THE BOOK OF SHIONI AKEK

1Now, Tucantor’s religion did not spread quickly from its beginning in Mentina. And this is in part because of the removal of the more part of the people out of the valley of Meninta, and also in part because the people of the Land Northward have ever been concerned with that manner of living whereby the individual may come out of Babylon and see the face of Christ. Tucantor did continue to teach the people that they could not do this but by the power of his priesthood and this did deter many from any interest in the system.

2But the doctrine did find interest in the cities down by the gulf of the sea in the south. In those places where there was still some remnant of the people who were left in the land after the great Nephite war with the Lamanites, many people saw in it a way to bring their neighbor into subjection and the doctrine grew in the south.

3And before many years had passed, the city of Hagoth was overtaken by the Tucantorites. And Tucantor, himself, did remove to the city of Hagoth and he did rule that city as he had Mentina. But behold, not all the people could be controlled by this new doctrine and there was strife between those that believed the new thing and those that believed it not.

4And Tucantor sent armed men out to battle against those that believed not and his enemies prevailed for a season. They did beat the Tucantorites in battle and took captive their priests and even their high priest himself. But they did not wish the destruction of the newcomers. For Hagoth had stood nearly empty for some time and the people who had gone back into that country to inhabit the old cities there desired that their population might grow somewhat.

5Wherefore, they did make a treaty with the Tucantorites that they might live together peacefully. And in this treaty they arranged that the Tucantorites might occupy the sacred places and have the ordering of them for half the year and in the other half of the year the ordering of the sacred places and of the surplus, was left to the original inhabitants. And upon this peace they did all agree, and the priests were released.

6But Tucantor was old and did not return to rule over his people. For he was taken roughly from his bed when his opponents overcame his armies and he was carried off into a secret place in the wilderness. And this was done in order that the Tucantorites could be held to their covenant. But behold, Tucantor died of a sudden in the secret place and his people did mourn his death.

7And in the city of Hagoth, and in the settlements round about, they have two religions and two councils and two bodies of priesthood in every place. And they build up their high places and they have all things in a duality. And it is a wonder that such a system holds together at all. But they do prosper after their own fashion and who are we to judge them. Behold, if they have found a way to live peaceably then they have done a good thing.

8It was in this way that the doctrine of Tucantor was preserved in the land, and his followers also. For, they could not have prevailed long in Mentina. It is true, they had the run of the valley. But they could not sustain anything more than a camp there without the help of its neighbors. Wherefore, Tucantor built up a city and a doctrine and it carried on in his name in the city of Hagoth.

9And by treaty with their neighbors, and a kind of Common Consent, the Tucantorites continued in the land and built up their population. For, without the help and cooperation of a goodly number of people, the priests could not have lived as they wished and held up the standard which Tucantor had given them. Without someone to do their work for them and to provide for them, they could not have survived for long without modifying their purpose. This they did achieve by agreement with the people of Hagoth.

10But they did not enjoy any season of peace. For, the people who had taken to living in the old cities of Hagoth were remnants of that Great War that ravished the whole land in the time of my father. Yea, they were Lamanites and Gadianton Robbers who had not returned unto the Land Southward. And although they had lost the lust for constant bloodshed, yet were they a jealous and deceitful people. And one settlement made war on another and each city held its own law. And they had the constant necessity of defending themselves and their provender from their neighbors.

11And the people were quarrelsome and dangerous. Yea, and they were difficult to control. But, because the Tucantorites had adopted the need to control their fellow man, this became to them their motivation. They worked to control the hearts of all the people of that region and this did constrain them from much preaching in other places. And their doctrine remained in but one place.

12But behold, because they had left the valley of Meninta, some of the Nem did return again and begin to build up the settlements again and to have the keeping and the care of the archives there. And Mentina was once again numbered among the Nem because of the removal of the Tucantorites.

13And the Nem did rejoice that the place of their father’s choosing was once again held by the pure in heart. But, I must tell you, Mentina was never again a principal city of the Nem of the mountains and the records were copied and carried away into the north countries, notwithstanding the libraries did remain ever hidden in their safe places in Meninta.