john lloyd s 1805-1852) [1] - ancient america … · john lloyd stephens practiced law until in...
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D&C 88: 79 “Obtain knowledge of countries and kingdoms.”
By V. Garth Norman © 2019
John Lloyd Stephens
(1805-1852) [1]
Joseph Smith, Jr.
(1805-1844) [2]
Ancient Migrations from Central America to North and South America
Many discoveries of antiquities throughout the Americas relating to the
Middle East bring to mind a Biblical statement in Deuteronomy 28:64:
“And the Lord shall scatter thee [Israelites] among all people, from the
one end of the earth even unto the other.” This helps us realize that
there were more than three migrations (Jaredite, Mulekite, Lehite) by
ancient people from the Middle East to the Americas. Also, ancient
Central American people traveled outside their principle cities and
concourses, such as in the first century BC at the time of Hagoth’s
shipping, as well as migrations on land to regions north and south (Alma
63: 4-9; Helaman 3: 3-14), taking with them the Maya Calendar and
cubit measuring rods to measure art and architecture throughout the
Americas (Norman: 2018 [4] 2015 [19]). [4] Ancient Migrations from Central America to all Americas.
John Lloyd Stephens and the Prophet Joseph Smith
The first explorer in Central America was John Lloyd Stephens, born in 1805, the same year the prophet
Joseph Smith, Jr. was born. Stephens was born in New Jersey, just southeast of New York, Joseph Smith
was born in Vermont, just northeast east of New York. Both were tutored in New York, Stephens at
Columbia College in New York, Joseph Smith in Palmyra, New York where he was taught by his Heavenly
Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, and numerous visitations from resurrected beings. Joseph studied the
Bible diligently, and had scribes write as he translated words from gold plates of ancient American
people—known as the Book of Mormon. Joseph wondered who the people were that he learned of in
this Testament of Jesus Christ. Steadily he became an avid reader of history, politics, novels, and poets
as well as studying foreign languages, primarily Hebrew and German. During 1839-1842, as the Saints
were establishing the city of Nauvoo, the Prophet Joseph Smith led his people in business, church
administration, temple building, and as newspaper editor. [11]
John Lloyd Stephens practiced law until in 1834, when he traveled abroad to explore Europe, the Middle
East, and Mediterranean countries. He wrote his own publications, including Incidents of Travel in Egypt,
Arabia, Petraea, and the Holy Land (1835) [3] which was extremely popular. He explored the lands of the
Bible, whereas Joseph studied the Bible diligently! When Stephens returned to the USA, in 1839, as a
newly appointed United States Diplomat to Central America, he and his artist colleague, Frederick
Catherwood combined government duties with exploration of ‘nearly three thousand miles in the
interior of Central, America, Chiapas, and Yucatan,” traveling to some 50 ruined cities, making
comparisons of Old World and New World antiquities. He saw in Central America “plausible religious
motivation in the monumental art and architecture in ruins choked by jungle growth”. [4] He stated:
“With an interest perhaps stronger than we had ever felt in wandering among the ruins of Egypt, we
followed our guide, who . . . conducted us through the thick forest, among half-buried fragments, to
fourteen monuments of the same character and appearance, some with more elegant designs, and
some in workmanship equal to the finest monuments of the Egyptians” [5] Stephens wondered who the
people were who built the pyramids and antiquities of Central
America. That knowledge was even lost among the dwellers of the
ruins. [6] Frederick Catherwood's drawings and lithographs (see
below) show, without question, the Maya to have been the authors
of some of the most artistic and intellectual works of pre-Columbian
America.
Just 11 years after the Book of Mormon was published in New York,
Stephens published his personal writings in the accounts of his travels
in Central America in two volumes in Incidents of Travel in Central
America, Chiapas and Yucatan (1841 Harper & Brothers, New York).
Through his explorations and writings Stephens was recognized as
the founder of American Archaeology.
[7] Map (right) of Central America by artist Frederick Catherwood.
[8] Drawing by Frederick Catherwood
(1841) of ancient pyramid stone ruins at
Uxmal, Yucatan, in Central America.
[9] (Below Left) Drawing by Frederick Catherwood (1841) showing the
front of a stone monument at Copan, Honduras in Central America.
[10]
(Right)
Drawing
by
Frederick
Cather-
wood
(1841) of
the ruins
at
Gobernador, while exploring Central America with John Lloyd Stephens.
In 1839, in Nauvoo, Illinois, the leaders of the Church began publishing the Times and Seasons periodical
(the same year that John Lloyd Stevens began his explorations in Mesoamerica). Its motto, “Truth will
prevail,” expressed a goal to promote truth, and correct falsehoods, and was the main organ for
publishing truths pertaining to the restored gospel to the Church members and the world. Many of the
Prophets revelations, and his Book of Abraham translation, for instance, appeared in print for the first
time in the Times and Seasons. In the spring of 1842 (May 11), in consequence of too many errors
appearing in print, the Prophet Joseph Smith took over the editorship and announced his personal
responsibility for the contents of the paper. During the next six months he endeavored to raise the
paper’s standard of excellence (May-Nov. 1842). One of the distinctive features of Joseph’s six month
editorial career was the attention given to antiquities as they might relate to the Book of Mormon. In
the November 15, 1842 edition, he announced that Elder John Taylor should be the Editor to maintain
the high quality of excellence that had developed. [11]
Stephens’ Incidents of Travel (1841) taken to the Prophet Joseph Smith
Bishop John Bernhisel, in New York, had Wilford Woodruff, who was on his way home to Nauvoo from
his mission in England, take copies of Stephens’ 1841 Volumes I & II to Joseph Smith in Nauvoo. After
reading about and seeing the exquisite drawings by Frederick Catherwood of the magnificent ruins of
Central American pyramids and stone monuments with hieroglyphic writings on them, Joseph had a new
“vision” opened to him of the remains of large civilizations that fit the descriptions of the people in the
Book of Mormon who had come to the Americas anciently from the Middle East. The Prophet Joseph
recorded in his personal journal the importance of these discoveries for the Book of Mormon.[12] In the
Nauvoo Times and Seasons Editorial of Oct. 1, 1842, titled “Zarahemla”, Joseph compared the ruins of
Quirigua, Guatemala from Stephens’ writings, and stated: “The city of Zarahemla, burnt at the
crucifixion of the Savior and rebuilt afterwards, stood upon this land.”[13] A year later, John Taylor
wrote a similar editorial expounding the importance of Stephens’ books in the Times and Seasons. [14]
Taylor also marveled that these magnificent ruins came to light so soon after the Book of Mormon was
published in 1830, when there was no knowledge of American Archaeology and Geography to sustain it.
American Archaeology places the beginning of this science with Stephens’ discoveries. It can also be
viewed as the birth of Book of Mormon Archaeology. The lives of John Lloyd Stephens and Joseph Smith,
who never met, paralleled each other in many ways. Consider the following:
Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. Explorer John Lloyd Stephens
1.Born 1805 in Vermont (by NY) 1.Born 1805 in New Jersey (by NY)
2.Bible Name-Joseph 2.Bible Name-John
3.Learned & Published in Palmyra, NY. 3.Student: Cambridge College, NY. Published in NY.
4.Studied the Bible (& edited it). Studied History, learned Hebrew & German, and other languages.
4.Explored Bible Lands, Middle East, Europe & published books about them.
5.Translated the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, published in N.Y. in 1830, and organized the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1830.
5.Explored Central America and saw antiquities of high civilizations with pyramids and stones with hieroglyphic writings; published about Central America in 1841, N.Y.
6.1842: Read Stephens’ books of Central American discoveries & related them to Book of Mormon lands in Journals & 1842 Times & Seasons articles.
6.1841 Published: Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan (NY) taken in 1842 to Joseph Smith in Nauvoo.
7. Early death: Joseph Smith martyred at age 39, (1844) in Carthage, Illinois.
7. Early death: John Lloyd Stephens died at age 46 (1852) in N.Y. from diseases contracted in his Central American jungle travel.
Latter Day Prophets visit Central America
On August 24, 2019, President Russell M. Nelson arrived in Guatemala City to speak
to the Latter-day Saints in “The Land of Eternal Spring.” Upon arrival he said “his
thoughts were with the ancient civilizations whose
ruins still define this nation. The lands of Central
America and South America are studded with
ruins—remnants—of ancient civilizations. . . .One
wonders what life must have been like among those
people. . . .Add to that the message on the title page of the Book of
Mormon, that it is ‘written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the
house of Israel,’ [and] we . . . learn more about those ancient
inhabitants.”[15] [15] Ruins at Tikal, Guatemala
When President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Guatemala City Temple in December, 1984, he
observed that “three fourths of the people in attendance were descendants of father Lehi.” [16]
Apostle Dieter F. Uchtdorf dedicated the Quetzaltenango, Guatemala Temple on Dec. 11, 2011. In the
dedicatory prayer he stated: “Thou kind and gracious Father, our hearts are filled with gratitude for Thy
remembrance of the sons and daughters of Lehi. Thou hast heard their cries and seen their tears. Thou
hast accepted their righteous sacrifices.” [17]
Explorer Stephens, Seaman Maury, Smithsonian Institute’s Matthew Stirling
Exciting archaeological discoveries are continually coming forth that bear witness to the world of the
authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Stephens’ 1841 (11 years after the Book of Mormon publication)
publications opened the door to the vast antiquities of Central America where Joseph Smith directed us
to search and study. In 1847 (17 years after the Book of Mormon publication), seaman Lieutenant
Matthew Fontaine Maury studied and began publishing “wind and current charts” of the Atlantic, Pacific
and Indian Oceans. In 1855, Maury’s The Physical Geography of the Sea became the first standard
oceanography text showing ocean currents that propelled ancient and modern vessels on “natural
paths” across the seas. [18]
One hundred years after Stephens’ publications on Central America, the Smithsonian Institute’s
Matthew Stirling (Director of the Bureau of American Ethology, and associate of the National
Geographic Society) visited the ancient
site of Izapa, Southern Mexico in 1941,
where he photographed the “Tree of
Life” monument from the right side. [19]
In the 1960’s the New World
Archaeological Foundation (NWAF)
began archaeological excavations at the
Izapa Temple Center. Many other
American institutions began serious
archaeology reconnaissance throughout
Central America discovering ancient
cities, pyramids, and monuments. Today,
LiDar imaging from airplanes shows even
greater antiquities (covered in jungle
growth) in Central America: massive
cities, roads, fortifications, animal corals,
and pyramids in Guatemala and
Mexico—to be shared in future articles.
[19] Matthew Stirling (Smithsonian Institute, Wash. D.C.) 1941 photo of
“Tree of Life” monument at Izapa, Southern Mexico.
Notes
[1] John Lloyd Stephens, Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan. Volume 1. (1969
Reprint by Dover Publications, New York, of 1841 Edition by Harper & Brothers, New York). P. iv
(Hereinafter referred to as JLS-1.)
[2] Rachel Norman Williams – 2003 Drawing of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
[3] John Lloyd Stephens. Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia, Petraea, and the Holy Land. New York.
[4] V. Garth Norman, Cubit Connection in Ancient World Migrations. (2018, Arconbooks,
www.amazon.com) p. 86, 106.
[5] Ibid. P. 86, 106.
[6] Unfortunately, because of the many wars, and massive movements within Central America, most
written records of the ancient inhabitants were destroyed. Yet stone pyramids and stone
monuments with hieroglyphic writing on them, art and architecture remain today.
[7] JLS-1. P. 11.
[8] John Lloyd Stephens, Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan. Volume 2. (1969
Reprint by Dover Publications, New York, of 1841 Edition by Harper & Brothers, New York). P. iv
(Hereinafter referred to as JLS-2) P. 420.
[9] JLS-1. P. 140.
[10] JLS-2. P. 435
[11] History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Deseret Book, SLC. No. 9 Vol. III, p. 710. [12] Dean C. Jessee, The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, revised edition, (Salt Lake City, Utah:
Deseret Book, 2002), 533.
[13] Times and Seasons. Joseph Smith, Jr.—Editor. Oct. 1, 1842, Nauvoo, Illinois. P. 1.
[14] Times and Seasons. John Taylor—Editor. Oct. 1, 1843, Nauvoo, Illinois. P. 1.
]15] Deseret News, Church News Saturday, September 1, 2019. P. 3-5.
[16] Sheri L. Dew, Go Forward With Faith: The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley. (Deseret Book, Salt Lake
City, Utah, 1996) P. 419.
[17] https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/details/quetzaltenango-guatemala-temple/
prayer/2011-12-11
[18] The Physical Geography of the Sea by Matthew Fontaine Maury. 1855 in Glyph Notes: A Book of
Mormon Report, Sept. 2019: 6.
[19] V. Garth Norman Izapa Sacred Space, Sculpture Calendar Codex. BYU Press, Provo, Ut. 2015, p.x.
www.garthnorman.com www.ancientamerica.org