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54 - Book of Mormon - Joseph Smith Jr · Sacred Texts Archive

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Fourth Nephi to Mormon, chapter four. And it came to pass that the
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thirty and fourth year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth, And
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behold, the disciples of Christ had formed a Church of Christ in all the
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lands round about, And as many as did come unto them and did truly
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repent of their sins, were baptized in the name of Jesus. And they
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did also receive the Holy Ghost. And it came to pass in the thirty
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and sixth year the people were all converted unto the Lord upon all the face
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of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites. And there were no contentions and
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disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another, and
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they had all things common among them. Therefore there were not rich and poor,
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bond and free, but they were all made free and partakers of the
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heavenly gift. And it came to pass that the thirty and seventh year passed
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away also, and there still continued to be peace in the land. And
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there were great and marvelous works wrought by the Disciples of Christ, insomuch that
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they did heal the sick, and raise the dead, and cause the lame
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to walk, and the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to
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hear, And all manner of miracles did they work among the children of men.
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And in nothing did they work miracles, save it were in the name
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of Jesus. And thus did the thirty and eighth year pass away, and
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also the thirty and ninth, and forty and first, and the forty and
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second, yay, even until forty and nine years had passed away, and
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also the fifty and first and the fifty and second, yay, and even
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until fifty and nine years had passed away. And the Lord did prosper them
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exceedingly in the land. Yay, insomuch that they did build cities again where
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there had been cities burned. Yay, even that great city Zarahemla did they
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cause to be built again. But there were many cities which had been sunk,
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and waters came up in the stead thereof. Therefore these cities could not
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be renewed. And now behold, it came to pass that the people of
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Nephi did wax strong and did multiply exceedingly fast, and became an exceedingly fair
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and delightsome people. And they were married and given in marriage, and were
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blessed according to the multitude of the promises which the Lord had made unto them.
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And they did not walk anymore after the performances and ordinances of the Law
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of Moses. But they did walk after the commandments which they had received from
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their Lord and their God, continuing in fasting and prayer, and in meeting
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together oft, both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord.
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And it came to pass that there was no contention among all the people in
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all the land. But there were mighty miracles wrought among the disciples of Jesus.
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And it came to pass that the seventy and first year passed away,
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and also the seventy and second year yeay, And in fine till the seventy
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and ninth year had passed away. Yea, even an hundred years had passed
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away. And the disciples of Jesus whom he had chosen, had all gone
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to the paradise of God, save it were the three who should tarry.
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And there were other disciples ordained in their stead. And also many of that
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generation had passed away. And it came to pass that there was no contention
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in the land because of the love of God, which did dwell in the
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hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, no
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tumults, nor horedoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of
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leschivousness. And surely there could not be a happier people among all the people
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who had been created by the hand of God. There were no robbers nor
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murderers. Neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of heights. But they
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were in one the children of Christ and heirs to the Kingdom of God.
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And how blessed were they, for the Lord did bless them in all their
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doings. Yea, even they were blessed and prospered, until in one hundred
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and ten years had passed away, and the first generation from Christ had passed
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away, and there was no contention in all the land. And it came
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to pass that Nephi, he that kept this last record, and he kept
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it upon the plates of Nephi, died, and his son Amos kept it
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in his stead, and he kept it upon the plates of Nephi also,
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and he kept it eighty and four years, and there was still peace in
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the land, save it were a small part of the people who had revolted
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from the Church and taken upon them the name of Lamanites. Therefore there began
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to be Lamanites again in the land. And it came to pass that Amos
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died also, And it was one hundred and ninety and four years from the
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coming of Christ. And his son Amos kept the record in his stead,
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and he also kept it upon the plates of Nephi. And it was also
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written in the Book of Nephi, which is this book. And it came
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to pass that two hundred years had passed away, and the second generation had
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all passed away, save it were a few. And now I Mormon would
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that ye should know that the people had multiplied insomuch that they were spread upon
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all the face of the land, and that they had become exceedingly rich because
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of their prosperity in Christ. And now in this two hundred and first year,
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there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride,
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such as the wearing of costly apparel and all manner, of fine pearls,
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and of the fine things of the world. And from that time forth they
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did have their goods and their substance no more common among them, and they
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began to divided into classes, and they began to build up churches unto themselves
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to get gain, and began to deny the True Church of Christ. And
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it came to pass that when two hundred and ten years had passed away,
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there were many churches in the land. Yeay, there were many churches which
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professed to know the Christ. And yet they did deny the more parts of
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his Gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of wickedness, and did
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administer that which was sacred unto Him, to whom it had been forbidden because
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of unworthiness. And this church did multiply exceedingly because of iniquity, and because
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of the power of Satan, who did get hold upon their hearts. And
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again there was another church which denied the Christ. And they did persecute the
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True Church of Christ because of their humility and their belief in Christ. And
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they did despise them because of the many miracles which were wrought among them.
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Therefore, they did exercise power and authority over the disciples of Jesus who did
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tarry with them, and they did cast them into prison. But by the
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power of the Word of God, which was in them, the prisons were
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rent in twain, and they went forth doing mighty miracles among them. Nevertheless,
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and notwithstanding all these miracles, the people did harden their hearts and did
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seek to kill them, even as the Jews at Jerusalem sought to kill Jesus
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according to his word. And they did cast them into furnaces of fire,
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and they came forth receiving no harm. And they also cast them into dens
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of wild beasts, and they did play with the wild beasts, even as
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a child with a lamb, and they did come forth from among them,
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receiving no harm. Nevertheless, the people did harden their hearts, for they
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were led by many priests and false prophets to build up many churches, and
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to do all manner of iniquity. And they did smite upon the people of
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Jesus. But the people of Jesus did not smite again. And thus they
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did dwindle in unbelief and wickedness from year to year, even until two hundred
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and thirty years had passed away. And now it came to pass in this
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year. Yeay, in the two hundred and thirty in first year, there
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was a great division among the people, and it came to pass that in
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this year there arose a people who were called the Nephites, and they were
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true believers in Christ. And among them there were those who were called by
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the Lamanites, Jacobites, Josephites, and Zoramites. Therefore the true believers in
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Christ and the true worshipers of Christ, among whom were the three disciples of
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Jesus who should tarry, were called Nephites and Jacobites, and Josephites and Zoramites.
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And it came to pass that they who rejected the Gospel were called Lamanites
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and Lemuelites and Ishmaelites. And they did not dwindle in unbelief, but they
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did wilfully rebel against the Gospel of Christ. And they did teach their children
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that they should not believe, even as their fathers, from the beginning did
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dwindle. And it was because of the wickedness and abomination of their fathers,
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even as it was in the beginning, and they were taught to hate the
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children of God, even as the Lamanites were taught to hate the children of
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Nephi from the beginning. And it came to pass that two hundred and forty
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and four years had passed away, and thus were the affairs of the people,
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and the more wicked part of the people did wax strong and became exceedingly
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more numerous than were the people of God. And they did still continue to
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build up churches unto themselves and adorn them with all manner of precious things.
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And thus did two hundred and fifty years pass away, and also two hundred
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and sixty years, and it came to pass that the wicked part of the
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people began again to build up the secret oaths and combinations of Gadianton. And
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also the people who were called the people of Nephi began to be proud in
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their hearts because of their exceeding riches, and become vain like unto their brethren,
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the Lamanites. And from this time the disciples began to sorrow for the
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sins of the world. And it came to pass that when three hundred years
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had passed away, both the people of Nephi and the Lamanites had become exceedingly
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wicked, one like unto another. And it came to pass that the robbers
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of Gadianton did spread over all the face of the land, and there were
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none that were righteous, save it were the disciples of Jesus. And gold
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and silver did they lay up in store in abundance, and did traffic in
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all manner of traffic. And it came to pass that after three hundred and
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five years had passed away, and the people did still remain in wickedness,
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Amos died, and his brother Amarn did keep the record in his stead.
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And it came to pass that when three hundred and twenty years had passed away,
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Amarn, being constrained by the Holy Ghost, did hide up the records
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which were sacred, yay, even all the sacred records which had been handed
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down from generation to generation, which were sacred even until the three hundred and
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twentieth year from the coming of Christ. And he did hide them up unto
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the Lord, that they might come again unto the remnant of the House of
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Jacob, according to the prophecies and the promises of the Lord. And thus
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is the end of the record of a Maren the Book of Mormon Mormon,
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chapter one. And now I Mormon make a record of the things which I
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have both seen and heard, and call it the Book of Mormon. And
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about the time that A Maron hid up the records unto the Lord. He
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came unto me, I being about ten years of age, and I began
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to be learned somewhat after the manner of the learning of my people. And
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a Maren said unto me, I perceive that thou art a sober child and
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art quick to observe. Therefore, when ye're about twenty four years old,
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I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people.
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And when ye are of that age, go to the land Antum unto
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a hill which shall be called Shim, And there have I deposited unto the
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Lord, all the sacred engravings concerning this people. And behold, ye shall
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take the plates of Nephi unto yourself, and the remainder shall ye leave in
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the place where they are, and ye shall engrave on the plates of Nephi
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all the things that ye have observed concerning this people. And I Mormon,
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being a descendant of Nephi, and my father's name was Mormon. I remembered
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the things which Amarn commanded me. And it came to pass that I,
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being eleven years old, was carried by my father into the land southward even
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into the land of Zarahemla. The whole face of the land had become covered
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with buildings, and the people were as numerous, almost as it were the
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sand of the sea. And it came to pass in this year there began
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to be a war between the Nephites, who consisted of the Nephites and the
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Jacobites, and the Josephites and the Zoramites. And this war was between the
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Nephites and the Lamanites, and the Lemulites and the Ishmaelites. Now the Lamanites
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and the Lemulites and the Ishmaelites were called Lamanites, and the two parties were
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Nephytes and Lamanites. And it came to pass that the war began to be
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among them in the borders of Zarahemla, by the waters of Sidon. And
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it came to pass that the Nephites had gathered together a great number of men,
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even to exceed the number of thirty thousand, And it came to pass
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that they did have in this same year a number of battles in which the
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Nephites did beat the Lamanites and did slay many of them. And it came
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to pass that the Lamanites withdrew their design, and there was peace settled in
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the land. And peace did remain for the space of about four years,
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that there was no bloodshed, But wickedness did prevail upon the face of the
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whole land, insomuch that the Lord did take away his beloved disciples, and
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the work of miracles and of healing did cease because of the iniquity of the
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people. And there were no gifts from the Lord, and the holy ghosts
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did not come upon any because of their wickedness and unbelief. And I being
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fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a sober mind, therefore I was
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visited of the Lord and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus. And
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I did endeavor to preach unto this people, but my mouth was shut,
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and I was forbidden that I should preach unto them, for behold, they
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had wilfully rebelled against their God, and the beloved disciples were taken away out
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of the land because of their iniquity. But I did remain among them,
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but I was forbidden to preach unto them because of the hardness of their hearts,
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and because of the hardness of their hearts. The land was cursed for
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their sake, and these gadyanton robbers, who were among the Lamanites, did
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infest the land insomuch that the inhabitants thereof began to hide up their treasures in
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the earth, and they became slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land,
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that they could not hold them nor retain them again. And it came
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to pass that there were sorceries and witchcrafts and magics, and the power of
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the evil One was wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto
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the fulfilling of all the words of Abinadai and also Samuel the Lamanite Mormon,
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Chapter two. And it came to pass in that same year there began to
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be a war again between the Nephites and the Lamanites. And notwithstanding I,
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being young, was large in stature. Therefore, the people of Nephi appointed
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me that I should be their leader or the leader of their armies. Therefore
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it came to pass that in my sixteenth year I did go forth at the
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head of an army of the Nephites against the Lamanites. Therefore, three hundred
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and twenty and six years had passed away, and it came to pass that
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in the three one hundred and twenty and seventh year, the Lamanites did come
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upon us with exceedingly great power, insomuch that they did frighten my armies.
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Therefore, they would not fight, and they began to retreat towards the north
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countries. And it came to pass that we did come to the city of
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Angola, and we did take possession of the city and make preparations to defend
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ourselves against the Lamanites. And it came to pass that we did fortify the
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city with our might. But notwithstanding all our fortifications, the Lamanites did come
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upon us and did drive us out of the city. And they did also
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drive us forth out of the land of David. And we marched forth and
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came to the land of Joshua, which was in the borders west by the
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seashore. And it came to pass that we did gather in our people as
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fast as it were possible, that we might get them together in one body.
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But behold, the land was filled with robbers and with Lamanites. And
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notwithstanding the great destruction which hung over my people, they did not repent of
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their evil doings. Therefore, there was blood and carnage spread throughout all the
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face of the land, both on the part of the Nephites and also on
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the part of the Lamanites. And it was one complete revolution throughout all the
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face of the land. And now the Lamanites had a king, and his
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name was Erin, and he came against us with an army of forty and
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four thousand, and behold, I withstood him with forty and two thousand,
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And it came to pass that I beat him with my army, that he
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fled before me. And behold, all this was done, and three hundred
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and thirty years had passed away, and it came to pass that the Nephites
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began to repent of their iniquity and began to cry, even as had been
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prophesied by Samuel the Prophet. For behold, no man could keep that which
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was his own, for the thieves and the robbers, and the murderers,
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and the magic art and the witchcraft which was in the land. Thus there
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began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land because of these
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things, and more especially among the people of Nephi. And it came to
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pass that when I Mormon saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before
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the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies
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and the long suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that He would be merciful
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unto them, that they would again become a righteous people. But behold,
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this my joy was vain. For their sorrowing was not unto repentance because of
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the goodness of God. But it was rather the sorrowing of the damned,
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because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin. And
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they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they
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did curse God and wished to die. Nevertheless, they would struggle with the
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sword for their lives. And it came to pass that my sorrow did return
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unto me again. And I saw that the day of grace was passed with
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them, both temporarily and spiritually. For I saw thousands of them hewn down
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in open rebellion against their God, and heaped up as doune upon the face
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of the land. And thus three hundred and forty and four years had passed
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away. And it came to pass that in the three hundred and forty and
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fifth year, the Nephites did begin to flee before the Lamanites, and they
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were pursued until they came even to the land of Jayshon, before it was
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possible to stop them in their retreat. And now the city of Jayshon was
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near the land where Amaran had deposited the records unto the Lord, that they
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might not be destroyed. And behold, I had gone according to the word
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of Amaran and taken the plates of Nephi, and did make a record according
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to the words of Amaran. And upon the plates of Nephi I did make
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a full account of all the wickedness and abominations. But upon these plates I
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did forbear to make a full account of their wickedness and abominations. For behold,
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a continual scene of wickedness and abominations has been before mine eyes ever since
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I have been sufficient to behold the ways of man. And woe is me
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because of their wickedness. For my heart has been filled with sorrow because of
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their wickedness all my days. Nevertheless, I know that I shall be lifted
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up at the last day. And it came to pass that in this year
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the people of Nephi again were hunted and driven, and it came to pass
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that we were driven forth until we had come northward to the land which was
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called Shem. And it came to pass that we did fortify the city of
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m and we did gather in our people as much as it were possible,
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that perhaps we might save them from destruction. And it came to pass in
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the three one hundred and forty and sixth year they began to come upon us
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again, and it came to pass that I did speak unto my people and
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did urge them with great energy, that they would stand boldly before the Lamanites
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and fight for their wives and their children, and their houses and their homes.
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And my words did arouse them somewhat to vigor, insomuch that they did
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not flee from before the Lamanites, but did stand with boldness against them.
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And it came to pass that we did contend with an army of thirty thousand
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against an army of fifty thousand. And it came to pass that we did
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stand before them with such firmness that they did flee from before us. And
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it came to pass that when they had fled, we did pursue them with
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our armies, and did meet them again and did beat them. Nevertheless,
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the strength of the Lord was not with us, Yea, we were left
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to ourselves, that the spirit of the Lord did not abide in us.
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Therefore we had become weak, like unto our brethren. And my heart did
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sorrow because of this, the great calamity of my people, because of their
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wickedness and their abominations. But behold, we did go forth against the Lamanites
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and the robbers of gaddy Anson until we had again taken possession of the lands
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of our inheritance, and the three hundred and forty and ninth year had passed
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away. And in the three one hundred and fiftieth year, we made a
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treaty with the Lamanites and the robbers of gaddy Anton, in which we did
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get the lands of our inheritance divided, and the Lamanites did give unto us
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the land northward, Yea, even to the narrow passage which led into the
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land southward. And we did give unto the Lamanites all the land southward Mormon,
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chapter three. And it came to pass that the Lamanites did not come
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to battle again until ten years more had passed away, and behold, I
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had employed my people, the Nephites, in preparing their lands and their arms
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against the time of battle. And it came to pass that the Lord did
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say unto me, cry unto this people, repent ye, and come unto
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me, and be ye baptized, and build up again my church, and
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ye shall be spared. And I did cry unto this people. But it
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was in vain, and they did not realize that it was the Lord that
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had spared them and granted unto them a chance for repentance. And behold,
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they did harden their hearts against the Lord their God. And it came to
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pass that after this tenth year had passed away, making in the hole three
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hundred and sixty years from the coming of Christ, the king of the Lamanites
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sent an epistle unto me, which gave unto me to know that they were
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preparing to come again to battle against us. And it came to pass that
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I did cause my people that they should gather themselves together at the land desolation,
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to a city which was in the borders by the narrow pass which led
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into the land southward. And there we did place our armies that we might
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stop the armies of the Lamanites, that they might not get possession of any
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of our lands. Therefore we did fortify them with all our force. And
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it came to pass that in the three one hundred and sixty and first year,
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the Lamanites did come down to the city of Desolation to battle against us.
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And it came to pass that in that year we did beat them insomuch
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that they did return to their own lands again. And in the three hundred
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and sixty and second year they did come down again to battle, and we
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did beat them again, and did slay a great number of them, and
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they're dead were cast into the sea. And now because of this great thing
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which my people, the Nephites, had done, they began to boast in
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their own strength and began to swear before the heavens that they would avenge themselves
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of the blood of their brethren who had been slain by their enemies. And
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they did swear by the heavens and also by the Throne of God, that
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they would go up to battle against their enemies and would cut them off from
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the face of the land. And it came to pass that I Mormon did
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utterly refuse from this time forth to be a commander and a leader of this
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people, because of their wickedness and abomination. Behold, I had led them
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notwithstanding their wickedness. I had led them many times to battle, and had
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loved them according to the love of God, which was in me. With
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all my heart and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God
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all the day long for them. Nevertheless, it was without faith, because
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of the hardness of their hearts. And thrice have I delivered them out of
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the hands of their enemies. And they have repented not of their sins.
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And when they had sworn by all that had been forbidden them by our Lord
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and Savior Jesus Christ, that they would go up unto their enemies to battle
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and avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren, Behold, the voice of
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the Lord came unto me, saying, vengeance is mine, and I will
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repay. And because this people repented not after I had delivered them, Behold,
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they shall be cut off from the face of the earth. And it
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came to pass that I utterly refused to go up against mine enemies. And
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I did even as the Lord had commanded me, and I did stand as
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an idol witness to manifest unto the world the things which I saw and heard,
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according to the manifestations of the Spirit which had testified of things to come.
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Therefore I write unto you gentiles, and also unto you house of Israel,
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when the work shall commence, that ye shall be about to prepare to
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return to the land of your inheritance. Yea, behold, I write unto
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all the ends of the earth. Yea, unto you twelve tribes of Israel,
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who shall be judged according to your works by the twelve whom Jesus chose
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to be his disciple in the land of Jerusalem. And I write also unto
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the remnant of this people, who shall also be judged by the twelve whom
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Jesus chose in this land. And they shall be judged by the other twelve
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whom Jesus chose in the land of Jerusalem. And these things doth the Spirit
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manifest unto me. Therefore I write unto you all. And for this cause
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I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before
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the judgment seed of Christ. YEA, every soul who belongs to the whole
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human family of Adam, and ye must stand to be judged of your works,
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whether they be good or evil. And also that ye may believe the
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Gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you. And also that
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the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides
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Him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus, whom they slew, was
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the very Christ and the very God. And I would that I could persuade
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all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment
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seat of Christ. End of fourth Nephi to Mormon, chapter four