THE NEPHITES AND LAMANITES SEPARATE--THE NEPHITES SEEK A NEW
HOME--NEPHI CHOSEN KING--HE BUILDS A TEMPLE--INSTRUCTS HIS
PEOPLE IN THE ARTS OF PEACE--WAR WITH THE LAMANITES--THE SWORD
OF LABAN--NEPHI'S DEATH--JACOB, HIS BROTHER, BECOMES THE CHIEF
PRIEST--JACOB'S TEACHINGS ON MARRIAGE.
(II. NEPHI CHAP. 5 TO JACOB, CHAP. 4.)
Scarcely was Lehi buried than fresh trouble arose. Laman and Lemuel,
with their friends, would not be led by Nephi. They asserted that
they were the elder brothers and theirs was the right to rule. They
would not recognize Nephi's authority, though they knew that God had
appointed him to be their leader. So, by the command of Heaven, the
two parties separated. Nephi, and those who would listen to him, moved
away, and left those who clung to Laman in possession of their first
home.
Those who went with Nephi were his own family, Zoram, Sam, Jacob and
Joseph, and their families, and some others whose names the Book of
Mormon does not give. Henceforth those who belonged to this branch of
Lehi's house were known as Nephites, after Nephi, their leader; while
those who remained with Laman were called Lamanites.
The condition of the Lamanites was now pitiable; they had cut
themselves off from the presence of the Lord, the Priesthood was
withdrawn from them, the records and scriptures were beyond their
grasp. Hatred and malice reigned supreme in their souls; they had
no inclination for the arts of peace; they were restless, cunning
and idle, whilst they sought in the wilderness the food necessary to
sustain life. Already the curse of God was falling upon them. Lest
they should appear pleasant to Nephite eyes, their fair and beautiful
skins grew dark and repulsive, their habits became loathsome and
filthy, and the same skin of darkness came upon the children of all
those who intermarried with them.
The Nephites called the new country in which they made their homes the
land of Nephi. There, Nephi by the wish of the people, became their
king, though this step was contrary to his own feelings. So greatly
was he beloved by his subjects that when he died the people called the
next king, Nephi the second, the next, Nephi the third, and so on. All
the kings were thus called Nephi, in the same way as all the monarchs
of ancient Egypt were Pharaohs, and the emperors of modern Russia are
Tzars.
One of the first things that Nephi and his people did in their new home
was to build a temple. This showed great faith and courage on the part
of so small a community. And their faith and courage triumphed, for
the temple was finished. It was built after the manner of Solomon's
Temple in Jerusalem, but it was not so large, so costly, or so grand.
Yet it was a magnificent edifice to be erected by a people so few in
number. Here the Nephites offered burnt offerings according to the law
of Moses, which they strictly observed; and Nephi consecrated Jacob and
Joseph to be priests, to officiate therein.
Nephi not only built a temple, but he taught his people to be
industrious and thrifty, honest and virtuous. He caused them to build
dwellings and other edifices, and to work in wood, iron, copper, brass,
steel, silver and gold; for there was a great abundance of precious
ores in the land in which they now dwelt.
Nephi still retained possession of the sword of Laban; and, taking
it as a pattern, he made many swords for his people to use in their
own defense should they be attacked by the Lamanites. This precaution
proved a very wise one, for in less than forty years from the time
that Lehi left Jerusalem the Lamanites had followed up the Nephites and
commenced war upon them. But the Lamanites were not successful, for
Nephi, wielding the sword of Laban with his own hands, led his people
to battle and drove back the invaders.
When fifty-five years had passed away Nephi handed the small plates
which he had made to his brother Jacob, that he might keep the sacred
records thereon. Sometime after, how long we are not told, Nephi
anointed another man to be king over his people; and then, having grown
old, he died.
Great was the love of the people for Nephi. He had been their prophet,
priest and king; father, friend and guide; protector, teacher and
leader; next to God, their all in all. He labored diligently all the
days of his life to teach the people to serve God, to believe in
Christ, to keep the laws of heaven, and to be and to do all that God's
holy law required. In all these labors his brother Jacob nobly aided
him.
When Nephi died Jacob became the chief religious teacher of the people.
He was a man of much faith and diligence, and received the word of the
Lord from time to time in great fullness, as the church needed.
We know but little of what occurred among the Nephites in Jacob's time.
The people, however, appear in some respects to have fallen into sin.
They had grown in worldly pride, and devoted far too much of their time
and energies to the search for wealth. By reason of their isolated
position, and because the Jews, their forefathers, had abused the
principle of plural marriage, the people of Lehi had been commanded
that each man should have but one wife. Some of them did not heed this
special law, but took other wives, not only without God's sanction, but
entirely contrary to his express command. Indeed they committed other
grievous sins, excusing themselves therefor by quoting the actions
of King David, and Solomon, his son. At this the Lord was greatly
displeased, and he instructed Jacob to reprove them sharply. This he
did in the temple. He re-affirmed the law that the Nephites of that
age should have only one wife; but added, in the name of the Lord of
Hosts, that if he (God) wanted to raise up a holy seed to himself, he
would command his people. This we have reason to believe, from reading
the Book of Mormon, he afterwards did, though we find therein no direct
statement on the matter.