Page:A dictionary of the Book of Mormon.pdf/260

Moroni. later years, we judge to have been a worthy son of so illustrious a sire.  MORONI. The son of Mormon and the last representative of the Nephite race. He was an officer under his father, and commanded a corps of ten thousand men at the battle of Cumorah. He wrote the concluding portions of the Book of Mormon, from the commencement of the 8th chapter of the book bearing his father's name to the end of the volume. This includes the book bearing his own name, and his abridgement of the history of the Jaredites known to us as the Book of Ether, He takes up the history of the continent from the time of the slaughter at Cumorah, and tells us (A. C. 400) that "the Lamanites are at war one with another; and the face of the land is one continued round of murder and bloodshed; and no man knoweth the end of the war." And again, yet later, he writes: "Their wars are exceeding fierce among themselves, and because of their hatred, they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ, and I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ, wherefore I wander whithersoever I can, for the safety of mine own life." Such was the sad condition of the Lamanite race in the early part of the fifth century after Christ. There (A. C. 421) the inspired record closes; thenceforth we have nothing but uncertain tradition until, the veil was withdrawn by the discovery of America.

In the course of nature, Moroni died, and in the Lord's due time he was resurrected. The sacred records and other holy things, buried in Cumorah, still remained in his care. On him the duty fell to watch that no unsanctified hands disturbed their rest. When the time set in the councils of heaven for their translation came, he delivered them to the instrument chosen by the Holy Ones, Joseph Smith, the prophet, who, when he had accomplished his work, returned them to 