borders of the land; and the Nephites dia pursue them with their might, and did slay them; 37. Yea, they were met on every hand, and`slain, and driven, until they were scattered on the west, and on the north, until they had reached the wilderness, which was called Hermounts; and it was that part of the wilderness which was infested by wild and ravenous beasts. 38. And it came to pass that many died in the wilder. ness of their wounds, and were devoured by those beasts, and also the vultures of the air; and their bones have been found, and have been heaped up on the earth. CHAPTER 3. 1. AND it came to pass that the Nephites who were not slain by the weapons of war, after having buried those who had been slain,-now the number of the slain were not numbered, because of the greatness of their number;-after they had finished burying their dead, they all returned to their lands, and to their houses, and their wives, and their children. 2. Now many women and children had been slain with the sword, and also many of their flocks and their herds; and also many of their fields of grain were destroyed, for they were trodden down by the hosts of men. 3. And now as many of the Lamanites and the Amlicites who had been slain upon the "bank of the river Sidon, were cast into the 'waters of Sidon; and behold their bones are in the depths of the sea, and they are many. 4. And the Amlicites were distinguished from the Nephites, for they had marked themselves with "red in their foreheads, after the manner of the Lamanites; nevertheless they had not shorn their heads like unto the Lamanites. 5. Now the heads of the Lamanites were shorn; and they were naked, save it were skin, which was girded about their loins, and also their armour, which was girded about them, and their bows, and their arrows, and their stones, and their slings, &c. 6. And the skins of the Lamanites were "dark, according to the mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon them because of their transgression and their rebellion against their brethren, who consisted of Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph, and Sam, who were just and holy men. 7. And their brethren sought to destroy them, therefore they were cursed; and the Lord God set a 'mark upon them, a, West bank, Alma d, vers. 13, 15, 16, 18, 19. 43: 20. 9, see f, Alma 2, 2:34. b, see g, Alma 2. c, Caribbean Sea. f, Enos 1: 20. Alma i, see d, L Nep. 2. yea, upon Laman and Lemuel, and also the sons of Isn.nael, and Ishmaelitish women; 8. And this was done that their seed might be distinguished from the seed of their brethren, that thereby the Lord God might preserve his people, that they might not mix and believe in incorrect traditions which would prove their destruction. 9. And it came to pass that whosoever did mingle his seed with that of the Lamanites, did bring the same curse upon his seed; 10. Therefore, whomsoever suffered himself to be led away by the Lamanites were called under that head, and there was a mark set upon him. 11. And it came to pass that whosoever would not believe in the tradition of the Lamanites, but believed those records which were brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and also in the tradition of their fathers, which were correct, who believed in the commandments of God, and kept them, were called the Nephites, or the people of Nephi, from that time forth; 12. And it is they who have kept the 'records which are true of their people, and also of the people of the Lamanites. 13. Now we will return again to the Amlicites, for they also had a mark set upon them; yea, they set the mark upon themselves, yea, even a mark of red upon their foreheads. 14. Thus the word of God is fulfilled, for these are the words which he said to Nephi-Behold, the Lamanites have I cursed, and I will set a mark on them, that they and their seed may be separated from thee and thy seed, from this time henceforth and for ever, except they repent of their wickedness and turn to me, that I may have mercy upon them. 15. And again: I will set a mark upon him that mingleth his seed with thy brethren, that they may be cursed also. 16. And again, I will set a 'mark upon him that fighteth against thee and thy seed. 17. And again I say, he that departeth from thee, shall no more be called thy seed; and I will bless thee, &c., and whomsoever shall be called thy seed, henceforth and for ever; and these were the promises of the Lord unto Nephi and to his seed. 18. Now the Amlicites knew not that they were fulalling the words of God, when they began to mark themselves in their foreheads; nevertheless they had come out in open rebellion against God; therefore it was expedient that the curse should fall upon them. 19. Now I would that ye should see that they brought j, see f, 1. Nep. 1. k, see d. 1, see d. m, ver. 4. upon themselves the curse; and even so doth every man that is cursed, bring upon himself his own condemnation. 20. Now it came to pass that not many days after the battle which was fought in the land of Zarahemla, by the Lamanites and the Amlicites, that there was another army of the Lamanites came in upon the people of Nephi, in the "same place where the first army met the Amlicites. 21. And it came to pass that there was an army sent to drive them out of their land. 22. Now Alma himself being afflicted with a wound, did not go up to battle at this time against the Lamanites; 23. But he sent up a numerous army against them; and they went up and slew many of the Lamanites, and drove the remainder of them out of the borders of their land; 24. And then they returned again, and bean to establish peace in the land, being troubled no more for a time with their enemies. 25. Now all these things were done, yea, all these wars and contentions were commenced and ended in the fifth year of the reign of the Judges; 26. And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards, according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the "spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one; 27. For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the Spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth. And thus endeth the fifth year of the reign of the Judges. CHAPTER 4. 1. Now it came to pass in the sixth year of the reign of the Judges over the people of Nephi, there were no contentions nor wars in the "land of Zarahemla; 2. But the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain, which were trodden under foot and destroyed by the Lamanites; 3. And so great were their afflictions, that every soul had cause to mourn; and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent upon them, because of their wicked ness and their abominations; therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty. P, see q, Mos. 2. n, Alma 2: 24. o, see m, Jacob 6. a, ree h, Omni 1. b, Alma 2: 19. 3:1, 26. c, Alma 3: 2. 4. And they began to establish the church more fully yea, and many were baptized in the waters of Sidon, and were joined to the church of God; yea, they were baptized by the hand of Alma, who had been consecrated the High Priest over the people of the church, by the hand of his father Alma. 5. And it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the Judges, there were about three thousand five hundred souls that united themselves to the church of God, and were baptized. And thus endeth the seventh year of the reign of the Judges over the people of Nephi; and there was continual peace in all that time. 6. And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the Judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel. 7. Now this was the cause of much affliction to Alma, yea, and to many of the people whom Alma had 'consecrated to be teachers, and priests, and elders over the church; yea, many of them were sorely grieved for the wickedness which they saw had begun to be among their people. 8. For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world; that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure. 9. And thus in this eighth year of the reign of the Judges, there began to be great contentions among the people of the church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and persecutions, and 'pride, even to exceed the pride of those who did not belong to the church of God. 10. And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the Judges; and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress. 11. And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year, Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and he saw also that the example of the church began to lead those who were unbelievers on from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the destruction of the people; 12. Yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their backs "upon the needy, and the naked, and e, see g, Alma 2. f, seed, Mos. 26. h, see u, 11. Nep. 9. i, see u, Alma 1. j, see c, Mos. 6. d, see u, IL. Nep. 9. Mos. 26. , vera, 6, 9-12. 1, see k. m, see k. n, see j, Jacob 2. 9, Bee those who were hungry, and those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted. 13. Now this was a great cause for lamentations among the people, while others were abasing themselves, succouring those who stood in need of their succour, such as imparting their substance to the poor and the needy; feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner of afflictions, for Christ's sake, who should come according to the Spirit of prophecy; 14. Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of their sins; being filled with great joy, because of the Presurrection of the dead, according to the will, and power, and deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death. 15. And now it came to pass that Alma, having seen the afflictions of the humble followers of God, and the persecutions which were heaped upon them by the remainder of his people, and seeing all their inequality, began to be very sorrowful; nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him. 16. And he selected a wise man who was among the elders of the church, and gave him power according to the 'voice of the people, that he might have power to enact laws, according to the "laws which had been given, and to put them in force, according to the wickedness and the crimes of the people. 17. Now this man's name was Nephihah, and he was appointed Chief Judge; and he sat in the judgment seat, to judge and to govern the people. 18. Now Alma did not grant unto him the office of being "High Priest over the church, but he retained the office of High Priest unto himself; but he delivered the judgment seat unto Nephihah; 19. And this he did, that he himself might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness, and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them, save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them. 20. And thus in the commencement of the ninth year of the reign of the Judges over the people of Nephi, Alma delivered up the judgment seat to "Nephihah, and confined himself wholly to the High Priesthood of the holy order of God, to the testimony of the word, according to the Spirit of revelation and prophecy. 10, see j, Jacob 2. r, vers. 6-12. 8, ver. 7. p, see d, II. Nep. 2. 4, see g and j, 11. Nep. 9. t, see e, Mos. 29. u, Alma 1:1, 14, 18. w, vers. 17, 18. 2, see g, Mos. 26. |