Cumorah

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The hill Cumorah (also called Mormon Hill or Ramah) is a place described in the Book of Mormon where around two hundred fifty thousand Nephite soldiers were killed in a final battle with the Lamanites, and according to Joseph Smith, Jr., it was a place where many Nephite records and other artifacts were kept in a cave. The Book of Mormon identifies the hill Cumorah as the same hill called "Ramah" where the last Jaredite battle also took place. A drumlin near Smith's hometown of Manchester in Western New York was given this name by Smith or Oliver Cowdery, and the hill is an important historical site in Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement.

1 Location of Cumorah
2 Pageant
3 References and links
- 3.1 Notes

[edit] Location of Cumorah

[edit] Book of Mormon

In the Book of Mormon, Cumorah is mentioned in six verses, five in Chapter 6 and one in Chapter 8 of the Book of Mormon. According to the Book of Mormon, Mormon is the caretaker of the record of his people. His people, called the Nephites, were near to being destroyed by the Lamanites who had had many previous wars with the Nephites. Mormon wrote to the leader of the Lamanites to ask that he may gather his "people unto the land of Cumorah, by a hill which was called Cumorah, and there we could give them battle."^[1]

The leader of the Lamanites agreed, and all of the Nephites gathered together, including their women and children. Mormon wrote, "And when three hundred and eighty and four years had passed away [since the sign of the birth of Christ], we had gathered in all the remainder of our people unto the land of Cumorah."^[2] Mormon then hid all of the records of his people in the hill, except for the plates that he was currently writing on, which he gave to his son Moroni.^[3]

The Lamanites then attacked the Nephites, who were led by twenty-three men each with ten-thousand men under their command.^[4] After the battle was finished, "even all my people, save it were those twenty and four who were with me", except for those who fled to the south or defected to the Lamanites.^[5] Because of this result, the usage of "ten-thousand men" in relation to those who were killed may have meant "all my people", included the women and children. Mormon scholars, however, estimate that about a million people, from both sides (including women and children), perished in this historic battle near hill Cumorah.^{[citation needed]}

Mormon then records his mourning for his people and a last message to those who will read his record later, then again turns the records over to his son Moroni. Moroni records, "after the great and tremendous battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were all destroyed. And my father also was killed by them, and I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people."^[6]

Moroni lived several years after recording the destruction of his people. He translated and abridged the plates which were the record of the Jaredites as the Book of Ether on to the plates that he was keeping. During this process, he wrote, "And it came to pass that the army of Coriantumr did pitch their tents by the hill Ramah; and it was that same hill where my father Mormon did hide up the records unto the Lord, which were sacred."^[7] This identified the hill Cumorah as the same hill where the Jaredites had fought their final battle.

Earlier in the Book of Mormon, during the time of the Book of Alma, this land (of Cumorah) was known as Desolation, "the land which had been peopled and been destroyed, of whose bones we have spoken". This land is identified as being north of the land of Zarahemla.^[8]

[edit] New York

An 1841 engraving of Cumorah (looking south), where Smith said he was given Golden Plates by an angel named Moroni, on the west side, near the peak.

The hill Cumorah in Upstate New York is where Smith discovered the Golden Plates which contained the writings of the Book of Mormon. Smith wrote:

On the west side of this hill, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable size, lay the plates of the Book of Mormon, deposited in a stone box.

Smith visited the hill each year on the fall equinox (September 21, 22, 23 or 24) between 1823 and 1827 and claimed to be instructed by "holy messengers" (see Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith, found inside most Books of Mormon printed after 1980), including Moroni. Smith said he was finally allowed to take the Mormon record on September 22, 1827. No one else saw the actual plates until June 1829, and even then, only nine of the thirteen people who observed the plates were allowed to handle them.

The hill (which was then unnamed) stood only a few miles from Joseph Smith's home and sat on a farm that was owned by a local farmer, Alonzo Sanders. This farm is four miles south of Palmyra, and was on the main road toward Canandaigua from Palmyra to Manchester and is not far from Carangrie Creek and the Clyde River. According to geologists, the hill was formed during the retreat of the Ice Age glaciers and it rises approximately 110 feet above the surrounding valley floor.

Although Mormons have called the hill "Cumorah" since 1829, the hill was called "Mormon Hill" or "Mormon Bible Hill" by locals prior to the purchase of the hill in the 1920s by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under the direction of Church President Heber J. Grant. The transaction involved two separate purchases - the purchase of the "Inglis farm" and the purchase of the "Sexton farm." The Inglis farm consisted of ninety-six acres on both sides of the Canandaigua-Palmyra road, and encompassed one third of the western edge of the hill. The 187-acre Sexton farm was purchased from the heirs of Pliny T. Sexton, who owned the "Mormon Hill Farm" which encompassed the remainder of the hill.

[edit] No Archaeological Evidence

There is some disagreement within the LDS movement about whether the hill in New York state is the same as the place mentioned in the Book of Mormon, or if the hill was given the same name in order to honor it as the hiding place of the plates when Smith found them. However, there has been no archaeological evidence of battles of the size mentioned in the Book of Mormon found near the hill called Cumorah in New York state.

And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents around about the hill Cumorah; and it was in a land of many waters, rivers, and fountains; and here we had hope to gain advantage over the Lamanites. - Mormon 6:4

Smith and Oliver Cowdery claimed to see into a cave in the "Hill Cumorah" in vision. Within the cave were many historial records on plates and other artifacts, including the Sword of Laban and Urim and Thummim. Such a cave would not typically exist within a drumlin, and no cave has been found there. The vision or cave could be linked to hills in Meso-America - which is current theory on Book of Mormon archaeology. Mormon Archaeologists have identified other possible sites that could be "Cumorah".

[edit] Pageant

Currently, the 283-acre site near Palmyra, New York hosts the annual "Hill Cumorah Pageant." This large, outdoor theatrical production typically occurs in early July, is free to the public, and draws large crowds.