Without Support, Nephite City Falls

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He wrote another letter to Pahoran, the governor of the land in Zarahemla, which read:

Moroni's Angry Letter to Pahoran

“This letter is directed to Pahoran, the chief judge and governor of the land, and also to those who have been chosen by this people to govern and manage the affairs of this war.

“I condemn you, for you know that you were appointed to gather armies and send them out against the Lamanites in whatever areas they were attacking us. Helaman and his men, and my men and I have suffered greatly with hunger, thirst, fatigue, and all types of afflictions. If this is all we had suffered, we would not doubt or complain. But thousands of our people have fallen by the sword who might not have fallen if you had not neglected us, but had sent us support. We want to know why you have neglected us for so long. Can you just sit upon your thrones in a thoughtless stupor while your enemies are spreading the work of death around you, murdering thousands of your brethren? You might have saved thousands, who looked to you for protection, who trusted you to support them by sending them armies.

“But this is not all. You have withheld your provisions from them, so that many men have fought and bled out their lives while desiring only the welfare of this people. They defended their country while they were nearly starving, because of your great neglect.

“And now, my beloved brethren—for you ought to be beloved—you should have been more diligent in supporting the welfare and freedom of this people. You have neglected them so much that the blood of thousands will come upon your heads for vengeance, for God has witnessed all their cries and suffering. Do you think you can just sit upon your thrones doing nothing, and that God will deliver you because of His great goodness? If you think this, you do so in vain. Do you think that so many of your brethren have been killed because of their wickedness? If you do, you are mistaken, for many have fallen by the sword to your condemnation.

“The Lord allows the righteous to be killed so that His justice and judgment can come upon the wicked. So do not think the righteous are lost because they are dead, for they have entered into the rest of the Lord their God. I am very afraid that God’s judgments will come upon this people because of our government’s great slothfulness and neglect of those who have been killed. For if the head of our government had not become wicked, we could have withstood our enemies, and they would not have gained any power over us. If those Kingmen had not desired power over their fellow men, and had not raised their swords to us, but instead had been true to the cause of our freedom, uniting with us, then we would have gone against our enemies in the strength of the Lord, and we would have fulfilled His word by dispersing them.

“But now the Lamanites are coming upon us and are taking possession of our lands. They are murdering our women and children, and carrying them away captive, causing them to suffer all types of afflictions. All this is happening because of the great wickedness of those Kingmen, who only want power and authority. But why should I say this? For all we know, you yourselves are seeking for power and authority as traitors to your country. Have you neglected us because you feel safe in the heart of our country, surrounded by security? Is this why you have not sent us food and reinforcements to strengthen our armies? Have you forgotten the commandments of the Lord your God? Have you forgotten the captivity of our forefathers, and how many times we have been delivered out of the hands of our enemies?

“Do you think the Lord will deliver us while you sit upon your thrones, not using the means He has provided for us? Will you do nothing, surrounded by tens of thousands who also do nothing, while thousands who fight to maintain the borders of the land fall by the sword, wounded and bleeding? Do you think that God will see you as guiltless while you sit and watch? No, He will not. Remember, God has said that the inner vessel will be cleansed first, and then the outer vessel. Unless you repent of what you have done, and begin to be up and doing, sending food and men to us, and also to Helaman, it will be necessary for us to stop fighting the Lamanites until we first cleanse the inner vessel, even you, the great head of our government.

“Unless you respond to this letter and show me the true spirit of freedom, sending reinforcements and food, I will leave part of my Freemen here to maintain this part of our land. I will leave the strength and blessings of God upon them so that no other power can operate against them. I will do this because of their great faith and patience in their tribulations. Then I will come to you, and if even a spark of desire for freedom remains among you, I will stir up a revolt among you until those who desire to usurp power and authority are extinct. I do not fear your power or authority, but only God’s. According to His commandments, I take up my sword to defend the cause of my country, for it is because of your sinfulness that we have suffered so much loss. Unless you begin to defend your country and your little ones right now, the sword of justice hangs over you, and it will utterly destroy you. I wait for your assistance. If you do not administer to our relief, I will come against you in the land of Zarahemla and strike you with the sword, for the Lord will not allow you to live and grow strong in your iniquities, to destroy His righteous people.

“Do you think the Lord will spare you in your love of glory and the vain things of the world, and destroy the Lamanites, who hate us because of their traditions? You know when you are breaking God’s laws and trampling them under your feet. This is why the Lord has said to me, ‘If those whom you have appointed as governors do not repent of their sins and iniquities, you will go up to battle against them.’

“I, Moroni, will be constrained to do just that, according to the covenant that I have made to keep the commandments of my God. So rather than have me come against you, you should adhere to the word of God and quickly send provisions and men to us, and to Helaman. If you will not do this, I will come against you quickly, for God will allow us to kill you and take your food before He will allow us to die of starvation. Now see that you fulfill God’s word.

“I am Moroni, your chief captain. I do not seek for power, but to pull it down. I do not seek for the honors of the world, but the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country. This is the end of my letter.”