“Except Ye Do Bestir Yourselves in the Defence of Your Country”

Brant Gardner

Redaction: This is a repetition of the ultimatum. This epistle is characterized by the number of times that Moroni repeats his essential message. He could have cut the letter in half and still have said the same thing. The second half of his letter essentially repeats the information for the first half. This suggests the form of a letter written in passion rather than a formal and constructed text. When we write formally, we have the opportunity to edit what we are writing, and to make sure that we push home the point effectively in the first telling. Moroni was no less effective in his earlier attempts, but he is writing this letter as it comes to mind. The frustration with the situation boils over, and his anger at the inaction of the government does not find peace after a single telling. This letter has the hallmarks of precisely that form of writing, as opposed to a more formal report. Clearly Mormon has a copy of the letter in his sources, and has included it as it.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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