derer of this judge. And it came to pass that the five were liberated on the day of the burial. Nevertheless, they did rebuke the judges in the words which they had spoken against Nephi, and did contend with them one by one, insomuch that they did confound them. Nevertheless, they caused that Nephi should be taken and bound and brought before the multitude, and they began to question him in divers ways, that they might cross him, that they might accuse him to death saying unto him, thou art confederate; who is this man that hath done this murder? Now tell us, and acknowledge thy fault, saying, behold here is money; and also we will grant unto thee thy life if thou will tell us, and acknowledge the agreement which thou hast made with him.

11. But Nephi said unto them, O ye fools, ye uncircumcised of heart, ye blind, and ye stiff-necked people, do ye know how long the Lord your God will suffer you that ye shall go on in this your way of sin? O ye had ought to begin to howl and mourn, because of the great destruction at this time which doth await you, except ye shall repent. Behold ye say that I have agreed with a man, that he should murder Seezoram, our Chief Judge. But behold, I say unto you, that this is because I have testified unto you, that ye might know concerning this thing; yea, even for a witness unto you, that I did know of the wickedness and abominations which are among you. And because I have done this, ye say that I have agreed with a man that he should do this thing; yea, because I shewed unto you this sign, ye are angry with me, and seek to destroy my life. And now behold, I will shew unto you another sign, and see if ye will in this thing seek to destroy me. Behold I say unto you, go to the house of Seantum, who is the brother of Seezoram, and say unto him, has Nephi, the pretended prophet, who doth prophesy so much evil concerning this people, agreed with thee, in the which ye have murdered Seezoram, who is your brother? And behold, he shall say unto you, nay. And ye shall say unto him, have ye murdered your brother? And he shall stand with fear, and wist not what to say. And behold, he shall deny unto you; and he shall make as if he were astonished; nevertheless, he shall declare unto you that he is innocent. But behold, ye shall examine him, and ye shall find blood upon the skirts of his cloak. And when ye have seen this, ye shall say, from whence cometh this blood? Do we not know that this is the blood of your brother? And then shall he tremble, and shall look pale, even as if death had come upon him. And then shall

ye say, because of this fear and this paleness which has come upon your face, behold, we know that thou art guilty. And then shall greater fear come upon him; and then shall he confess unto you, and deny no more that he has done this murder. And then shall he say unto you, that I, Nephi, know nothing concerning the matter, save it were given unto me by the power of God. And then shall ye know that I am an honest man, and that I am sent unto you from God.

12. And it came to pass that they went and did, even according as Nephi had said unto them. And behold, the words which he had said, were true; for according to the words, he did deny; and also according to the words he did confess. And he was brought to prove that he himself was the very murderer, insomuch that the five were set at liberty; and also was Nephi. And there were some of the Nephites who believed on the words of Nephi; and there were some also, who believed, because of the testimony of the five, for they had been converted while they were in prison. And now there were some among the people, who said that Nephi was a prophet; and there were others who said, behold, he is a god, for except he was a god, he could not know of all things. For behold, he has told us the thoughts of our hearts, and also has told us things; and even he has brought unto our knowledge the true murderer of our Chief Judge.

13. And it came to pass that there arose a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither, and went their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them. And it came to pass that Nephi went his way towards his own house, pondering upon the things which the Lord had shewn unto him. And it came to pass as he was thus pondering, being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all manner of iniquities--and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart,behold, a voice came unto him saying, blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but have sought my will, and to keep my commandments. And now because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee for ever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done

unto thee according to thy word, for thou shall not ask that which is contrary to my will. Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people. Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth, shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people. And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple, it shall be rent in twain, it shall be done. And if ye shall say unto this mountain, be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall be done. And behold, if ye shall say, that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass. And now behold, I command you that ye shall go and declare unto this people, that thus saith the Lord God, who is the Almighty, except ye repent ye shall be smitten, even unto destruction.

14. And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop, and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them the word of the Lord which had been spoken unto him concerning their destruction, if they did not repent. Now behold, notwithstanding that great miracle which Nephi had done in telling them concerning the death of the Chief Judge, they did harden their hearts, and did not hearken unto the words of the Lord; therefore Nephi did declare unto them the word of the Lord, saying, except ye repent, thus saith the Lord, ye shall be smitten even unto destruction. And it came to pass that when Nephi had declared unto them the word, behold, they did still harden their hearts, and would not hearken unto his words; therefore they did revile against him, and did seek to lay their hands upon him, that they might cast him into prison. But behold, the power of God was with him, and they could not take him to cast him into prison, for he was taken by the Spirit, and conveyed away out of the midst of them.

15. And it came to pass that thus he did go forth in the Spirit, from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even until he had declared it unto them all, or sent it forth among all the people. And it came to pass that they would not hearken unto his words; and there began to be contentions, insomuch that they were divided against themselves, and began to slay one another with the sword.

And

thus ended the seventy and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

CHAPTER IV.

1. And now it came to pass in the seventy and second year of the reign of the Judges, that the contentions did increase, insomuch that there were wars throughout all the land among all the people of Nephi. And it was this secret band of robbers who did carry on this work of destruction and wickedness. And this war did last all that year. And in the seventy and third year it did also last.

2. And it came to pass that in this year, Nephi did cry unto the Lord, saying, O Lord do not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by the sword; but O Lord, rather let there be a famine in the land, to stir them up in remembrance of the Lord their God, and perhaps they will repent and turn unto thee; and so it was done, according to the words of Nephi. And there was a great famine upon the land, among all the people of Nephi. And thus in the seventy and fourth year the famine did continue, and the work of destruction did cease by the sword, but became sore by famine. And this work of destruction did also continue in the seventy and fifth year. For the earth was smitten that it was dry, and did not yield forth grain in the season of grain; and the whole earth was smitten, even among the Lamanites as well as among the Nephites, so that they were smitten that they did perish by thousands in the more wicked parts of the land.

3. And it came to pass that the people saw that they were about to perish by famine, and they began to remember the Lord their God; and they began to remember the words of Nephi. And the people began to plead with their chief judges and their leaders, that they would say unto Nephi, behold, we know that thou art a man of God, and therefore cry unto the Lord our God that he turn away from us this famine, lest all the words which thou hast spoken concerning our destruction be fulfilled. And it came to pass that the judges did say unto Nephi, according to the words which had been desired. And it came to pass that when Nephi saw that the people had repented, and did humble themselves in sackcloth, he cried again unto the Lord, saying, O Lord, behold this people repenteth; and they have swept

away the band of Gadianton from amongst them, insomuch that they have become extinct, and they have concealed their secret plans in the earth. Now, O Lord, because of this their humility, wilt thou turn away thine anger, and let thine anger be appeased in the destruction of those wicked men whom thou hast already destroyed? O Lord, wilt thou turn away thine anger, yea, thy fierce anger, and cause that this famine may cease in this land? O Lord, wilt thou hearken unto me, and cause that it may be done according to my words, and send forth rain upon the face of the earth, that she may bring forth her fruit and her grain, in the season of grain? O Lord, thou didst hearken unto my words when I said, let there be a famine, that the pestilence of the sword might cease; and I know that thou wilt, even at this time, hearken unto my words, for thou said, that if this people repent, I will spare them; yea, O Lord, and thou seest that they have repented, because of the famine, and the pestilence and destruction which has come unto them. And now, O Lord, wilt thou turn away thine anger, and try again if they will serve thee? And if so, O Lord, thou canst bless them according to thy words which thou hast said.

4. And it came to pass that in the seventy and sixth year, the Lord did turn away his anger from the people, and caused that rain should fall upon the earth, insomuch that it did bring forth her fruit in the season of her fruit. And it came to pass that it did bring forth her grain in the season of her grain. And behold, the people did rejoice, and glorify God, and the whole face of the land was filled with rejoicing; and they did no more seek to destroy Nephi, but they did esteem him as a great prophet, and a man of God, having great power and authority given unto him from God. And behold, Lehi, his brother, was not a whit behind him as to things pertaining to righteousness. And thus it did come to pass that the people of Nephi began to prosper again in the land, and began to build up their waste places, and began to multiply and spread, even until they did cover the whole face of the land, both on the northward and on the southward, from the sea west to the sea east. And it came to pass that the seventy and sixth year did end in peace. And the seventy and seventh year began in peace; and the church did spread throughout the face of all the land; and the more part of the people, both the Nephites and the Lamanites, did belong to the church; and they did have exceeding great peace in the land, and thus ended the seventy and seventh year. And also they had peace in the seventy