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;
4:2 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.
4:3 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 wickedness and their abominations; therefore they
were awakened to a remembrance of their duty.
4:4 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.
4:5 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.
4:6 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.
4:7 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.
4:8 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.
4:9 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.
4:10 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.
4:11 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.
4:12 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 those who were hungry, and those who
were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.
4:13 Now this was a great cause for lamentations among the people,
while others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need
of their succor, 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;
4:14 Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of their
sins; being filled with great joy because of the resurrection of the
dead, according to the will and power and deliverance of Jesus Christ
from the bands of death.
4:15 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.
4:16 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.
4:17 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.
4:18 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.
4:19 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.
4:20 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.