The answer came: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole. Enos continued struggling with the Lord for promises in behalf of both the Nephites and Lamanites. He received many precious assurances of things yet to be; amongst others, that the Lord would preserve the holy records and bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time. Of these things Enos gladly testified to the people, prophesying of the mighty events yet in the future, and bearing record of that which he had both seen and heard. CHAPTER VIII. JAROM--OMNI--AMARON--CHEMISH--ABINADOM--AMALEKI--MOSIAH--REVIEW OF NEPHITE HISTORY FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS. (BOOKS OF JAROM AND OMNI.) The days of the prophet Jarom were neither few nor unimportant. During the sixty years that he had charge of the holy things (B. C. 422 to B. C. 362) the Nephites may be said to have grown from a powerful tribe to a wealthy, though not as yet very numerous, nation. Indeed, their numbers were far from being equal to those of the wild and blood-thirsty Lamanites. The latter, like their descendants of today, spent their time almost exclusively in the chase of wild animals and in war; yet, notwithstanding their vigorous and repeated onslaughts, the age of Jarom was to the Nephites one of marked progress in the arts of peace. They ceased to be entirely a pastoral people. They gave much attention to the adornment of their homes and public buildings with fine and curious work in wood and metal. Agriculture and manufacture received a new impetus by the invention of various labor-saving machines, implements and tools. Their safety from successful attack from the Lamanites was also measurably secured by the introduction of more perfect weapons of war, and the development of a rude system of fortification, sufficient, however, to protect their cities and settlements from the means of attack at the command of their foes. Though the Nephites of this age were stiff-necked and perverse, requiring the constant warnings of prophets to keep them from backsliding, yet the pervading tone of their society was simple and unaffected, and the people were generally industrious, honest and moral. They neither blasphemed nor profaned the holy name of the Deity, they kept sacred the Sabbath day, and strictly observed the law of Moses. Their prophets, priests and teachers not only instructed them in this law, but also expounded the intent for which it was given, and while so doing, directed their minds to the coming of the Messiah, in whom they taught the people to believe as though he had already come. These pointed and constant teachings preserved the Nephites from destruction, by softening their hearts and bringing them to repentance, when war, wealth or pride had exerted its baneful influences.