The Second Book of Nephie

2 Nephie Chapter 1

And now it came to pass that after I, Nephie, had made an end of teaching my sisters, our mother, Sariah, also spake many things unto them, and rehearsed unto them, how great things the Lady had done for them in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem. And she spake unto them concerning their rebellions upon the waters, and the mercies of Goddess in sparing their lives, that they were not swallowed up in the sea. And she also spake unto them concerning the land of promise, which they had obtained—how merciful the Lady had been in warning us that we should flee out of the land of Jerusalem.

For, behold, said she, I have seen a vision, in which I know that Jerusalem is destroyed; and had we remained in Jerusalem we should also have perished. But, said she, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lady Goddess hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my offspring. Yea, the Lady hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lady.

Wherefore, I, Sariah, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lady. Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto her whom she shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve her according to the commandments which she hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.

And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations; for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance. Wherefore, I, Sariah, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lady Goddess shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep her commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep her commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.

But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lady—having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all women, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lady from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning, and having been brought by her infinite goodness into this precious land of promise—behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redemptress and their Goddess, behold, the judgments of her that is just shall rest upon them. Yea, she will bring other nations unto them, and she will give unto them power, and she will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and she will cause them to be scattered and smitten. Yea, as one generation passeth to another there shall be bloodsheds, and great visitations among them; wherefore, my daughters, I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would hearken unto my words. O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of women, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe. Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return; a few more days and I go the way of all the earth.

But behold, the Lady hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld her glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of her love. And I desire that ye should remember to observe the statutes and the judgments of the Lady; behold, this hath been the anxiety of my soul from the beginning. My heart hath been weighed down with sorrow from time to time, for I have feared, lest for the hardness of your hearts the Lady your Goddess should come out in the fulness of her wrath upon you, that ye be cut off and destroyed forever; Or, that a cursing should come upon you for the space of many generations; and ye are visited by sword, and by famine, and are hated, and are led according to the will and captivity of the devil. O my daughters, that these things might not come upon you, but that ye might be a choice and a favored people of the Lady. But behold, her will be done; for her ways are righteousness forever. And she hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.

And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my daughters, and be women, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity; That ye may not be cursed with a sore cursing; and also, that ye may not incur the displeasure of a just Goddess upon you, unto the destruction, yea, the eternal destruction of both soul and body. Awake, my daughters; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust. Rebel no more against your sister, whose views have been glorious, and who hath kept the commandments from the time that we left Jerusalem; and who hath been an instrument in the hands of Goddess, in bringing us forth into the land of promise; for were it not for her, we must have perished with hunger in the wilderness; nevertheless, ye sought to take away her life; yea, and she hath suffered much sorrow because of you. And I exceedingly fear and tremble because of you, lest she shall suffer again; for behold, ye have accused her that she sought power and authority over you; but I know that she hath not sought for power nor authority over you, but she hath sought the glory of Goddess, and your own eternal welfare. And ye have murmured because she hath been plain unto you. Ye say that she hath used sharpness; ye say that she hath been angry with you; but behold, her sharpness was the sharpness of the power of the word of Goddess, which was in her; and that which ye call anger was the truth, according to that which is in Goddess, which she could not restrain, manifesting boldly concerning your iniquities. And it must needs be that the power of Goddess must be with her, even unto her commanding you that ye must obey. But behold, it was not she, but it was the Spirit of the Lady which was in her, which opened her mouth to utterance that she could not shut it.

And now my daughter, Lamana, and also Lemuelle and Samantha, and also my daughters who are the daughters of Ishmaelle, behold, if ye will hearken unto the voice of Nephie ye shall not perish. And if ye will hearken unto her I leave unto you a blessing, yea, even my first blessing. But if ye will not hearken unto her I take away my first blessing, yea, even my blessing, and it shall rest upon her.

And now, Zorame, I speak unto you: Behold, thou art the servant of Labana; nevertheless, thou hast been brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and I know that thou art a true friend unto my daughter, Nephie, forever. Wherefore, because thou hast been faithful thy offspring shall be blessed with her offspring, that they dwell in prosperity long upon the face of this land; and nothing, save it shall be iniquity among them, shall harm or disturb their prosperity upon the face of this land forever.

Wherefore, if ye shall keep the commandments of the Lady, the Lady hath consecrated this land for the security of thy offspring with the offspring of my daughter.