Choice Above All Other Lands: Book of Mormon Covenant Lands According to the Best Sources by W. Vincent Coon
Touted as being:
- “The Genuine Setting for the Book of Mormon”
- “Book of Mormon Covenant Lands”
- “About So Much More Than Geography”
- “A must read for those seeking solid answers”
- “Choice above all other lands”
- “According to the BEST SOURCES”
The H38 has wrecked havoc in this model. The very land that “covenants” made “choice above all others” IS OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES:
“Conclusion 8, the Surrounding Seas of the Land Northward: Crossing beyond the Niagara River and traveling westward through the 20 mile wide isthmus between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, one arrives in a land where Lake Erie (the Nephite west sea) is on the south, Georgian Bay is to north, Lake Huron is on the west and Lake Ontario is east. Within and to the north of this region are ‘large bodies of water and many rivers’ (Helaman 3:4)” [Source]
The belief that the Niagara Gorge was being crossed as if it were a stream and that the Sea West doubles as a Sea South and Sea East is preposterous. When will modelers view their ideas from the ground level and stop hypothesizing from satellite images? According to Coon, Olive, Aston, and Curtis, the Nephites could have retreated westward across Ontario into Michigan or further; or north into the seemingly limitless reaches of Canada and escaped their enemy. The only escape route was “southward.” (Mormon 6:15)
To prove once and for all the area immediately north of the Narrow Passage was all of the Land Northward they had we see that they maintained ONE LINE OF DEFENSE NOT FAR FROM THE NARROW PASSAGE:
And it came to pass that they came against us again and we did maintain the city and there were also OTHER CITIES WHICH WERE MAINTAINED BY THE NEPHITES WHICH STRONG HOLDS DID CUT THEM OFF THAT THEY COULD NOT GET INTO THE COUNTRY WHICH LAY BEFORE US to destroy the inhabitants of our land. (Mormon 5:4)
This line of forts has been identified: Map
The Hill Shim was near this last line of fortification that protected the rest of the Land Northward:
And now I, Mormon, seeing that the Lamanites were ABOUT TO OVERTHROW THE LAND therefore I did go to the HILL SHIM and did take up all the records which Ammaron had hid up unto the Lord. (Mormon 4:23)
Where was the Hill Shim? It was not far from the City Desolation:
19 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come down against the city Desolation; and there was an exceedingly sore battle fought in the land Desolation, in the which they did beat the Nephites.
20 And they fled again from before them, and they came to the city Boaz; and there they did stand against the Lamanites with exceeding boldness, insomuch that the Lamanites did not beat them until they had come again the second time.
21 And when they had come the second time, the Nephites were driven and slaughtered with an exceedingly great slaughter; their women and their children were again sacrificed unto idols.
22 And it came to pass that the Nephites did again flee from before them, taking all the inhabitants with them, both in towns and villages.23 And now I, Mormon, seeing that the Lamanites were ABOUT TO OVERTHROW THE LAND therefore I did go to the HILL SHIM and did take up all the records which Ammaron had hid up unto the Lord. (Mormon 4)
Where was the City Desolation? It was by the Narrow Pass:
5 And it came to pass that I did cause my people that they should gather themselves together at the land Desolation, to a city which was in the borders, BY THE NARROW PASS which led into the land southward.
6 And there we did place our armies, that we might stop the armies of the Lamanites, that they might not get possession of any of our lands; therefore we did fortify against them with all our force.
7 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and first year the Lamanites did come down to the city of Desolation to battle against us; and it came to pass that in that year we did beat them, insomuch that they did return to their own lands again. (Mormon 3)
The Hill of Shim was east of the Narrow Pass:
And the Lord warned Omer in a dream that he should depart out of the land wherefore Omer departed out of the land with his family and traveled many days and CAME OVER and passed by the HILL OF SHIM and came over by the place WHERE THE NEPHITES WERE DESTROYED and from thence EASTWARD (Ether 9:3)
From which direction did Omer come? From the west and north where the Jaredites first landed, near the Land of Moron:
Now the land of Moron where the king dwelt was near the land which is called Desolation by the Nephites. (Ether 7:6)
And he gave battle unto Shule the king in which he did obtain the land of their first inheritance; (Ether 7:16)
Omer departed out of the land [of Moron] with his family and traveled many days and CAME OVER and passed by the HILL OF SHIM and came over by the place WHERE THE NEPHITES WERE DESTROYED and from thence EASTWARD (Ether 9:3)
Which is why the final battle occurred in Cumorah on the east. If the alleged “further” lands northward “of the Land Northward” went into Canada, and if they somehow could cross the large Niagara Gorge, surely the Nephites would have retreated that direction not east which was bordered by the large Genesee Gorge, the Grand Canyon of the East.
This proposition lacks merit, whether from the Internal, Physical or Spiritual point of view.
Coon, like Olive, needs to produce an Internal Map.
Q. Did sacred events of the restoration not take place on land that was inhabited by peoples of the Book of Mormon?
A. “Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony Pennsylvania…“
This is part of his “Genuine Setting:”
Coon assures readers: “God is not the author of confusion.” (1 Corinthians 14:33), and that his model makes sense because of these dots:
Peter, James and John…Susquehanna river (D&C 128:20, see Finger Lakes and Hill Cumorah Church history maps 1, 2, and 3 current edition of the LDS scriptures).
With the Finger Lakes region of Western New York in mind, consider the following verse:“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 hoped to gain an advantage over the Lamanites. (Mormon 6:4)
And:
D&C 57:1-2 …the land of Missouri, which is the land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints. Wherefore this is the land of promise and the place for the city of Zion.
As was pointed out on the New Jerusalem page, Missouri is not part of Book of Mormon lands. Vincent Coon.
The following critique is from his web page: http://www.bookofmormonpromisedland.com/American%20Land%20of%20Israel.htm
Having a Narrow Passage on the east side is unworkable for a number of reasons: First, the City of Bountiful was on the west side by the Narrow Passage; Second, Hagoth sailed north not west; Third, there was a “sea that divides the land” east of it; Fourth, there must be a 1.5 day stretch of land to the east of it; Fifth, the Sea West was west of the Narrow Passage, which sea was likewise west of the land just south of it: the Land Southward, and west of the land just north of it: the Jaredite Land Northward.
Vincent Coon, Phyllis Olive, Duane Aston and Delbert Curtis have failed to respect the Narrow Passage/West Sea dynamic.
1. Because the Jaredite Land Northward declined toward the north, the Sea West and Sea East flowed into the Sea North.
2. There is not another set of seas in Canada. The Limhi Expedition did not cross a body of water to discover the abandoned Jaredite Land Northward.
3. Nor did Mulek sail through multiple great lakes landing “so far northward” only to walk back through Canada, build a second boat to cross the Niagara Gorge, then land on the other side and proceed to walk “up into the south wilderness” through the Narrow Passage when they could have sailed past it like Hagoth did:
30 And it bordered upon the land which they called DESOLATION it being SO FAR NORTHWARD that it came into the land which had been peopled and been destroyed of whose bones we have spoken which was discovered by the people of Zarahemla IT BEING THE PLACE OF THEIR FIRST LANDING.
31 And THEY CAME FROM THERE UP INTO THE SOUTH WILDERNESS. (Alma 22)
4. Lastly, the prophecy of a New Jerusalem being built on Jaredite lands will not occur in a land ruled by a Queen(Canada), which prophecy was fulfilled with the United States. (See New Jerusalem)
Coon published a 284 page book in 2008 entitled “Choice Above All Other Lands.” The contents are as follows:
- About the Author
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 – Comparing the Book of Mormon with Veytia’s History of Ancient Mesoamerica
- Chapter 2 – Statements by the Prophet, Recorded by Others
- Chapter 3 – Unsigned Articles and a Popular Book
- Chapter 4 – Joseph Smith’s American Israelite Setting
- Chapter 5 – Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, Leaf Ericsson, St. Brendon!
- Chapter 6 – Helmets or Head-plates?
- Chapter 7 – ARISE, Shine!
- Appendix: Book of Mormon Lands and the Times and Seasons, An Instance of Mormon Apocrypha, Relative Directions in Scriptural Lands
- Bibliography
It goes without saying, an Index would have been nice to have, which is another feat entirely. Perhaps Coon will in another edition. Coon has a unique background with a master’s degree in physics, and Hebrew as his foreign language. He lived in Israel, and frequently references Israel and Hebrew throughout the book.
Coon claims a better knowledge of Joseph’s statements which he feels places his model above others based on Joseph Smith. Can there be so much variance based on what Joseph said?
The “purpose” Coon says is “not to pinpoint the location of Zarahemla, or any other Book of Mormon city” but rather to demonstrate “that the scriptures, together with verifiable statements from the Prophet Joseph Smith, are enough to bring the general location of Lehi’s covenant land into better focus.” (xi, emphasis added)
Here, as with the title, we take an interest. The subtitle of our site says: “Respecting the Boundaries of the Promised Land.” To date, we are the ONLY ones doing that, i.e. the United States. Many models begin, end, or extend outside of the boundaries of the U.S. It is ironic, because they are all claiming that America is fulfilling Book of Mormon prophecy. If the land is the anchor, the boundaries are important.
The cover of the book has a picture of all things – Canada (Ontario), whose head is a queen – contrary to Book of Mormon prophecy. This error was previously overlooked by Vernal Holly (1983), Duane R. Aston (1998), Delbert W. Curtis (1998), Phyllis Carol Olive (2000), Wayne May (2002), Rodney Meldrum & Bruce R. Porter (2009).
Of those, Coon only cites Phyllis Carol Olive and Wayne May in his Bibliography. Coon used May’s books primarily to show pictures of fascinating artifacts, which, unfortunately, were discovered beyond the bounds of his model.
To make Canada work, several facts were not shown, the greatest of which was the promise there would be no kings/queens on the land (which Coon admitted on page 2, even listing the dictator’s of Mexico). Coon and Olive claim the Narrow Neck is the Batavia Moraine, thus, the Jaredite Land Northward begins south of Lake Ontario, but somehow skips the gigantic Niagara Gorge and crosses into Ontario. It’s weird, there’s no mention of how the ancients crossed this gorge, or how that land was “choice above all others.”
My guess is Coon never walked or traveled the areas he prescribes, and doesn’t know how farfetched it is to believe the gorge was not THE land barrier, which no one crossed but Hagoth.
To make this model work, certain verses had to be twisted:
Sister Olive points out, that there are formidable boundaries to the Book of Mormon “land northward” consisting of a “sea north” (Helamn 3:8, Georgian Bay), “large bodies of water” (Alma 50:29, Lake Simcoe etc.) and “the waters of Ripliancum” (Ether 15:8, 10-11, ancient Lake Iroquois/Ontario and the St. Lawrence). (p. 31)
By isolating expressions like “the furthermost parts of the land northward” and the “northernmost part of the land” Olive and Coon interpret those to mean the “Jaredite Land Northward” when in truth, it is referring to the northern parts of the Nephite Land Southward. This is the background for the verse:
21 …we will prepare ourselves in the center of our lands, and we will gather all our armies together, and we will not go against them, but we will wait till they shall come against us; therefore as the Lord liveth, if we do this he will deliver them into our hands.
23 And the land which was appointed was the land of Zarahemla, and the land which was between the land Zarahemla and the land Bountiful, yea, to the line which was between the land Bountiful and the land Desolation. (3 Nephi 3)
Note, Zarahemla was the “center” of the land – of the Land Southward. The expression “furthermost parts of the land northward” meant from where they were in the Land Southward:
21 And the Nephites were continually marching out by day and by night, and falling upon their armies, and cutting them off by thousands and by tens of thousands.
22 And thus it became the desire of the people of Zemnarihah to withdraw from their design, because of the great destruction which came upon them by night and by day.
23 And it came to pass that Zemnarihah did give command unto his people that they should withdraw themselves from the siege, and march into the furthermost parts of the land northward. (3 Nephi 4)
One must differentiate between the “Jaredite” Land Northward from the Nephite “land northward” (lower case) (Alma 22:29). The verse is referring to the furthermost parts of the Nephite land northward. Same is true for the “northernmost part of the land.” (3 Nephi 7:12)
The twisting of verse is apparent. Nowhere does it say after passing through the Narrow Neck that they had to cross a giant gorge, river, or sea to get into what they call the “further reaches of the land,” into Canada, which isn’t north – it’s west.
Coon touches on most criticisms against a Western New York setting including cold, barley, honey bees, silk, etc., and for those he should be thanked. Below are other deficiencies:
- Denies Missouri is Book of Mormon land, yet believes the New Jerusalem will be built there contrary to prophecy. (p. 131)
- Where the Mulekites landed and how they traveled to Zarahemla.
- Interprets the phrase “many waters” as a single location.
- Has the Narrow Neck on the wrong side – along the East Sea. (p. 29)
- Believes Book of Mormon people went to Guatemala. (p. 157)
- Moroni escaped into the country southward. (p. 158)
From his web site we find further attempts to defend Canada as Book of Mormon land:
Just as the expression “sea east” does not name a body of water, the relative expressions “land northward” and “land southward” do not name Book of Mormon lands. (Source)
It’s better to grasp the different references than to overshadow one with another. For example, shining the light so brightly on the land directional references at the exclusion of the land name references is shallow and untruthful. All references to lands north and south of the Narrow Passage are clearly referring to land names not directions, particularly when the Jaredite Land Northward is identified as being SURROUNDED BY FOUR SEAS AND THE LAND SOUTHWARD SURROUNDED BY THREE.
Coon persists to acknowledge the land prophecy that Book of Mormon lands would never have a king or queen, yet his book cover and web site still emphasize Canada. He is speaking out of both sides of his mouth just like Olive, Aston, and Curtis:
“No kings over the Gentiles would stand upon this land, distinguishing it from other countries, even in the Americas.”
“Seas are mentioned (not by name) in each of the cardinal directions bordering this land northward. (Helaman 3:8) The “land northward” or “north countries” comprise more than one country. Scripture does not indicate that all the “land northward” resides within the borders of the United States.”
“Omer…Cumorah…Ripliancum…Scripture indicates that the American territory of the Jaredites (near Lake Ontario) was sufficiently localized that the scent of the dead permeated ‘all the face of the land’.”
“Cumorah was so near to the land of Zarahemla, that travelers from the land of Nephi (south of Zarahemla) mistook the land of the Jaredites destruction for Zarahemla.” (Ibid)
Coon’s #9 Errors
9. A fortified line near the southern borders of the land of Bountiful, running from the west sea to the east, could be crossed by a Nephite in a single day. (Helaman 4:7) Apparently water was a natural barrier on the west and on the east of the land of Bountiful. (Alma 51:26-29, 32). The river Sidon, turning from its northward course toward an inland sea, could have formed part of the boundary between the lands of Zarahemla and Bountiful. (Alma 44:22) The river Sidon may be taken into account in the description of the land of Zarahemla being “nearly surrounded by water”. (Alma 22:32)
This is how Alma 44:22 reads:
And it came to pass that they did cast their dead into the waters of Sidon and they have gone forth and are buried in the depths of the sea. (Alma 44:22)
As can be seen, Alma 44:22 has zero relevance to the River Sidon being a land boundary. In fact, both people and armies had little difficulty crossing the river at will, which river flowed down the middle of the land whereas both lands extended from sea to sea:
for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla. (Helaman 1:18)
Where was the City of Zarahemla in conjunction with the River Sidon? Right next to it.
from the church which was in the city of Zarahemla and went over upon the east of the river Sidon into the valley of Gideon (Alma 6:7)
the people of Nephi took their tents, and departed out of the valley of Gideon towards their city, which was the city of Zarahemla.
And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon (Alma 2:26-27)
The land that was “nearly surrounded by water” was BOTH the Land of Nephi AND the Land of Zarahemla:
thus the land of Nephi and the land of Zarahemla were nearly surrounded by water (Alma 22:32)
As the River Sidon ONLY ran through the Land of Zarahemla Coons’ hypothesis fails.
Coon’s #10 Errors
10. The land and city of Manti and the head of the river Sidon was near an eastern body of water called “the east sea”. (Alma 22:27, 29; 50:8-11; 51:25-26; 59:5-6)
Because Coons is inclined to cite verses having little relevance to his hypothesis we must check his references:
27 And it came to pass that the king sent a proclamation throughout all the land, amongst all his people who were in all his land, who were in all the regions round about, which was bordering even to the sea, on the east and on the west, and which was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and round about on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla, through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon, running from the east towards the west—and thus were the Lamanites and the Nephites divided.
29 And also there were many Lamanites on the east by the seashore, whither the Nephites had driven them. And thus the Nephites were nearly surrounded by the Lamanites; nevertheless the Nephites had taken possession of all the northern parts of the land bordering on the wilderness, at the head of the river Sidon, from the east to the west, round about on the wilderness side; on the north, even until they came to the land which they called Bountiful. (Alma 22)
8 And the land of Nephi did run in a straight course from the east sea to the west.
9 And it came to pass that when Moroni had driven all the Lamanites out of the east wilderness, which was north of the lands of their own possessions, he caused that the inhabitants who were in the land of Zarahemla and in the land round about should go forth into the east wilderness, even to the borders by the seashore, and possess the land.
10 And he also placed armies on the south, in the borders of their possessions, and caused them to erect fortifications that they might secure their armies and their people from the hands of their enemies.
11 And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites in the east wilderness, yea, and also on the west, fortifying the line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of Zarahemla and the land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by the head of the river Sidon—the Nephites possessing all the land northward, yea, even all the land which was northward of the land Bountiful, according to their pleasure. (Alma 50)25 But it came to pass that Amalickiah would not suffer the Lamanites to go against the city of Nephihah to battle, but kept them down by the seashore, leaving men in every city to maintain and defend it.
26 And thus he went on, taking possession of many cities, the city of Nephihah, and the city of Lehi, and the city of Morianton, and the city of Omner, and the city of Gid, and the city of Mulek, all of which were on the east borders by the seashore. (Alma 51)5 And it came to pass that while Moroni was thus making preparations to go against the Lamanites to battle, behold, the people of Nephihah, who were gathered together from the city of Moroni and the city of Lehi and the city of Morianton, were attacked by the Lamanites.
6 Yea, even those who had been compelled to flee from the land of Manti, and from the land round about, had come over and joined the Lamanites in this part of the land. (Alma 59)
Of the 584 words cited, 2 refer to Manti, 0 to the City of Manti, 3 to the head of the River Sidon, and 5 to the Sea East.
It is clear the head of the River Sidon is in the Land of Manti, but nowhere does it say that the City of Manti, the Land of Manti, or the head of the River Sidon is in the east. In fact, Alma 50:11 is void of an eastern reference altogether:
from the west sea running by the head of the river Sidon- (Alma 50:11)
And so this pattern of excessive, irrelevant scriptural citations continues all throughout his site. Coons, like Olive and the host of other arm chair Book of Mormon geography hobbyists are yet to: 1. State their motives. 2. Create an Internal Map. 3. State how prophecy was or will be fulfilled IN their models.