It is now around 300 AD. By this time, the Nephites and the
Lamanites were both an extremely wicked people. “[M]ormon’s theme is
coexistence. At that time the Lamanites were feeling about the Nephites exactly
as the Nephites felt about them, and so the process of polarization had been
pushed to its limit, with each side out to exterminate the other, obsessed with
the old doctrine of ‘It is either you or us.’ As in the days of Shiz and
Coriantumr, everybody was forced to choose either one side or the other, at a
time, of course, when there was very little to choose between them, for ‘both
the people of Nephi and the Lamanites had become exceedingly wicked one like
unto another’ (4 Nephi 1:45). Indeed, Mormon says of his own people, ‘Their
wickedness doth exceed that of the Lamanites’ (Moroni 9:20).”[1]
The Gadianton robbers spread throughout the land. “But
behold, the land was filled with robbers and with Lamanites; and
notwithstanding the great destruction which hung over my people, they did not
repent of their evil doings; therefore there was blood and carnage spread
throughout all the face of the land, both on the part of the Nephites and also
on the part of the Lamanites; and it was one complete revolution throughout all
the face of the land” (Mormon 2:8).
Moroni, writing about the Jaredites, didn’t write about the
secret oaths. “And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of [the Jaredite]
oaths and combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had
among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites” (Ether 8:20).
“And thus the Lamanites began to increase in riches, and
began to trade one with another and wax great, and began to be a cunning and a wise
people, as to the wisdom of the world, yea, a very cunning people, delighting
in all manner of wickedness and plunder, except it were among their own
brethren” (Mosiah 24:7).
Around this time, Amos2, who had kept the
records, died and passed the records to his brother, Ammoron.
By 320 AD, Ammaron was inspired to hide the sacred records
that had been handed down over the millennia. “And about the time that Ammaron
hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of
age, and I began to be learned somewhat after the manner of the learning of my
people) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a sober child, and
art quick to observe” (Mormon 1:2).
“And now, the city of Jashon was near the land where Ammaron
had deposited the records unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed. And
behold I had gone according to the word of Ammaron, and taken the plates of
Nephi, and did make a record according to the words of Ammaron” (Mormon 2:17).
“And now there are many records kept of the proceedings of
this people, by many of this people, which are particular and very large,
concerning them…
“But behold, there are many books and many records of every
kind, and they have been kept chiefly by the Nephites.
“And they have been handed down from one generation to
another by the Nephites, even until they have fallen into transgression and
have been murdered, plundered, and hunted, and driven forth, and slain, and
scattered upon the face of the earth, and mixed with the Lamanites until they
are no more called the Nephites, becoming wicked, and wild, and ferocious, yea,
even becoming Lamanites” (Helaman 3:13, 15-16).
“The process of his becoming a historian had its beginning
when Mormon was ten years old and living in the Nephite land northward. He was
approached at that time by Ammaron, the last previous custodian of the Nephite
archive. Amid growing unrighteousness among his people, that old man had buried
up all the records in his possession (4 Nephi 1:48). He charged youthful Mormon
that when he reached the age of twenty-four, he should go to the designated
records cache and recover from it the (larger) plates of Nephi. Moroni was told
to add to the Nephite annals ‘all the things that ye have observed concerning
this people’ (Mormon 1:4) over the fourteen-year interval. In time Mormon
became chief captain over the Nephite armies and was able to do as he was
instructed by Ammaron (Mormon 2:17).[2]
49 And he did hide them up unto the Lord, that they might
come again unto the remnant of the house of Jacob, according to the prophecies
and the promises of the Lord. And thus is the end of the record of Ammaron.
The day came when Ammoron hid the records he had. The Lord had promised these records would be
preserved. When Enos prayed to the Lord,
he desired the records be preserved should the Nephite civilization be
destroyed. “And now behold, this was the desire which I desired of him—that if
it should so be, that my people, the Nephites, should fall into transgression,
and by any means be destroyed, and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that
the Lord God would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so
be by the power of his holy arm, that it might be brought forth at some future
day unto the Lamanites, that, perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation” (Enos
1:13).
Mormon would tell us…
“And now behold, I, Mormon, do not desire to harrow up the
souls of men in casting before them such an awful scene of blood and carnage as
was laid before mine eyes; but I, knowing that these things must surely be made
known, and that all things which are hid must be revealed upon the house-tops—
“And also that a knowledge of these things must come unto
the remnant of these people, and also unto the Gentiles, who the Lord hath said
should scatter this people, and this people should be counted as naught among
them—therefore I write a small abridgment, daring not to give a full account of
the things which I have seen, because of the commandment which I have received,
and also that ye might not have too great sorrow because of the wickedness of
this people” (Mormon 5:8-9).
[1] Chapter
12: Good People and Bad People, The Supreme Test, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell
Institute Website.
[2] Mormon's
Sources, John L. Sorenson, Maxwell Institute website.
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