12. The Nephites were the followers of the first Nephi, the righteous son of Lehi, who led the colony from Jerusalem six hundred years B. C.; and the Lamanites were the followers of Laman, the oldest and wicked son of the same Lehi. 13. Helaman, chapter 14. 14. Helaman, chapter 14. 15. This was Samuel, a prophet whom God raised up from among the Lamanites. The above prophecies were uttered about five or six years B. C. 16. John 10:16. For a somewhat extended discussion of this prophecy and its fulfilment see Part III this work, chapter 35. 17. See preface in title page of the Book of Mormon. 18. _Life of the Master_, Prologue, Rev. John Watson, (Ian Maclaren). CHAPTER III. THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE BOOK OF MORMON WAS WRITTEN. The several purposes for which the Book of Mormon was written are to be learned from the writers of the book itself, and from the revelations of God to Joseph Smith. First I introduce the statement of Moroni, into whose hands Mormon's abridgment of the larger records of the Nephites, called the _Book of Mormon_, was given. On the last plate of the collection given to Moroni by his father, on the left hand side of the collection, the language of the whole book running as in the Hebrew, from right to left, Moroni engraved the following explanatory title to the record he sealed up, and therein also stated the reasons why the record was written. This Joseph Smith translated and made the title page of his translation of the Book of Mormon: THE BOOK OF MORMON An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, Upon Plates Taken From the Plates of Nephi. Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites--Written to the Lamanites who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile--Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation--Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed--To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof--Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of Gentile--The interpretation thereof by the gift of God. An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven--which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever--and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting, himself unto all nations--And now if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.