sword from its scabbard, and cut off his head. He then quickly disrobed the body and placed the dead man's armor on his own person. Thus attired, he entered the house of Laban, and, it being dark, it was not easy to recognize him. Assuming the voice of Laban, he called to a servant named Zoram, who had the keys of the treasury, and told him to bring the plates which he needed. Zoram, deceived by the voice and the armor of his master, at once obeyed.
LACHONEUS, THE ELDER. One of the greatest prophets and judges of the Nephites. We are not informed when he was elected to the judgment seat, but we are told that he occupied it at the time of the Redeemer's birth in Bethlehem. His reign was a long and troublous one; it was one of continued warfare with the Gadianton bands, who, year by year, grew in numbers and increased in audacity. The forces of both Nephites and Lamanites were unable to cope with them, and their leader, Giddianhi, had the effrontery to write an epistle to Lachoneus (A. C. 16), asserting the powers of the robbers, their undoubted ability to conquer all opposed to them, and suggesting that the people whom Lachoneus judged should surrender and affiliate with them, and become like them. This arrogant proposition was indignantly rejected. (See III Nephi, chap. 3.)
So great was the misery entailed by the invasions of the robbers, that Lachoneus at last determined to gather all the people into one place, and by a policy of masterly inactivity wear out or starve out the invaders. We can scarcely understand how terrible must have been the misery endured by the nation at this time, to cause the conception and execution of such a measure. Can we picture to ourselves the scenes that must have occurred as the people of two continents converged into one gathering place? From the shores of the great lakes in the north, from the stormy
