the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni; yea, even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of the Judges.

24. And it came to pass that the twenty and second year of the reign of the Judges also ended in peace; yea, and also the twenty and third year.

25. And it came to pass that in the commencement of the twenty and fourth year of the reign of the Judges, there would also have been peace among the people of Nephi, had it not been for a contention which took place among them concerning the land of Lehi, and the Pland of Morianton, which joined upon the borders of Lehi; both of which were on the borders by the sea shore.

26. For behold the people who possessed the land of Morianton, did claim a part of the "land of Lehi; therefore there began to be a warm contention between them, insomuch that the people of Morianton, took up arms against their brethren, and they were determined by the sword to slay them.

27. But behold the people who possessed the land of Lehi, fled to the camp of Moroni, and appealed unto him for assistance; for behold they were not in the wrong.

28. And it came to pass that when the people of Morianton, who were led by a man whose name was Morianton, found that the people of Lehi had fled to the camp of Moroni, they were exceeding fearful lest the army of Moroni should come upon them and destroy them;

29. Therefore, Morianton put it into their hearts that they should flee to the land which was 'northward, which was "covered with large bodies of water, and take possession of the land which was northward.

30. And behold, they would have carried this plan into effect, (which would have been a cause to have been lamented,) but behold Morianton, being a man of much passion, therefore he was angry with one of his maid servants, and he fell upon her and beat her much.

31. And it came to pass that she fled, and came over to the camp of Moroni, and told Moroni all things concerning the matter; and also concerning their intentions to flee into the land northward.

32. Now behold, the people who were in the land Bountiful, or rather Moroni, feared that they would hearken to the words of Morianton, and unite with his people, and thus he would obtain possession of those parts of the land which would lay a foundation for serious consequences among the people of Nephi; yea, which consequences would lead to the "overthrow of their liberty;

33. Therefore Moroni sent an army, with their camp, to

o, see m. r, see m. Mor. 6: 4.

P, vers. 26, 28, 36. 51: 26. 55:33. 59: 5.
t, North America.

8, see m.

v, see m, Mos. 29.

u, Mos. 8: 8.

q, see p. Hela. III. 4.

head the people of Morianton, to stop their flight into the land northward.

34. And it came to pass that they did not head them, until they had come to the borders of the "land Desolation; and there they did head them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the land northward; yea, by the sea, on the west, and on the east.

35. And it came to pass that the army which was sent by Moroni, which was led by a man whose name was Teancum, did meet the people of Morianton; and so stubborn were the people of Morianton, (being inspired by his wickedness and his flattering words,) that a battle commenced between them, in the which Teancum did slay Morianton, and defeat his army, and took them prisoners, and returned to the camp of Moroni. And thus ended the twenty and fourth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

36. And thus was the people of Morianton brought back. And upon their covenanting to keep the peace, they were restored to the land of Morianton, and a union took place between them and the people of Lehi : and they were also restored to their lands.

37. And it came to pass that in the same year that the people of Nephi had peace restored unto them, that Nephi hah, the 2 second Chief Judge, died, having filled the judg ment seat with perfect uprightness before God;

38. Nevertheless, he had refused Alma to take possession of 26those records and those things which were esteemed by Alma and his fathers to be most sacred: therefore Alma had conferred them upon his son Helaman.

39. Behold, it came to pass that the son of Nephihah was appointed to fill the judgment seat, in the stead of his father; yea, he was appointed Chief Judge and Governor over the people, with an oath and sacred ordinance to judge righteously, and to keep the peace, and the 2cfreedom of the people, and to grant unto them their sacred privileges to worship the Lord their God; yea, to support and maintain the cause of God all his days, and to bring the wicked to justice, according to their crime.

40. Now behold, his name was Pahoran. And Pahoran did fill the seat of his father, and did commence his reign in the end of the twenty and fourth year, over the people of Nephi.

CHAPTER 51.

1. AND now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and fifth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, they having established peace between the

w, see 21, Alma 22. 2 a, Alma 4: 16-18.

y, see p.

2, see in,

x, see 2 v, Alma 22.
2b, Alma 37. 2 e, see m, Mos. 29.

people of "Lehi and the people of 'Morianton, concerning their lands, and having commenced the twenty and fifth year in peace;

2. Nevertheless, they did not long maintain an entire peace in the land, for there began to be a contention among the people concerning the Chief Judge, Pahoran; for behold there were a part of the people who desired that a few particular points of the law should be altered.

3. But behold, Pahoran would not alter, nor suffer the law to be altered; therefore, he did not hearken to those who had sent in their voices with their petitions, concerning the altering of the law;

4. Therefore, those who were desirous that the law should be altered, were angry with him, and desired that he should no longer be Chief Judge over the land: therefore there arose a warm dispute concerning the matter; but not unto bloodshed.

5. And it came to pass that those who were desirous that Pahoran should be dethroned from the judgment seat, were called king-men, for they were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner to overthrow the free government, and to establish a king over the land.

6. And those who were desirous that Pahoran should remain Chief Judge over the land, took upon them the name of freemen; and thus was the division among them: for the freemen had sworn or covenanted to maintain their rights and the privileges of their religion by a free govern

ment.

7. And it came to pass that this matter of their contention was settled by the voice of the people. And it came to pass that the voice of the people came in favour of the "freemen, and Pahoran retained the judgment seat, which caused much rejoicing among the brethren of Pahoran, and also many of the people of liberty; who also put the king-men to silence, that they durst not oppose, but were obliged to maintain the cause of freedom.

8. Now those who were in favour of kings were those of high birth; and they sought to be kings; and they were supported by those who sought power and authority over the people.

9. But behold, this was a critical time for such contentions to be among the people of Nephi; for behold, Amalickiah had again stirred up the hearts of the people of the Lamanites, against the people of the Nephites, and he was gathering together soldiers, from all parts of his land, and arming them, and preparing for war, with all diligence; for he had sworn to 'drink the blood of Moroni.

10. But behold, we shall see that his promise which he

made was rash; nevertheless, he did prepare himself and his armies to come to battle against the Nephites.

11. Now his armies were not so great as they had hitherto been, because of the many thousands who had been slain by the hand of the Nephites; but notwithstanding their great loss, Amalickiah had gathered together a wonderful great army, insomuch that he feared not to come down to the land of Zarahemla.

12. Yea, even Amalickiah did himself come down, at the head of the Lamanites. And it was in the twenty and fifth year of the reign of the Judges; and it was at the same time that they had began to settle the affairs of their contentions concerning the Chief Judge Pahoran.

13. And it came to pass that when the men who were called "king-men, had heard that the Lamanites were coming down to battle against them, they were glad in their hearts, and they refused to take up arms; for they were so wroth with the Chief Judge, and also with the 'people of liberty, that they would not take up arms to defend their country.

14. And it came to pass that when Moroni saw this, and also saw that the Lamanites were coming into the borders of the land, he was exceeding wroth, because of the stubbornness of those people, whom he had labored with so much diligence to preserve; yea, he was exceeding wroth; his soul was filled with anger against them.

15. And it came to pass that he sent a petition, with the voice of the people, unto the governor of the land, desiring that he should read it, and give him (Moroni) power to compel those dissenters to defend their country, or to put them to death:

16. For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions, and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been hitherto a cause of all their destruction. And it came to pass that it was granted, according to the voice of the people.

17. And it came to pass that Moroni commanded that his army should go against those king-men, to pull down their pride and their nobility, and level them with the earth, or they should take up arms and support the cause of liberty.

18. And it came to pass that the armies did march forth against them; and they did pull down their pride and their nobility, insomuch that as they did lift their weapons of war to fight against the men of Moroni, they were hewn down and levelled to the earth.

19. And it came to pass that there were four thousand of those dissenters who were hewn down by the sword; and those of their leaders who were not slain in battle, were taken and cast into prison, for there was no time for their trials at this period;

m, vers. 2- 8. q, see e.

n, see e.

o, see m, Mos. 29.

P, see e, Mos. 29.

20. And the remainder of those dissenters, rather than be smote down to the earth by the sword, yielded to the standard of liberty, and were compelled to hoist the 'title of liberty upon their towers, and in their cities, and to take up arms in defence of their country.

21. And thus Moroni put an end to those king-men, that there were not any known by the appellation of king-men; and thus he put an end to the stubbornness and the pride of those people who professed the blood of nobility; but they were brought down to humble themselves like unto their brethren, and to fight valiantly for their freedom from bondage.

22. Behold, it came to pass that while Moroni was thus breaking down the wars and contentions among his own people, and subjecting them to peace and civilization, and making regulations to prepare for war against the Lamanites, behold, the Lamanites had come into the "land of Moroni, which was in the borders by the sea shore.

23. And it came to pass that the Nephites were not sufficiently strong in the city of Moroni; therefore Amalickiah did drive them, slaying many. And it came to pass that Amalickiah took possession of the city; yea, possession of all their fortifications.

24. And those who fled out of the "city of Moroni, came to the "city of Nephihah; and also the people of the city of Lehi gathered themselves together, and made preparations, and were ready to receive the Lamanites to battle."

25. But it came to pass that Amalickiah would not suffer the Lamanites to go against the city of Nephihah to battle, but kept them down by the sea shore, leaving men in every city to maintain and defend it :

26. And thus he went on, taking possession of many cities: the city of Nephihah, and the city of Lehi, and the 2 city of Morianton, and the city of Omner, and the 2 city of Gid, and the 2dcity of Mulek, all of which were on the east borders by the sea shore.

27. And thus had the Lamanites obtained, by the cunning of Amalickiah, so many cities, by their numberless hosts, all of which were strongly fortified, after the manner of the fortifications of Moroni; all of which afforded strongholds for the Lamanites.

28. 2/And it came to pass that they marched to the borders of the land Bountiful, driving the Nephites before them, and slaying many.

29. But it came to pass that they were met by Teancum,

8, see e.

t, see m, Mos. 29. u, see k, 1, Alma 50. x, see m, Alma 50. 2a, see m, Alma 50. 2 b, see p, Hela. 5 15. 2d, Alma 52: 2, 16, 2 e, see c, Alma 48. 2f, see 2k,

r, Alma 46: 12, 13. Alma 50. v, see k, Alma 50. w, see y, see l, Alma 50. z, see 1, Alma 50. Alma 50. 2c, Alma 55: 7, 16, 25, 26. 17, 19, 20, 22, 26, 28, 34. 53: 2, 6. Alma 22.