THE THIRD BOOK OF MORONI

1Now, when I had filled the seat of high priest of Mentina for the space of _twenty and five years_ , the people of the city numbered too many and the land became burdened. Yea, and the people did begin to take too much from the land and from the mountains, and they began to hurt the land. Wherefore, it was determined in the Councils that the residents must split up and divide into smaller communities. But there was some strife in deciding who would go and who would stay.

2For, many of the families of Mentina had lived in the city for many generations and they loved their city. Wherefore, it did come to pass that some refused any method of determining who might go and who might stay. And they denied the right and authority of the Council to make such determination. Yea, and it did seem that the people were about to experience contention and dissent in the city.

3But, I would exhort you to consider the rights of the people of the city. Did the Council have authority to decide who must go and who must stay? Or what power does the Council have over the people of Mentina if no complaint of injury against any person has been placed before them? I say to you, they have none. Wherefore, the Council did attempt to take up authority from the people to which they were not entitled. And this thing did cause much strife in all the city and much dissension.

4And it became my duty, as high priest of the city, to ask the people to recommend what action must be taken. And the people decided to dissolve the Council of Mentina and called a Council of Mothers to elect a new Community Council. And this decision was accepted by the Council of Mentina and the members did stand down.

5And the Mothers of all the families of the city and the environs round about it over which the city held sway, did meet together and they did prayerfully consider names. And they did nominate twelve people to recommend to the people. But behold, the people did not elect all of those nominated and the Council was not filled. Wherefore, the Mother’s Council did meet again to consider names and they did nominate seven and recommended them to the people. And behold, only three of them were elected by the people. And the Mothers met again and nominated four more and the people did elect them.

6And the Peli Council did also meet and compiled a list of all the names of the greatest Healers in the community and did send the list to the new Council of Mentina. And the Council did elect from the list of names one person and she became the Talking Feather of the Council.

7And these are the names of the men and women who sat on the Council of Mentina before the election: Ayimlekt, Shi-Tosinlit, Nephi-Im, Pa-Parim, Shi-Melek, Shi-Echinmet, Shi-Panishim, Pa-Torieth, Hemnietem-Im, Phahorem, Pa-Penith, and Mentineth.

8And they did step down from the Council.

9And these are the names of the men and women who were elected by the people: Ayimlekt, Shi-Tosinlit, Temnet, Pa-Parim, Shi-Melek, Shi-Echinmet, Shi-Panishim, Pamath, Ishimemet, Pa-Mentina, Pa-Penith, and Hemeniet.

10And the Council chose Natanhim to be the Talking Feather.

11And behold, when the Council of Mentina met, they too determined that the population of the city had grown too great and that the city must be depopulated. But they did not seek ways whereby the people might determine who must go and who must stay. They counseled the denizens only upon the great peril to their city and to the environment around it should they not reduce the burden upon the land and did not seek to take up authority to act upon the matter.

12And the people of the city did begin to assemble together and discuss the matter, and many made preparations to take their stewardships to another place and to create a new city. And this was after the designs of my heart, for I desired that the people make the decision themselves. For, if the ways of the Nem are to be preserved, the people must do it, and my heart was gladdened that the people of Mentina discerned the risk, both to their good land, but also to their ways and customs, and they did correct themselves in the right way.

13Now, there were cities in that place where Hagoth and his little band of sojourners first made their settlement, which had been all but abandoned because they did not heed the earth’s warning. Yea, the people of that city refused to leave when they had grown too large and they did entirely use up the good of the land. And behold, they were forced to leave all at once and in haste, abandoning home and shop, barn and field. And they left behind them ghostly and empty cities wherein only a few lonesome people now live.

14Behold, I say to you, this would have been the fate of Mentina. For, the land may bear only so many souls without hurt. And when the land we walk upon is hurt, she does not give of her bounty. Shall any city do this in this fair land you shall see want and hunger. Yea, you shall see drought and famine. And young men shall do hurt and young women also.

15And this they did even to the utter collapse of their cities in the land where the great river turns to the north, where our fathers set up their first place of settlement. And behold, this was not just one city, but many, and they all collapsed seemingly at once because they would not divide and walk gently upon the earth. Yea, and they did continue to cut down the trees for their houses and their fuel. And, when the snow melted in the spring, the water ran out of control into the canyons and was taken away. Wherefore, there was nothing for the crops when the sun did beat down upon them.

16And behold, the soil also was carried away by the spring running and also be the summer winds. And there remained not enough to nourish the crops through the season and they failed. And the people did use up their surplus hoping that the next year would be better, or that there would be rain, or that the snows would not run so swiftly from off the mountains. But behold, there was no change and they all became beggars and, like beggars, they did all put their things upon their backs and they left the place of their habitation and came even into other cities of the Nem for refuge.

17Now, this was a complete collapse of their society and of their cities. They did not stray one by one out of the place of their habitation. Rather, they left all at once leaving behind home and hearth.

18Now the streets of their cities and settlements are left empty and the dogs gambol in the alleyways. Their gardens wither and their vines do not give fruit, for there is none to tend them. Their houses stand as testimony against them and the voice of laughter and singing is not heard in their synagogues.

19There is no provender in the storehouse and those very few who remained continue to seek the succor of their neighbors until they too may leave in safety.

20Yea, Zion is left desolate because of the intentions of the Nem of that region.

21Their granaries are barren and their cisterns are dry. Their vats press out no wine and the Nem wander in search of what help they may find in the desert places.

22The wind sings through the streets and only wild animals enjoy their avenues. The lonely sound of their empty cities call out to the traveler and cause him to turn the foot from its ghostly welcome.

23For the Nem of that region have all left their homes and come unto other places. They have come away all at once and have left nothing behind them but their memories.

24Behold, this shall be the future of all the Nem, should they fail to keep the commandments of God and follow Him in His paths. Yea, if the people cease to strive with God, He shall cease to strive with them. Or, shall He reveal unto us the ways in which we might live peaceably with our fellows, and also with the earth, and we turn from that revelation? And, if we do, what shall be the outcome? Shall we not reap that which we sow because we are Nem? Are the Nem so favored of the Lord that He will ignore us when we disobey His voice and give no heed to His counsel?

25For, we do rely upon the Lord to cause the rain to fall upon our crops. And we do believe Him when He says that He is the font of living water. And shall we use up the good of the earth before His very face and cry to Him for protection? Shall we lift up our stiff necks and praise Him? Or shall we raise ourselves up on a pillar and cry unto Him, that all might see us? Are we so favored that the decree of the Lord concerning this land shall no longer be esteemed by the Nem?

26The Lord of the Harvest has established this place as a land flowing with milk and honey. Shall we throw it in His face and tread upon His counsel? If we do, we shall do it to our peril. For, who can follow the Lord in this thing and yet set that thing aside for another time and another people? Shall we choose out from among the revelations this one or that one to which we shall take heed? Or shall we set one set of books aside and esteem them of no value?

27Shall any people rely upon their own counsel and set aside the counsel of God, they shall surely be left alone to reap their reward. For, the Lord gives of His bounty freely unto they who will listen unto His voice. And He shall even bless them that know not His voice, but do well. But, unto that people who know His voice and openly defy Him, He shall not pour out a blessing upon them and the earth shall not give of her generosity. And it matters not what such a people call themselves, be it Mentinite, or Witchitite, or Nespelite, or Nephite, or Lamanite, or Levite, they shall all be the same who tread upon the counsels of the Lord God.

28Now behold, the valley called Meninta, wherein lies the city of Mentina, is not so unlike to the valley called Hagoth that we might enjoy a different fate should we do as the Nem of Hagoth did. Yea, our valley shall not be filled with fields and meadows and our mountains crowned with great towering trees, if we fail to walk gently upon the land. Yea, our streams and our springs shall dry up also, should we do the same, and our beautiful garden place shall become a desert and wither.

29And behold, what became of those cities in the place of Hagoth’s first habitation in this Land Northward, shall become of all they who gather into multitudes of people too large for the land to bear. Yea, the land shall carry them only so long, even as an ass does bow under his load. But load the ass too heavily and push him too harshly and he will kick off his burden and run away from you. So too shall this fair land kick off her burden and turn her face from us.