do stand well, as if ye were supported
by the hand of a god, in the defence of your liberty, and your
property, and your country, or that which ye do call so.

3 Nephi 3:3
3 And it seemeth a pity unto me, most noble Lachoneus, that ye
should be so foolish and vain as to suppose that ye can stand
against so many brave men who are at my command, who do now at
this time stand in their arms, and do await with great anxiety
for the word--Go down upon the Nephites and destroy them.

3 Nephi 3:4
4 And I, knowing of their unconquerable spirit, having proved
them in the field of battle, and knowing of their everlasting
hatred towards you because of the many wrongs which ye have done
unto them, therefore if they should come down against you they
would visit you with utter destruction.

3 Nephi 3:5
5 Therefore I have written this epistle, sealing it with mine
own hand, feeling for your welfare, because of your firmness in
that which ye believe to be right, and your noble spirit in the
field of battle.

3 Nephi 3:6
6 Therefore I write unto you, desiring that ye would yield up
unto this my people, your cities, your lands, and your
possessions, rather than that they should visit you with the
sword and that destruction should come upon you.

3 Nephi 3:7
7 Or in other words, yield yourselves up unto us, and unite with
us and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our
brethren that ye may be like unto us--not our slaves, but our
brethren and partners of all our substance.

3 Nephi 3:8
8 And behold, I swear unto you, if ye will do this, with an
oath, ye shall not be destroyed; but if ye will not do this, I
swear unto you with an oath, that on the morrow month I will
command that my armies shall come down against you, and they
shall not stay their hand and shall spare not, but shall slay
you, and shall let fall the sword upon you even until ye shall
become extinct.

3 Nephi 3:9
9 And behold, I am Giddianhi; and I am the governor of this the
secret society of Gadianton; which society and the works thereof
I know to be good; and they are of ancient date and they have
been handed down unto us.

3 Nephi 3:10
10 And I write this epistle unto you, Lachoneus, and I hope that
ye will deliver up your lands and your possessions, without the
shedding of blood, that this my people may recover their rights
and government, who have dissented away from you because of your
wickedness in retaining from them their r