s almost blinding to look at it. The top of the regular snow in most cases reflects the blue of the sky or the grey of the sky and really is not that white. But driven snow reflects that brilliant sunlight not off the surface but off the part of the snow that is driven or piled up and when it is in that condition it can be truly a bright white” – Clark Kelley Price, Professional Artist.
In other words, the children and grandchildren of Nephi must have had experienced something similar to a blizzard— snow driven by strong winds. Nephi may have experienced this weather condition in the Promised Land, and after living there for forty years, he knew that the generations of his people would understand this specific description as an analogy of the “whiteness” of the Tree of Life.
Nephi was commanded by God to write on the small plates “for the ministry of my people” (1 Nephi 9:3), suggesting this unique and specific analogy would have meaning to them. By comparison Nephi records what his father, Lehi saw in the vision while in the Arabian wilderness: “Yea and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen” (1 Nephi 8:11). The phrase, “whiteness of the driven snow” is Nephi’s description, recorded forty years after arriving in the Promised Land (see 2 Nephi 5:30-34, p. 66), suggesting that he lived somewhere in North America where seasonal blizzards “drive” the snow, providing an analogy that had a special and understandable meaning for those who witnessed snow driven by strong winds.” (See p. 300, “Four Seasons in the Promised Land.”) Annotated Book of Mormon by David Hocking and Rod Meldrum.
Rian, I wonder if the Prophet would have enjoyed using an Enigma machine used by the Kriegsmarine. Regarding your dismissal of OT toilets, archaeologists have found Bathsheba’s toilet. Scholars wonder, was she sitting on it when David glanced over his terrace? Read cluster of verses then answer four questions. Record your impressions. Come Complicate Me.
This isn’t sarcasm, it is satire. Know the difference.
You are correct that Nephi recorded the desert vision man years after the fact. However, his reference to “snow” was in the midst of describing his conversation with the Spirit. The speculative rhetoric that Nephi inserted the word “snow” because he thought it would be descriptive to his descendants does not constitute evidence that his children or grandchildren had or would ever see snow. Later generators would see snow.
Borg brother, I respect your reflect, but wonder at the blunder of trash collecting. One only ends up with a bouquet of dread, fast & loose weak-speak. I believe there’s more to the lore than such pecking allows. Yet you conclude with hope and strength: it is the power of testimony. That is where you and I and so many join hands standing on bedrock. We have a kind of immunity from the salacious in the Great & Spacious and they in the Church’s own Liberal hinterlands and faculty offices who tout doubt, are devout about doubt, stout on doubt, and other theory-making goo.
Best!
Great comments and I agree with you.
Thank you for your insightful comments.
Great start, Brant. I’m excited to read the rest of the series!
Brant,
I commend your efforts and work to fairly present both concepts and look forward to reading all future installments. I appreciate your including this quote from the Brethren”
“The Prophet Joseph Smith himself accepted what he felt was evidence of Book of Mormon civilizations in both North America and Central America” (Book of Mormon Geography, Topics and Questions)
I can already tell you that you will be presenting some geographical truths from both North America and Central America. I am of the firm belief that the 1,000-year saga of the Book of Mormon extended from Costa Rica to Cumorah in New York, with the Mississippi River being the Sidon as the connecting link.
Joseph is quoted saying, “The whole of America is Zion itself from north to south, and is described by the Prophets, who declare that it is the Zion where the mountain of the Lord should be, and that it should be in the center of the land. When Elders shall take up and examine the old prophecies in the Bible, they will see it.” President Joseph Smith’s Remarks–The Whole of America Zion–April Conference, 1844 Section Six 1843-44, p.362
“When we think about Joseph Smith’s statement from the April 1844 conference, he was referring to the Nauvoo temple, which was built “in the centre of North and South America” if we’re referring to the United States of America. It’s nearly as central as possible in a literal sense, given the unknown extent of the western territories.
When Joseph said the Elders were to go through “all America” “& build up stakes in all North and South America,” he was referring to the United States, as we can see not only from the ordinary use of the term “America” at the time, but also from the reality of what actually happened. The Elders were already in Europe. They didn’t go to South America until much later. But it was important for the members to know they would build the Church in both North and South America. They were not going to focus just on the northern states, where most of them had come from.
It’s always important to read historical documents in the context of the times in which they were written.” Jonathan Neville