9:1 My beloved son, I write unto you again that ye may know that I am
yet alive; but I write somewhat of that which is grievous.
9:2 For behold, I have had a sore battle with the Lamanites, in which
we did not conquer; and Archeantus has fallen by the sword, and also
Luram and Emron; yea, and we have lost a great number of our choice
men.
9:3 And now behold, my son, I fear lest the Lamanites shall destroy
this people; for they do not repent, and Satan stirreth them up
continually to anger one with another.
9:4 Behold, I am laboring with them continually; and when I speak the
word of God with sharpness they tremble and anger against me; and when
I use no sharpness they harden their hearts against it; wherefore, I
fear lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with them.
9:5 For so exceedingly do they anger that it seemeth me that they have
no fear of death; and they have lost their love, one towards another;
and they thirst after blood and revenge continually.
9:6 And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us
labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought
under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this
tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness,
and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.
9:7 And now I write somewhat concerning the sufferings of this people.
For according to the knowledge which I have received from Amoron,
behold, the Lamanites have many prisoners, which they took from the
tower of Sherrizah; and there were men, women, and children.
9:8 And the husbands and fathers of those women and children they have
slain; and they feed the women upon the flesh of their husbands, and
the children upon the flesh of their fathers; and no water, save a
little, do they give unto them.
9:9 And notwithstanding this great abomination of the Lamanites, it
doth not exceed that of our people in Moriantum. For behold, many of
the daughters of the Lamanites have they taken prisoners; and after
depriving them of that which was most dear and precious above all
things, which is chastity and virtue—
9:10 And after they had done this thing, they did murder them in a most
cruel manner, torturing their bodies even unto death; and after they
have done this, they devour their flesh like unto wild beasts, because
of the hardness of their hearts; and they do it for a token of bravery.
9:11 O my beloved son, how can a people like this, that are without
civilization—
9:12 (And only a few years have passed away, and they were a civil and
a delightsome people)
9:13 But O my son, how can a people like this, whose delight is in so
much abomination—
9:14 How can we expect that God will stay his hand in judgment against
us?
9:15 Behold, my heart cries: Wo unto this people. Come out in judgment,
O God, and hide their sins, and wickedness, and abominations from
before thy face!
9:16 And again, my son, there are many widows and their daughters who
remain in Sherrizah; and that part of the provisions which the
Lamanites did not carry away, behold, the army of Zenephi has carried
away, and left them to wander whithersoever they can for food; and many
old women do faint by the way and die.
9:17 And the army which is with me is weak; and the armies of the
Lamanites are betwixt Sherrizah and me; and as many as have fled to the
army of Aaron have fallen victims to their awful brutality.
9:18 O the depravity of my people! They are without order and without
mercy. Behold, I am but a man, and I have but the strength of a man,
and I cannot any longer enforce my commands.
9:19 And they have become strong in their perversion; and they are
alike brutal, sparing none, neither old nor young; and they delight in
everything save that which is good; and the suffering of our women and
our children upon all the face of this land doth exceed everything;
yea, tongue cannot tell, neither can it be written.
9:20 And now, my son, I dwell no longer upon this horrible scene.
Behold, thou knowest the wickedness of this people; thou knowest that
they are without principle, and past feeling; and their wickedness doth
exceed that of the Lamanites.
9:21 Behold, my son, I cannot recommend them unto God lest he should
smite me.
9:22 But behold, my son, I recommend thee unto God, and I trust in
Christ that thou wilt be saved; and I pray unto God that he will spare
thy life, to witness the return of his people unto him, or their utter
destruction; for I know that they must perish except they repent and
return unto him.
9:23 And if they perish it will be like unto the Jaredites, because of
the wilfulness of their hearts, seeking for blood and revenge.
9:24 And if it so be that they perish, we know that many of our
brethren have deserted over unto the Lamanites, and many more will also
desert over unto them; wherefore, write somewhat a few things, if thou
art spared and I shall perish and not see thee; but I trust that I may
see thee soon; for I have sacred records that I would deliver up unto
thee.
9:25 My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have
written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift
thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body
unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his
glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever.
9:26 And may the grace of God the Father, whose throne is high in the
heavens, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who sitteth on the right hand of
his power, until all things shall become subject unto him, be, and
abide with you forever. Amen.