Mormon III

6And now I finish my record concerning the destruction of my people the Nephites. And it came to pass that we did march forth before the Lamanites. 2And I Mormon wrote an epistle unto the king of the Lamanites and desired of him that he would grant unto us that we might gather together our people unto the land of Cumorah by a hill which was called Cumorah, and there we would give them battle. 3And it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites did grant unto me the thing which I desired.

4And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents round about the hill Cumorah. And it was in a land of many waters, river, and fountains. And here we had hope to gain advantage over the Lamanites. 5And when three hundred and eighty and four years had passed away, we had gathered in all the remainder of our people unto the land Cumorah. 6And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold, I Mormon began to be old. And knowing it to be the last struggle of my people and having been commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer that the records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to fall into the hands of the Lamanites —for the Lamanites would destroy them— therefore I made this record out of the plates of Nephi and hid up in the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni.

7And it came to pass that my people with their wives and their children did now behold the armies of the Lamanites a marching towards them. And with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked did they await to receive them. 8And it came to pass that they came to battle against us, and every soul was filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers. 9And it came to pass that they did fall upon my people with the sword and with the bow and with the arrow and with the ax and with all manner of weapons of war. 10And it came to pass that my men were hewn down, yea, or even my ten thousand which were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst. And they passed by me, that they did not put an end to my life.

11And when they had gone through and hewn down all my people save it were twenty and four of us —among whom was my son Moroni— and we having survived the dead of our people did behold on the morrow, when the Lamanites had returned unto their camps, from the top of the hill Cumorah the ten thousand of my people which were hewn down, being led in the front by me. 12And we also behold the ten thousand of my people which were led by my son Moroni. 13And behold, the ten thousand of Gidgiddonah had fallen, and he also in the midst. 14And Lamah had fallen with his ten thousand, and Gilgal had fallen with his ten thousand, and Limhah had fallen with his ten thousand, and Joneum had fallen with his ten thousand; and Cumenihah and Moronihah and Antionum and Shiblom and Shem and Josh had fallen with their ten thousand each. 15And it came to pass that there were ten more which did fall by the sword with their ten thousand each, yea, even all my people —save it were those twenty and four which were with me and also a few which had escaped into the south countries and a few which had dissented over unto the Lamanites— had fallen. And their flesh and bones and blood lay upon the face of the earth, being left by the hands of those who slew them to molder upon the land and to crumble and to return to their mother earth.

16And my soul was rent with anguish because of the slain of my people, and I cried: 17O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus who stood with open arms to receive you! 18Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your loss. 19O ye fair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have fallen!

20But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your return. 21And the day soon cometh that your mortal must put on immortality. And these bodies which are now moldering in corruption must soon become incorruptible bodies. And then ye must stand before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged according to your works. And if it so be that ye are righteous, then are ye blessed with your fathers which have gone before you. 22O that ye had repented before that this great destruction had come upon you! But behold, ye are gone. And the Father—yea, the Eternal Father of heaven—knoweth your state, and he doeth with you according to his justice and mercy.

7And now behold, I would speak somewhat unto the remnant of this people which are spared, if it so be that God may give unto them my words, that they may know of the things of their fathers. Yea, I speak unto you, ye remnant of the house of Israel. And this is the words which I speak: 2Know ye that ye are of the house of Israel. 3Know ye that ye must come unto repentance or ye cannot be saved. 4Know ye that ye must lay down your weapons of war and delight no more in the shedding of blood and take them not again, save it be that God shall command you. 5Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers and repent of all your sins and iniquities and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave. And also in him is the sting of death swallowed up. 6And he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead, whereby man must be raised to stand before his judgment seat. 7And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto them to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above unto the Father and unto the Son and unto the Holy Ghost, which is one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.

8Therefore repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus and lay hold upon the gospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews, which record shall come from the Gentiles unto you. 9For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe that. And if ye believe that, ye will believe this also. And if ye believe this, ye will know concerning your fathers and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them. 10And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob. Therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant. And if it so be that ye believe in Christ and are baptized —first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us— it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen.