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

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Helimann Chapter one. And now behold, it came to pass in the commencement
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of the fortieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi,
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there began to be a serious difficulty among the people of the Nephites.
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For behold, Pohoran had died and gone the way of all the earth.
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Therefore there began to be a serious contention concerning who should have the judgment seat
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among the brethren. Who were the sons of Pohoran, Now these are their
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names, who did contend for the judgment seat, who did also cause the
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people to contend Pohoran, Peanchi, and Pehumenae. Now these are not all
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the sons of Pohoran, for he had many. But these are they who
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did contend for the judgment seat. Therefore they did cause three divisions among the
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people. Nevertheless, it came to pass that Pohoran was appointed by the voice
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of the people to be chief judge and a governor over the people of Nephi.
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And it came to pass that Pekhumenaie. When he saw that he could
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not obtain the judgment seat, he did unite with the voice of the people.
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But behold, Peyankai, and that part of the people that were desirous
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that he should be their governor, was exceedingly wroth. Therefore, he was
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about to flatter away those people to rise up in rebellion against their brethren.
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And it came to pass as he was about to do this. Behold,
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he was taken and was tried according to the voice of the people, and
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condemned unto death, for he had raised up in rebellion and sought to destroy
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the liberty of the people. Now, when those people who were desirous that
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he should be their governor saw that he was condemned unto death, therefore they
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were angry. And behold they sent forth one Kishkumen even to the judgment seat
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of Pohoran, and murdered Pohoran as he sat upon the judgment seat. And
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he was pursued by the servants of Pohoran. But behold, so speedy was
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the flight of Kishkumen, that no man could overtake him. And he went
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unto those that sent him, and they all entered into a covenant yea,
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swearing by their everlasting maker that they would tell no man that kishkum and had
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murdered Pohoran. Therefore, Kishkumen was not known among the people of Nephi,
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for he was in disguise at the time that he murdered Pohoran. And Kishkumen
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and his band, who had covenant with him, did mingle themselves among the
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people in a manner that they all could not be found. But as many
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as were found were condemned unto death. And now behold, Pecumenai was appointed
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according to the voice of the people to be a chief judge and a governor
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over the people, to reign in the stead of his brother Pohoran. And
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it was according to his right. And all this was done in the fortieth
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year of the reign of the Judges, and it had an end. And
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it came to pass in the fortian first year of the reign of the Judges,
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that the Lamanites had gathered together an innumerable army of men and armed them
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with swords and with scimeters, and with bows, and with arrows, and
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with head plates and with breastplates, and with all manner of shields of every
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kind. And they came down again that they might pitch battle against the Nephites.
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And they were led by a man whose name was Koreyanthe and he was
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a descendant of Zarahemla, and he was a dissenter from among the Nephites,
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and he was a large and a mighty man. Therefore, the king of
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the Lamanites, whose name was Tubelath, who was the son of Amaron,
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supposing that Korantimer, being a mighty man, could stand against the Nephites with
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his strength and also with his great wisdom, insomuch that by sending him forth
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he should gain power over the Nephytes. Therefore he did stir them up to
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anger, and he to gather together his armies, and he did appoint Koorantimer
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to be their leader, and had caused that they should march down to the
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land of Zarahemla to battle against the Nephites. And it came to pass that,
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because of so much contention and so much difficulty in the government, that
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they had not kept sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla, for they had
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supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack
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that great city, Zarahemla. But it came to pass that Koreantimer did march
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forth at the head of his numerous host, and came upon the inhabitants of
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the city, and their march was with such exceedingly great speed that there was
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no time for the Nephites to gather together their armies. Therefore, Kreantamer did
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cut down the watch by the entrance of the city, and had marched forth
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with his whole army into the city. And they did slay every one who
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did oppose them, insomuch that they did take possession of the whole city.
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And it came to pass that Pecumenaie, who was the chief judge, did
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flee before Coriantomer, even to the walls of the city. And it came
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to pass that Kriantamer did smite him against the wall, insomuch that he died,
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and thus ended the days of Peicumenae. And now when Coriantamer saw that
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he was in possession of the city of Zarahemla, and saw that the Nephites
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had fled before them and were slain, and were taken and were cast into
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prison, and that he had obtained the possession of the strongest hold in all
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the land, his heart took courage insomuch that he was about to go forth
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against all the land. And now he did not tarry in the land of
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Zarahemla. But he did march forth with a large army, even towards the
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city of Bountiful. For it was his determination to go forth and cut his
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way through with the sword, that he might obtain the north parts of the
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land. And supposing that their greatest strength was in the center of the land,
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therefore he did march forth, giving them no time to assemble themselves together,
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save it were in small bodies. And in this manner they did fall
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upon them and cut them down to the earth. But behold, this march
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of choreantomer through the center of the land gave Moroniha great advantage over them,
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notwithstanding the greatness of the number of the Nephites that were slain. For behold,
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Moroniha had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the center of the
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land, but that they would attack the cities round about and the borders,
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as they had hitherto done. Therefore, Moroniha had caused that their strong armies
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should maintain those parts round about by the borders. But behold, the Lamanites
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were not frightened according to his desire. But they had come into the center
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of the land and had taken the capital city, which was the city of
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Zarahemla, and were marching through the most capital parts of the land, slaying
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the people with a great slaughter, both men, women and children, taking
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possession of many cities and of many strongholds. But when Marooniha had discovered this,
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he immediately sent forth Lehi with an army round about to head them before
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they should come to the land bountiful. And thus he did, and he
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did head them before they came to the land bountiful, and gave unto them
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battle insomuch that they began to retreat back towards the land of Zarahemla. And
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it came to pass that Moraniha did head them in their retreat and did give
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unto them battle, insomuch that it became an exceedingly bloody battle. Yea many
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were slain, And among the people who were slain, kriantomer was also found.
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And now behold, the Lamanites could not retreat either way, neither on
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the north, nor on the south, nor on the east, nor on
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the west, for they were surrounded on every hand by the Nephites, and
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thus had a koorantomer plunged the Lamanites into the mist to the Nephites, insomuch
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that they were in the power of the Nephytes, and he himself was slain,
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and the Lamanites to yield themselves up into the hands of the Nephytes.
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And it came to pass that Moroniha took possession of the city of Zarahemla again
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and caused the Lamanites, who had been taken prisoners, should depart out of
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the land in peace. And thus ended the forty and first year of the
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reign of the Judges Heliman Chapter two. And it came to pass and the
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forty and second year of the reign of the Judges, after Moroniha had established
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again peace between the Nephites and the Lamanites, Behold, there was no one
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to fill the judgment seat. Therefore, there began to be a contention again
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among the people concerning who should fill the judgment seat. And it came to
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pass that Heliman, who was the son of Heliman, was appointed to fill
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the judgment seat by the voice of the people. But behold, Kishkumen,
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who had murdered Pohoran, did lay weight to destroy Heliman also, and he
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was upheld by his band, who had entered into a covenant that no one
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should know his wickedness. For there was one Gadianton who was exceedingly expert in
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many words and also in his craft to carry on the secret work of murder
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and of robbery. Therefore he became the leader of the band of Kishkumen.
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Therefore he did flatter them, and also Kishkumen, that if they would place
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him in the judgment seat, he would grant unto those who belonged to his
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band, that they should be placed in power and authority among the people.
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Therefore, Kishkumen sought to destroy Heliman, and it came to pass, as
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he went forth towards the judgment seat to destroy Heliman, behold one of the
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servants of Heliman, having been out by night, and having obtained through disguise
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a knowledge of those plans which had been laid by this band to destroy Heliman.
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And it came to pass that he met Kishkumen, and he gave unto
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him a sign. Therefore, Kishkumen made known unto him the object of his
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desire, desiring that he would conduct to the judgment seat, that he might
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murder Heliman. And when the servant of Heliman had known all the heart of
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Kishkumen, and how that it was his object to murder, and also that
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it was the object of all those who belonged to his band to murder and
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to rob and to gain power. And this was their secret plan and their
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combination, the servant of Heliman said, unto Kishkumen, let us go forth
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unto the judgment seat. Now this did please Kishkumin exceedingly, for he did
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suppose that he should accomplish his design. But behold, the servant of Heliman,
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as they were going forth unto the judgment seat, did stab Kishkumen even
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to the heart. That he fell dead without a groan. And he ran
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and told Helimin all the things which he had seen and heard and done.
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And it came to pass that Helimen did send forth to take this band of
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robbers and secret murderers, that they might be executed according to the law.
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But behold, when Gerdyantin had found that Kishi Kouman did not return, he
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feared lest that he should be destroyed. Therefore he caused that his band should
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follow him, and they took their flight out of the land by a secret
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way into the wilderness. And thus when Heliman sent forth to take them,
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they could nowhere be found. And more of this gadyatin shall be spoken hereafter.
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And thus ended the forty and second year of the reign of the Judges
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over the people of Nephi. And behold, in the end of this book,
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ye shall see that this gardyentin did prove the overthrow yea almost the entire
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destruction of the people of Nephi. Behold, I do not mean the end
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of the book of Heliman, but I mean the end of the book of
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Nephi, from which I have taken all the account which I have written Heliman
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chapter three. And now it came to pass, and the forty and third
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year of the reign of the Judges, there was no contention among the people
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of Nephi, save it were a little pride which was in the church,
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which had caused some little dissensions among the people, which affairs were settled in
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the ending of the forty and third year, And there was no contention among
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the people in the forty and fourth year. Neither was there much contention in
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the forty and fifth year. And it came to pass. In the forty
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and sixth year, Yea, there was much contention in many dissensions in the
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which there were an exceedingly great many who departed out of the land of Zarahemla
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and went forth unto the land northward to inherit the land. And they did
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travel to an exceedingly great distance, in so much that they came to large
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bodies of water in many rivers, Yea. And even they did spread forth
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into all parts of the land, and to whatever parts of it had not
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been rendered desolate and without timber, because of the many inhabitants who had before
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inherited the land. And now no part of the land was desolate, save
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it were for timber. But because of the greatness of the destruction of the
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people who had before inhabited the land, it was called desolate, and there
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being but little timber upon the face of the land. Nevertheless, the people
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who went became exceedingly expert in the working of cement. Therefore they did build
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houses of cement in the which they did dwell. And it came to pass
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they did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to
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the land northward, and did spread in so much that they began to cover
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the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north,
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from the sea west to the sea east. And the people who were
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in the land northward did dwell in tents and in houses of cement, and
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they did suffer whatsoever tree should spring up upon the face of the land,
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that it should grow up, that in time they might have timber to build
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their houses, Yea, their cities, and their temples, and their synagogues,
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and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their buildings. And it came
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to pass, as timber was exceedingly scarce in the land northward, they did
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send forth much by the way of shipping. And thus they did enable the
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people in the land northward, that they might build many cities, both of
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wood and of cement. And it came to pass that there were many of
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the people of Amine who were Lamanites by birth, did also go forth into
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this land. And now there are many records kept of the proceedings of this
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people by many of this people, which are particular and very large concerning them.
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But behold a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people Yea The account
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of the Lamanites, and of the Nephites, and their wars and contentions and
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dissensions, and their preaching and their prophecies, and their shipping, and their
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building of ships, and their building of temples and of synagogues, and their
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sanctuaries, and their righteousness, and their wickedness, and their murders, and
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their robbings, and their plundering, and all manner of abominations and hortems cannot
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be contained in this work. But behold, there are many books and many
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records of every kind, and they have been kept chiefly by the Nephytes,
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and they have been handed down from one generation to another by the Nephites,
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even until they have fallen into transgression, and have been murdered, plundered,
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and hunted, and driven forth and slain and scattered upon the face of the
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earth, and mixed with the Lamanites, until they are no more called the
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Nephites, becoming wicked and wild and ferocious, yea, even becoming Lamanites.
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And now I return again to mine account. Therefore what I have spoken had
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passed after there had been great contentions and disturbances, and wars and dissensions among
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the people of Nephi. The forty and sixth year of the reign of the
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Judges ended, and it came to pass that there was still great contention in
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the land. Yea, even in the forty and seventh year, and also
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in the forty and eighth year. Nevertheless, Helimann did fill the judgment seat
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with justice and equity. Yea. He did observe to keep the statutes and
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the judgments and the commandments of God. And he did do that which was
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right in the sight of God continually, and he did walk after the ways
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of his father, insomuch that he did prosper in the land. And it
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came to pass that he had two sons. He gave unto the eldest the
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name of Nephi, and unto the youngest the name of Lehi. And they
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began to grow up unto the Lord. And it came to pass that the
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wars and contentions began to cease in a small degree among the people of the
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Nephites in the latter end of the forty and eighth year of the reign of
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the Judges over the people of Nephi. And it came to pass in the
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forty and ninth year of the reign of the Judges, there was continual peace
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established in the land. All save it were the secret combinations which Gadiant and
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the Robber had established in the more settled parts of the land, which at
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that time were not known unto those who were at the head of government.
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Therefore they were not destroyed out of the land. And it came to pass
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that in this same year there was exceedingly great prosperity in the Church, insomuch
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that there were thousands who did joined themselves unto the Church and were baptized unto
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repentance. And so great was the prosperity of the Church, and so many
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the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even the high priests
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and the teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure. And it came to pass that
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the work of the Lord did prosper unto the baptizing in uniting to the Church
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of God many souls, yea, even tens of thousands. Thus we see
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that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their
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hearts call upon His holy name. YEA. Thus we see that the gate
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of Heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the
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name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. Yea, we
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see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is
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quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and
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the wiles of the devil, and lead the Man of Christ in a strait
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and narrow chorus across that everlasting gulf of misery, which is prepared to engulf
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the wicked, and land their souls. Yea, their immortal souls at the
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right hand of God and the kingdom of Heaven, to sit down with Abraham
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and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to
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go no more out. And in this year there was continual rejoicing in the
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land of Zarahemla and in all the regions round about, even in all the
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land which was possessed by the Nephites. And it came to pass that there
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was peace and exceedingly great joy in the remainder of the forty and ninth year.
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Yea. And also there was continual peace and great joy in the fiftieth
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year of the reign of the Judges, and in the fifty and first year
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of the reign of the Judges, there was peace. Also save it were
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the pride which began to enter into the church, not into the Church of
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God, but into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the
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Church of God. And they were lifted up in pride, even to the
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persecution of many of their brethren. Now this was a great evil which did
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cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions and to wade
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through much affliction. Nevertheless, they did fast and pray oft and it waxed
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stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of
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Christ unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation. Yea, even to
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the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their
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yielding their hearts unto God. And it came to pass that the fifty and
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second year ended in peace. Also save it were the exceedingly great pride which
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had gotten into the hearts of the people. And it was because of their
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exceedingly great riches and their prosperity in the land. And it did grow upon
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them from day to day, and it came to pass. In the fifty
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and thirty year of the reign of the Judges, Heliman died, and his
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eldest son, Nephi began to reign in his stead. And it came to
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pass that he did feel the judgment seat with justice and equity. Yea,
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he did keep the commandments of God, and did walk in the ways of
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his father Heliman, Chapter four. And it came to pass in the fifty
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and fourth year there were many dissensions in the church, and there was also
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a contention among the people, insomuch that there was much bloodshed, and their
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rebellious part were slain and driven out of the land. And they did go
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unto the king of the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did
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endeavor to stir up the Lamanites to war against the Nephites. But behold,
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the Lamanites were exceedingly afraid, in so much that they would not hearken to
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the words of those dissenters. But it came to pass in the fifty and
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sixth year of the reign of the Judges there were dissenters who went up from
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the Nephites unto the Lamanites, and they succeeded with those others in stirring them
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up to anger against the Nephites. And they were all that year preparing for
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war. And in the fifty and seventh year they did come down against the
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Nephites to battle, and they did commence the work of death Yea in so
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much that in the fifty and eighth year of the reign of the Judges,
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they succeeded in obtaining possession of the land of Zarahemla Yea, and also all
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the lands even unto the land which was near the land Bountiful, and the
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Nephites and the armies of Moroniha were driven even into the land of Bountiful,
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and they did fortify against the Lamanites from the west sea even unto the east,
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yet be in a day's journey for a Nephyte on the line which they
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had fortified and stationed their armies to defend their north country. And thus those
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dissenters of the Nephites, with the help of a numerous army of the Lamanites,
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had obtained all the possession of the Nephites which was in the land southward.
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And all this was done in the fifty and eighth and ninth years of
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the reign of the Judges, And it came to pass in the sixtieth year
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of the reign of the Judges Meronaiha did succeed with his armies in obtaining many
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parts of the land. Yea. There regained many cities which had fallen into
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the hands of the Lamanites. And it came to pass in the sixty and
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first year of the reign of the Judges they succeeded in regaining even the half
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of all their possessions. Now, this great loss of the Nephites, and
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the great slaughter which was among them, would not have happened had it not
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been for their wickedness and their abomination, which was among them, Yea.
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And it was among those also who professed to belonged to the Church of God.
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And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their
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exceeding riches. Yea. It was because of their oppression to the poor,
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withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and
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smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was
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sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering,
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lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting
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away into the land of Nephi among the Lamanites. And because of their great
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wickedness and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own
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strength. Therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten and driven
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before the Lamanites until they had lost possession of almost all their lands. But
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behold, Moroniha did preach many things unto the people because of their iniquity.
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And also Nephi and Lehi, who were the sons of Heliman, did preach
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many things unto the people Yea, and did prophesy many things unto them concerning
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their iniquities and what should come unto them if they did not repent of their
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sins. And it came to pass that they did repent. And inasmuch as
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they did repent, they did begin to prosper. For when Moroniha saw that
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they did repent, he did venture to lead them forth from place to place,
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and from city to city, even until they had regained the one half
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of their property and the one half of all their lands, and thus ended
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the sixty and first year of the reign of the Judges. And it came
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to pass in the sixty and second year of the reign of the Judges,
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that Moroniha could obtain no more possessions over the Lamanites. Therefore they did abandon
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their design to obtain the remainder of their lands. For so numerous were the
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Lamanites that it became impossible for the Nephites to obtain more power over them.
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Therefore, Moroniha did employ all his armies in maintaining those parts which he had
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taken. And it came to pass because of the greatness of the number of
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the Lamanites. The Nephites were in great fear lest they should be overpowered and
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trodden down and slain and destroyed. Yea, they began to remember the prophecies
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of Alma and also the words of Mosiah. And they saw that they had
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been a stiffnked people, and that they had said it not the commandments of
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God, and that they had altered and trampled under their feet the laws of
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Mosiah or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people. And
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they saw that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a
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wicked people, insomuch that they were wicked, even likened to the Lamanites.
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And because of their iniquity, the Church had begun to dwindle, and they
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began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy and in the spirit of revelation,
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and the judgments of God did stare them in the face. And they saw
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that they had become weak liken to their brethren, the Lamanites, and that
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the spirit of the Lord did no more preserve them. Yea, it had
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withdrawn from them, because the spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy
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temples. Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his miraculous and matchless
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power. For they had fallen into a state of unbelief and awful wickedness.
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And they saw that the Lamanites were exceedingly more numerous than they, and except
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they should cleave unto the Lord their God, they must unavoidably perish. For
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behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their
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strength, even man for man. And thus had they fallen into this great
24:21
transgression. Yea, Thus had they become weak because of their transgression in the
24:26
space of not many years and of Helimann chapters one through four,