A 1992 volcanic eruption in Guatemala
(Wikimedia Commons public domain photograph by Rolf Cosar)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
I first met Bart Kowallis when we were freshmen living in Hinckley Hall on the campus of Brigham Young University. \u00a0Our paths diverged thereafter. \u00a0Whereas I went on to an infamous career of malicious lies and character assassination, Bart chose the road of decency and respectability and genuine scholarship, first earning a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Wisconsin and then teaching, researching, and writing in his field as well as holding important administrative positions at Brigham Young University.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I intend to share a few notes here from a significant article that he wrote more than two decades ago: \u00a0Bart J. Kowallis, \u201cIn the Thirty and Fourth Year: A Geologist\u2019s View of the Great Destruction in 3 Nephi,\u201d BYU Studies<\/em> 37\/3 (1997-1998).<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
More than three centuries ago, an enormous volcanic eruption occurred off the northeastern coast of Papua New Guinea. \u00a0There is no contemporary written account of the eruption, but local legends apparently continue to tell of it. \u00a0In 1970, one Russell Blong began to collect and record these legends from what was called the \u201ctime of darkness.\u201d \u00a0Here\u2019s a portion of one such reported narrative:<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I am going to tell the story of darkness. \u00a0I am going to tell the story of the great darkness which appeared on this ground\/area. \u00a0I did not see it. \u00a0People told me and so I know it.<\/span><\/p>\nIt was while they were asleep, in the night, that it was so dark on this earth, and they slept\/lay for about three nights. \u00a0And when they took flares and went up the hills and made signs, going with flares in the pitch blackness, they said: Can you see my flare? \u00a0But the flares did not light up the place! \u00a0So they said: No!<\/span><\/p>\nThis went on many times. \u00a0And when they were sleepy and it should have been night they slept. \u00a0And when it should have been light they woke and got up, and kept looking and looking and lit flares and went up the hills saying: Do you see my flare? \u00a0And others said: Do you see? \u00a0And they looked all around. \u00a0But they didn\u2019t see them. \u00a0(cited on 137)<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
The relevant legends typically describe these conditions as lasting for 2-4 days (137-138).<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alert readers of the Book of Mormon will recognize in this story several parallels to the cataclysm described in 3 Nephi.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
To be continued.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Posted from Phoenix, Arizona<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 I first met Bart Kowallis when we were freshmen living in Hinckley Hall on the campus of Brigham Young University. \u00a0Our paths diverged thereafter. \u00a0Whereas I went on to an infamous career of malicious lies and character assassination, Bart chose the road of decency and respectability and genuine scholarship, first earning a Ph.D. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1341,56,8529,8520,1356,1353,8526,1350,1050,1369,1347,8523,8531],"class_list":["post-82904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-3-nephi","tag-book-of-mormon","tag-cataclysm","tag-catastrophe","tag-christ","tag-destruction","tag-devastation","tag-earthquake","tag-geology","tag-jesus","tag-seismology","tag-visit","tag-volcano"],"yoast_head":"\n
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