Hill Cumorah, Sacred Grove, Rock wall remnant

After our breakfast this morning, we boarded our coach and headed to the Hill Cumorah. We arrived there as the cast was doing their morning rehearsal; they happened to be at the part of the program where Christ visits the American Continent. We toured through the visitor's center and then drove up to the top of the Hill where we could view the area where both the Nephite and the Jaredite nations came to an end. It is a very sobering experience to try to imagine the horror of that day.

During the day we also visited the print shop where the Book of Mormon was printed and bound; we were reminded of the miracles that occurred in bringing the book forth. 65 days or so to translate, 5000 copies printed and bound in about 7 months, and Martin Harris mortgaging his farm to pay the printer's debt. Along with that was the miracle of the printing press even being purchased and set up just in time for the printing of the Book of Mormon. So many miracles all the way through the entire process. Next to the print shop is the local Book Store. There they have on display a great variety of archaeological findings from throughout the area; photos below.

We visited the Erie Canal, the Martin Harris Home, the Joseph Smith Sr. Cabin and home that was built by their oldest son Alvin. Then we visited the Sacred Grove (after a heavy rain storm) where God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ visited the young man, Joseph Smith. The rains didn't seem like it was going to let up, so we sang hymns and prayed and within 10 minutes the rain ended and we had some sunshine. The walk through the sacred grove was very peaceful; a beautiful walk through the grove of trees.

Just west of the sacred grove lies the remnant of a rock wall that extends nearly 3 miles in a roughly north and south direction making an arch around the west side of the Hill Cumorah. It is believed that the rock wall was the 1st line of defense or first ring against the attacking Lamanite armies. It runs along a high ridge that slopes down to a rather low swampy area; from studies it has been determined that the rock wall was about 5 to 6 feet tall and about 4 to 5 feet wide at the top and 5 to 6 feet wide at the base. Only the very top of the wall is now visible. The wall is nearly covered now with 1500 years of forest growth.

The second ring runs just outside the current temple site of the Palmyra Temple; once again on the top of a high ridge. The final ring has nearly disappeared, but is visible in just a couple of places just to the north of the Hill itself.

Our final event was the viewing of the Hill Cumorah Pagent. We arrived at about 6:50, had dinner and then the pagent began at 9:15 and ran until about 10:30. The pagent tells the story in a very abbreviated manner of the family of Lehi fleeing Jerusalem, their trek across the Arabian desert, their sailing to the American Continent, their dividing into two great nations, their fall, Christ's visit and teachings, their 200 years of peace and finally of their destruction. Then it tells the Joseph Smith story and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. It has been a wonderful, inspirational day.

Hill Cumorah

View from the top of the Hill Cumorah

Book Store Artifacts 

Many of the artifacts are nearly identical to their Hebrew counterparts

An oil lamp near the right side

Spear heads and a sword head. Far right, writing stylus

Large and small ax heads to the right

Arrow heads

The Sacred Grove

Somewhere in these grove of trees appeared the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith

Rock Wall Remnants 

Some of these views are better than others, but if you look closely you can see how the rocks are embedded in the ground and others how they stretch out for quite a ways. It is difficult to see how they are raised above ground; in some areas a foot or two of the wall still remains above ground.