Page:A dictionary of the Book of Mormon.pdf/219

Rh religion of their Israelitish fathers, or of the law of Moses, but instructed them how to keep their records, and to write one to another. Laman now ruled over a numerous people, inhabiting distant regions, governed by tributary kings and rulers. Having no written standard, the language of the Lamanites had become greatly corrupted. The coming of the priests of Noah among them gave rise to the introduction of a higher civilization. As a result, they increased in wealth, and trade and commerce extended among them. They became cunning and wise, and therefore powerful, but were still addicted to robbery and plunder, except among themselves.  LAMAN, Originally a servant of the king of the Lamanites, who was slain by the cunning and deceit of Amalickiah (B. C. 73). When the royal cortege issued from the city of Nephi to welcome the supposedly victorious general and his army, Laman accompanied his master. When that master was treacherously slain, and the cry was adroitly raised that his own retainers had committed the atrocious deed, Laman with the rest of the servants fled. We next find him (B.C. 63) in the service of the Nephites, and engaged in the army of Moroni, most probably as an inferior officer. At the time that Moroni determined to release the Nephite prisoners held by the Lamanites in the city of Gid, Laman, on account of his nationality, was chosen to carry out the details of the stratagem by which Moroni hoped to deliver his fellow countrymen. He was placed in command of a small body of troops, loaded with wine, and sent out at evening towards the place where the Nephites were held captive. When the guards over the prisoners saw him approaching, they hailed him. He told them that he was a Lamanite, and that he and his companions had just escaped from the Nephites, but luckily they had been able to secrete some 