THE FIRST BOOK OF PA-NAT

In the third year of being High Priest, Shigoeth died. Pa-Nat became clerk for Nin-Shepa the new High Priestess. Pa-Nat recounted the missionary journeys and the hardships of the sons and daughter of Sanempet to the Gadiantons in the Land Southward. About A.D. 199-226

1In the third year of his stewardship as high priest of Mentina, my brother Shigoeth went into the mountains to that place where Samuel was often seen to go when he visited the City of Mentina and where that great prophet resorted while he sojourned with us. And in the place close near unto the place where Samuel was wont to sit and study the books of our history and our scriptures, there is a shelf of rock high above the valley which overlooks the lake and the city. And the place is very high so that anyone who sits on it as Samuel did may look in the direction of the rising sun and see all the cities and settlements of the Nem in the valley of Meninta.

2And behold, as he climbed up to the hill, Samuel, he lost his footing and fell a great distance and was broken upon the rocks. And his body was broken, yea, all his limbs went out of their places and, notwithstanding the great skill of our healers, there was none who could save him.

3And so it came to pass tragically that Shigoeth ended his ministry after only three years in the seat of high priest unto the people of Mentina. But behold, he did serve the high priests of Mentina all the days of his life and his name is revered among us for his wisdom and his humility.

4I am Pa-Nat and I do now take up the stylus to write for my family. For, Shimlei had but one son and he was the eldest, and it is the custom, or rather it has become the custom, of the people that the eldest son keeps and writes the books of remembrance for the family. And behold, I am not the eldest of my family but I do take up the stylus. And we deem this no dishonor and hold that it is not requisite that only the eldest son keep the records, but it is a custom among the people.

5Now, it has also been the custom to appoint a male descendent of Father Hagoth to the seat of high priest unto the City of Mentina. But again, this has not been set into our law, but has become a custom of the people. And when Shigoeth perished upon the place of Samuel, there were many men who could lay claim to an inheritance from Hagoth, even unto the seat of the high priest. But the Council of Mentina did choose rather to call my sister, Nin-Shepa, to the seat of the high priest unto Mentina. Wherefore, she does sit in the seat and counsel the people.

6And Nin-Shepa is a prophetess of God and a seer. For she does walk and talk with God upon the Way and she does possess also that gift whereby she may look upon records written in strange tongues and translate them into that which is understandable to us. But this is not all. She does also possess a gift that is most powerful. When moved upon by the Holy Ghost, Nin-Shepa may look upon the vistas of time and foresee what is shortly to come to pass. Wherefore, she has foresight in the Spirit and can see afar off.

7And behold, so esteemed is she in her gifts, and also in the holy manner in which she does keep the commandments and statutes and revelations of Jesus, that they did elect her to be the prophetess to the people and high priestess over the city. And behold, she has called upon me to be a clerk unto her, even as my father was clerk unto Manti.

8Now, I have found in the records some notable omissions which the Spirit, which is in me when I take up my staff to write, does impress upon me that they should not have been left out of that which ought to be passed on to our descendents.

9Wherefore, I do begin my work of history, beginning not in my own time but some time ago, when the brethren of Oug went even down unto the Land Southward to preach the gospel unto the people of the land. For, their works and words are important to us who remain in the land of Mentina and their story is told during the winter months when all the works of the heroes of the people are rehearsed in the hearing of the little ones. And, if their history is so important to us in our day, I see not why it should not be as important unto them of our posterity who may wish to do the things we do.

10Wherefore, I do begin my record with an abridgement of the works and writings of the mission of the brothers and sister of Oug unto the Nephites of the Land Southward.

11Now, Hagmeni, who was the grandfather of Oug, was a great preacher of the word of God and he did travel upon the face of the Land Northward rooting out the Gadiantons and teaching them the word of God and the Gospel of Peace. And he was also a mighty man and a man of great stature. Wherefore, when he discovered a nest of vipers, for so the Gadiantons were called by the people, he did begin to diligently teach them. And when he had taught them the Gospel of Christ, he did straitly command them to covenant with God to lay down their weapons and their cunning plans to destroy the people and the peace of the land, and to become adopted into the family of the Nem. And behold, many there were who were so convinced by the power of his teaching, as also the power of the Holy Ghost in him, that they did do as he commanded them and became covenant Nem through the ancient and sacred law whereby we may take to ourselves and to our families, even those who share no relationship with us. For, we do regard as truth the principle taught by all Nem that we are all relations, being of one family, one heart and one mind.

12But behold, there were here and there, viperous men and women who would not listen to the preacher, nay, nor to the Spirit of God in him and they would not make the covenant, but swore in their wrath to take from the Nem all that they possessed and enslave them. Unto these Hagmeni did offer battle and he did slay them with the might with which God had blessed him.

13For, Hagmeni was a mighty man and he had been commanded of God to search out the Gadiantons and destroy their evil works. And this conversion he proposed to accomplish either by the might of the Spirit of God or by the might of his own arm, he being supported by the hand of God. And behold, in all his mission, when he found those who would not make the covenant and he was forced by their wickedness and hatred to bring them battle, the Lord did support and sustain him to the extent that he had the victory over all unto whom he did raise the sword. And behold, so notable was his success that the rumor of him went out even so much that many of the Gadiantons did covenant and become adopted into the Nem simply because of the rumor of his coming nigh unto them.

14And the sons of Hagmeni were infected with this same spirit and zeal in preaching the word of God unto the Gadiantons, except that they did not often find the need to offer battle, for the Holy Ghost was with them even to the convincing of all people to seek Christ and His Way. And not the least of these great preachers was his son, Sanempet and he was also a prophet of God.

15And the sons of Sanempet and of Pah-Hem were also mighty men and valiant, and they did also go forth to teach the word of God unto all the people. And they were Sanhagot, the eldest, and after him came Shigath and Shimnet, who were twins. Then came the daughters of Sanempet and of Pah-Hem, whose names were Hempapet, Himneth, and Pa-Akim. And behold, in his old age Sanempet and Pah-Hem brought forth Oug, who was chosen to stay behind when his brethren were called to go down unto the more wicked part of the people of the Land Southward to preach the word of God unto them.

16And behold, it is the history of their mission unto the people of the Land Southward, yea, even unto the Nephites, their brethren, that I do dedicate this book.