According to the Book of Mormon, only those brought by the hand of God are allowed to come to and posses this land. The discovery of America was an event when the Spirit of the Lord wrought upon Columbus, bring him to the lands of America. Our colonial fathers, who came to the shores of this great nation, came in search of religious freedom, to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. And as a part of this 'religious freedom' our nation was dedicated to the principles of rights of man and liberty was born.

This founding of the Great Nation of America was only one phase in midst a multitude of events, which where necessary to the return of the Kingdom of God upon the face of the earth. From the days of the Great Apostasy which preceded the world's fall into the 'Dark Ages,' the step by step events which would occupy the 'Despensation of the Fullness of Times were required to prepare for Christ's Second Coming. The 'Rebirth of Learning' known as the Renaissance was but the first phase. Based upon this new knowledge base, great necessary advancements began to come forth, and the age of enlightenment has continued until our day when it is processing at an accelerated rate.

The Reformation of false religion was the next major necessary phase. And even though it began in Europe, its necessary purposes could only be accomplished in a 'free land' such as the United States of America. And even then, when the truth was restored, the forces of 'false traditional religion' would fight the coming forth of Christ's Church upon this land and the return of all the Godly powers of administration of the Kingdom of God to earth.

The connection between the Church of Jesus Christ and the founding of this nation are inseparable. It was a nation founded upon the belief in God, that God had created all men to be on an equal basis before him, and that He was no respecter of persons. The free agency of man, which was one of the points of contention from the very beginning in the pre-existence, was now guaranteed by the divinely inspired Constitution of this great land. The principles upon which this country was founded, are the correct principles of God. Upon our coinage, we honor and show our faith by the statement of 'In God We Trust.' Our coins also have stamped upon them as is stamped upon the heart of every true America, the label of 'LIBERTY.' It was in defense for such 'LIBERTY,' which Captain Moroni of the Book of Mormon would raise his standard. We are indeed 'One Nation Under God' which believes in 'Liberty and 'Justice for All.'

This nation has long endured for over 225 years. And as long as it keeps its faith based in the God of this Land, it will continue to do so. The Book of Mormon is a testament to that fact. And if one includes in this assessment, the events of the days of Adam and Noah, which also took place upon this land, it can be shown to be the consistent ruling matter regarding the possession of this land.

The date of this nation's birth is given as 1776. Joseph Smith was born in 1805, just at the time when this nation was beginning to expand beyond its initial limits of the original thirteen colonies. The avenues that would open the way west where just being to be established. The exploration of Lewis and Clark was just taking place, which would be the first basis for our nation's claim from sea to shining sea. The Louisiana Purchase was just happening. The Erie Canal was in process which would open the way to the Ohio, and from there, by 1830 when the Church was first organized the Western frontier would be marked by the Mississippi River with 'Indian Country' to the west of it. The Church could not have been founded any earlier and still had the access to the lands that it needed to have access to. Even the territory of 'Utah' was not even a part of the United States until one year after the arrival of the saints into the Salt Lake Valley. It had been the territory of Mexico until the Cession of 1848.

Joseph Smith records in scripture the significance of the events of the restoration of the Church, as unfolding from the very lands of Cumorah. "And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets--the book to be revealed. A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of the book! The voice of Michael on the bands of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light! The voice of Peter, James, and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times!" (D&C 128:20)

New York, the land of the battlefields of the Jaredites' and Nephites' destruction and their dead bodies resting in the dust of the earth, the land of the battlefields of the liberty of this New Nation. The dust from which the plates of the Book of Mormon would be taken from was the dust of the dead. And Moroni declaring that the 'promises of the fathers were being fulfilled, as the hearts of the children would turn. And the atonement of Christ would become a reality to be realized by all who had ever lived upon the face of the earth as promised and covenanted before the very foundation of this world in the pre-councils in heaven. And all this as the glad tidings would roll forth by the restoration of all things began in the very lands of the Judgements of God.

And it is only God's Mercy, Love and Grace, which can satisfy that Judgement and Justice, where by man might be saved. 'America,' may God's Grace shine on thee, for it is but only by the Grace and Mercy of God that we are redeemed from the Fall of Adam. And in the Land of Adam of Adam-ondi-Ahman, in the Land of the United States, in these lands of the promise, in these Americas, are the promises of old fulfilled of Joseph and Jacob and Isaac, and Abraham, and Noah, and Enoch and Adam. And 'deliverance is found in the remnant, even those of Ephraim, which is called' (Joel 2:32) to perform this restoration and administration in the 'last days' of earth's probation prior to the Second Coming of Christ. 'God Bless America.' And through God's blessings upon America, may God's blessings fill the whole earth and bless all of mankind, from the very beginning days of Adam until the end of the days of probation in Christ.