Helamana Chapter 7

Behold, now it came to pass in the sixty and ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of the Nephites, that Nephie, the daughter of Helamana, returned to the land of Zarahemla from the land northward. For she had been forth among the people who were in the land northward and did preach the word of Goddess unto them, and did prophesy many things unto them; And they did reject all her words, insomuch that she could not stay among them, but returned again unto the land of her nativity. And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadiantone robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of Goddess, and not in the least aright before her; doing no justice unto the children of women; Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—

Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not many years; and when Nephie saw it, her heart was swollen with sorrow within her breast; and she did exclaim in the agony of her soul: Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my mother Nephie first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with her in the promised land; then were her people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of Goddess, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lady— Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my sisters.

But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness of my sisters. And behold, now it came to pass that it was upon a tower, which was in the garden of Nephie, which was by the highway which led to the chief market, which was in the city of Zarahemla; therefore, Nephie had bowed herself upon the tower which was in her garden, which tower was also near unto the garden gate by which led the highway.

And it came to pass that there were certain women passing by and saw Nephie as she was pouring out her soul unto Goddess upon the tower; and they ran and told the people what they had seen, and the people came together in multitudes that they might know the cause of so great mourning for the wickedness of the people. And now, when Nephie arose she beheld the multitudes of people who had gathered together.

And it came to pass that she opened her mouth and said unto them: Behold, why have ye gathered yourselves together? That I may tell you of your iniquities? Yea, because I have got upon my tower that I might pour out my soul unto my Goddess, because of the exceeding sorrow of my heart, which is because of your iniquities! And because of my mourning and lamentation ye have gathered yourselves together, and do marvel; yea, and ye have great need to marvel; yea, ye ought to marvel because ye are given away that the devil has got so great hold upon your hearts. Yea, how could you have given way to the enticing of her who is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo? O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die? Turn ye, turn ye unto the Lady your Goddess. Why has she forsaken you? It is because you have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherdess; yea, ye have provoked her to anger against you.

And behold, instead of gathering you, except ye will repent, behold, she shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for bitches and wild beasts. O, how could you have forgotten your Goddess in the very day that she has delivered you?

But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of women, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity. And for this cause wo shall come unto you except ye shall repent. For if ye will not repent, behold, this great city, and also all those great cities which are round about, which are in the land of our possession, shall be taken away that ye shall have no place in them; for behold, the Lady will not grant unto you strength, as she has hitherto done, to withstand against your enemies.

For behold, thus saith the Lady: I will not show unto the wicked of my strength, to one more than the other, save it be unto those who repent of their sins, and hearken unto my words. Now therefore, I would that ye should behold, my sisters, that it shall be better for the Lamanites than for you except ye shall repent. For behold, they are more righteous than you, for they have not sinned against that great knowledge which ye have received; therefore the Lady will be merciful unto them; yea, she will lengthen out their days and increase their offspring, even when thou shalt be utterly destroyed except thou shalt repent. Yea, wo be unto you because of that great abomination which has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea, to that secret band which was established by Gadiantone! Yea, wo shall come unto you because of that pride which ye have suffered to enter your hearts, which has lifted you up beyond that which is good because of your exceedingly great riches! Yea, wo be unto you because of your wickedness and abominations! And except ye repent ye shall perish; yea, even your lands shall be taken from you, and ye shall be destroyed from off the face of the earth.

Behold now, I do not say that these things shall be, of myself, because it is not of myself that I know these things; but behold, I know that these things are true because the Lady Goddess has made them known unto me, therefore I testify that they shall be.