the whole southern continent where the soldiers of the Nephites successfully held their ground. With hurried hands they built a line of defense across the Isthmus of Panama, from sea to sea, for the hosts of their conquerors were still pushing northward. This line of fortifications stopped the roll of the barbaric tide northward, arid the Lamanite commanders rested with the conquest of a continent.
These richly deserved misfortunes brought the Nephites partly to their senses—they began to repent. Taking advantage of this change in the state of their feeling, Nephi, Lehi, and their general, Moronihah preached energetically, and uttered many prophecies concerning what would most assuredly come upon them if they did not amend their ways. After a time, Moronihah felt that they had sufficiently humbled themselves for the Lord to measurably be with them, and he once more ventured to lead his warriors against the Lamanites. Step by step they regained their former possessions, until all the most northern settlements had been reoccupied. Further than this Moronihah dared not venture, the conduct of the people was not sufficiently reformed, they had not repented in fulness of heart and purpose. So he waited in the hope of a better and brighter day, when the people would have thoroughly turned from all their besetting sins, and when he, in the strength of the God of Israel, could lead them on to victory. Thus Zarahemla still remained in the hands of the foe.
When Nephi retired from the judgment seat, it was with the intention of devoting his entire time to the preaching of the Gospel. He associated his brother Lehi with him, and commencing at the most northerly settlement on the southern continent—Bountiful—he journeyed and preached throughout all the land southward in the possession of the Nephites. From thence the two
