The Two Hill Cumorah Theory
 

. . . I, Mormon, began to be old; and knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the Lord 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. (Mormon 6:6.)

   There are two hills called Cumorah. The one in the state of New York was where Moroni buried the plates later given to Joseph Smith. The original hill Cumorah is in Mexico. It was the place where Mormon buried the Nephite library and where the Nephites were destroyed.¹

   Unfortunately, Sorenson noted that research done in the the Tuxtla Mountains of Veracruz - is not sufficiently detailed to identify evidence of battles," ² which seems strange considering million were slain on that battlefield over the course of the Nephite and Jaredite eras. Regardless of the lack archaeological evidence, many of the saints have a problem with the suggestion that there were two Hill Cumorahs, and always have. In response to the rather unorthodox notion, Mark E. Peterson, member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, stood In General Conference on March 5^th, 1953, and tried to dissuade the Saints from accepting the newly proposed theory. He said:

   I do not believe that we should accept every theory advanced by men of science as though it were true. These men change their minds much too often for that. I do not believe that we should give credence to the highly speculative theories about Book of Mormon geography. I do not believe that there were two Hill Cumorahs, one in Central America, and the other one in New York, for the convenience of the Prophet Joseph Smith, so that the poor boy would not have to walk clear to Central America to get the gold plates. I do not believe we can be good Latter-Day Saints and question the integrity of Joseph Smith. ³

   The hill opened up 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 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 on 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.⁴

   This experience tells us that the great Nephite library deposited by Mormon rests in the Hill Cumorah in New York state and has been there for a very long time. Thus, they could not be in the Mesoamerican hill. Moreover, since Joseph retrieved the golden plates from a box unearthed on that very hill, how can we doubt that the hill near his home had been the guardian of those sacred records since Moroni placed them there fourteen centuries earlier. Thus, book of Mormon lands must also be in that region, for the scriptures themselves reveal that the hill of their final battle was relatively close to their own homeland.

   All New York theorists firmly believe the Hill Cumorah in western New York is the very same Hill Ramah/Cumorah described by the Nephites and Jaredites. They believe it was on that very hill Joseph Smith received the Golden Plates from the Angel Moroni. Furthermore, archaeological evidence proves beyond doubt that it was the site of a major battle.

   The museums in New York state are filled with the instruments of warfare that had been fashioned by the red men and so freely used in that historic area. The opinion is expressed in all those relic halls that western New York was the site of an ancient battlefield. There is more evidence of a well planned defensive warfare in that locality than there is in any other region on the American continent. It is the opinion of most scholars that the defenses on the drumlin hills were prepared by a people more civilized than the Indians and were exterminated by the inferior race who were still in possession of the country when Columbus discovered the land. ⁵

   It must be conceded that this description fits perfectly the land of Cumorah in New York, as it has been known since the visitation of Moroni to the Prophet Joseph Smith, for the hill is in the proximity of the Great Lakes and also in the land of may rivers and fountains. Moreover, the Prophet Joseph Smith himself is on record, definitely declaring the present hill called Cumorah to be the exact hill spoken of in the Book of Mormon.

   Further, the fact that all of his associates from the beginning down have spoken of it as the identical hill where Mormon and Moroni hid the records, must carry some weight. It is difficult for a reasonable person to believe that such men as Oliver Cowdery, Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, David Whitmer, and many others could speak frequently of the spot where the Prophet Joseph Smith obtained the pates as the Hill Cumorah, and not be corrected by the Prophet, if that were not the fact. That they did speak of this hill in the days of the Prophet is this definite manner is an established record of history. ⁶

   We cannot say that the Nephites and Lamanites did not possess the territory of the United States and that the Hill Cumorah is in Central America. Neither can we say that the great struggle which resulted in the destruction of the Nephites took place in Central America . . . From all the evidence in the Book of Mormon, augmented by the testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith, these final battles took place in the territory known as the United States and in the neighborhood of the Great Lakes and hills of Western New York. And here Moroni found the resting place for the sacred instruments that were committed to his care^.7

   This modernistic theory of necessity, in order to be consistent, must place the waters of Ripliancum and the Hill Cumorah some place within the restricted territory of Central America, notwithstanding the teachings of the Church to the contrary for upwards of 100 years. Because of this theory some members of the Church have become confused and greatly disturbed in their faith in the Book of Mormon. . . .

   It is known that the Hill Cumorah where the Nephites were destroyed is the hill where the Jaredites were also destroyed. This hill was known to the Jaredites as Ramah. It was approximately near to the waters of Ripliancum, which the Book of Ether says, ‘by interpretation, is large, or to exceed all." Mormon adds: "And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of Cumorah; and it was in a land of many waters, rivers, and fountains; and here we had hope to gain advantage over the Lamanites." (Ether 15: 8-11.)

    It must be conceded that this description fits perfectly the land of Cumorah in New York, as it has been known since the visitation of Moroni to the Prophet Joseph Smith, for the hill is in the proximity of the Great Lakes, and also in the land of many rivers and fountains. Moreover, the Prophet Joseph Smith himself is on record, definitely declaring the present hill called Cumorah to be the exact hill spoken of in the Book of Mormon. ⁸

   Further, the fact that all of his associates from the beginning down have spoken of it as the identical hill where Mormon and Moroni hid the records, must carry some weight. It is difficult for a reasonable person to believe that such men as Oliver Cowdery, Brigham  Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, David Whitmer, and many others, could speak frequently of the spot where the Prophet Joseph Smith obtained the plates as the Hill Cumorah, and not be corrected by the Prophet if that were not the fact. That they did speak of this hill in the days of the Prophet in this definite manner is an established record of history. ⁹

   Once again - because the Book of Mormon details cities which Mesoamerican theorists have placed in Central America they conclude the Hill Cumorah must be in that land as well. However, those same cities and territories can be accurately mapped out in a New York scenario as well, thus making the necessity of moving the Hill Cumorah several thousand miles away totally unnecessary.

   We must also remember that the Jaredite records found in the land of many waters by Limhi’s search party were found relatively close to their own homeland. Thus, once we reconcile the fact that the Hill Cumorah in New York State is the very same hill mentioned in the scriptures, we must also conclude that Book of Mormon territory was likewise located in that region, for both the lands described in the scriptures were surprisingly close to the Hill Cumorah, not thousands of miles away.

Copyright © 1998 by Phyllis Carol Olive