Chapter I: Preface

Some years since the desire took possession of me to write the life of Nephi, the son of Lehi, and, as time and opportunity should permit, the lives of other prominent men of his race of whom we have an account in the Book of Mormon, so as to form a series of biographies for the perusal of the young. My aim was to make the children of our Church familiar with the events described in the Book of Mormon, and with some of the prominent men of that mighty people of which Nephi was one of the greatest progenitors. Various causes--the principal one of which has been the pressure of other and more exacting labors--have prevented me from carrying my design into execution until the present time. I have felt that, as I owed so much of my own success in life to the important and interesting lessons contained in that precious record, it was a duty incumbent upon me to do all in my power to have it read and appreciated as widely as possible by every member of our Church, but especially by the rising generation.

The age in which we live is one of doubt and unbelief. Skepticism is spreading. All faith in divine things, as taught by the ancient servants of God, is being unsettled. Man's reason is being extolled as a higher standard than God's revelations. The personality of God, the origin of man and his fall, the atonement of the Savior the places of reward and punishment, known as heaven and hell, and the existence of a personal devil, are all questioned, and, by many members of religious sects denied. The Bible is no longer accepted as a reliable standard, only so far as its teachings may agree with the new and fashionable views entertained respecting religion and science.

Fortunately for us, we are in a position to stem and turn this tide of infidelity, so that it shall not overwhelm our young people. We are not dependent upon the Bible alone for our knowledge concerning these grand, cardinal truths over which the world is stumbling and debating. We have other records--among the most important of which is the Book of Mormon--which corroborate and furnish ample proofs of their heavenly origin. We have the teachings and knowledge of men living in lands far apart and of races widely separated; and they agree in their testimonies, and sustain the divinity of the truths which are taught by the Son of God Himself, and by His inspired servants.

The Prophet Nephi, whose life we here present, was one of the greatest and most advanced of these teachers of heavenly truths. There have been but few men, so far as we know, who comprehended, and spoke, and wrote about them as plainly as did he. He had a personal knowledge of the doctrines, principles and facts respecting which men now dispute. He has written fully upon them. His testimony, therefore, is worth more to the world than any number of men's opinions and theories. And, best of all, it carries within itself the highest evidence of its truth. This is characteristic of his writings, and of all the writings in the Book of Mormon. To every humble, prayerful soul the perusal of that book is a solace. It produces peace and joy, and brings the clear conviction that it is God's word. No arguments are required to prove this. Men have assailed and denounced it; but the indisputable truth still remains that, when read with a meek spirit and a prayerful heart, the testimony of its divine origin descends like refreshing dew from heaven, upon the reader, and he knows, by the Spirit and power of God, that it is His word.

That THE LIFE OF NEPHI may have the effect to increase faith, and stimulate inquiry and the more careful perusal of the divine records which the Lord has given to us, is the most earnest desire of THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.

Nephi's Character—-He Gives God the Glory—-Born at Jerusalem—-Probable Time of Birth—-His Education--Kings Known to Lehi--Ezekiel and Jeremiah and other Prophets--Familiarity of Nephi with Writings of Prophets

CHAPTER II.

True and False Prophets--Lehi's Vision--He Warns the People--They Persecute and Try to Kill Him--Commanded in a Dream to Take His Family into the Wilderness--Came to Red Sea--Camped near it--Built an Altar and Made Offering to the Lord--Laman and Lemuel--Their Unbelief--Shaken and Confounded Before their Father

CHAPTER III.

Faith of Nephi and its Effects--Sam's Belief—-Revelation with Promise to Nephi--Land of Promise, Choice Above other Lands--Nephi to be a Ruler and a Teacher to his Brethren--Required to Return to Jerusalem--His Willingness--Lehi Gratified at His Faith--Laban and Brass Plates--Angry and Refused to Give Them to Laman--Threatened His Life--Laman and Lemuel Discouraged--Nephi's Proposition--His Brothers Agree to it

CHAPTER IV.

Lehi's Riches--Laban Covets Them--Sent his Servants to Kill Laman and his Brothers--They flee for their Lives--Nephi Whipped by Laman and Lemuel--Visited by an Angel--Laman and Lemuel still Murmur--Nephi Leads Them to the City Walls--Laban Lying Drunk--His Sword--Most Famous Weapon in the World--Those who have Seen it--Nephi Constrained to Kill Laban--Personates Him and Obtains Plates--His Brothers Frightened--Laban's Servant, Zoram--Promises to go With Nephi into the Wilderness

CHAPTER V.

The Status of Zoram--Law of Moses Respecting Bondmen--Character of Laban--Advantages of Taking Zoram into the Wilderness

CHAPTER VI.

Return into Wilderness--Joy of Lehi and Sariah--Lehi a Visionary Man--Sariah's Grief and Murmuring--Her Subsequent Testimony--Sacrifice and Burnt Offerings--The Brass Plates--Their Contents--Lehi a Descendant of Joseph--Value of These Records to his Descendants--Another Colony of Jews--Lost Knowledge of Hebrew Language and of God--Nephi a Great Benefactor--He and Brothers Again Required to Visit Jerusalem--Ishmael and Family--Laman and Lemuel Stir up Mutiny--Want to Return to Jerusalem--Bind Nephi--Intend to Leave him to Perish--Nephi's Prayer--His Bands Burst--The Others Plead for him--Revulsion of Feeling on Part of his Brothers--Beg his Forgiveness--Rejoin Lehi and Sariah--Thanksgiving and Sacrifices and Burnt Offerings

CHAPTER VII.

Lehi's Dream, or Vision--Rejoices Because of Nephi and Sam--Fears Concerning Laman and Lemuel--His Entreaties to Them--Gathered Seeds and Grain--Five Marriages--Lehi had Faithfully kept Commandments of the Lord--Nephi's Development--Experience in Wilderness Necessary to Prepare Colony for the Future--Lehi Commanded to Travel--Miraculous Brass Ball, called Liahona--How it Operated--Travel in S. S. E. Direction--Hunt for Game--Led Through most Fertile parts of the Desert

CHAPTER VIII.

Travel in Desert--Kill Game by the Way--Uncooked Meat their Food--Nephi Breaks his Bow--Fails to Obtain Food--Laman and Others Complain Bitterly--Lehi, also, Murmurs--Nephi Keeps his Patience and Courage--Remonstrates with his Brothers--Makes a Wooden Bow--Lehi very Sorrowful--Sees Writing on the Brass Ball--Nephi Goes for Game in Direction Indicated--Company Filled with Joy through his Obtaining Food--Resume Travel--Ishmael's Death--His Character--Outbreak and Rebellion of Part of his Children against Lehi and Nephi--Laman proposes to Kill the Two Latter--Attachment to Birthplace

CHAPTER IX.

Popular at Jerusalem to Reject Prophets--Laman and Lemuel did not Believe Predictions Concerning that City--Confidence of Jews in Jerusalem--Glory of the City--The Magnificent Temple--Capture of the City--The Conspirators Chastened--Lehi and Nephi saved

CHAPTER X.

Travel in Easterly Direction--Land Bountiful--"Irreantum," or Many Waters--Eight Years in Wilderness--Children Born--Diet of Raw Meat--Women Healthy and Strong as Men--Learn to Bear Journeyings Without Murmuring--"Araby the Blest"--Travelers' description of Land--Company Rest for Many Days

CHAPTER XI.

How Did They Travel?--Had They Vehicles?--Children of Israel used Covered Wagons--Did Lehi and Company use Camels?--Experience of Battalion in California--Custom in Abyssinia--Laman and Companions Never Forget Habits Acquired in the Desert--Transmitted Them to Posterity in Their New Home--Nephi Cherished True Knowledge of Civilization--Contrast Between the Two Brothers--Each Left his Impress upon his Nation

CHAPTER XII.

Nephi Practically the Leader--Commanded to Build a Ship--Directed to the Ore out of Which to make Tools--Makes a Bellows--Obtains Fire--Fault-finding and Ridicule of his Brethren--His Sadness and their Elation--They Grumble at and Reproach their Father and Him--He Reasons with Them--Enraged, They Attempt to Throw Him in the Sea--Nephi full of Power of God--They dare not Touch Him--They are Shaken Before Him--Fall down to Worship Him--Told by Nephi to Worship God--Nephi Shown by the Lord how he should work Timbers, etc.--Not Worked after the Manner taught by Men--Helped by his Brothers--Ship Finished--Laman and Others Acknowledge Nephi's Ability to Build a Ship--Mountains as Places of Worship

CHAPTER XIII.

Lehi Commanded to Embark upon the Ship--Food Prepared for the Voyage--Jacob and Joseph--Did the Ship have Sails?--Voyages and Ships of Egyptians--Dancing and Rudeness of Laman and Others at Sea--Nephi Remonstrates--Is Treated Harshly and Bound Hand and Foot by his Brothers--Lehi and Sariah very Sick--Four Days of Terrible Tempest--Compass Would not Work--Driven Back Before the Wind--Terror of Laman and Lemuel--Nephi's Patience and Self-Control--The Lord Shows Forth His Power--Nephi Released--The Ship Steered in Right Course--His Prayer Answered and Tempest Quelled--Reach the Promised Land

CHAPTER XIV.

Land and Pitch their Tents--Place of Landing--Cultivate the Ground--Good Crops--Find Animals of Every Kind--Also Ores--Raise Large Flocks and Herds--"Carneros de la Tierra"--Find the Horse--Was the Horse Extinct When the Whites Discovered America?--Reasons for Thinking it was not--Wild Horses Seen by Sir Francis Drake in 1579--Opinion of Professor Marsh--Horses Seen by Drake, not Spanish

CHAPTER XV.

Animals and Vegetables Valuable to Lehi and Company--The Potato--Abundance of Fruits--Jerusalem Destroyed--Lehi's Thankfulness for this Choice Land--A Land of Liberty to all who Should be Brought Here if they Would Serve God--Land to be Kept from Knowledge of Other Nations--Remarkably Fulfilled--Promises of the Lord to Lehi Concerning his Descendants and the Land--Present Condition of his Seed Predicted--Prophecies Concerning the Prophet Joseph Smith--Lehi a Great Prophet--Restrains his Children While Living--Rancorous Hatred After his Death Against Nephi--Enraged by his Admonitions--Propose to Kill Him

CHAPTER XVI.

Nephi's Efforts to Save His Brethren--Nephi, Commanded of the Lord, Flees into the Wilderness--His Company--His Sisters--Carries Plates of Brass and other Records--The Liahona and Sword of Laban with Him--Nephi called a Liar and a Robber--Searches the Scriptures--Two Sets of Plates--Character of Records on Each--Plates made for a Special Purpose--Found by Mormon--Wisdom of God Greater than Cunning of Devil--The Prophet Joseph Delivered from a Snare

CHAPTER XVII.

Travel Many Days in the Wilderness--Call the Land Nephi--Did They Journey Northward?--Location of Land Nephi--River Sidon and Magdalena--Land of Zarahemla--Twenty-two Days' Travel from Nephi--Did not Land of Nephi Extend Considerably South?--Zeniff's Return to the Land of Nephi--Was that the Land Settled by Nephi, the First?--Mosiah, King of Zarahemla--Reasons for Thinking Nephi to be Distinguishing Name of an Extensive Region--Nephites Would Spread Over the Country in Four Hundred Years--Did Nephi and Company Travel as far North as Ecuador?--Followed by Lamanites--Jacob and Enos Respecting Lamanites--Nephi's Description of the Land--Bolivia and Peru--Cities and Settlements Called After Founders--Additional Reasons for Thinking Nephi and Company did not Settle so far North--Boundaries of Lands Occupied by Nephites and Lamanites--South America Called Lehi, North America Called Mulek

CHAPTER XVIII.

Travelers' Descriptions of Land Once Occupied by Nephites--Cradle of an Imperial Race--The Productions of the Land in Modern Times Agree with Description of Same in Book of Mormon--Rapid Recovery from Effects of Disastrous Commotions and Wars Accounted for--Healthy Climate--Remarkable Longevity--Jacob, Enos, Jarom and Omni--Longevity of Indians in Ecuador and Peru