After the final battle between the Nephites and the Lamanites in which the Lamanites were victorious, the Lamanites split into many contending factions, each contesting the dominance of the other, and all warring among themselves and pillaging and despoiling the countryside. Moroni notes that "Their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves." His father, Mormon, had been slain by them, but he, himself, had not perished. By some marvelous power which was the power of God, Moroni's life was preserved for a wise purpose in which we can easily see the hand of God. The power and the purpose of God is made manifest to us in Moroni's then uncontemplated writings which are preserved in the following chapters of his Book.
The bitter hatred of the Lamanites for all that was good, and their ferocious enmity toward God's servants, caused them to put to death "every Nephite who would not deny the Christ." (v. 2) All the bitter hatreds and angry passions that hell inspires, all that human wickedness could suggest, or evil power achieve, was let loose by Satan in the bloodthirsty carnival of crime that then bore sway.
But in spite of threatened death, one of the most horrible kind, Moroni was firm in his oft-repeated declaration of Christ's divinity; he knew that Jesus was the Christ, and he knew that God knew that he knew it, and I, Moroni, he says, "Will not deny the Christ, wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life." (v. 3)
Inspired by his prophetic calling, and, no doubt, sensing the mind and will of the Lord, Moroni wrote down a few things which have proved to be of great worth to us in these last days. His prayer was that what he wrote may be of benefit to his brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day. His prayer is now being answered, for not only are we blessed and benefited by the things he wrote, but through us, the Lamanites, many of whom are fast becoming a white and delightsome people will by Heaven's gracious command also be blessed. This is, as Moroni prayed, according to the will of the Lord. (v. 4)