The loss of Cumorah

“So that they will not be forgotten and lost.”

In June 1877, two months before he died, a sick and feeble Brigham Young gave a sermon in Farmington, relating important facts about Cumorah “so that they will not be forgotten and lost.”

In the ensuing century, these things were widely known among Latter-day Saints. But today, few Latter-day Saints know about them.

The problem: Contrary to the Church’s direction regarding openness about its history, the Church History Department has manipulated the historical record by systematically erasing Cumorah from curriculum (Saints, websites, JS papers), historic sites and visitors centers, and museums. As Brigham feared, accurate information about Cumorah has been forgotten and lost.

The policy of omitting (“de-correlating”) Cumorah may be an effort to avoid contention, but it has the opposite effect. Omitting authentic, relevant historical sources causes confusion and supports claims that the Church “hides” its history.

Proposed solution: The Church History Department will accurately present authentic historical sources pertaining to Cumorah in historic sites, museums, and curriculum. This will allow visitors to make informed decisions for themselves.

This solution will cure the problem of the current policy of omitting these sources.

Clarification: Church leaders have wisely declined to take a position on the topic of Book of Mormon geography. Instead, leaders have consistently taught two things: (i) Cumorah/Ramah is in New York and (ii) we do not know the locations of other Book of Mormon sites in the New World.

Background.

The renovations and dedication of the Hill Cumorah in New York reflect the Church’s priority on preserving its history according to scriptural and prophetic guidance.

Yet the thousands of annual visitors to the site commonly wonder why the hill is named Cumorah.

There are two alternative answers.

1.      This historical record tells us that it was Moroni who named the hill the first time he met Joseph Smith. (See references below.)

2.      The Church History department says nothing about the historical record, but instead teaches that the name Cumorah was attached to the hill by early Church members who merely made assumptions about the hill.

The discrepancy creates confusion for Latter-day Saints and their friends. The Church History Department seeks to avoid the confusion by de-correlating historical references to Cumorah. However, omitting these sources lends support to the claims of critics that the Church is hiding its history.

The impetus for de-correlating the Cumorah sources appears to be an effort to accommodate modern theories of Book of Mormon geography that place Cumorah/Ramah in southern Mexico or elsewhere in the world.

Pursuant to this policy, the Church History Department produces content such as the website on historic sites that (i) misquotes and paraphrases scriptures (ii) uses inconsistent rationales to support its Cumorah theory, and (iii) omits specific, relevant historical accounts and documents.

See https://www.ldshistoricalnarratives.com/2025/07/church-historical-sites-and-suggestions.html

Omitting these references means that Brigham Young’s concern about knowledge being lost has come to pass.

The rising generation in the Church never learns what Joseph and Oliver explained about the hill Cumorah. As we read in Mosiah,

there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers.

2 They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ.

3 And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God

(Mosiah 26:1–3)

Among the historical references “de-correlated” by the Church History Department include the following. Like all accounts of the early days of the Restoration (First Vision, Moroni’s visit, the plates, the translation, etc.) these accounts are recollections.

1.      1823-Joseph Smith. “Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the book to be revealed.” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:20) This shows that Moroni declared glad tidings from Cumorah before the Book of Mormon was even translated.

2.      1823-Joseph Smith by his mother. “Now Joseph beware or when you go to get the plates your mind will be filled with darkness and all manner of evil will rush into your mind. To prevent you from keeping the commandments of God that you may not succeed in doing his work and you must tell your father of this for he will believe every word you say the record is on a side hill on the Hill of Cumorah 3 miles from this place remove the Grass and moss and you will find a large flat stone pry that up and you will find the record under it laying on 4 pillars of cement— then the angel left him”

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1844-1845/41 

3.      1827-Joseph Smith by his mother. [Joseph] smiled, and said in a very calm tone, “I have taken the severest chastisement, that I have ever had in my life”. My husband, supposing it was from some of the neighbors, was quite angry; and observed, “I would would like to know what business any body has to find fault with you.” “Stop, father, Stop.” said Joseph, “it was the angel of the Lord— as I passed by the hill of Cumorah, where the plates are, the angel of the Lord met me and said, that I had not been engaged enough in the work of the Lord; that the time had come for the record to <​be​> brought forth; and, that I must be up and doing, and set myself about the things which God had commanded me to do: but, Father,’ continued he, ‘give yourself no uneasiness concerning the reprimand that I have received; for I now know the course that I am to pursue; so all will be well.” https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1845/111

4.      1829-David Whitmer (quoted by Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith). In June 1829, David Whitmer traveled to Harmony to pick up Joseph and Oliver. Before leaving Harmony, Joseph had given the plates to a divine messenger. On the way back to Fayette, they encountered the messenger along the road. "When I was returning to Fayette with Joseph and Oliver all of us riding in the wagon, Oliver and I on an old fashioned wooden spring seat and Joseph behind us, while traveling along in a clear open place, a very pleasant, nice-looking old man suddenly appeared by the side of our wagon who saluted us with, “good morning, it is very warm,” at the same time wiping his face or forehead with his hand. We returned the salutation, and by a sign from Joseph I invited him to ride if he was going our way. But he said very pleasantly, “No, I am going to Cumorah.’ This name was something new to me, I did not know what Cumorah meant. We all gazed at him and at each other, and as I looked round enquiringly of Joseph the old man instantly disappeared, so that I did not see him again." REPORT OF ELDERS ORSON PRATT AND JOSEPH F. SMITH to President John Taylor and Council of the Twelve. Original: https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/dca15baa-a0ac-4fc1-b2ec-7f3cd75e4906/0/44 

5.      1830-Oliver Cowdery (quoted by Parley P. Pratt) during the mission to the Lamanites (D&C 28, 30 and 32). "This Book, which contained these things, was hid in the earth by Moroni, in a hill called by him, Cumorah, which hill is now in the State of New York, near the village of Palmyra, in Ontario County.

6.      1835 Oliver Cowdery. At about one mile west rises another ridge of less height, running parallel with the former, leaving a beautiful vale between. The soil is of the first quality for the country, and under a state of cultivation, which gives a prospect at once imposing, when one reflects on the fact, that here, between these hills, the entire power and national strength of both the Jaredites and Nephites were destroyed. By turning to the 529th and 530th pages of the book of Mormon120 you will read Mormon’s account of the last great struggle of his people, as they were encamped round this hill Cumorah. (it is printed Camorah, which is an error.) In this valley fell the remaining strength and pride of a once powerful people, the Nephites—once so highly favored of the Lord, but at that time in darkness, doomed to suffer extermination by the hand of their barbarous and uncivilized brethren. From the top of this hill, Mormon, with a few others, after the battle, gazed with horror upon the mangled remains of those who, the day before, were filled with anxiety, hope or doubt. [Mormon] abridged from those records, in his own style and language, a short account of the more important and prominent items, from the days of Lehi to his own time, after which he deposited, as he says, on the 529th page, all the records in this same hill, Cumorah and after gave his small record to his son Moroni, who, as appears from the same, finished, after witnessing the extinction of his people as a nation. … This hill, by the Jaredites, was called Ramah: by it, or around it pitched the famous army of Coriantumr their tents. …In this same spot, in full view from the top of this same hill, one may gaze with astonishment upon the ground which was twice covered with the dead and dying of our fellow men. Here may be seen where once sunk to nought the pride and strength of two mighty nations; and here may be contemplated, in solitude, while nothing but the faithful record of Mormon and Moroni is now extant to inform us of the fact…

7.      1836 “An Angel Came Down from the Mansions of Glory” Hymn 16, Collection of Sacred Hymns, 1835 (published in 1836) Pursuant to D&C 25, Emma Smith selected hymns for the first Church hymnal, published in Kirtland, Ohio, in 1836. Hymn 16 explains Moroni told Joseph that the record was hid in Cumorah. “An angel came down from the mansions of glory, And told that a record was hid in Cumorah, Containing the fulness of Jesus’s gospel; And also the cov’nant to gather his people.

8.      1840 An Angel from on High Elder Parley P. Pratt wrote the lyrics of this hymn, which he included in the hymnal he, Brigham Young and John Taylor published in Manchester, England in 1840 as hymn #197. https://archive.org/stream/collectionofsacr00youn#page/218/mode/2up Emma Smith added this hymn to her 1841 Nauvoo collection as hymn #275. https://archive.org/stream/collectionofsacr01smit#page/302/mode/2up “An angel from on high

The long, long silence broke; Descending from the sky, These gracious words he spoke: Lo! in Cumorah's lonely hill A sacred record lies concealed.

9.      1874 Brigham Young. When Joseph first received the knowledge of the plates that were in the hill Cumorah, he did not then receive the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood, he merely received the knowledge that the plates were there, and that the Lord would bring them forth, and that they contained the history of the aborigines of this country. He received the knowledge that they were once in possession of the Gospel, and from that time he went on, step by step, until he obtained the plates, and the Urim and Thummim, and had power to translate them. 18:239–JD 18:241

10. 1875 Orson Pratt “Your speech shall be low out of the dust,” the same as the Book of Mormon was taken out of the hill, anciently called Cumorah, in the State of New York. 1875, OP Book of ¶26 • JD 18:165–JD 18:166)

11. 1876 Orson Pratt. It is well known that the Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith, from certain plates which he discovered, deposited in a certain hill, anciently called Cumorah, which is situated in Ontario County, State of New York, having previously been shown the place in open vision.  (1870s1876, OP Prophecies ¶4 • JD 18:223)

12. 1877 Brigham Young “I lived right in the country where the plates were found from which the Book of Mormon was translated, and I know a great many things pertaining to that country. I believe I will take the liberty to tell you of another circumstance that will be as marvelous as anything can be. This is an incident in the life of Oliver Cowdery, but he did not take the liberty of telling such things in meeting as I take. I tell these things to you, and I have a motive for doing so. I want to carry them to the ears of my brethren and sisters, and to the children also, that they may grow to an understanding of some things that seem to be entirely hidden from the human family. Oliver Cowdery went with the Prophet Joseph when he deposited these plates. Joseph did not translate all of the plates; there was a portion of them sealed, which you can learn from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. When Joseph got the plates, the angel instructed him to carry them back to the hill Cumorah, which he did. Oliver says that when Joseph and Oliver went there, the hill opened, and they walked into a cave, in which there was a large and spacious room. He says he did not think, at the time, whether they had the light of the sun or artificial light; but that it was just as light as day. They laid the plates on a table; it was a large table that stood in the room. Under this table there was a pile of plates as much as two feet high, and there were altogether in this room more plates than probably many wagon loads; they were piled up in the corners and along the walls. The first time they went there the sword of Laban hung upon the wall; but when they went again it had been taken down and laid upon the table across the gold plates; it was unsheathed, and on it was written these words: “This sword will never be sheathed again until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and his Christ.” I tell you this as coming not only from Oliver Cowdery, but others who were familiar with it, and who understood it just as well as we understand coming to this meeting, enjoying the day, and by and by we separate and go away, forgetting most of what is said, but remembering some things. So is it with other circumstances in life. I relate this to you, and I want you to understand it. I take this liberty of referring to those things so that they will not be forgotten and lost. Carlos Smith was a young man of as much veracity as any young man we had, and he was a witness to these things. Samuel Smith saw some things, Hyrum saw a good many things, but Joseph was the leader. (1870s1877, BY Trying to ¶7 • JD 19:38)