Shulem Cracked the Book of Mormon Code, the Land of Nephi is now revealed! See for yourself! The Golden Key!

[Shulem]

27 And it came to pass that the king sent a proclamation throughout all the land, amongst all his people who were in all his land, who were in all the regions round about, which was bordering even to the sea, on the east and on the west, and which was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and round about on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla, through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon, running from the east towards the west—and thus were the Lamanites and the Nephites divided.

28 Now, the more idle part of the Lamanites lived in the wilderness, and dwelt in tents; and they were spread through the wilderness on the west, in the land of Nephi; yea, and also on the west of the land of Zarahemla, in the borders by the seashore, and on the west in the land of Nephi, in the place of their fathers’ first inheritance, and thus bordering along by the seashore.

29 And also there were many Lamanites on the east by the seashore, whither the Nephites had driven them. And thus the Nephites were nearly surrounded by the Lamanites; nevertheless the Nephites had taken possession of all the northern parts of the land bordering on the wilderness, at the head of the river Sidon, from the east to the west, round about on the wilderness side; on the north, even until they came to the land which they called Bountiful.

• The (converted) king of the Lamanites sent a proclamation throughout *all* the land in all the regions *round* about – from sea east to sea west.

• The territory which was bordering even to the *sea*, on the *east* and on the *west*, and which was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and *round about* on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla, through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon, running from the east towards the west—and thus were the Lamanites and the Nephites divided.

• Idle Lamanites lived in the wilderness and were spread through the wilderness on the west of the land of Nephi; and on the west of the land of Zarahemla, in the borders by the seashore, and on the west in the land of Nephi, in their fathers’ first inheritance, and thus bordering along by the seashore.

• And also, there were many Lamanites on the east by the seashore, whither the Nephites had driven them. And thus the Nephites were nearly surrounded by the Lamanites; nevertheless the Nephites had taken possession of all the northern parts of the land bordering on the wilderness, at the head of the river Sidon, from the east to the west, round about on the wilderness side; on the north, even until they came to the land which they called Bountiful.

Now, let us consider more of the text of the Book of Mormon to get a good visual of what Smith was trying to convey in his story:

And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites in the east wilderness, yea, and also on the west, fortifying the line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of Zarahemla and the land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by the head of the river Sidon—the Nephites possessing all the land northward, yea, even all the land which was northward of the land Bountiful, according to their pleasure.

Neither durst they march down against the city of Zarahemla; neither durst they cross the head of Sidon, over to the city of Nephihah.

So, what is the key? What are we looking for in Smith's map? And no, it's not Captain Kidd!

[Shulem]

So, what is the key? What are we looking for in Smith's map? And no, it's not Captain Kidd!

Don't take it as an exact science. Smith's geography was simple and straightforward and he built it within the stories of his novel. Only Joseph knew where his Zarahemla was. He didn't tell anyone -- not even his dear associate, Oliver Cowdery. The geography was Smith's secret held close to his heart and would remain a mystery. A land which is choice above all other lands being the land the Lord had prepared and preserved for a chosen people as a land of liberty where 13 stars and stripes would fly proudly on the American flag. It was only later that the idea of the promised land extended beyond the Colonies to include Central and South America. Those territories were never part of the original plan but were later adopted by the saints as a matter of convenience.

[Shulem]

sorry, bad link

[Shulem]

Ether 9:3

And the Lord warned Omer in a dream that he should depart out of the land; wherefore Omer departed out of the land with his family, and traveled many days, and came over and passed by the hill of Shim, and came over by the place where the Nephites were destroyed, and from thence eastward, and came to a place which was called Ablom, by the seashore, and there he pitched his tent, and also his sons and his daughters, and all his household, save it were Jared and his family.

I strongly suspect that Ablom = Boston Salem Massachusetts

Ablom = Boston Salem

I see this as a rare play on words and letters on Smith's part to hide up the port city of America where FREEDOM first took root. This is where the voice of liberty began to ring and it's carefully concealed in the Jaredite geography of the Book of Ether. Think about it. It all makes sense when we see that Smith loved to play with words and letters. The Vernal Holley map is evidence of this and the Grammar and Alphabet of the Egyptian Language is proof.

ABLOM
A+L+M = SALEM

ABLOM
B+O = BOSTON

Hence, Omer passed through Cumorah in New York State and went to the east coast and settled in Boston/Salem!

[Craig Paxton]

Shulem, are you looking at the MD/DE region?

Yes, exactly that.

YOU win a prize!

So how exactly does the River Siden, a northerly running river that empties into the ocean, fit in this scenario?

Edit to add: I’ve now caught up and read this thread and see that you did address this question. But the river Siden has always been a sticky point when trying to pin point the Book of Mormon lands because the river supposedly ran north and emptied into the sea.

[Moksha]

Finian's Rainbow and the Three Nephites

Seventy-one years ago on June 1, 1946, the Three Nephites finished the main song for the award-winning Broadway musical Finian's Rainbow. The main song was entitled, "How are Things on Hill Cumorah". Below is a snippet of the original lyrics:

I hear a bird, a Hill Cumorah bird.
It may well be he's bringing me a cheerin' word.
I hear a breeze, a River Sidon breeze.
It may well be it's followed me across the seas.
Then tell me, please.

How are things on Hill Cumorah?
Is the sacred grove still standing there?
Does it still run down to Palmyra?
Through Angora, Onidah, and Zara-hem-la?
How are things on Hill Cumorah?
Is that willow tree still weeping there?
Does that Lamanita with the twinklin' eye
Come whistlin' by
And does she walk away,
Sad and dreamy not to see me there?

It seemed a masterpiece. So in 1947, Nephi's Rainbow opened on Broadway. Unfortunately, during the intermission of the first-afternoon performance (known as an intermezzo in Reformed Egyptian), the audience was murmuring about the strange concepts presented in the play. The audience wondered if the play had been set in Upstate New York due to the main song. E.Y. Harburg realized right then and there that if the play was to be successful, changes had to be made before the theatre critics had a chance to see it during the evening performance. The theatre went dark and when it reopened two weeks later many changes had been made. The critics loved it!

The title had been changed to Finian's Rainbow. The main characters came from Ireland rather than ancient Israel. Speaking parts for women were introduced (the character Susan the Silent was kept, but she was no longer from the Indian tribe of Lamanites). Yucatan was changed to Leprechaun and the Plates of Gold became a Pot of Gold. The part of Amalickiah was changed to Senator Rawkins, but changing the color of the character's skin as part of divine retribution remained. The background cast was changed from Nephites to sharecroppers. The major song "How are things on Hill Cumorah" was changed to "How are things in Glocca Morra". The song "Old Devil Waters" was changed to "Old Devil Moon".

If you have not seen the later movie of Finian's Rainbow starring Fred Astaire and Petula Clark, you really should treat yourself to it. However, keep an eye out for what might have been if the original script by the Three Nephites had remained unaltered.

Ironically, the point of Senator Rawkins turning black, upset people throughout Utah and the American South when the movie was released back in 1968. They failed to see the close retelling of the Lamanite story and realize it was authored by the Three Nephites.

The play's background remains an enchanting piece of Broadway history.

Here are a few minutes from the movie (in English, but with Lamanite subtitles). Can you imagine how glorious it would have been if they kept the original script by the Three Nephites?!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbjEkST6fcA

[Shulem]

So how exactly does the River Siden, a northerly running river that empties into the ocean, fit in this scenario?

Edit to add: I’ve now caught up and read this thread and see that you did address this question. But the river Siden has always been a sticky point when trying to pin point the Book of Mormon lands because the river supposedly ran north and emptied into the sea.

Thank you for catching up and I hope you're enjoying this winning thread!

Yes, the river Sidon is a very, very important feature in the Book of Mormon story and narrative. It's a river that does run north and south and east and west too! Smith used what basic maps were at his disposal to determine that there were rivers on the peninsula and that they lead directly into the Chesapeake bay to the west. Smith's geography to the story ever remained a secret with him and he could do whatever he wanted with it including the river. But the basic format to include the land being nearly surrounded by water and hanging from a narrow neck with the land northward is central to the whole geography. But the narrow neck is the key as I have shown in this thread. Everybody who has a serious interest in researching this subject knows that the narrow neck is key to understanding the whereabouts to the land of Nephi. But Smith could do whatever he wanted with his river and used it in his stories throughout the book. There are a couple of large rivers running in the peninsula and into the bay that certainly fit the description in which Smith was working. It need not be perfect because it was all done in anonymous format.

I hope that helps answer your question. And do enjoy the thread and the fact that you're finally learning for yourself where the Book of Mormon took place in the mind of Joseph Smith.

have a great day!

And Philo, where are you hiding, you crumb?

[Shulem]

I hear a bird, a Hill Cumorah bird.
It may well be he's bringing me a cheerin' word.
I hear a breeze, a River Sidon breeze.
It may well be it's followed me across the seas.
Then tell me, please.

How are things on Hill Cumorah?
Is the sacred grove still standing there?
Does it still run down to Palmyra?
Through Angora, Onidah, and Zara-hem-la?
How are things on Hill Cumorah?

Listen to the voice and power of God manifest in General Conference to all the saints given as an inspiration and testimony to the Hill Cumorah in New York State and how it relates to the Book of Mormon. These prayerful testimonies were given while apostles spoke by the power of the Holy Ghost under the direction of President Spencer W. Kimball. They were given without policy, without excuse, and without BYU professors to critique the word of God.

America’s Destiny

My beloved brothers and sisters, I invite you to join in a prayer that while I speak you and I may both enjoy the Spirit. I will give you a lesson today that the Lord has taken great pains to bring to us.

<snip>

“This is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.”

It is my purpose in making these remarks to point out from the record of ancient inhabitants of America that the foregoing decrees have been carried out.

In the western part of the state of New York near Palmyra is a prominent hill known as the “hill Cumorah.” 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.”

<snip>

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?”

<snip>

This second civilization to which I refer, the Nephites, flourished in America between 600 B.C. and A.D. 400. Their civilization came to an end for the same reason, at the same place, and in the same manner as did the Jaredites’.

<snip>

Now my beloved brethren and sisters everywhere, both members of the Church and nonmembers, I bear you my personal witness that I know that the things I have presented to you today are true—both those pertaining to past events and those pertaining to events yet to come.

The Last Words of Moroni

Last week we passed one of the most significant anniversaries recognized by our Church. It marked the visitations of the Angel Moroni to the Prophet Joseph Smith, preliminary to the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our day.

<snip>

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. Of that dreadful event Mormon wrote:

“My people, with their wives and their children, did now behold the armies of the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them.

“… Every soul was filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers.

“And it came to pass that they did fall upon my people with the sword, and with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the ax, and with all manner of weapons of war.

“And it came to pass that my men were hewn down, yea, even my ten thousand who were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst.”

<snip>

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.

[Shulem]

PRESIDENT ANTHONY W. IVINS

I feel very grateful to the Lord, my brethren and sisters, that through his mercy all of us who are assembled here this morning enjoy the opportunity of meeting together in general conference, upon the ninety-eighth anniversary of the organization of the Church.

Reference has been made by the president to 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.

OF MORE THAN ORDINARY IMPORTANCE

The purchase of this hill which President Grant has announced, is an event of more than ordinary importance to the membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The memories of the remote past which cluster round this sacred spot, its close association with the opening of the present gospel dispensation, which has resulted in bringing together this congregation of people, for without it this tabernacle would not have been erected, nor would we have been gathered here in worship today, and the thought which we entertain of the possibilities which its bosom may unfold, make the acquisition of this hill almost an epochal accomplishment in the history of the Church.

If our Bible chronology is correct, and it is at least the best we have, it was in the year 599 before the birth of Christ, our Lord, that Zedekiah was chosen to be king of Judea. His reign was of short duration, extending over a period of only eleven years. He was in rebellion against the Babylonian kingdom, and Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, with his armies overran Judea, made Zedekiah prisoner, put out his eyes, killed his sons, and carried the king away captive to Babylon.

It was during the reign of this king that Lehi and his family, Ishmael and members of his household and Zoram, who had been a servant to Laban, left Jerusalem and began the journey which in time brought them to the American continent.

As a guide to their spiritual life these people brought with them that part of the Holy Scripture known to us as the Old Testament, which contained the first five books of Moses, the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah and others of the ancient prophets. These records were engraven upon plates of brass.

TWO SETS OF PLATES

Soon after the arrival of these people and their establishment upon this continent, Nephi, the son of Lehi, was commanded to make other plates, on which a record of the history of his people was to be written Two sets of plates were made from metal which was smelted from ores that abounded in the new world to which the Nephites had come; upon them Nephi commenced to record the history of his people. Both of these sets of plates which were made were called the plates of Nephi. Upon one set, which was called the larger plates of Nephi, the secular history of the people was kept, the reign of their various kings, their system of democratic government under the judges who were chosen by the voice of the people, and their wars and contentions.

A smaller set was made on which the religious history of the people was kept a record of their faith in God and the service rendered to him, their idolatry, the hand-dealings of the Lord among them, the predictions of their prophets and the persecutions which they suffered because of their faith in, and adherence to the doctrines taught by their fathers.

CAREFULLY PRESERVED

It was principally from these latter plates that Mormon made the abridgment which constitutes the volume known as the Book of Mormon. These records were carefully preserved, and passed through the hands of many different custodians before the history closed, which was more than four hundred years after the birth of the Redeemer of the world.

Besides these two sets of the plates of Nephi, and the brass plates which were brought from Jerusalem, there were twenty-four plates of gold, upon which was recorded a brief abridgment of the history of a people who came from Babylon to this continent long before the arrival of the Nephite colony. They left the old world at the time of the building of the Tower of Babel, about 2,200 years before the birth of Christ. It was from these latter plates that Moroni, the son of Mormon, transcribed that portion of the Book of Mormon known as the Book of Ether.

It was three hundred twenty-one years after the birth of Christ that all of these records came into the hands of Ammaron, who received them from his brother Amos, who was the son of Nephi, who wrote the Fourth Book of Nephi, which appears in the Book of Mormon, as the following shows—I am quoting here, as I shall continue to quote, from the Book of Mormon itself:

"And it came to pass that when 320 years had passed away, Ammaron, being constrained by the Holy Ghost, did hide up the records which were sacred—yea. even all the sacred records which had been handed down from generation to generation, which were sacred—even until the three hundred twentieth year from the coming of Christ.

"And he did hide them up unto the Lord, that they might come again unto the remnant of the House of Jacob, according to the prophecies and the promises of
the Lord. And thus is the end of the record of Ammaron."

AMMARON TO Mormon

One year later Ammaron called Mormon to him and gave him the following instruction:

"And now I, Mormon, make a record of the things which I have both seen and heard, and call it the Book of Mormon.

"And about the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age, and I began to be learned some what after the manner of my people) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe;

"Therefore when ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people; and when ye are of that age go to the land Antum, unto a hill which shall be called Shim; and there have I deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings concerning this people.

"And behold ye shall take the plates of Nephi unto yourself, and the remainder shall ye leave in the place where they are; and ye shall engrave on the plates of Nephi all the things that ye have observed concerning this people.

"And I, Mormon, being a descendant of Nephi, (and my father's name was Mormon) I remember the things which Ammaron commanded me."

It will be observed that at this time only the plates of Nephi were removed from the hill Shim, by Mormon.

YEARS OF CONSTANT WAR

It was forty years later, as near as we are able to fix the date that Mormon again visited this hill, under different circumstances, as the following shows. Forty years had passed, forty years of constant war and bloodshed between the Nephite people and their enemies the Lamanites. The Nephites were fleeing before their enemies, taking all of the inhabitants with them when Mormon says:

"And now I, Mormon, seeing that the Lamanites were about to overthrow
the land, therefore I did go to the Hill Shim, and did take up all the records which Ammaron had hid up unto the Lord."

Mormon, after taking possession of the records, returned to the command of the Nephite armies. The sacred records, which had lain in the hill Shim for more than fifty years, were now in the custody of Mormon, and the Nephite people were fleeing before their enemies. Ten years later, ten years of hopeless struggle, Mormon again writes as follows:

"And I, Mormon, wrote an epistle to the king of the Lamanites, and desired
of him that he would grant us that we might gather together our people unto the land of Cumorah, by a hill which was called Cumorah, and there we could give them battle.

"And it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites did grant unto me the thing which I desired.

"And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents round about the hill Cumorah; and it was a land of many waters, rivers and fountains; and here we had hoped to gain advantage over the Lamanites.

"And when three hundred and eighty and four years had passed away, we had gathered in all the remainder of our people unto the land of Cumorah.

IN THE HILL CUMORAH

"And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold, I, Mormon, began to be old"—this man, at this time was, past 70 years of age and was still the commander-in-chief of the Nephite army ; "and knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the Lord that that I should not suffer the records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would destroy them) therefore I made this record out of the plates of Nephi, and hid up in the Hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni.

"And it came to pass that my people, with their wives and their children, did now behold the armies of the Lamanites marching toward them ; and with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them."

THE FINAL DISPOSITION

So far as we have information this was the final disposition which was made of the records given into the custody of Mormon, from the plates of Nephi. This latter, with the addition of the Book of Ether, and the few chapters written by Moroni, constitute the record contained in the Book of Mormon.

All of the remaining records, Mormon tells us, were deposited in the Hill Cumorah. That the Hill Cumorah and the Hill Ramah are identical is shown by the following: Moroni, in the Book of Ether, says:

"And it came to pass that the armies of Coriantumr did press upon the armies of Shiz"—he is telling the story now of this first people who came to the American continent from the Tower of Babel—"that they beat them, that they caused them to flee before them; and they did flee southward and did pitch their tents in a place which was called Ogath.

"And it came to pass that the army of Coriantumr did pitch their tents by the hill Ramah ; and it was in that same hill where my father Mormon did hide up the records unto the Lord, which were sacred."

The passages which I have quoted from the Book of Mormon and the more extended discussion of this subject by Elder B. H. Roberts which was published in The Deseret News of March 3, 1928, definitely establish the following facts: That the Hill Cumorah, and the Hill Ramah are identical; that it was around this hill that the armies of both the Jaredites and Nephites, fought their great last battles; that it was in this hill that Mormon deposited all of the sacred records which had been entrusted to his care by Ammaron, except the abridgment which he had made from the plates of Nephi, which were delivered into the hands of his son, Moroni. We know positively that it was in this hill that Moroni deposited the abridgment made by his father, and his own abridgment of the record of the Jaredites, and that it was from this hill that Joseph Smith obtained possession of them.

PART OF THE RECORD SEALED

Only a portion of the record which came into possession of Joseph Smith was translated, and is contained in the present edition of the Book of Mormon. Part of the record was sealed, which he was forbidden to translate. The first Nephi, foreseeing that which would occur among the descendants of his father, has this to say:

"And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall bring forth, to you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered.

"And behold the book shall be sealed; and in the book shall be a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof.

"Wherefore, because of the things which are sealed up, the things which
are sealed shall not be delivered in the day of the wickedness and abominations
of the people. Wherefore the book shall be kept from them. * * *

"And the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the housetops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be, even unto the end of the earth."

FROM THE BOOK OF ETHER

The footnotes concerning that which I have read refer us to the book of Ether from which I desire to read a few paragraphs.

"And the Lord commanded the brother of Jared to go down out of the mount from the presence of the Lord, and write the things which he had seen: and they were forbidden to come unto the children of men, until after he should be lifted up upon the cross; and for this cause did king Mosiah keep them, that they should not come unto the world until after Christ should show himself unto his people.

"And after Christ truly had showed himself unto his people he commanded
that they should be made manifest. "And now, after that, they have all dwindled in unbelief; and there is none, save it be the Lamanites, and they have rejected the gospel of Christ; therefore I am commanded that that should hide them up again in the earth.

"Behold I have written upon these plates the very' things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared.

"Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord. "For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord. * * *

"And now I, Moroni, have written the words which were commanded me, according to my memory; and I have told you the things which I have sealed up; therefore touch them not in order that ye may translate: for that thing is forbidden you, except by and by it shall be wisdom in God."

AWAITING THE TIME

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, 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.

According to the Book of Mormon many hundreds of thousands of people fell in battle around this hill, and the immediate vicinity. It was here that two once powerful nations were exterminated so far as their natural existence was concerned. It was here that these nations gathered together for their last great struggles.

UNTIL THE LAST

These people were human, as we are; they carried with them their most precious possessions until the last, and when the end of the mighty struggle came, and the result was in doubt, they hid them away in order that they might not fall into the hands of their enemies.

Without doubt these treasures lie concealed today, some of them, at least, to be brought forth in the not distant future. How soon this will be we do not know, but this is certain, we are more than a century nearer that time than we were at the time when Joseph Smith took from their resting place in the Hill Cumorah, the plates from which he translated the contents of the Book of Mormon.

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. I thank God that in a way which seems to have been providential it has come into the possession of the Church.

I bear witness to you that the words which I have read here, quoted from the Book of Mormon, which refer to the future, will be fulfilled. 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. May God our Father hasten that day, is my humble prayer, and I ask it through Jesus Christ. Amen.

[Shulem]

Some apologists dream up the idea that Moroni traveled from Mexico to New York to bury the plates. President Ivins and many other apostles of the Church since its founding have testified that Cumorah in New York State *is* the one Cumorah of the Book of Mormon. In addition to that, Ivins states that Cumorah in which the great battles were fought is the very place in which Moroni's father Mormon hid up the plates for a time as outlined in his talk given in the post above.

Ivins publicly testified under President Grant's direction that they *KNOW* that all of these records, all the sacred records of the Nephite people, were deposited by Mormon in that hill in which the Church had purchased to honor and commemorate the memory of all those who lived and died on Cumorah.

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. I thank God that in a way which seems to have been providential it has come into the possession of the Church.