THE BOOK OF MANTI

1Behold, I am Manti and my father was Oug, the same who was the prophet at the time of Christ’s coming to the Nem of Mentina. And I am the youngest of the sons of Oug. Nevertheless, I was present and did witness the Savior when He came in His glory to the Temple at Mentina. And I did also hear Him speak and I did see all His doings with the people, save that which He spoke unto the thirteen chosen to be His apostles.

2And when my father became old, he delivered to me the keeping of this place and of the records kept here. Yea, and he did admonish me to make the libraries safe. So have I done in all my days.

3Behold, the records are many, for we have also found many books containing the works and words of the Jaredites, and even some few which we believe originate in other places and are of a more ancient nature. And I did cause that the places wherein we do keep the records be made strong. For, the cavities which the people of Hagoth and Hagmeni dug for to keep the books were cramped and not well constructed, and there was the threat of collapse. Wherefore, in accordance with the command of my father, and also with the desires of my own heart, I caused that a system of caverns be dug to hold the records safely.

4And behold, these caverns were dug in a cunning manner, and they were constructed with such skill that one feels as if one is standing in the room of a building or a temple. And behold, I did also cause that there should be a means whereby the records could be read without removing them from their place of safety. Wherefore, the most cunning artisans were sought and a system of shafts were cut into the living rock, just as the rooms and corridors were also cut out, and mirrors were so placed as to provide light to them that came to read the books.

5Now, many people did come from many places to read the books. Yea, and there was a constant traffic upon the roads from the South, and from the East, and from the North. For, we know that Jesus did visit other people and places. Yea, we know that He did go unto the Nem of Corianton, and we believe that He did visit all the people left in the land. Wherefore, many come to Mentina from many places to read the books and to study with the learned of our city, and also to learn the ways and the ordinances of the temple.

6And behold, there is a constant traffic of trade from all the peoples of the land, both in the North and in the South. And many do travel in the caravans and upon the roads. Wherefore, when they come to Mentina, many travelers do also desire to rest and to read the books. Yea, because of the traffic to and from the libraries, and also to and from the temple, the city of Mentina has become an important city.

7And behold, the councils of the city, and also of the region round about, over which the city had influence, did request that I bring together artisans again and that we build up the temple and certain other parts of the city. And I did as the councils requested, and I caused that a work of construction be commenced to build up the temple so that it could accommodate the many people who came to the city to participate in the ordinances thereof.

8Now behold, this is the manner of the temple that I caused to be built under the direction of the council. The temple consists of seven buildings whose foundations are made of stone from the surrounding mountains. But behold, we did only stretch forth our tools upon the stones to be used as the foundations of the temples, and never did we construct any altar of cut stone.

9And the floor of each building was completely flat and level, and stairs led up to the buildings. Notwithstanding, though stairs led up to the buildings, for they were all built upon a hill and to move from one temple to the next in succession, one needed to ascend the hill. Wherefore, there was need for stairs to lead from one temple up to another. But behold, within the temple buildings there are no stairs, and the altars sit upon the level floor. Now, in this we believe we do follow the admonition of God. Yea, our altars are made of uncut stone and we have no stairs leading up to the altar.

10And the temples begin at the base of the hill with the Place of Adam, and they progress up the hill until one reaches the Place of Eve. And it is in the Place of Eve where the sacred anointing of husbands and wives takes place. Wherefore, the seven buildings of the temple do form a stair ascending the temple hill. And this temple overlooks the lake and the surrounding country.

11Now, we had much timber with which to build. Wherefore, we used timber in all our construction. And the workmanship of the timber was exceeding fine, surpassing any workmanship of wood that had ever been seen in the Land Northward. But behold, this was not by design, for we did not set out to build anything but that which was needed by the people. Notwithstanding, the artisans went to their work with such love and care that the finished temple was beautiful beyond description. And behold, many visit the temple today merely to look upon the intricate designs with which the artisans adorned the temple. Surely, it is a work of beauty unsurpassed in all the land, and I deem this right. For, ought we not to do our best work for the Lord? And it is a marvelous thing that the people do in making covenants in His Holy House. Wherefore, I can think of no better gift that the artisans could have made to their God, but that they give the finest work they could.

12But this is not all. To honor the Lord, these same artisans did also make more commodious and comfortable the public houses wherein the visitors to the temple do stay. This they did to remind the visitors, who came either for trade, to read the books or to go up to the temple, of the sacred nature of the city of Mentina and the sacred purpose the inhabitants thereof had taken upon themselves. Wherefore, the city of Mentina grew in renown throughout all the land.

13Now, as I have written in another place, the brethren of my father did return again unto the Nem, just as Jesus foretold that they would, and they rejoiced in all that my father had done to prepare a place for their return. But behold, one Timothy, yea, even that Timothy who did ask with his brothers to remain until Christ should come again, journeyed with them. And he brought unto my father a book recounting all that had taken place in the Land Southward. And behold, because of this it became the custom of the people in the Land Northward and in the Land Southward to exchange records each year one with another. But this was a work that was taken up by the Three alone.

14Wherefore, every year at the Festival of Lights, one or more of the Three do bring up unto us here in the North, word of all the doings of our relations in the South. And we do write all the things that they speak to us concerning them, and we do keep a record of their doing.

15But this is not all. They do also teach us and we do sit at their feet to learn more perfectly the things of the Lord. For, the Three do not taste of death and do have constant concourse with Angels and with God. And behold, they do teach us how to place our feet upon the Way, that we may also have this great blessing. And many do avail themselves each year of their teachings. Behold, because of this, there are many prophets in the city of Mentina and in the region round about, and we do enjoy a continual state of communion with the heavens. For we do walk and talk with our ancestors and with the spirits of just men and women made perfect. And our joy and our contentment at these happy and holy circumstances cannot be expressed.