Page:A dictionary of the Book of Mormon.pdf/250

Morianton, Land of. MORIANTON, LAND OF. A small section of the Nephite possessions, in the neighborhood of the Caribbean Sea. It was first settled by a man named Morianton in the days of the judges (about B. C. 72). The only thing known of its history is the unrighteous quarrel of its inhabitants with their neighbors, the people of the land of Lehi (B. C. 68), their attempt to escape to the north, and their detention and forced return home by the armies of the Commonwealth. (Alma, chapter 50.)   MORIANTUM, LAND OF. A land of the Nephites, only mentioned once, and then in Mormon's second epistle to his son (Moroni, 9:9). It appears that towards the close of the last great war between the Nephites and Lamanites, both races had descended to the most horrid, cruel and disgusting practices; and in this the Nephites, if possible, exceeded their foes. Among those who had become utterly degraded, were the people of Moriantum. Mormon records that they had grown like unto wild beasts in their habits; that they first defiled the Lamanitish maidens whom they took prisoners, then slowly tortured them to death, and after they were dead devoured their flesh, and this as a token of bravery. Surely human nature could scarcely descend to greater depths of infamy and cruelty than this.   MORMON. The father of Mormon, and grandfather of Moroni. He appears to have resided in the northern continent until A. C. 322, when he took his son, Mormon, into the land southward. Nothing is known of his private life, and all that we are told of him is that he was a descendant of Nephi, (Mormon, 1:5); but judging from the great virtue exhibited by the younger Mormon in his boyhood, we are led to believe that he was a man who trained his children in the fear of the Lord, and taught them the truths of the gospel 