THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL (THE LAMANITE)

1Hemen and his brother Cumeni were among the twelve Lamanites who took their families and went with Hagoth into the Land Northward. And with Hemen went his daughter, Hementim and they were one family, Tore, his wife having died when Hementim was born to her.

2With Cumeni, the twin brother of Hemen, went his wife Moah and their sons and daughters. Together they numbered fourteen and they were one family.

3Now, Cumeni, the son of Cumeni, was a man and was not numbered among the family of Cumenihah. He also went up with Hagoth and with him went his wife Tsi-Horem and sons and daughters, and they were one family.

4Now, Hementim had a sister whose name was Tsi-Nitsunu, whose husband had also fought against the Nephites in the wars but who would not lay down the sword. Wherefore, he did perish in the wars against the Nephites. But, hearing of the covenant that Moroni offered to the Lamanites, she did take all of her family and followed her brother to the land of the Ammonites to enter into the covenant.

5Now the son of Tsi-Nitsunu was Shi-Tugo, a man of great stature and renown among the Lamanites. Yea, he did fight valiantly in the war against the Nephites because he believed Moroni and all Nephites to be thieves and usurpers, as he had been taught by his father. Wherefore, he was a man perilous in battle and his deeds were many.

6Howbeit, when the Lamanites were being destroyed by the Nephites, and when Moroni called a cease to the work of death, this same Shi-Tugo was in the fore and very close to where Moroni stood. Wherefore, he heard all the words of Moroni's entreaty and covenant, and was pierced to his heart with regret. For it seemed to him that he had been taught a lie all the days of his life.

7Wherefore, as he cast his eyes round about him and beheld the carnage, he could no longer believe in the cause of the war, for the words of Moroni were just, and not the words of a thief. And when he saw that a great many of his kinsmen were about to lay down their arms and covenant with Moroni, he joined with those who quit the war. And when this great man did lay down the sword and covenant never to take it up again against the Nephites, a great many of the Lamanites did likewise.

8This same Shi-Tugo went up with Hagoth into the Land Northward.

9Now, the names of the other eight Lamanites who took up their journey were Huhomeh the smith, and Teacumhah the husbandman, and Shith the potter, and Gidihah the tanner, who later changed his name to Hem-Gadhi because of the Gadiantons, and Jacob, and Set, and Gimlah, who were herdsmen, and Tucemset. They all went up with their wives and families with Hagoth.

10But Shi-Tugo had not wife or family and some of the company questioned the wisdom of his setting out alone into the wilderness. Yet, he was a mighty man, a man not unaccustomed to hardship. And he was a leader of men, and one very close to Hagoth. Therefore, none begrudged him his place in the company. But some did question the wisdom of it.

11And the number of the Lamanites who went up with Hagoth were sixty souls.

12Now, the story of how Hagoth made his journey is written in another place and I shall not repeat it here. It is enough for me to say that the art and knowledge of Hemen and Cumeni were taught to all the people insomuch that all the people became Healers. For, so the Nem continue into this present day.

13And where the river Akish turned again northward, where the canyons end, the people of Hagoth built a settlement and established themselves in the land. Every family chose lands and built homes and they began to have commerce with the City of Hagoth at the mouth of the river, and through it, with all the Land Southward. And they did explore in the lands further northward and eastward and they did establish communications with others of the Nephites and Lamanites who had gone into the Way the Land Northward, for many had left the land of their birth in the south and had established themselves in the Land Northward in many places.

14Now, Shi-Tugo, the nephew of Hemen, made his home in the lands as far northward as any of the people of Hagoth did establish themselves. Yea, afar to the north did he build a house, and he lived there a lone man. He, alone among the men and women of the Ammonites who had joined Hagoth to sojourn with him, had no family with him. But he would often come down out of his solitude to visit with his kin among the settlements of the People of Hagoth.

15And behold, it was upon one of his visits that the people had received news of certain discord which had arisen among the Nephites and the Lamanites of the Land of Zarahemla. Yea, Hagoth had received word from the south and the news had disturbed the thoughts of all the people.

16Now, Shi-Tugo was a man alike to Hagoth in stature and in temper. He had been a leader of men, yea, even one of the greatest of the Lamanite captains in the wars against the Nephites. Wherefore, many asked his opinion about the news, and he did strait way answer them, saying:

17There have been many wars upon this land since our forefathers made their flight from the Land of Jerusalem of old. Behold, I shall tell you somewhat about these wars and you may believe that what I tell you is true. Yea, listen to my counsel, for I know of war. Each of you have your profession. Some of you are husbandmen and others artificers. But I was not so. My craft was war. Wherefore, listen to me.

18All such great wars as fill the remembrance of all our people began from just such little discord and dissensions as of which we now hear among our brethren in the Land Southward. Yea, as soon as they begin to prosper a little, men immediately become filled with pride. Yea, they become lifted up and they esteem themselves greater than their brethren because of their prosperity. Even until they begin to measure each other by their possessions and judge each other by their abundance.

19But how shall they judge those who have not? Behold, if you have not what I have you cannot be as I am. And I esteem myself righteous, or at least I do not judge myself because of my riches. Therefore, if I, being righteous, have riches and you are poor, behold, it must needs be that you are wicked because of your poverty. Yea, if righteousness brings prosperity, and yet you remain in poverty, behold your poverty must needs be a sign and token of your secret acts of wickedness.

20So do the proud begin to judge the poor. Yea, then does a man begin to say in his heart:

21Behold, I shall stay my hand and, even though I have provender enough for three besides myself and mine, I shall not give of my surplus. For, howbeit the three may be poor because they are secretly wicked. Wherefore, they bring upon themselves their own suffering because of their wickedness. They are not like unto me and do not what I do, or behold, they would prosper like unto me. Wherefore, if their curse be but a token of their secret deeds, then they are deserving of their suffering. And thus does a proud man judge his neighbor and justify himself. Then do the poor suffer under the heel of the rich until their suffering breaks the yoke. Of such are all wars made.

23And the prophetess Hementim, was pleased with these sayings and reasoned with him, saying:

24Shi-Tugo, we know that you are a great man of arms and of war, you know whereof you speak. Yet, I perceive that you are also a man of counsel and wisdom. Tell us then, what would you that we should do as a people to avoid such evil?

25And he answered her, saying:

26Great are the Healers of the Ammonites and for every hurt the Healers have a remedy. Yea, even for war and strife there is a remedy.

27And Hementim answered him, saying:

28Be now a Healer unto us and teach us this remedy.

29For the prophetess perceived his thoughts and knew that he would teach a great thing to the people. Howbeit, if the people should listen to the words of this great man, they might be preserved from falling into the pride of the Nephites.

30And again he answered, saying:

31Remember you and think upon all the wars of the Nephites and the Lamanites. In each of them one can recall the names

22But behold, they prosper not. of those men who began them and of those men who ended them. Is this not so?

32And all the people answered, Yea.

33Can you recite to me the names of the women, yea, the mothers with children who started or ended those great conflicts?

34And all the people answered, Nay.

35And were the rulers elevated by the women, yea, by the mothers who were to provide their sons to be offered up unto their great conflicts?

36And the people answered, Nay.

37Then I say, when you elevate people to be judges and rulers over you, let them be elevated by the voice of the mothers, and they shall make rulers who shall not make war. For their counsels will ever be the preserving of the children and not the offering them up because of pride.

38But Hementim answered him, saying:

39Does a woman never become filled with pride then? Nay, Shi-Tugo, for I have seen how women do adorn themselves in fine twined linen and costly things.

40Then Shi-Tugo also discerned her thoughts, how that she spoke thus to him only so that the people might think earnestly upon the matter with all seriousness, and he took courage.

41Yea, you speak rightly, Hementim. But consider, a mighty man such as myself or Hagoth, might by his prowess in strength or in arms, win himself to the seat of the judge, by the esteem or the fear had by men of such feats. But if he had to win to the seat of power by the esteem of the mothers, he would have to establish to them that his policies would secure the safety of their little ones.

42Behold, it is true that women may become puffed up in pride, but are not mothers with children, as a separate class, more generally concerned with the good of the children than are other classes? Or what mother, when asked to give up her young son to war, is not more inclined than any other women to ascertain that the cause of the war be a good cause?

43Yea, I tell you, if you would avoid conflict as a whole people, choose you out to make you laws the wise and the charitable. But let them be chosen by the mothers. Let those who have the most to lose choose your rulers. This is the remedy. Then, if the people go down into corruption, it will be because the whole people have fallen even to the last of them, and not because one strong man has usurped the voice of the people.

44And all the people were amazed at the man of war among them. For he did hear the voice of the Lord and teach peace to them. Yea, all went away very thoughtful after hearing the words of Shi-Tugo, and many were amazed.

45But Hementim published his words to all the people and condoned them. Wherefore, the people did believe in his words and did entreat the mothers to meet together on an appointed day to choose Councils to rule the people of Hagoth.

46Now, on the appointed day, even Hagoth and Hemen, Cumeni and Hagmeni, yea, and many other of the chief men, did stand before the mothers and did appeal to them to choose out those that would preserve the peace of the land. For they all believed in the words of Shi-Tugo, and the Spirit witnessed to them that his words were true.

47And the mothers did meet and chose out of the people of Hagoth the first of their Councils. And when the Council met for the first time, they chose Hagoth to preside. And behold, all the people were pleased with the choice and they all cried amen together.