Book of Mormon geography among the early saints

[poulsenll]

Book of Mormon geography among the early saints

In order to get some idea of the prevailing concepts about BofM geography among the early saints, I have been reading the LDS newspaper, Times and Seasons" published in Nauvoo in the years just before the exodus to the west.

http://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/

Following are some excerpts. Sorry for the length. The complete articles are available at the link above.

Vol. 2. 18.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. July 15th, 1841 [Whole No. 30

Mr. M. I have always thought that there had been a more enlightened people on this continent, than the present Indians. The remains of ancient buildings, monuments &c., are evident proofs on this point

Mr. R. There can be no doubt on this subject. In the recent researches in Central America, the ruins of very large and splendid buildings have been found, but it does not necessarily follow that the Book of Mormon is true.

Elder P. By no means, but you will undoubtedly admit that it is circumstancial [circumstantial]

Vol. 3. No. 5.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. JAN. 1, 1842 .[Whole No. 41

EVIDENCES IN PROOF OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.

We have laying before us, a neat little work of 256 pages, 32 mo. entitled "Evidences in proof of the Book of Mormon" &c. By Charles Thompson, minister of the gospel; published at Batavia, N. Y. We are much pleased with the spirit manifested by the writer, and feel to commend him in his laudable undertaking.

"Near Newark in the county of Licking, Ohio, is situated one of the immense works or fortifications of the ancient nations of America.

Antiquities, page 163, "At Circleville, Ohio, there is a circular fort surrounded by two walls with a deep ditch between them; also, a square foot about eighteen rods in circumference enclosed by a wall with a ditch."

Vol. III. No. 6.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. JAN. 15, 1842. [Whole No. 42

EXTRACT,

From C. Thompson's Proclamation and Warning.

Also, be it known unto you, that Jesus Christ did appear in person to a remnant of Jacob, who were of the tribe of Joseph,--the forefathers of the American Indians--and did give unto them all this land for their inheritance. But this being a choice land above all other lands, or it being more blessed of the Lord than any other land, God did decree and confirmed it with an oath, that no nation should ever possess this land, unless they would serve him and keep his commandments. Therefore, be it known unto you, O ye Gehtiles[Gentiles] who now possess this land, that it was because of this decree of the great Jehovah that your fathers were permitted to cross the great deep, and come to this land with power sufficient to dispossess the remnants of Joseph, (who had polluted their inheritance by transgression,) and take possession of their land. Yea, it was because of this decree that Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, an obscure individual, was blessed with a largeness of mind which disdained to confine itself to the old beaten track, and was inspired to contend for eight years with the learned ignorance of the courts and councils of Europe, when (after many a fruitless struggle,) a small fleet was fitted out consisting of three small vessels, and placed under his command, which sailed from spain [spain] in 1492, under the patronage of Ferdinand and Isabella then on the united thrones of Castile and Arragon, which terminated in the discovery of America-the land of Joseph-a land more blessed of the Lord than any other land "for the precious things of Heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, and for the precious fruits brought forth by the Sun, and for the precious things put forth by the Moon, and for the chief things of the ancient mountains and for the precious things of the lasting hills, and for the precious things of the earth and the fullness thereof."

And be it known unto you, O ye Gentiles, that this Columbus was inspired by the Almighty Jehovah to make this discovery, that the poor and meek of the earth, and the persecuted and oppressed of all nations might have a place to which they could fly and be secure from the iron grasp of poverty, wretchedness and want, and from the cruel unrelenting hand of the oppressor.

Vol. III. No. 13] . CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL,. MAY 2, 1842 [Whole No. 49

A CATACOMB OF MUMMIES FOUND IN KENTUCKY

Lexington, in Kentucky, stands nearly on the site of an ancient town, which was of great extent and magnificence, as is amply evinced by the wide range of its circumvalliatory works, and the quantity of ground it once occupied.

There was connected with the antiquities of this place, a catacomb, formed in the bowels of the limestone rock, about fifteen feet below the surface of the earth, adjacent to the town of Lexington. This grand object, so novel and extraordinary in this country, was discovered in 1775, by some of the first settlers, whose curiosity was excited by something remarkable in the character of the stones which covered the entrance to the cavern within. They removed these stones, and came to others of singular appearance for stones in a natural state; the removal of which laid open the mouth a cave, deep, gloomy, and terrific, as they supposed.

With augmented numbers, and provided with light, they descended and entered, without obstruction, a spacious apartment; the sides and extreme ends were formed into niches and compartments, and occupied by figures representing men. When alarm subsided, and the sentiment of dismay and surprise permitted further research and inquiry, the figures were found to be mummies, preserved by the art of embalming, to as great a state of perfection as was known among the ancient Egyptians, eighteen hundred years before the Christian era; which was about the time that the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, when this art was in its perfection. * * * * * On this subject Mr. Ash has the following reflections: "How these bodies were embalmed, how long preserved, by what nations, and from what people descended, no opinion made, but what must result from speculative fancy and wild conjecture. For my part, I am lost in the deepest ignorance. My reading affords me no knowledge, my travels no light. I have neither read nor known of any of the North American Indians who formed catacombs for their dead, or who were acquainted with the art of preservation by embalming.

Had Mr. Ash in his researches consulted the Book of Mormon his problem would have been solved, and he would have found no difficulty in accounting for the mummies being found in the above mentioned case. The Book of Mormon gives an account of a number of the descendants of Israel coming to this continent; and it is well known that the art of embalming was known among the Hebrews, as well as among the Egyptians, although perhaps not so generally among the former, as among the latter people; and their method of embalming also might be different from that of the Egyptians.

(page 781)

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Jacob and Joseph were no doubt, embalmed in the manner of the Egyptians, as they died in that country, Gen. 1, 2, 3, 26. When our Saviour [savior] was crucified his hasty burial obliged them only to wrap his body in linen with a hundred pounds of myrrh, aloes, and similar spices, (part of the ingredients of embalming.) given by Nicodemus for that purpose: but Mary and other holy women had prepared ointment and spices for embalming it, Matt. xxviii. 59: Luke xxiii. 56: John xxx. 39-40.

This art was no doubt transmitted from Jerusalem to this continent, by the before mentioned emigrants, which accounts for the finding of the mummies, and at the same time is another strong evidence of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.-[ED.

Vol. III. No. 16.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. JUNE 15, 1842. [Whole No. 52

Traits of the Mosaic History,

Found Among the Aztaeca Nations.

The tradition commences with an account of the deluge, as they had preserved it in books made from the buffalo and deer skin, in which account there is more certainty than if it had been preserved by mere oral tradition, handed down from father to son.

As these excerpts point, out opinions for the location of the Book of Mormon culture stretched from Mexico City in Mexico to Kentucky and Ohio in the US.

These excerpts only cover the first three volumes but a clear pattern seems to be present.

Larry P