The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi. Kirtland, OH: P. P. Pratt and J. Goodson; printed by O. Cowdery & Co., 1837. iii–vi, 7–619 pp., plus two additional pp. The copy used herein is held at CHL. Includes signature marks.
high priests did also maintain order in the church; yea, even for the space of four years, did they have much peace and rejoicing in the church.
And it came to pass that there were many who died, firmly believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ; thus they went out of the world rejoicing. And there were some who died with fevers, which at some seasons of the year, was very frequent in the land; but not so much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which God had prepared, to remove the cause of diseases to which men was subject, by the nature of the climate. But there were many who died with old age; and those who died in the faith of Christ, are happy in him, as we must needs suppose. Now we will return in our record, to Amalickiah, and those who had fled with him into the wilderness: for behold, he had taken those who went with him, and went up in the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites, and did stir up the Lamanites to anger, against the people of Nephi, insomuch that the king of the Lamanites sent a proclamation throughout all his land, among all his people, that they should gather themselves together again, to go to battle against the Nephites.
And it came to pass that when the proclamation had gone forth among them, they were exceeding fraid; yea, they feared to displease the king, and they also feared to go to battle against the Nephites, lest they should lose their lives. And it came to pass that they would not, or the more part of them would not obey the commandments of the king.
And now it came to pass that the king was wroth, because of their disobedience; therefore he gave Amalickiah the command of that part of his army which was obedient unto his commands, and commanded him that he should go forth and compel them to arms. Now behold, this was the desire of Amalcikiah: for he being a very subtle man to do evil, therefore he laid the plan in his heart to dethrone the king of the Lamanites. And now he had got the command of those parts of the Lamanites who were in favor of the king; and he sought to gain favor of those who were not obedient; therefore he went forward to the place which was called Onidah, for thither had all the Lamanites fled; for they discovered the army coming, and supposing that they were coming to destroy them, therefore they fled to Onidah, to the place of arms. And [p. 374]