In the pursuit of clarity, charity and understanding, we will consider two specific points today.
This north country.
This week we're reading Ether 1-5 in Come Follow Me. Moroni opened the book by writing, "1 And now I, Moroni, proceed to give an account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed by the hand of the Lord upon the face of this north country." (Ether 1:1)
"This north country" means Moroni was writing where the Jaredites were destroyed; i.e., near the hill they called Ramah, which the Nephites called Cumorah.
First consider which alternative better fits the description of "north country" on the map below.
Scripture Central and other M2C advocates (M2C=Mesoamerican/Two-Cumorahs theory) want people to believe that when Moroni referred to "this north country," he was referring to a site in southern Mexico.
We can see why the M2Cers make this claim. Their site is somewhat north of the rest of Mesoamerica. It is north of South America.
But it can hardly be considered "this north country" when even the M2Cers agree that Nephites lived far north of there.
(M2Cers claim that the Nephites who lived in North America, as explained by Joseph Smith, lived in the "hinterlands.")
By comparison, just looking at the map, we see that the area around Palmyra, New York, where the traditional Hill Cumorah is located, does qualify as "this north country."
But that's just one data point.
We know that when he visited Joseph Smith at his home near Palmyra, Moroni said "this history was written and deposited not far from that place."
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1834-1836/69
The abridged plates described in the Title Page were deposited in a stone box on the Hill Cumorah about three miles from Joseph's home. That qualifies as "not far from that place." And it means that when Moroni referred to "this north country" he was referring to what we now call western New York.
The M2Cers disagree, of course, and that's fine. In the spirit of charity we assume they are acting in good faith and we want everyone to understand one another.
For that reason, we encourage the M2Cers, especially those at Scripture Central and the Interpreter Foundation, to join in the pursuit of clarity and share this comparison with their followers so they can make informed decisions for themselves.
And in the process, they should read Ether 2 and consider which area it better describes.
The whole of America
M2Cers often claim that because Joseph Smith said "The whole of America is Zion itself, from North to South," he was referring to the setting of the Book of Mormon. It's a non sequitur argument to begin with, but let's look at what Joseph meant.
The phrase comes from a single source, now available in the Joseph Smith Papers here:
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1838-1856-volume-e-1-1-july-1843-30-april-1844/354?highlight=whole%20of%20america
This is a report of a sermon Joseph Smith gave in April 1844. This is the relevant excerpt:
"You know there has been great discussion in relation to Zion; where it is, and when the gathering of the dispensation is, and which I am now going to tell you. The Prophets have spoken and written upon it, but I will make a proclamation that will cover a broader ground. The whole of America is Zion itself, from North to South; and is described by the Prophets who declare that it is the Zion where the mountain of the Lord should be, and that it should be in the centre of the land; when Elders will take up and examine the old prophecies in the bible they will see it."
Joseph Fielding Smith included this excerpt in his book, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (TPJS), and many have adopted the interpretation that Joseph Smith meant the continents of North and South America, but that contradicts the idea that Zion (identified as Missouri in the Doctrine and Covenants) is in the center of the land.
Joseph's sermon (apparently not recorded verbatim), invoked terminology from an earlier revelation, now D&C 84 ("described by the Prophets" = "spoken by the mouth of the prophets," "mountain of the Lord" = "Mount Zion," etc.).
"Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem."
The Book of Mormon refers to the New Jerusalem several times.
22 And behold, this people will I establish in this land, unto the fulfilling of the covenant which I made with your father Jacob; and it shall be a New Jerusalem. (3 Nephi 20:22)
23 And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem.
24 And then shall they assist my people that they may be gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem. (3 Nephi 21:23–24)
2 For behold, they rejected all the words of Ether; for he truly told them of all things, from the beginning of man; and that after the waters had receded from off the face of this land it became a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord; wherefore the Lord would have that all men should serve him who dwell upon the face thereof;
3 And that it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of heaven, and the holy sanctuary of the Lord.
4 Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land.
5 And he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come—after it should be destroyed it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord; wherefore, it could not be a new Jerusalem for it had been in a time of old; but it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lord; and it should be built unto the house of Israel—
6 And that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a type.
We know that the New Jerusalem will be in Missouri.
8 And from this place ye shall go forth into the regions westward; and inasmuch as ye shall find them that will receive you ye shall build up my church in every region—
9 Until the time shall come when it shall be revealed unto you from on high, when the city of the New Jerusalem shall be prepared, that ye may be gathered in one, that ye may be my people and I will be your God. (Doctrine and Covenants 42:8–9)
62 Thou shalt ask, and it shall be revealed unto you in mine own due time where the New Jerusalem shall be built. (Doctrine and Covenants 42:62)
65 And with one heart and with one mind, gather up your riches that ye may purchase an inheritance which shall hereafter be appointed unto you.
66 And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God;
67 And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion. (Doctrine and Covenants 45:65–67)
2 Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem.
3 Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased.
4 Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation.
(Doctrine and Covenants 84:2–4)
Because Missouri is in the center of the United States, some people infer that Joseph Smith was referring to America, the country, not America, the hemisphere. That interpretation fits with D&C 87:2, which refers to the future Civil War between the Southern States and the Northern States.
Later in the sermon, Joseph Smith seemed to make this clear when he said, "I have received instructions from the Lord that from henceforth wherever the Elders of Israel shall build up churches and branches unto the Lord throughout the States, there shall be a stake of Zion; in the great cities as Boston, NewYork &c. there shall be stakes. It is a glorious proclamation, and I reserved it to the last."
Notice he specifically said "throughout the States," not "throughout the hemisphere."
In 1844, Joseph Smith was running for President of the United States of America. A couple of months before giving the April sermon, he had published a lengthy campaign pamphlet that set out his platform.
He had sent campaign missionaries to all 26 states, both slave and free states. Likely with D&C 87 in mind, Joseph addressed the citizens of the slave states in his campaign platform: "Petition also, ye goodly inhabitants of the slave states, your legislators to abolish slavery by the year 1850, or now."
That he had the nation he called America on his mind is evident from other parts of his platform.
No honest man can doubt for a moment, but the glory of American liberty, is on the wane; and, that calamity and confusion will sooner or later, destroy the peace of the people.
and his Zion-like aspirations for the nation:
"the neighbor from any state, or from any country, of whatever color, clime or tongue, could rejoice when he put his foot on the sacred soil of freedom, and exclaim: the very name of “American,” is fraught with friendship!"
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/general-smiths-views-of-the-powers-and-policy-of-the-government-of-the-united-states-circa-26-january-7-february-1844/9
In Joseph Smith's day, America (the United States) was the gathering place and "Zion itself."
In 1973, though, President Harold B. Lee explained that in our day, "every nation is the gathering place for its own people." (1973, April, Harold B. Lee, ‘Strengthen the Stakes of Zion,’ Ensign, July 1973, ¶ 35)
Since then, the prophets have re-emphasized that every nation is the gathering place for the people who live there; i.e., the entire world now has the full blessings of the gospel and thus is (or can be) Zion. Zion is not limited to America, whether Joseph Smith was referring to the United States or to the western hemisphere.
This is why the Book of Mormon is relevant for everyone in the world. The covenants described in the Book of Mormon apply in our day to every nation.
In that sense, it doesn't matter where the Book of Mormon events took place.
But it does still matter whether we accept or reject the teachings of the prophets about the origin and setting of the Book of Mormon.
