Read Ebook: Mother Stories from the Book of Mormon by Morton William A

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Ebook has 313 lines and 23285 words, and 7 pages

The next moment three guns were leveled at Simpson. "If you make a move you are a dead man," said the leader.

Simpson saw at a glance that he was taken at a great disadvantage, and thinking it advisable not to risk the lives of the party by any rash act on his part, he said, "I see now that you have the best of me; but who are you, anyhow?"

"I am Joe Smith," was the reply.

"What! the leader of the Danites?" asked Simpson.

"You are correct," said Smith, for he it was.

"Yes," said Simpson, "I know you now; you are a spying scoundrel."

Simpson had good reason for calling him this, for only a short time before this Joe Smith had visited our train in the disguise of a teamster, and had remained with us two days. He suddenly disappeared, no one knowing where he had gone or why he had come among us. But it was all explained to us, now that he had returned with his Mormon Danites. After they had disarmed us, Simpson asked,

"Well, Smith, what are you going to do with us?"

"Ride back with us and I'll soon show you," said Smith.

We had no idea of the surprise which awaited us. As we came upon the top of the ridge from which we could view our camp, we were astonished to see the remainder of the trainmen disarmed and stationed in a group, and surrounded by another squad of Danites, while other Mormons were searching our wagons for such articles as they wanted.

"How is this?" inquired Simpson. "How did you surprise my camp without a struggle? I can't understand it?"

"Easily enough," said Smith. "Your men were all asleep under the wagons, except the cooks, who saw us coming, and took us for returning Californians or emigrants, and paid no attention to us until we rode up and surrounded your train. With our arms covering the men, we woke them up, and told them all they had to do was to walk out and drop their pistols, which they saw was the best thing they could do under circumstances over which they had no control, and you can just bet they did it."

"And what do you propose to do with us now?" asked Simpson.

"I intend to burn your train,"e time. That time has come at last."

"And I have felt from the day we started," said Nephi, in a calm but firm voice, "that we would never go back to our old home again. I know that God is in heaven. I know He led the children of Israel through the Red Sea and I know that He can and will carry us across these mighty waters."

On hearing that, Laman and Lemuel and some of the sons and daughters of Ishmael began to laugh and to make fun of Nephi.

"So you think God is going to come down out of heaven and carry us in His arms across this great ocean," said Lemuel, "and set us down in a wonderful country on the other side."

"No," said Nephi, "I do not think anything of the kind. But I do believe He will tell us how we can cross these waters."

Then Lehi, their father, spoke. "My sons," he said, "do not get angry with each other. Remember you are brothers. Remember, also, Laman, that the Lord can do great things. He made this world in which we live. Surely, then, He can help us to get to the other side of this ocean. Now, let me tell you what I want you and the rest of the company to do: I want you to gather all the fruit and honey you can. We must collect a big supply, for it will be many days before we get to the new country."

"So you think we shall get across these great waters?" said Laman to his father.

"I am sure we will," said Lehi. "Now, let us get to work."

All day long they gathered choice fruit and honey, and when the evening came they sat down and looked with great satisfaction upon the labors of their hands.

Nephi arose early the next morning. He looked pale, and it was easily to be seen that he had some great matter upon his mind. He had slept very little, but had spent the greater part of the night wondering how the company could get across the great waters. He went to the tent in which his parents were sleeping and gently woke his father. "I am going into the mountains, father," he said, "to spend the day in prayer. I feel that I shall have good news for you when I come back."

His father raised himself, and putting his arm around his son's neck, drew him to him. Then he kissed him and said, "May God Bless you, my son, and answers the prayers you offer up to Him this day."

After traveling for a long time, Nephi reached the top of a very high mountain. All was quiet and peaceful around him. He sat down and rested a little while. Then he knelt in prayer. He prayed to God with all his heart to show him how the company could get across the great waters. I believe he prayed three times. Then something very wonderful happened. The Lord showed to Nephi in a vision a picture of a ship. It was not like any other ship he had ever seen.

As Nephi gazed in wonder upon the vessel, the Lord said to him, "Nephi, I want you to build a ship like this one, to carry your company across the great waters."

"But, Lord," said Nephi, "I do not know how to build a ship."

"I know that," said the Lord, "but I will teach you. You will come up into this mountain often and pray to me, and I will show you how to build the ship."

The Lord then told Nephi where he could get one with which to make tools, and after giving him other instructions, He told him to return and tell his people all that he had seen and heard.

At first Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael would not believe him. They made great fun of him, saying he would never be able to build a ship. But after Nephi had talked very seriously to them, they started to help him. Piece after piece was added to the vessel, and after a long time the ship was finished and ready to be launched.

In my next story I shall tell you what happened soon after the company had set out across the great waters.

WHAT TOOK PLACE ON THE GREAT WATERS.

The morning after the ship was finished all the company came together to look at it. It was a very fine vessel. Nephi and those who had assisted him were well pleased with their labors. They had built the ship exactly as the Lord had told them, and had done their work well.

Then Lehi turned to his four sons and also to the sons of Ishmael and said, "You have our grateful thanks for the great work which you have done. You have built a splendid vessel, and I am sure it will carry us safely across these great waters to the promised land."

A busy time followed. The men and women worked hard all day carrying meat, fruit and honey down into the ship, and their little sons and daughters helped them.

When night came they were all pretty tired; but they did not seem anxious to go to sleep. That was the last night they would spend on land for a long time. On the morrow they would be out upon the great waters. Finally they retired, one by one, and the moon and stars shown brightly over the sleeping camp.

The company was up and at work early next morning. The women prepared breakfast and the men took down the tents and attended to other duties. Nephi and Sam and some of Ishmael's sons were busily employed at fixing the sails of the ship and getting the vessel ready for her first voyage.

At last the time came for all to go on board. A line was formed. Lehi and his wife, being the oldest, marched at the head. The others followed, according to their ages. A sharp breeze was blowing and the vessel tugged at its chains as if anxious to get away.

When all of the company were safely on board, Nephi loosed the ship, the wind immediately filled its sails, and a moment later it was gliding swiftly through the water on its way to the promised land.

All went well the first day. And all would have gone well every other day if Laman and Lemuel and some of the sons and daughters of Ishmael had conducted themselves as they should have done.

The second day the company was on the water, Laman and Lemuel began to sing and dance and to act in a very rude manner. Some of Ishmael's sons and daughters joined them. Their conduct made Nephi feel very bad, and he reproved them sharply.

"How can you act in such a shameful manner," he said, "after having received so many blessings from the Lord? Have you forgotten how good He has been to us, how He provided us with food on our journey and taught us how to build this ship? I tell you, the Lord is looking down upon you. He is displeased with you because of your conduct, and if you do not stop and humble yourselves before Him, He will surely punish you."

Those words made Laman and Lemuel very angry. They rushed at Nephi, and seizing him by the arms, they thrust him back against the mast of the ship. Then they called to the sons of Ishmael to bring a rope quickly. Their command was obeyed, and they bound Nephi hand and foot to the mast. There they kept him all day, suffering great pain, for the rope cut deep wounds in his flesh.

It was a great trial to Lehi and his wife to see their dear son in such a terrible condition. They pleaded with Laman and Lemuel to release Nephi, but they would not. The tears and prayers of Nephi's wife likewise failed to soften their stony hearts.

Nephi bore his sufferings well. Not one murmuring word fell from his lips. When Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael mocked him, and said unkind things to him, he heeded them not. He tried to comfort his father and mother and loving wife by telling them that all would be well, that in time the Lord would help him to get free.

And the Lord did. How? Listen and I will tell you. Two or three days later dark clouds began to gather in the sky. A storm was coming. Suddenly a flash of lightning lit up the heavens. Then a terrible peal of thunder shook the vessel. The rain came down in torrents. Then the wind changed and the vessel began to be driven back towards land.

The storm grew worse every hour. The waves dashed fiercely against the vessel and at times swept over its deck. In the face of that awful tempest stood poor Nephi, tied hand and foot to the mast. For three days and nights the storm lasted, and all that time the vessel was being driven back.

On the morning of the fourth day a terrible wave struck the ship and almost turned it over. Some of the women began to scream with fright. Laman and Lemuel became alarmed also. They saw that the Lord was angry with them: that He had let the storm come upon them because of the way in which they had treated their brother Nephi. Then another angry wave burst over the vessel and almost buried it in the depths of the sea.

Believing they were about to be destroyed, Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael repented of what they had done. They went over to Nephi, untied the ropes which bound him and set him free.

Nephi was so weak that he could hardly stand upon his feet. He knelt down, and looking up towards heaven he prayed with all his heart to God to cause the storm to cease, and to change the course of the wind so that the vessel might sail towards the promised land.

To the astonishment of all the people, the storm suddenly ceased, the sea became calm, and the vessel started again on its journey across the great waters.

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