James E. Talmage
Is Cumorah, Cumorah?

by Don R. Hender

(Apostle - Scholar - Mormon Doctrinal Authority)

Renown and revered by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, James E. Talmage was an exceptional person. His academic and spiritual scholarship and achievement stands apart. Best know for his masterful book on the subject of Jesus Christ entitled, 'Jesus the Christ,' Dr. Talmage also wrote a number of other doctrinal books, including the one quoted from here. His book, entitled 'Articles of Faith,' expounded upon the basic thirteen Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This book, 'commissioned' by the Church, is held under Church copyright. One of a select few books so held and authorized by the LDS Church. From the pages of this book, 'Articles of Faith,' by James E. Talmage comes these two quotes with regard to the Hill Cumorah and its location.

"On the occasion of his first visit to Joseph Smith, Moroni told of the existence of the record, which, he said, was engraved on plates of gold, at that time lying buried in the side of a hill near Joseph's home. The hill, which was known by one division of the ancient peoples as Cumorah, by another as Ramah, is situated near Palmyra in the State of New York."

(James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981], 231.)

"The final struggles between Nephites and Lamanites were waged in the vicinity of the Hill Cumorah, in what is now the State of New York, resulting in the destruction of the Nephites as a nation, about 400 A.D. The last Nephite representative was Moroni, who, wandering for safety from place to place, daily expecting death from the victorious Lamanites, wrote the concluding parts of the Book of Mormon, and hid the record in Cumorah. It was this same Moroni who, as a resurrected being, gave the records into the hands of Joseph Smith in the present dispensation."

(James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981], 235.)

More About James E. Talmage and the Articles of Faith

"Articles of Faith is considered one of the classics in Latter-day Saint literature. It is the outgrowth of a series of lectures in theology given by Dr. James E. Talmage, commencing in October of 1893. At that time Dr. Talmage was serving as the president of the LDS College in Salt Lake City. The First Presidency of the Church invited Dr. Talmage to prepare a text for use in Church schools and religion classes.

The book was first published in 1899. It has since been published in thirteen foreign languages and been through more than fifty English editions. It was last revised by the author in 1924, at which time it was consistent with the organization and practices of the Church as they existed in his day. It is reprinted here without change.

James E. Talmage was born in Hungerford, Berkshire, England, September 21, 1862. He emigrated to the United States at an early age and was trained as a scientist and educator. On December 7, 1911, he was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, where he served faithfully until his death on July 27, 1933. This volume, together with the classic Jesus the Christ, sets forth Elder Talmage's testimony of the Savior and of the Church which bears His name."

(James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981], i.)

JESUS THE CHRIST

Outside the Cannonized or Authorized Scriptures of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, very few text have gained any degree of offical LDS sanction as to be held in copyright by the LDS Church. That is with the exception of their published manuals used for church worship and training and such. Among these is Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage, the only text which is so provided with MP3 sound files of the complete text on the Church's Offical website under the Audio Files section where is also found the LDS Scriptures (See LDS Official Web Site under the Gospel Library heading and then under Media Formats and then Compressed Audio Files).

In that 'Church Approved' text, Elder Talmage has also so presented his consider view of the Book of Mormon Geography as incidental to the subject of the text and the acceptable location for the Nephite Hill of Comorah. Speaking of the Nephite retreat before the Lamanites in their ending battles of the Nephite extentinction Elder Talmage has written:

That Elder Talmage referred to the hill Cumorah in New York state from which the Book of Mormon plates were retrived by Joseph Smith is of no doubt. Later in that same 'Church Approved' text Elder Talmage further notes concerning the Book of Mormon plates as revealed to Joseph Smith by the Angel Moroni:

Never has the LDS Church so sanctioned any other location for the Hill Cumorah in all such publications concerning the hill's local but that of being the same as the Hill Cumorah known in Church History, being in New York State.

Also see James E. Talmage Traditional Geography.
Rev. 8-1-01

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