Proposed Book of Mormon geographical setting
"[1] According to Joseph Smith, an angel named Moroni told him "there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang."
According to Latter Day Saint scripture, the narrative in the Book of Mormon came to an end in the ancient land Cumorah,[2] where Moroni, in 421 AD deposited the golden plates prior to his death.
Others view the modern "Hill Cumorah" to be distinct from the original, and simply to have been named after it; thus adding no information to the question of the location of the lands described in the Book of Mormon.
The "Hemispheric" or "Two-Continent" model proposes that Book of Mormon lands stretch many thousands of miles over much of South and North America.
[20] One of the earliest advocates of a hemispheric setting was Orson Pratt, who as early as 1832 publicly promoted the idea that Lehi "crossed the water into South America".
Strongly influenced by John Lloyd Stephens' 1841 bestseller, Incidents of Travel in Central America, Parley Pratt set various Book of Mormon lands (including, apparently, the narrow neck) farther north and west of Panama.
[23] Prior to the influence of John Lloyd Stephens' popular book, some church members placed the southernmost Nephite land of Manti well within the boundaries of United States territory.
[26] According to a subset of LDS scholars investigating the field, the application of the Book of Mormon limited geography model to a Mesoamerican setting produces a "highly plausible match.
[28] Based on textual analysis and comparison of the Book of Mormon limited geography model to existing geographical regions, time-lines and cultures, many LDS scholars believe that the Book of Mormon geography is centered in Mesoamerica around the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, in the area of current day Guatemala and the southern Mexico States of Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz, and the surrounding area.
[29] Some LDS scholars believe that the Tehuantapec model provides enough of a match with existing geography, ancient cultures and ruins, to propose plausible locations for certain Book of Mormon places and events.
[33] While travelling through Illinois, Joseph Smith claimed to have had a vision of a righteous Lamanite, Zelph, who lived in the area - implicitly situating the American Midwest in the Book of Mormon geography.
[39] A document in the handwriting of early church leader Frederick G. Williams alleges that Lehi landed 30 degrees South of the equator, in what would be modern day Chile.
Many people who support this group of theories believe that part of South America was under water, and that the continent rose up during the major earthquakes mentioned in the Book of Mormon during Christ's crucifixion in the Old World.
[42]Joseph Smith claimed an angel named Moroni told him the Book of Mormon gave "an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang.
"[43] Several statements by Joseph Smith, indicate that events described in the Book of Mormon took place in lands occupied by the United States of America.
In the Wentworth Letter Joseph Smith wrote the following (emphasis added)[50] regarding his interview with the angel Moroni:I was also informed concerning the aboriginal inhabitants of this country, and shown who they were, and from whence they came; a brief sketch of their origin, progress, civilization, laws, governments, of their righteousness and iniquity, and the blessings of God being finally withdrawn from them as a people was made known unto me: I was also told where there was deposited some plates on which were engraven an abridgment of the records of the ancient prophets that had existed on this continent ...
[56] However, Stephens' bestseller did not change Smith's position that Book of Mormon events took place in northern America, in lands primarily occupied by the United States.
[d] In his "AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES" editorial of July 1842, the Times & Seasons newspaper corroborates wars described in the Book of Mormon with archaeological finds in northern America.
[citation needed] The Times & Seasons quotes Josiah Priest's American Antiquities statement that "Weapons of brass have been found in many parts of America, as in the Canadas, Florida, &c., with curiously sculptured stones, all of which go to prove that this country was once peopled with civilized, industrious nations ..."[58] The Times & Seasons associates earth, timber and metal works found in northern America (presumably artifacts of mound builder societies) with implements and constructions described in the Book of Mormon.
[59] As much as Joseph Smith approved of Stephens' work, the Times & Seasons only makes minor mention of it, and then only to conclude in the "American Antiquities" editorial, that the peoples of Central America are tied historically to the Book of Mormon.
Prominent Mormons would later call into question the statement's authority;[73][74] but before this would happen, church leaders publicly attributed features of Orson Pratt's geography to Joseph Smith.
While the Church does not currently take an official position with regard to location of geographical places, the authorities do not discourage private efforts to deal with the subject (Cannon).
[77]Previous to this disclaimer, George Q. Cannon had published the following: "It is also known that the landing place of Lehi and his family was near what is now known as the city of Valparaiso, in the republic of Chili [Chile].
"[85] In the October 1959 church general conference, apostle Spencer W. Kimball stated, referring to Native Americans: "Millions of you have blood relatively unmixed with Gentiles.
[87] Ted E. Brewerton, a general authority of the LDS Church, stated in 1995: "Many migratory groups came to the Americas, but none was as important as the three mentioned in the Book of Mormon.
[88] Prior to 2006, the introduction to church-published editions of the Book of Mormon stated Lamanites form the "principal ancestors of the American Indians."
[89] Mainstream scientists believe native populations arrived via a land bridge in the Bering Strait during the last Ice Age approximately 14,000 years ago.
[90] No connection between pre-Columbian Native American and Egyptian or Hebrew languages or cultures has been established by non-Mormon archeologists or linguists to date, even in geographically limited regions.
[91] It is important to note that the absence of definitive archaeological or linguistic evidence linking pre-Columbian Native American cultures with Middle Eastern civilizations does not constitute irrefutable proof that such migrations never occurred.
In fact, current scientific understanding acknowledges that the peopling of the Americas involved multiple migratory waves from different regions, including evidence of contact with populations from Oceania.
