Alma
41 verses
As many people as refused to listen to the words of Helaman and his brothers gathered together against their own people.
And it came to pass that as many as would not hearken to the words of Helaman and his brethren were gathered together against their brethren.
They were extremely angry and were determined to kill them.
And now behold, they were exceedingly wroth, insomuch that they were determined to slay them.
The leader of those who were angry with their brothers was a large and strong man, and his name was Amalickiah.
Now the leader of those who were wroth against their brethren was a large and a strong man; and his name was Amalickiah.
Amalickiah wanted to be king, and the people who were angry also wanted him to be their king. Most of them were the lower judges of the land, and they were seeking power.
And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who were wroth were also desirous that he should be their king; and they were the greater part of them the lower judges of the land, and they were seeking for power.
They had been influenced by Amalickiah’s flattery, believing that if they supported him and made him their king, he would make them rulers over the people.
And they had been led by the flatteries of Amalickiah, that if they would support him and establish him to be their king that he would make them rulers over the people.
They were led away by Amalickiah into dissensions, despite the preaching of Helaman and his brothers, and despite their great care for the church, since they were high priests over the church.
Thus they were led away by Amalickiah to dissensions, notwithstanding the preaching of Helaman and his brethren, yea, notwithstanding their exceedingly great care over the church, for they were high priests over the church.
Many in the church believed Amalickiah’s flattering words, so they left the church. The situation of the Nephite people became extremely uncertain and dangerous, even though they had recently won a great victory over the Lamanites and had rejoiced because the Lord had delivered them.
And there were many in the church who believed in the flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi exceedingly precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great victory which they had had over the Lamanites, and their great rejoicings which they had had because of their deliverance by the hand of the Lord.
This shows how quickly people forget the Lord their God, how easily they do wrong, and how easily they are led away by the evil one.
Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one.
We also see the great wickedness that one very wicked man can cause among the children of men.
Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men.
We see that Amalickiah, because he was a clever man and used many flattering words, led many people to do evil and to try to destroy the church of God and the foundation of liberty that God had given them, a blessing God had sent to the land for the sake of the righteous.
Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous’ sake.
When Moroni, who was the chief commander of the Nephite armies, heard about these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.
And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.
He tore his coat, took a piece of it, and wrote on it: “In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children, ” and he fastened it to the end of a pole.
And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
He put on his headplate, his breastplate, his shields, and strapped his armor around his waist. He took the pole with his torn coat on the end, which he called the title of liberty, and he knelt down and prayed earnestly to God that the blessings of liberty would remain with his people as long as there were Christians in the land.
And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—
All the true believers in Christ who were part of the church of God were called this by those who were not members of the church.
For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the church.
Those who belonged to the church were faithful; all who were true believers in Christ gladly took upon themselves the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who was to come.
And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea, all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come.
So at that time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians and the freedom of the land would be blessed.
And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.
After he poured out his soul to God, he named all the land south of the land Desolation, and in fact, all the land, both north and south—a chosen land, and the land of liberty.
And it came to pass that when he had poured out his soul to God, he named all the land which was south of the land Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and on the south—A chosen land, and the land of liberty.
He said, "Surely God will not allow us, who are despised because we have taken on the name of Christ, to be trampled and destroyed unless we bring it upon ourselves through our own sins.
And he said: Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own transgressions.
After Moroni finished speaking, he walked among the people, waving the torn part of his garment in the air so everyone could see the writing he had put on it, and he called out loudly, saying:
And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part, and crying with a loud voice, saying:
Whoever wants to uphold this title in the land, let them come forward with the strength of the Lord and make a covenant to defend their rights and their religion, so that the Lord God may bless them.
Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them.
When Moroni finished speaking, the people came running together with their armor fastened around their waists, tearing their garments as a sign, or as a covenant, that they would not abandon the Lord their God. In other words, if they broke God’s commandments or fell into sin and were ashamed to take upon themselves the name of Christ, the Lord would tear them apart just as they had torn their garments.
And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or, in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had rent their garments.
This was the covenant they made as they threw their garments at Moroni’s feet, saying: We make a covenant with our God that we will be destroyed, just as our brethren in the land northward were, if we fall into transgression. He may let our enemies trample us underfoot, just as we have thrown our garments at your feet to be trampled, if we fall into transgression.
Now this was the covenant which they made, and they cast their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We covenant with our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall into transgression.
Moroni said to them: We are a remnant of the descendants of Jacob; we are a remnant of the descendants of Joseph, whose coat was torn by his brothers into many pieces. Now, let’s remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments will be torn by our brothers, and we will be thrown into prison, or sold, or killed.
Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold, let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be sold, or be slain.
Let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph. Let us remember the words of Jacob before he died, because he saw that part of Joseph’s coat was preserved and had not decayed. And he said, just as this remnant of my son’s garment has been preserved, so a remnant of my son’s descendants will be preserved by God and taken to Himself, while the rest of Joseph’s descendants will perish, just like the rest of his garment.
Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed. And he said—Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment.
This brings sorrow to my soul; however, I find joy in my son because some of his descendants will be taken to God.
Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall be taken unto God.
This was the language of Jacob.
Now behold, this was the language of Jacob.
And now, who knows but that the remnant of Joseph’s descendants, who will perish like his garment, are those who have left us? And it could even be us if we don’t remain firm in the faith of Christ.
And now who knoweth but what the remnant of the seed of Joseph, which shall perish as his garment, are those who have dissented from us? Yea, and even it shall be ourselves if we do not stand fast in the faith of Christ.
After Moroni said these words, he went out and also sent messengers throughout all parts of the land where there were disagreements, gathering everyone who wanted to defend their freedom, to stand against Amalickiah and those who had left, who were called Amalickiahites.
And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words he went forth, and also sent forth in all the parts of the land where there were dissensions, and gathered together all the people who were desirous to maintain their liberty, to stand against Amalickiah and those who had dissented, who were called Amalickiahites.
When Amalickiah saw that Moroni’s people outnumbered the Amalickiahites, and noticed that his own followers were unsure about the justice of their cause, he became afraid he wouldn’t succeed. So he took those who were willing and left for the land of Nephi.
And it came to pass that when Amalickiah saw that the people of Moroni were more numerous than the Amalickiahites—and he also saw that his people were doubtful concerning the justice of the cause in which they had undertaken—therefore, fearing that he should not gain the point, he took those of his people who would and departed into the land of Nephi.
Moroni thought it wasn’t wise for the Lamanites to gain any more strength, so he planned to cut off Amalickiah’s people, or capture them and bring them back, and put Amalickiah to death. He knew Amalickiah would stir up the Lamanites to anger against them and cause them to come to battle, because Amalickiah wanted to accomplish his own goals.
Now Moroni thought it was not expedient that the Lamanites should have any more strength; therefore he thought to cut off the people of Amalickiah, or to take them and bring them back, and put Amalickiah to death; yea, for he knew that he would stir up the Lamanites to anger against them, and cause them to come to battle against them; and this he knew that Amalickiah would do that he might obtain his purposes.
Moroni decided it was wise to take his armies, who had gathered together, armed themselves, and made a covenant to keep the peace. He took his army and marched with their tents into the wilderness to intercept Amalickiah there.
Therefore Moroni thought it was expedient that he should take his armies, who had gathered themselves together, and armed themselves, and entered into a covenant to keep the peace—and it came to pass that he took his army and marched out with his tents into the wilderness, to cut off the course of Amalickiah in the wilderness.
He did as he wanted, marched into the wilderness, and led the armies of Amalickiah.
And it came to pass that he did according to his desires, and marched forth into the wilderness, and headed the armies of Amalickiah.
Amalickiah fled with a small group of his men, and the rest were captured by Moroni and taken back to the land of Zarahemla.
And it came to pass that Amalickiah fled with a small number of his men, and the remainder were delivered up into the hands of Moroni and were taken back into the land of Zarahemla.
Moroni was a man who had been appointed by the chief judges and the voice of the people, so he had the authority he needed over the Nephite armies to lead them and exercise control over them.
Now, Moroni being a man who was appointed by the chief judges and the voice of the people, therefore he had power according to his will with the armies of the Nephites, to establish and to exercise authority over them.
Anyone among the Amalickiahites who refused to make a covenant to support the cause of freedom and maintain a free government was put to death; but only a few refused to make the covenant of freedom.
And it came to pass that whomsoever of the Amalickiahites that would not enter into a covenant to support the cause of freedom, that they might maintain a free government, he caused to be put to death; and there were but few who denied the covenant of freedom.
He also had the title of liberty raised on every tower throughout all the land controlled by the Nephites, and in this way, Moroni established the standard of liberty among the Nephites.
And it came to pass also, that he caused the title of liberty to be hoisted upon every tower which was in all the land, which was possessed by the Nephites; and thus Moroni planted the standard of liberty among the Nephites.
They began to have peace again in the land, and they maintained this peace until nearly the end of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges.
And they began to have peace again in the land; and thus they did maintain peace in the land until nearly the end of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges.
Helaman and the high priests also maintained order in the church, and for four years they had much peace and rejoicing in the church.
And Helaman and the high priests did also maintain order in the church; yea, even for the space of four years did they have much peace and rejoicing in the church.
Many died, firmly believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ; so they left this life rejoicing.
And it came to pass that there were many who died, firmly believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ; thus they went out of the world rejoicing.
Some people died from fevers, which were very common in the land during certain times of the year—but not as many died from fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots that God had provided to cure the diseases people suffered from because of the climate.
And there were some who died with fevers, which at some seasons of the year were very frequent in the land—but not so much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate—
Many died of old age, and those who died with faith in Christ are happy in him, as we can suppose.
But there were many who died with old age; and those who died in the faith of Christ are happy in him, as we must needs suppose.