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Show ii¢ BOOK BOOK OP MOSIAN. thers, for many years; yea, for the space of twenty and tvé years. And I did cause that the men should till the ground and raise all manner of grain, and all manner of fruit, of every kind. And_I did cause that the women should spin, and toil, ‘and work, and work all manner of fine linen; yea, and cloth of every kind, that we might clothe our nakedness; and thus we did prosper in the land; thus we did have continual peace in the Jand;for the space of twenty and two years. And it came to pass that king Laman died, and his son began to reign in his stead. And he began to stir his people up in rebellion against my people; therefore, they began to pre| er for war, and to come up to battle against my people— ut I having sent my spies out round about the land of Shen- lon, that I might discover their preparations, thatI might guard against them, that they might not come upon my people and destroy them. And it came to pass that they came up upon the north o the land of Shilom, with their numerous hosts, men armed with bows, and with arrows, and with swords, and with cime: fers, and with stones, and with slings; and they had their heads shaved, that they were naked; and they were girded about with a leathern girdle about their loins. And it came to pass that I caused: that the women 0! children of my people should be hid in the wilderness; 2nd! also ‘caused that all my old’ men that could bear arms, and é: so ali my young men that were able to bear arms, should gather themselves together, to go to battle against the Lamar ites; and I did place them in their ranks, every man ace0l ding to his ages And it came to pass that we Lamanites. did-go up to battle against the And J, even J, in my old age, did go up to battle against the Lamanites. Andit came to pass that we did.9 up in the strength of the Lord, ‘to battle. Now, the Lamanites knew nothing concerning the Lord, 1! the strength of the Lord; therefore, they depended upon thet ) own strength. Yet they were a strong people, as to the streng"” » of men: they were OF MOSIA. LVF they had crossed the sea; and all this, because that was more faithful in keeping the commandments therefore he was favored of the Nephi of the Lord; Lord, for the Lord heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness. And his brethren were wroth with him, because they understood not the dealings of the Lord ; they were also wroth with him upon the waters, because they hardened their hearts against the Lord. And again: They were wroth with him, when they had arriven to the promised land, because they said that he had. taken the’ ruling of the people out of their hands; and they sought to kill him. And again: They were wroth with him, because he departed into the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him, and took the rec- ords which were engraven on the plates of brass; for they said that he robbed them. And thus they have taught their children, that they should hate them, and that they should murder them, and that they should rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them; therefore, they have an eternal hatred towards the children of Nephi. For this very cause hath king Laman, by his cunning and lying craftiness, and his fair promises, hath deceived me, that I have brought this, my people, up into this land, that they may destroy them: yea, aid we have suffered this many years in the land. And now I, Zenitf, after having told all these things unto my 44,3 . . people concerning the Lamanites, Ldid sti: te them to go (0 battle with their might, putting theit rust in the Lord; wa therefore, we did contend with them, face to face. And it “dhe 10 pass that we,.did drive them again out of our land; and we slew them with a great slaughter, even so many that We did hot number them. fee re to pass that we returned again to our own land, oneha 9 MY Sons ; Eline, I — n: efore, 1 say noeate more. “My people. Amen. And And ach may the the Lord lant a wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thir! people, believing in the tradition of their fathers, which is ths: Believing that they were driven out of the land of Jerusale™ because of the iniquities of their fathers, and that they we" wronged in the wilderness by their brethren; and also wronged, while crossing the sea. Andagain: were they wert That they wronged while in the land of their first inheritance, J! AND now it came to pass that Zeniff conferred the kingdom u eit Noah » one of his sons; therefore Noah began to reigi. Stead; and he qd not walk in the ways of. his father. |