Moroni, who was greatly imbued with the spirit of righteousness could not understand the ways of wickedness. He could not comprehend why man should choose to do evil when the good is placed before him. Man, he knew, was endowed with reason to distinguish between right and wrong, with freedom to choose between good and evil. He, no doubt, thought of the wonders of creation. How that the eyes of man had, by the grace of Him Who created all things, been opened to the beauties round about him. But nevertheless and notwithstanding the glory of God therein seen, he pondered, Why does man seek the things of the world that pass swiftly by, and not the Lord Who is always near to the hearts of the lowly? We remember here the prayer of King David which we find in the 119 Psalm, verses 33-40. We hereby give the Jewish translation. (Union Prayer Book) In spite of his vision of things to come in the Last Days, it expresses the hope that Moroni had concerning these times. "Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes and I will keep it at every step. Give me understanding that I keep Thy law and observe it with my whole heart. Make me tread in the path of Thy commandments; for there in do I delight. Incline my heart unto Thine testimonies and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken me in Thy ways. Confirm unto Thy servant Thy Word, which pertaineth unto the fear of Thee. Turn away my reproach which I dread, for Thine ordinances are good. Behold, I have longed after Thy precepts; quicken me in Thy righteousness."
"O ye wicked and perverse and stiffnecked people, why have ye built up churches unto yourselves to get gain?" Moroni queried. Why have ye perverted God's holy word, and twisted and turned it to make it appear that therein your souls are damned? "Behold," he said, "look ye into the revelations of God;)4 for behold, the time cometh at that day when all these things must be fulfilled." (v. 23)