The first signs of the decrease in the righteousness of the people, recorded in the Book of Mormon, were: That some became lifted up in pride; these took to wearing costly apparel, jewels, and the fine things of the world. The people ceased to have their goods and their substance in common. They began to be divided into classes; rich and poor appeared. They commenced to deny portions of the gospel, and to build up churches to suit their peculiar ideas; others began to deny the true Church of Christ. They administered that which was sacred (temple ordinances) to the unworthy; and before long they devised all manner of wickedness, and commenced to persecute the servants of God, even to death, when permitted to do so by the powers that rule in the heavens.

Thus matters went on, growing worse every year, until the people were again divided into two nations, Nephites and Lamanites, with their old traditions and ways; which, as was natural, ultimately culminated in war; and such a war! For savageness, brutality, and utter devilishness, we doubt if it was ever equalled in this suffering world. But it is not our province in this chapter to enter into historical details. The law is our subject, and of that we can say little. If it were possible to conceive of such a contradiction, we should say that the law of anarchy reigned supreme. Might made right; and the more numerous Lamanites ultimately overcame and annihilated their Nephite brethren. We can well conceive of the nature of the laws during the fierce struggle that preceded this dire calamity, from the light of this nation's previous history; they were no doubt framed, enacted and administered for the benefit of the rich and the strong, and to the injury of those in whose bosoms burned one lingering spark of righteousness. The history of the Nephites, from beginning to end, fully justifies the saying of the wise man, Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

CHAPTER LXI.

THE MONEY OF THE NEPHITES—THEIR COINS—BARLEY THE STANDARD OF VALUE.

IN THE early days of the Nephite nation, when its people were struggling to develop their own peculiar and distinctive civilization, each province, district or even city had its particular standards of weights, measures and money. This state of affairs frequently prevails in young communities, and is an evidence that the growth of Nephite civilization was much the same as in the nations of the eastern hemisphere. As the population of a nation increases, its powers of government consolidating and its commerce developing, these various and conflicting standards of exchange give rise to much unnecessary confusion, many perplexing difficulties and frequent misunderstandings and complications, which hamper trade and commerce, retard material progress, and delay the unification of the nation. It thus becomes the work of the far-seeing statesman or wise ruler to bring all these various local rates to one national standard, recognized as legal and equitable in all parts of the realm.

This work the second Mosiah accomplished for the Nephites. When he revised and codified the national law for the government of the people under the Judges, he abolished the local distinctive rates and introduced one universal standard. Of the ratios of the various weights and measures, either before or after the enactment of Mosiah's wise law, we are told nothing in the Book of Mormon; it is simply stated that the Nephites had not adhered to the standards in use among the Jews, but had altered their reckoning and their measures, very frequently as caprice, convenience, or local exclusiveness inspired. As to the ratios of the coins legalized by Mosiah's code they are highly artistic, evince a large acquaintance with monetary matters and point to a high degree of civilization as then existing among the Nephites.

The following is the table of these coins as given in the Book of Mormon:

GOLD COINSSILVER COINS
1 Senineequal to1 Senum.
1 Seon, 2 Senines,"1 Amnor.
1 Shum, 4 ""1 Ezrom.
1 Limnah, 7 ""1 Onti.