THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL (THE LAMANITE)

1Behold, I did make every effort, while I sat in the seat of the High Priest, to stay in contact with my brethren in the west. But, it became increasingly difficult to do so because of the encroachment of the Gadiantons in the land. For, many Nephites had also migrated to the Land Northward because of the Gadiantons in the south. But they did also build settlements and they did engage, as might be expected, in trade. Now, as this trade did increase, the smell of it did reach the noses of the Gadiantons of the south and they did begin to make their way even into the lands of the Nem.

2But, the people of Mentina did send men of renown to teach them the gospel of peace and to bring them into the fold of the Nem. And these men were great in stature and strong. And behold, they were also waxed great in the preaching of the word, insomuch as many of the Gadiantons that heard their preaching did turn from their evil and become part of the community of the Nem in the Land Northward.

3But many of them did not turn in their ways, but continued to conspire to take away that which the people labored to bring about through peace. These, the preachers sought out and destroyed. Wherefore, in all the histories of the descendents of Lehi there have not been such preachers in the land. Yea, and in all the records there have been none like unto them. For they did labor with all love to convert the Gadiantons. And their words were mighty to the convincing of many, and indeed, to the salvation of many. But they so loved their country and their brethren; yea, so much did they love the peace of the land and the tender hearts of the little ones, that they did take their lives into their hands as an offering unto the Lord and they did fight with their might to preserve the peace, and the right of every person to peace. Wherefore, unto those who would not repent, they were like the whirlwind. And in this way was the scourge of the Gadiantons kept back from our gates for many years.

4But behold, I say unto you, even their efforts were not enough to hold back the tide of iniquity that would befall all the people. For the Land Northward was rich and beautiful, and there was nothing rich and beautiful that the Gadiantons did not yearn to possess. And they made secret covenants one with another to destroy the people out of the Land Northward and to take of all its bounty unto themselves.

5Wherefore, did the Nem of the mountains remove themselves very early on in the history of their sojourn in the Land Northward, into fast places. Yea, they did leave their settlements wherein they first inhabited the land, and some of those settlements exist to this day, all intact as if the inhabitants left but for a season. Yea, so suddenly did they depart that one almost feels their presence still when walking down the abandoned streets of their fair settlements and villages.

6But their departure was wisdom in them. For, they did place deserts and high mountains between them and the Gadiantons, and they who did not thus, hardly escaped the coming tempest. And the deserts and mountains proved costly to conquer and the Gadiantons went elsewhere to despoil and plunder.

7Yea, and likewise did we, the people of Corianton, find that the Great Plains proved a bulwark between us and the Gadiantons. And we were preserved for many years from their encroachment. And we did trade with the Nem by routes

8But, notwithstanding our efforts, we knew that it might become increasingly difficult to maintain close contact with our brethren in the west. Wherefore, it seemed wise to me to provide entirely for ourselves and to maintain our self-sufficiency even while we worked to maintain trade with the Nem in the mountains. Wherefore, in all that we could, we sought to produce our own goods and to serve each other in our villages and in our cities.

9For, I did distrust any system that might bring the people of Corianton into any kind of bondage. For it is upon such things that the Gadiantons build their power. Wherefore, if we had the capacity to grow a kind of food that we favored, we strove to grow it in our own country. And if we had the capacity to make cloth of our own, we made cloth. And we built our homes out of materials close to home. And we raised our own cattle and horses, and the like.

10And when we had a surplus, we did trade with our brethren in the west. But we did not depend on them, nor did we try to develop a dependence on their part upon the things we did produce. In this way we did all work to maintain the peace and freedom of our land and of our society.