From what we have already covered in the previous posts, there is nothing in the scriptural record that even hints Cumorah was close to the Narrow Neck of Land. In another instance, Mesoamericanists believe that though Limhi’s men were mistaken that the Jaredite ruins were Zarahemla, “it is apparent that they had enough information before and after their journey to make such a conclusion seem plausible (Italics in original).
It is difficult to follow such thinking, since there is nothing in the scriptural record to suggest that such a viewpoint is realistic. As an example, Mosiah told Ammon: “Being grieved for the afflictions of my people, I caused that forty and three of my people should take a journey into the wilderness, that thereby they might find the land of Zarahemla, that we might appeal unto our brethren to deliver us out of bondage (Mosiah 8:7, emphasis added)—there is nothing to suggest knowledge or location covered here.
It is Easy to Get Lost
Mountains obviously can block passage and require a change in direction
Forests can impede progress, forcing numerous changes in route according to where passage is possible, often without knowing it
Canyons force a movement along its path, which may branch around and change direction without realizing it
Rivers and Lakes may present impassable barriers forcing long distances of detours
Mosiah then followed up with: “And they were lost in the wilderness for the space of many days, yet they were diligent, and found not the land of Zarahemla but returned to this land, having traveled in a land among many waters, having discovered a land which was covered with bones of men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind, having discovered a land which had been peopled with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel” (Mosiah 8:8, emphasis added)
Perhaps it would be instructive to take Limhi’s words apart and study them:
1. Lost in the wilderness: evidently the 43-man expedition was not clear on where Zarahemla was located and were quickly lost, wandering about for many days. How many, we do not know, but Ammon’s journey to the City of Nephi, took 40 days because they wandered many days in the wilderness.
2. For the space of many days. In describing Ammons trip from Zarahemla to the City of Nephi (King Limhi), it states: “And now, they knew not the course they should travel in the wilderness to go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi; therefore they wandered many days in the wilderness, even forty days did they wander” (Mosiah 7:4, emphasis added). Two very important statements are included here: a) they knew not the course they should travel; and b) they wandered many days in the wilderness.
Now, if Ammon and the Nephites in Zarahemla knew not the course to take to find the City of Nephi, then it should be concluded that the people in the City of Nephi did not know the course to take to find Zarahemla. While this is not conclusive, it does show a legitimate connection, suggesting the fallacy of Mesoamericanists arriving at the conclusion that the expedition knew where Zarahemla was located far less than plausible.
3. Yet they were diligent. Diligence is having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties; in 1828, the word was defined as: “Constant in effort or exertion to accomplish what is undertaken, prosecuted with care and constant effort.” Obviously, these men were not apt to give up until they achieved their goal—finding Zarahemla, no matter how long it took. The scriptural record makes this quite clear in Mormon choosing the word “diligent” as Joseph Smith translated it.
4. having traveled in a land among many waters. It should be kept in mind that this Land of Many Waters contained the Land of Cumorah—and from a northerly view, both being beyond the Land of Desolation. It should also be noted that it was a “land” of Cumorah, which contained the hill Cumorah (Mormon 6:2). And this Land of Cumorah was within a land of many waters, which contained rivers and fountains (Mormon 6:4).
Now these lands were moving northward “Thus the land on the northward was called Desolation, and the land on the southward was called Bountiful”(Alma 22:31); the Land of Desolation was north of the Narrow Neck of Land (Alma 22:31); the Land of Many Waters was north of Desolation, and the Land of Cumorah was within the Land of Many Waters (Mormon 6:4).
The South to North logistics of Mormon’s Map
It should also be noted that Mormon says the Land of Cumorah was far beyond the Land of Desolation. “So far northward that it came into the land which had been peopled and been destroyed.” This was the land, of course, that had been occupied by the Jaredites—the Land Northward. And the Land of Cumorah was within the Land of Many Waters, so far to the north of the Narrow Neck of Land, beyond the Land of Desolation, clear to the Land of Many Waters.
5. Having discovered a land which had been peopled with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel. The only way diligent men would have reported their findings to the King was to have seen it—not just the battle field at one hill, but an entire land to understand that what they saw represented an entire civilization which allowed them to report that they had held a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel.
Roper again makes an error in his speculation. He states: “It is also noteworthy that although they believed they were lost they were still able to find their way back to the land of Nephi. That suggests that previous to their departure, they had at least a general idea of the direction they should go to appeal for help and how long it should have taken to get to Zarahemla, even though they were uncertain of the precise route. Under such circumstances a diligent search party would perhaps count the days they traveled. In any case, something would have led them to eventually conclude that they had gone far enough. Sorenson argues that they would not likely have gone more than twice the estimated distance before turning back.[7] If we accept that view as reasonable then the Jaredite land of destruction encountered by Limhi’s men would have been within a comparable distance from the land of Nephi.”
Now, lost is lost, and these men of the expedition being lost would not have known where their city of Nephi was located any more than their not knowing where Zarahemla had been—at least not until they ran across what they thought was Zarahemla—in running across the ruins and mistakenly assuming it was Zarahemla they would have known to head south to get back to their city. Knowing that Zarahemla was somewhere north of the city of Nephi, it would not have been as difficult to find as the northerly trek to find Zarahemla. After all, north is and they would have turned south—as they drew near familiar landmarks they would have been led to the city. There had been no familiar landmarks to lead them to Zarahemla. They found what they thought was Zarahemla quite by accident.
In addition, there seems to be some misunderstanding of the fiber of the men Limhi sent, and their charge from the king. It does not seem logical that the king would say “travel for 21 days, then turn back,” or “if you can’t find the city then return.” They were under direct orders from the king who wanted their brethren in Zarahemla to come and aid them (Mosiah 8:7) in their fight with the Lamanites over their freedom—they wanted to be free of the yoke of bondage! The 43 members of the expedition would have well known and understood the importance of their assignment. Diligent men do not turn back from an assignment until they have completed it—and the men Limhi sent did just that.
Consequently, the entire argument that the Hill Cumorah must have been close by the Narrow Neck of Land is fallacious—there is nothing in the scriptural record to suggest or even imply such a thing. In fact, if anything, the suggestion is just the opposite, as indicated by two statements. Speaking about the Land of Cumorah, Mormon states: “it bordered upon the land which they called Desolation, it being so far northward that it came into the land which had been peopled and been destroyed” (Alma 22:30, emphasis added). In another instance, Mormon also states: “there were an exceedingly great many who departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and went forth unto the land northward to inherit the land. And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance, insomuch that they came to large bodies of water and many rivers” (Helaman 3:4, emphasis added).
So far northward and exceedingly great distance, both imply a distant land a long way beyond the Land of Desolation into a Land of Many Waters apparently containing lakes, many rivers, and fountains—covered with bones of men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind.
Quite obviously, this area Mormon describes is not near the Narrow Neck of Land (nor the Land of Bountiful) as Roper states and almost all Mesoamericanists believe—the Jaredites were never in the Land Southward, except to hunt, and had “spread upon the face of the land,” from their landing site, up into the mountains, or at least built their city of Moron up from their landing site and likely up from the land around (Ether 7:5).
No comments:
Post a Comment