western hemisphere as its own. Footnotes 1. See Ether 7:6 and _Dict. B. of M_., Art. Desolation. 2. Ether 10:21. 3. Mosiah 9:1-4. 4. Omni 1:24. 5. For the authority of the foregoing narrative compare Omni 1:26-30, Mosiah 9:1-6, and "Words of Mormon" between the Books of Omni and Mosiah. Also Mosiah 11:13. 6. Mosiah 11. 7. The city of Helam and the surrounding country which was called "the land of Helam," was doubtless named from Helam, who was the first to receive baptism at the hands of Alma. Mos. 18. 8. Compare Mosiah 8, with Mosiah 21, and Mosiah 28. 9. Elder Reynolds suggests that this land north of Zarahemla was set apart to them because it would place Zarahemla between them and the Lamanites who might attempt pursuit.--_Dict. Book of Mormon_, p. 172. 10. Mosiah 25:2, 3. 11. Alma 51, 52. Helaman 1. 12. Forty and sixth year of the reign of the judges; corresponding to the year forty-six B. C. (Reynolds' B. of M. Chronology, Richards' _Compendium_, p. 195.) 13. Book of Helaman, 3:3-15. 14. To Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario. 15. See Orson Pratt's notes "i" and "j" Helaman III. 16. The land visited by Limhi's expeditions in search of Zarahemla, and who went to the land desolation, on their return described that as a land "among many waters," Mosiah 8:8. 17. Helaman 4. 18. A Lamanite prophet five years B. C., declared that a sign of Messiah's birth would be given to the people of the western hemisphere, which he described as follows: "This will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his (Messiah's) coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day. Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night, and this shall be unto you for a sign. * * And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you" (of Messiah's birth). All of which came to pass as predicted. (See Helaman 14:3-6; also III Nephi 1:15-21.) 19. The Nephites began to reckon their time from the sign of Messiah's birth in the ninth year from that event. See III Nephi 2. Compare verses 3-7 with verses 8-10. 20. III Nephi 6. 21. III Nephi 6:11-15, 18. 22. Mormon was born in the north land about 311 A. D. To him was entrusted the Nephite records by one Ammaron; and while they were in his possession he made the abridgment which bears his name, "The Book of Mormon." All the sacred Nephite records he did away except his abridgment of those records; and that he delivered to his son Moroni. CHAPTER XIII. GOVERNMENT AND RELIGION AMONG THE NEPHITES. _Nephite Government_.