P R E - C O L U M B I A N S T U D I E S I N S T I T U T E . J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 2 o V O L U M E 1 9 N U M B E R 1

A Response to the Heartland Book of Mormon)fy (fourth article in a series)

'ph notes grew out of questionsthe latest theory promoted by o core of LDS-at first referred to

aboutas the

Limited North American Model, or LNAM, and later changed to theHeartland Model. It was initially developed by Rod Meldrum.

In previous glyph notes articles we have presented the positives for why Mesoamerica-not the United States-is the geographical setting for The Book of Mormon. In fact, thesepast 20 years, the mission of the Pre-Columbian Studies Institute has been to providepositive, faith-building evidences from archaeology, epigraphy, and linguistics to witness thatthe book is true. This fourth article in the series will directly address this Heartland theory.

All geography theories which place Book of Mormon events in the U.S./Great Lakes/Canada regions have as an anchor a small hill at Manchester, New York, which is south ofPalmyra. Historically, this is the hill where foseph Smith was directed and found the stone boxcontaining The Book of Mormon plates deposited by Moroni, the last record keeper. Today,this hill is owned by the Church of fesus Christ of Latter-d"y Saints (LDS) and called "HillCumorah," where an annual outdoor pageant is performed in fuly (Argetsinger L992:3M).

This annual pageant has reinforced the common assumption that Moroni buried theplates of Mormon in the same hill where his father had buried the other plates, thusequating this New York hill with the Book of Mormon Cumorah. Because the NewYork site does not readily fit the Book of Mormon description of Book of Mormongeography, some Latter-day Saints have looked for other possible explanations andlocations, including Mesoamerica (Palmer 1992:346 -347).

In general, the LDS tradition embraces this hill in NewYork as the original Hill Cumorahin The Book of Mormon. In addition to the pageant, this idea is conveyed by stories passeddown through generations and by those serving their mission in that area. Their storiesare of "tremendous earthworks," "defensive trenches," large deposits of metal weapons andevidences of a major battle-all of which are either exaggerated or fabricated and are notsupported by archaeological evidences.

For many, this tradition is accepted as truth; for others who have searched for evidencesas well as studied Book of Mormon requirements, this is no longer the case. See "Lookingfor Artifacts at New York's Hill Cumorah," written by one LDS man who grew up in the"Palmyra-as-Cumorah" culture, but when he investigated, looking for archaeologicalsupport, he found there was none (BMAF Staff; also Smith 2001).

The theory has been proposed that there were two Cumorah's-one in Mesoamericaand a second in New York. John Clark, former director of the New \florld ArchaeologicalFoundation, relates:

Until I heard the two-Cumorah theory after returning from my mission, I had noidea that the location of Cumorah was even a question or that the location of Bookof Mormon lands was a topic of research. My initial reaction was to take offenseand to argue the point . . . it soon dawned on me that I had unthinkingly accepted

Cont'd on page 2

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IleSpOll.Se ('or t t'rl f)ot t r l trrut' I

a traditional view of the matter and had neverseriously looked at the statements from the Bookof Mormon (Clark 1994:93-94).

So, What's It All About?The foundational beliefs that led to the Heartland

theory can be summarized as follows: 1) Cumorahanchored in New York; 2) possible U.S. Native AmericanDNA evidence linked to the Middle East, leading toselected civilizations of Hopewell and Adena as Bookof Mormon people; and 3) scriptural support relatingto prophecies and promises in The Book of Mormon.These beliefs led to the development of a "hierarchy"of witnesses or standard works. Meldrum ranks themin order of importance (Porter and Meldrum 2009:19).

1. Book of Mormon prophecies and promises .. . in relation to the Promised Land and thepeople associated with it.

2. Inspired and revealed statements of theProphet Joseph Smith on geography.

3, Physical "real world" evidence, such ascorrelating civilizations in the correct timeframe, archaeological findings as describedwithin the text, the cultural lifestyles, geneticrelationships, and linguistic ties.

4. Geographical indicators or passages containedwithin the Book of Mormon.

Meldrum treats the first two categories as nearly equalin "credibility" and "strength." Along with prophecies andpromises from The Book of Mormon, any and all wordsof foseph Smith are equally considered as inspired andrevelatory as The Book of Mormon. This also includesaccounts of what others say loseph said. The third categorycombines the DNA and archaeology "evidences." Thelast, and least-valued, category views Book of Mormongeographical references as incomplete and inconclusivebecause it does not fit their paradigm.

1. Prophecies and Promised LandThe top category of "Heartland" witnesses is described

as spiritual and prophetic. The key scripture used insupport of this theory is the prophecy about the Gentileswho go forth out of captivity to the Land of Promiseand obtain their land of inheritance (Nephi's vision, INephi 3:148-177 [13:13-30 LDS]). Additional promisesand prophecies in The Book of Mormon are quotedextensively and used to prove that "the United States isthe only nation in the

'Western Hemisphere that qualifies"

as the Land of Promise (emphasis added; Porter andMeldrum 2009:19,94).

But is it?

As I began to focus my own study on the variouspassages, the reference in Nephi's vision turned out tobe the key in toppling their house of cards and in factis the very scripture that led me to an entirely differentconclusion. The crucial point is that the Gentiles' land

GREATER IANDOF PROMISE

Lands ofInheritance

Gcntiles outof Captivity

I! - ;

JareditesHi l lCumorah .

Narrow necky' lt/k|lt&

Narrow Strip Vof Wilderness

Figure 1. Greater Land of Promise-showing lands ofinheritance for four groups

of inheritance is upon the Land of Promise and does notnecessarily mean their land of inheritance covers theentirety of the Land of Promise. It is "a mighty nationamong the Gentiles upon the face of this land," i.e., thereare more Gentiles than just in the mighty nation, and is"above all other nations upon the face of the land" or inother words, this nation is not the only nation on thisLand of Promise.

The Book of Mormon account records that threeseparate groups were brought to the Land of Promise,each to a dffirent location-the faredites (to the LandNorthward), Lehi's group (to the southern part of the LandSouthward), and the people of Mulek (to the northern partof the Land Southward). See Figure 1 above. Throughexamining the four groups brought to the PromisedLand-three separate areas in Mesoamerica and theGentiles as the fourth group in the U.S.-I saw distinctlands given for an inheritance to each nation, all within agreater Land of Promise.

2. Inspired and revealed statements of the Prophet|oseph Smith on geography

In the second category of their hierarchy of witnessesare the "inspired and revealed" statements of the Prophetfoseph Smith on geography, including accounts of whatothers say foseph said. Table 1 at right presents excerptsfrom a few letters by foseph Smith referring to a range ofplaces, from the U.S. to "Central America." In addition,during his tenure as editor of Times €z Seasons (March15, 1842 through November 15, 1842), there appeared anumber of his editorial articles highlighting discoveriesin Guatemala, etc., and associating them with The Bookof Mormon (see Table 2 on page 4).

However, from the Heartland viewpoint, fosephcouldn't possibly have written these articles becausethey say that, during part of this time as editor, fosephwas apparently in hiding. Meldrum concludes that he isnot even in town so someone else has to be responsiblefor these statements. Research, however, has shown thatfoseph was in town, staying with friends until October8th (Lund 2009).

The statements in Tables 1 and 2 made by foseph

Pecr z

Smith illustrate his openness to consider a larger areathan just the United States. As evidences came forthand knowledge grew, so did his understanding of thelands of The Book of Mormon. These statements are"primary sources," whereas numerous accounts by othersof what foseph said are "secondary." Primary or firsthandwitnesses differ from secondary witnesses which areperceived as secondhand or hearsay and are consideredinadmissible in a court of law. It is because Meldrum viewseverything |oseph said as inspired and revelatory that hemust dismiss the Times and Seasons comments attributedto him. It is my opinion that excluding these Times andSeasons comments by foseph is an attempt to discredit aMesoamerican connection. This becomes apparent whenyou realize that the "secondary" information is crucial tothe Heartland theory about the geography correlations ascovered below.

3. Physical "real world" evidenceThe third category in part combines DNA and

archaeological "evidences." The identification of the

archaeology region for The Book of Mormon lands isdirectly tied to DNA studies among the U.S. NativeAmericans. But it is not sound scholarship to make thisleap, to draw absolute conclusions based on incomplete,preliminary data. For more about this research see thetimely article by Don Beebe in which he points out that"caution must be exercised in claiming too much for thismethod.... Many of the discrepancies and much of theunreliability of the data employed in the study lies inthe sample sizes of the populations used" (Beebe 2004:3,quoting Peter fones of the University of Georgia). Asnew data was released (the European and Middle Eastconnection), "earlier conclusi "(emphasis in original). "However, the experts in the fieldhave raised serious doubts and advised caution" (Beebe2OO4:7).

This caution should still be exercised, based oncontinuing disagreement and conflict in this field ofstudy. Even the genetic experts disagree. "Significantloss of mtDNA information . . . can occur in short time

Cont'd on page 5

Table 1. Correspondence by Joseph 5mith with Geographic Comments

Smith's personal correspondence conveys a range of ideas, all of which can be understood as applying to a greater Land ofPromise, incfuding the tribes of Indians in the U.S. to Stephens' book lncrdents of Trcvel in Central Amertca, Chiapas and YVcatdnas the area in which The Book of Mormon events took Dlace.

Lerrer to Editor , Ameiten Revivalist Newspqcr; New %r'k, 1833

(emphasis in Porter and Meldrum 2009:107; lessee 1984i273-2741

' l*tta' to John Bernhiset frcm Joseph $nith, November t( r84t, thanking him for scrxling Stephcns' book trNdet*of Iiavelby way of Witford Wocxlruff:

In handwriting of John Taylor (emphasis added, Jessee 1984:501-502)

Letter ro Emma, June 4,t83+

(emphasis in Porter and Meldrum 2009:113; Jessee 1984:324; original letter in possession of Community of Christ)

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Table 2. Geographic comments in Times and Seasons During Joseph 5mith's Editorship

Comments express Joseph's views of both this "country" reflecting the U.S. as a place of inhabitants today, as well as this

"continent" reflecting "Central America" as the place where the events of The Book of Mormon occurred-which can be

understood as applying to a greater Land of Promise. The Heartland view rejects all references to "Central America" as being

made by Joseph. Misspellings are in the originals; italics added for emphasis.

To susscnrsnns. This paper commences my editor iat carecr, I alonc stand rcsporrsible for it, and shalldo for alt papers having my signalurc henceforward. -March 15, 1842 (smith 1842:3[9]:710)

.,*': Cuuncg HIsToRy. tr was atso informed conccrning rhe aboriginat inhabitants of this coturtt\', and shoi'rr'ief sketch of theil origin, progress, civitization, laws,I and the blessings of God being finally withdrawn' tr was atso totd whele there was depositcd sorncthe recolds of thc ancient prophets that had existed

on this corrlinet l -March 15, 1842, Wentworth Letter (smith 1a42i3l9l:7o7)

', ' AMERtrcAN Arurrqurnns. trf men, in rheir rcsearchcs into the history of this couno\' . . . were toexaminc the Book of Mormon, lheir conjectur es wocrld [:e t'cmoved . . . a g! eat arrd a mighq' pcoptehad inhabiced this continent... that there was as grea! and mighty cities on this colrtinen! as on theconlinen! of Asia.... Stcphens and CathcrwoodS rescarches in Cenn'al Amez'cz abundantty tcstifyof this thing. The stuperrdous ruins, the etegant scutpturc, and che magnificence of the t'uins ofGuatamala, and other cilics, corroborate this statement, and show that a great and migh4' peopte ... inhabitcd this continent Their ruins spcak of their greatrress; thc Book of Mormon r.rnfolds their

,- history.-EO. -June 15, 1842, (smith 1842:3[18]:860)

The following quote was preceded by excerpts relating to Copan, Honduras, and Palenque, Mexico and ended with this

cditorial comment:

The folegoing extract has been made to assis! the Lattcr-Day Sairrts, in esrablishing the Book ofMcri'mon as levetatiorr fi'om God. trr af fords grcthat evcrr the most credlrtotrs cannot doubt.. .arc made bale to the eyes of pll the people by rMormorr. Thev lived about lhc natL'ow neck of .rhe cities that can be fourrd.... Who could have drcamed !ha! lwclvc ycars wotrld have dcvelopedsuch inconlrover'libte testimont to the Book of Mormonl surely thc Lord worketh and none canhirrder. -September 15, 1842, Extract from Stephens' ,ncrdents of Travel in Central America (smith 1842:3[22]:911-915)

Zanespula. Since our'Excract'was pubtished from Mr. Stephens' 'Inciderrts

of Travell 8(c., wehave for.rnd anocher important fac! relalirrg to lhe !ru[h of the Book of Mormon. Ccnlrat America,or Guatimala, is siltratcd nor[h of the trsthmus of Darien . . . The citl' of ZTrahemla, burnt at thecrucifixion of the Savior, and lebuilt afrerwards, stood upon rhis land... trt is certainly a good thingfor the exceltency arrd varaciti', of thc divine authenticit)' of the Book of Mormon, that thc ruins ofZarahemla have beerr fourrd whcre the i'{ephitcs lcft them... trt wilt not be a bad plan !o comDareMr. Stcphens' ruined cities with rhose in the Book of Molmorr, tight cteaves to ligrht, and facti arcsuppolfcd by facts. -October 1, 1842, article (smith 1€,42i31231i927) lfollowing this article, another'Extract' is quoted(927-928)1.

Veleorctonv. I beg lcave to inform thc strbscrfor mc !o futfil rhc ardtrous dutics of the edirorbtsiness that daity devolvcs upon me, rendels itcirculated as the Trmes and Seasons. tr have appoirra new volume, i! also commerrces his editolial cafeer. -November 15, 1842 (smith 1842:4[1]:8)

ReSpOnSe ContrtJionr pn-qe 3

frames" (per Smith 2010, quoting Helgason et al 2003). Inaddition, the expectation of finding links between modernand ancient populations has had little success; in otherwords, current DNA results cannot reliably be connectedto ancient populations (\ffade 2OO2).

From the view of the greater Land of Promise, TheBook of Mormon contributes to our understanding ofthe makeup of the remnant today, in both Mesoamericaand north. The Book of Mormon tells us that after thenations are "swept off," the people would not all be utterlydestroyed-there would remain a "mixture" of Nephi'sseed, as well as the seed of his brother |oseph, amongtheir brethren, the Lamanites. Numerous migrationsnorthward took place-by land and by water (Alma 30:5-14 [63:4-10]; Helaman 2:3-10,13 [3:3-10, 14]).

When observing the greater land we must considerthat ancestors of many of the U.S. tribes are linked toMesoamerica. Anthropology and archaeology, as wellas tradition among the Native Americans, inform us ofconnections with Mesoamerica, through both migrationsand trade.

Also it is entirelypossible that many Native Americanstoday include faredite descendants. During the long termof the |aredite civilization, in their "land of inheritance"above the Narrow Neck, they would naturally spread outand obviously occupy those lands northward throughmigrations. An even bigger picture might also includeother people who arrived in various transoceanic contacts.Thus, we can say that today among Native Americans isa mixture of Lehi's seed, including his son |oseph, alsoNephites (migrations, as well as dissenters who survivedamong the Lamanites), Mulekites (of Judah), and faredites(Asian connection)-a very complex mixture indeed.

Included also in this third level of hierarchicalwitnesses are archaeological evidences which will beaddressed below.

4, Geographical indicators or passages containedwithin The Book of Mormon

This is the least valued category in the hierarchy ofsources by Meldrum and his followers who view Book ofMormon geographical references as "having some degreeof shortcomings if not insurmountable flaws" (Porterand Meldrum 2009:11). This becomes clear throughpresentations (Meldrum 2008) and books (Meldrum 2009;Porter and Meldrum 2009), as any and all association ofThe Book of Mormon with Mesoamerica are dismissed.Those who propose a Mesoamerican setting are seenas using a "geographic-passage-only method," ignoringthe prophetic or spiritual, "reading into the text privatemusings about archaeology, geography or culture," and"undue trust in the secular 'philosophies of men"' (Porterand Meldrum 2009:9-10). Thus, the strongest opponentto a shift to the U.S. area was the "grand assumption"that Mesoamerica was the setting, "yet it is a completelyunsubstantiated assumption an assumption basedon . . . much speculation" (Meldrum 2009:2I). They do,

however, acknowledge Mesoamerica as part of the "othersheep" because of evidences of association with thevisitation of the resurrected Savior (Porter and Meldrum2009:105).

This overall evaluation of the Mesoamerican view-point clearly shows a lack of even rudimentary under-standing of archaeology, especially as it relates to The Bookof Mormon. By dismissing Book of Mormon geographyreferences as "incomplete and misleading," it is Meldrum'spresentation that is incomplete and misleading. Meldrum'sstatement that "the secular and physical information . . .was in large measure edited out by inspired men of God"(Porter and Meldrum 2009:136-137) demonstrates a lackof understanding of this treasured record and numerousstatements by the record keepers that its contents weredivinely controlled.

The first error is the view that "the sacred space onthe plates was reserved for the more important propheciesand promises" (Porter and Meldrum 2009:12). He appliesthis view to the entire Book of Mormon while basing iton two statements which specifically refer to the smallplates of Nephi. The first reference is the commandmentto Nephi that "the ministry and prophecies . . . shouldbe written upon these plates" (1 Nephi 5:223-224 [19:3]).The second reference lifts the phrase "prophesyings andrevelations" from Words of Mormon and applies it to theentirety of The Book of Mormon record to come to theremnant (4 Nephi 1:59 [1:49]).

Mormon's comment actually refers to when he foundthe small plates: "I shall take these plates which containthese prophesyings and revelations and put them with theremainder of my record" (Words of Mormon 1:9 [1:6]).Nephi tells us that his set of other plates, the large plates,is for the civil history: "Wherefore, I, Nephi, did make arecord upon the other plates which gives an account. . . ofthe wars and contentions and destructions of my people"(1 Nephi 5:225 [19:4]), and also "an account of the reigns ofkings" (1 Nephi 2:97-98 [9:a]). When the small plates werefull and turned over to King Benjamin, both the sacredand civil accounts were kept on the large plates. Becausethis portion of The Book of Mormon-the small plates-is "as written" (and not abridged), we are blessed with therichness of the sacred history during this early period.Beginning with the book of Mosiah, we have Mormon'sabridgement from the large plates, which contains boththe spiritual and civil accounts.

The second error is to dismiss any geographicreferences as incomplete and flawed. This is clearly indirect contrast to the three major Book of Mormonwriters, Nephi, Mormon, and Moroni, who record thatthey were directed by God what to put in and what to leaveout as they wrote (Treat 1992b). As a principle or generaltruth that the contents were divinely controlled, this leadsto an increased appreciation of all material in The Bookof Mormon. Included in the abridged portion of The Bookof Mormon are spiritual teachings, as well as numerousdetails interwoven in various accounts of warfare,

Cont'd on page 6

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missionary trips and migrations with an abundance ofclues that will ultimately lead us to a complete geography.In addition, Mormon, as military leader, as well as abridgerand author, inserts what is known as the main geographicdescription in Alma 13:68-80 122:27-341. This insertion,made nearly 350 years after the upheaval at the time of thecrucifixion, confirms that the relationships of the landsand geographic features are still relevant, and that theyare important enough to include (Treat I992a:I4I).

Mesoamerica/Heartland ComparisonsIn order to identify the setting where The Book of

Mormon events unfolded, it is essential to consider whatthe record says. The Book of Mormon ls the primarysource! In addition to places and their relationships,as well as words that indicate elevations (such as up,over, and down), consideration also includes the overalltimelines of events, migrations/movements of people, etc.This is contrary to the Heartland position. When theydismiss this information and ignore it out of hand, theytake out of the equation the prominent body of evidencethat contributes to a 3,000-year mirror image of TheBook of Mormon/Mesoamerica timeline. This leavesthem only meager evidences for the "favored" Heartlandarea-where much research is old, out of date, but also notas intensely studied as Mesoamerica because it is lackingadvanced civilizations.

The fact remains-no civilization in the U.S./Canadaregion can compare as even a dim bulb to a millionwatt flood light on Mesoamerican evidences that fitBook of Mormon requirements! Only Mesoamerica hasa multitude of parallel evidences, filled in over the yearsas new details have come forth. While archaeology hascontinued to change its viewpoint, The Book of Mormonhas not-perhaps one of the strongest witnesses to thereality of its historicity and geographical landscape, whilethe Heartland view presents creative interpretations ofgeography and molds as pliable clay Book of Mormonreferences.

Let's look at two key Book of Mormon geographical

features and consider com-parisons with Mesoamericaand the U.S. Heartland cor-relations: Hill Cumorah andthe River Sidon and its head.Side-by-side comparisons ofthese features are shown inTable 3 at right along witha couple others. The Bookof Mormon references andMesoamerican correlationsshould be familiar to ourreaders from numerousbooks and materials wide-ly available (see Figure 2below), so we will focus onthe Heartland points.

The main Heart landanchor is the designation ofthe New York hill at Palmyraas The Book of MormonHill Cumorah, which doesnot fit Book of Mormonrequirements in relation toother places. Cerro Rabon inMexico is believed by someto be the Hil l Cumorahwhere Mormon hid up alltherecords except those platesthat became The Book ofMormon (Mormon 3:8 [6:6]).The record, which becameThe Book of Mormon, wascreated mainly by Mormonand completed by his sonMoroni and was abridgedfrom the records hid up inHill Cumorah. Some yearslater, Moroni depositedthis abridged record ina hill in the State of NewYork where |oseph Smithwould be able to find themby divine direction. Josephstated, "Convenient to thevillage of Manchesterstands a hill of considerablesize" (Smith L84L:77). It wasOliver Cowdery and otherswho first began calling it HillCumorah (Vflooley 2010).This designation seems tohave been incorporated into

Led into Land Northward(Alma 30:6 [63:51); betweenthe Land Northward andthe Land Southward

Same hil l as Ramah(Ether 6:83 [15:11], Mormon3:8 [6:6]); in Land Northward(Mormon 1:61 [2:29])

Divides Land of Nephifromthe Land of Zarahemla (Almat 3 : 58-69; 15:1 4 122:27 ; 27 :1 41]l ;ran from Sea East to Sea West andround about on borders of seashoreand borders of wilderness on northby Land of Zarahemla, throughborders of Manti by head of RiverSidon (Alma 13:68-69 122.271l-

By borders of Manti, by NarrowStrip of Wilderness, (Alma 13:69

122:271), by line fortified betweenLands of Zarahemla and Nephi,running by head of River Sidon(Alma 22:11 [50:11]) , Land of Mant inear South Wilderness at higherelevat ion (Alma 11:9 [16:51)

Flows from higher elevationdown into Land of Zarahemlawhich is north of land of Nephi(Afma 1 :70; 13:69 [2:15; 22:271);City of Zarahemla west of RiverSidon (Afma 1:83-84 12,,26-2lll;runs to the sea (Alma 1:101; 20:97[3:3;44:221)

everyday language much as a "historical myth."The Heartland theory believes the Mississippi River

(which flows south) is the Sidon, with "anchors" ofZarahemla (in lowa, across from Nauvoo) and Manti(Huntsville, Missouri), and the "head" of Sidon the junc-Figure 2. Mesoamerica with key features

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Mountain range from Sea East(Caribbean) to Sea West(Pacific) divides southernhighlands of Guatemala fromnorthern lowland

lsthmus of Tehuantepec

Possibly Cerro Rabon inMexico, north of Oaxaca

Usumacinta flows north fromhighlands of Guatemala,empties into Gulf of Mexico

Land between LakesSouth) and Ontario (Sea East)

East of Narrow Neck, south ofthe Land Desolation

No definitive information

Confluence of Mississippi andMissouri rivers (and nearby l l l inoisRiver) (Meldrum 2010);previously indicated at confluenceof Mississippi and Ohio rivers(Meldrum 2008)

Flows south, past "Zarahemla"

across from Nauvoo and "Manti"at Huntsvil le, Missouri, pastLand of Nephi, empties intoGulf of Mexico

"Up" in wilderness, north ofmountain range, headwaters ofUsumacinta River, highlands ofGuatemala

tion of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers (Meldrum 2008)or the Mississippi, Missouri and nearby Ill inois rivers(Meldrum 2010). To reach this conclusion, Meldrurn statesin his DVD presentation that a city was established acrossfrom Nauvoo named Zarahemla (Lee Citv, Iowa), but he

doesn't know if it 's the same Zarahemla as in The Book ofMormon (Meldrum 2008:Section 5). However, he goes onto say that he doesn't believe this is a "New Zarahemla,"but the actual location of the original Book of Mormoncity and includes it in his list of map "anchors." His reasonis tied to a revelation given in March 1841 in D&C L25:l-4 (LDS only) where God named the city. But this newsettlement was "called Zarahemla" by the Saints as earlyas 1838, and in L841, according to Roper, "the Lord. . . wasmerely referencing a location already [known] among theSaints by that name" (Roper 2010) and not the Zarahemlaof The Book of Mormon.

South of this Zarahemla, the Mississippi and its con-vergence with either the Ohio or Missouri and Ill inois aredesignated, according to Meldrum, as the "head" of theRiver Sidon. Meldrum's interpretation of "head" rests onan alternate definition to the one generally accepted as"the principle source of a stream, as the head of the Nile."Instead he favors the definitions of "conflux" and "conflu-ence": "a flowing together; a meeting of two or more cur-rents" and "the place of meeting, as the confluence of theTigris and the Frat" (Meldrum 2010).

A key geographic reference for locating the head ofthe River Sidon is the identification of the city of Manti.Manti in The Book of Mormon is at a higher elevation, bythe head of the River Sidon and near the Narrow Strip of\r)flilderness (mountainous range) that runs from the SeaEast to the Sea'West. Meldrum identifies Manti with theMissouri city of Huntsville, based solely on secondarysources which say that it was revealed by loseph. Actually,though, Joseph was not in the area at the time. In 1838 thisManti referred to the "place where the city of Manti is /obe built" rather than a reference to "the ancient site of thecity of Manti" (emphasis in original; Roper 2010).

Meldrum concludes that the Sidon flowing south isacceptable because it flows past Zarahemla and 'down'

towards Manti (Meldrum 2010). But, this belief requiresthe River Sidon to flow past the Land of Nephi (see Figure3 on page 8), which is something created without anypossible Book of Mormon foundation. There is nothing inMissouri, nor ranging from there to the Sea East (LakeOntario in Heartland view) and the Sea West (LakeMichigan in Heartland view) that fits the mountainousstrip with Manti which should be between these "seas."

ConclusionAfter reviewing the above points which are the

foundations to this new Heartland theory, as well as afew key geographical correlations, it serves little purposeto continue to evaluate detail for detail every type ofcorrelation. If the foundation is sand (and not rock), thehouse falls. The fact remains-no civilization in theU.S.iCanada region can compare as even a dim bulb to amillion watt flood light on Mesoamerican evidences thatfit Book of Mormon requirements! Only Mesoamerica hasa multitude of parallel evidences, filled in over the years asnew details have come forth.

Pece 7

D n n r n n t l t o / t / - ,KeSpOnS? Cont'd.fi"orn pnge 7

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BOOK OF

Figure 3. Heartland with key featuresPnce 8