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Show ‘ \ ) 358 BOOK OF BOOK ALMA. forth towards the land of Zarahemla, in the wilderness, Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand, had beena preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto “the Lord their God; yea, he had been strengthening the ar- mies of the Nephites, and erecting small forts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of earth round about, to enclose his armies, and also building walls of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities, and the borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land; and in their weakest fortifications, he did place the greater number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land which was possessed by the Nephites And thus he was preparing tosupport their liberty, their lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might man- tain that which was called by their enemies the cause_of ChrisAnd Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he'was tians. Pate of a perfect understanding ; yea, a man that did not de- a man light in bloodshed; in the liberty whose soul did joy and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery; yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanks- giving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people ; a man who did labor exceed- ingly for the welfare and safety of his people; yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he hae sworn with an oath, to defend his people, his rights, and his OF ALMA. 359 had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, be- hold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the Devil would never have no power over the hearts of the children of men. Behold, he was aman like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea, and even the other sons of Mosiah: yea, and also Alma and his sons: for they were all men of God. Now behold, Helaman and his brethren were no less serviceable unto the people, than was Moroni; for they_did teach the word of God, and they did baptize unto repentance, Mi gah men whosoever would hearken unto their words. And thus they went forth, and the people did humble themselves because of their words, insomuch that they were highly favored of the Lord ; and thus they were free from wars and contentions among themselves; yea, even for the space of four years. Butas Ihave said in the latter end of the nineteenth; yea, notwithstanding their peace amongst themselves, they Were compelled reluctantly to contend with their brethren, the Lamanites ; yea, and in fine, their wars never did cease for the space of many years with the Lamanites, notwithstanding their much reluctance. Now they were sorry to take up arms against the Lamanites, because they did not delight in the shedding of blood; yea, and this was not all; they were sorry io be the means of sending so many of their brethren out of this world into an eternal world, unprepared to meet.their God; hevertheless, they could not suffer to lay down their lives, that their wives and their children should be massacred by the bar- ao harous cruelty of those who was once their brethren, yea, and had dissented from their church, and had left them, and had enemiés, even to the shedding of blood, if it were necessal) » yea, and they were also taught never to give an offence ; ye and never to raise the sword, except it were against Be eo except it were to preserve their lives: and this was their e ; sone to destroy them, by joining the Lamanites; yea, they country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood. the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against then in the land ; af that by so doing, God would prosper them other words, if they were faithful in keeping the ak ments of God, that he would prosper them in the land ; hs warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according a danger ; and also, that God would make it known a 4 ‘aie whither they should go to defend themselves SE mies ; and by so doing, the Lord would deliver them : this cad in was the faith of Moroni; and his heart_did glory init neti o DIS the shedding of blood, but in doing good, Bee eas ai me? ‘yall God of commandments the people; yea, in keeping oO -vesisting iniquity. Yea, verily, verily Tsay unto you, ~~ could not bear that their brethren should rejoice over the blood of the Nephites, so long as there were any who should keep the commandments of God: for the promise of the Lord were, © If they should ke p, his commandments, they should prosper f in the land, x oY, ; Gs; Da i ; ——— And now it came to pass, in the eleventh month of the nineteenth year, on the tenth day of the month, the armies of the ‘amanites were seen approaching towards the land of Ammo- thah. And behold, the city had been re-built, and Moroni had stationed an army by the borders of the city, and they iad cast up dirt round about, to shield them from the arrows and the stones of the Lamanites; for behold, they fought With stonés, and with arrows. Behold, I said that the city of Onihah had-been re-built. I say unto you, yea, that it |
