30:1 Behold, now it came to pass that after the people of Ammon were
established in the land of Jershon, yea, and also after the Lamanites
were driven out of the land, and their dead were buried by the people
of the land—
30:2 Now their dead were not numbered because of the greatness of their
numbers; neither were the dead of the Nephites numbered—but it came to
pass after they had buried their dead, and also after the days of
fasting, and mourning, and prayer, (and it was in the sixteenth year of
the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi) there began to be
continual peace throughout all the land.
30:3 Yea, and the people did observe to keep the commandments of the
Lord; and they were strict in observing the ordinances of God,
according to the law of Moses; for they were taught to keep the law of
Moses until it should be fulfilled.
30:4 And thus the people did have no disturbance in all the sixteenth
year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
30:5 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the seventeenth
year of the reign of the judges, there was continual peace.
30:6 But it came to pass in the latter end of the seventeenth year,
there came a man into the land of Zarahemla, and he was Anti-Christ,
for he began to preach unto the people against the prophecies which had
been spoken by the prophets, concerning the coming of Christ.
30:7 Now there was no law against a man’s belief; for it was strictly
contrary to the commands of God that there should be a law which should
bring men on to unequal grounds.
30:8 For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will
serve.
30:9 Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or
rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him; but if
he did not believe in him there was no law to punish him.
30:10 But if he murdered he was punished unto death; and if he robbed
he was also punished; and if he stole he was also punished; and if he
committed adultery he was also punished; yea, for all this wickedness
they were punished.
30:11 For there was a law that men should be judged according to their
crimes. Nevertheless, there was no law against a man’s belief;
therefore, a man was punished only for the crimes which he had done;
therefore all men were on equal grounds.
30:12 And this Anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor, (and the law could
have no hold upon him) began to preach unto the people that there
should be no Christ. And after this manner did he preach, saying:
30:13 O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do
ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a
Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come.
30:14 Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are
handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of
your fathers.
30:15 How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of things
which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a
Christ.
30:16 Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins. But
behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this derangement of
your minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers, which lead
you away into a belief of things which are not so.
30:17 And many more such things did he say unto them, telling them that
there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but every man
fared in this life according to the management of the creature;
therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every
man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was
no crime.
30:18 And thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of
many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness, yea,
leading away many women, and also men, to commit whoredoms—telling them
that when a man was dead, that was the end thereof.
30:19 Now this man went over to the land of Jershon also, to preach
these things among the people of Ammon, who were once the people of the
Lamanites.
30:20 But behold they were more wise than many of the Nephites; for
they took him, and bound him, and carried him before Ammon, who was a
high priest over that people.
30:21 And it came to pass that he caused that he should be carried out
of the land. And he came over into the land of Gideon, and began to
preach unto them also; and here he did not have much success, for he
was taken and bound and carried before the high priest, and also the
chief judge over the land.
30:22 And it came to pass that the high priest said unto him: Why do ye
go about perverting the ways of the Lord? Why do ye teach this people
that there shall be no Christ, to interrupt their rejoicings? Why do ye
speak against all the prophecies of the holy prophets?
30:23 Now the high priest’s name was Giddonah. And Korihor said unto
him: Because I do not teach the foolish traditions of your fathers, and
because I do not teach this people to bind themselves down under the
foolish ordinances and performances which are laid down by ancient
priests, to usurp power and authority over them, to keep them in
ignorance, that they may not lift up their heads, but be brought down
according to thy words.
30:24 Ye say that this people is a free people. Behold, I say they are
in bondage. Ye say that those ancient prophecies are true. Behold, I
say that ye do not know that they are true.
30:25 Ye say that this people is a guilty and a fallen people, because
of the transgression of a parent. Behold, I say that a child is not
guilty because of its parents.
30:26 And ye also say that Christ shall come. But behold, I say that ye
do not know that there shall be a Christ. And ye say also that he shall
be slain for the sins of the world—
30:27 And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish traditions of
your fathers, and according to your own desires; and ye keep them down,
even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors
of their hands, that they durst not look up with boldness, and that
they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges.
30:28 Yea, they durst not make use of that which is their own lest they
should offend their priests, who do yoke them according to their
desires, and have brought them to believe, by their traditions and
their dreams and their whims and their visions and their pretended
mysteries, that they should, if they did not do according to their
words, offend some unknown being, who they say is God—a being who never
has been seen or known, who never was nor ever will be.
30:29 Now when the high priest and the chief judge saw the hardness of
his heart, yea, when they saw that he would revile even against God,
they would not make any reply to his words; but they caused that he
should be bound; and they delivered him up into the hands of the
officers, and sent him to the land of Zarahemla, that he might be
brought before Alma, and the chief judge who was governor over all the
land.
30:30 And it came to pass that when he was brought before Alma and the
chief judge, he did go on in the same manner as he did in the land of
Gideon; yea, he went on to blaspheme.
30:31 And he did rise up in great swelling words before Alma, and did
revile against the priests and teachers, accusing them of leading away
the people after the silly traditions of their fathers, for the sake of
glutting on the labors of the people.
30:32 Now Alma said unto him: Thou knowest that we do not glut
ourselves upon the labors of this people; for behold I have labored
even from the commencement of the reign of the judges until now, with
mine own hands for my support, notwithstanding my many travels round
about the land to declare the word of God unto my people.
30:33 And notwithstanding the many labors which I have performed in the
church, I have never received so much as even one senine for my labor;
neither has any of my brethren, save it were in the judgment-seat; and
then we have received only according to law for our time.
30:34 And now, if we do not receive anything for our labors in the
church, what doth it profit us to labor in the church save it were to
declare the truth, that we may have rejoicings in the joy of our
brethren?
30:35 Then why sayest thou that we preach unto this people to get gain,
when thou, of thyself, knowest that we receive no gain? And now,
believest thou that we deceive this people, that causes such joy in
their hearts?
30:36 And Korihor answered him, Yea.
30:37 And then Alma said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?
30:38 And he answered, Nay.
30:39 Now Alma said unto him: Will ye deny again that there is a God,
and also deny the Christ? For behold, I say unto you, I know there is a
God, and also that Christ shall come.
30:40 And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that
Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your
word only.
30:41 But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things
are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they
are true; and will ye deny them? Believest thou that these things are
true?
30:42 Behold, I know that thou believest, but thou art possessed with a
lying spirit, and ye have put off the Spirit of God that it may have no
place in you; but the devil has power over you, and he doth carry you
about, working devices that he may destroy the children of God.
30:43 And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign, that
I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me that he hath
power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of thy words.
30:44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt
your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony
of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The
scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a
God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it,
yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their
regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.
30:45 And yet do ye go about, leading away the hearts of this people,
testifying unto them there is no God? And yet will ye deny against all
these witnesses? And he said: Yea, I will deny, except ye shall show me
a sign.
30:46 And now it came to pass that Alma said unto him: Behold, I am
grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea, that ye will still
resist the spirit of the truth, that thy soul may be destroyed.
30:47 But behold, it is better that thy soul should be lost than that
thou shouldst be the means of bringing many souls down to destruction,
by thy lying and by thy flattering words; therefore if thou shalt deny
again, behold God shall smite thee, that thou shalt become dumb, that
thou shalt never open thy mouth any more, that thou shalt not deceive
this people any more.
30:48 Now Korihor said unto him: I do not deny the existence of a God,
but I do not believe that there is a God; and I say also, that ye do
not know that there is a God; and except ye show me a sign, I will not
believe.
30:49 Now Alma said unto him: This will I give unto thee for a sign,
that thou shalt be struck dumb, according to my words; and I say, that
in the name of God, ye shall be struck dumb, that ye shall no more have
utterance.
30:50 Now when Alma had said these words, Korihor was struck dumb, that
he could not have utterance, according to the words of Alma.
30:51 And now when the chief judge saw this, he put forth his hand and
wrote unto Korihor, saying: Art thou convinced of the power of God? In
whom did ye desire that Alma should show forth his sign? Would ye that
he should afflict others, to show unto thee a sign? Behold, he has
showed unto you a sign; and now will ye dispute more?
30:52 And Korihor put forth his hand and wrote, saying: I know that I
am dumb, for I cannot speak; and I know that nothing save it were the
power of God could bring this upon me; yea, and I always knew that
there was a God.
30:53 But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me
in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people,
for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto
me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I should say. And
I have taught his words; and I taught them because they were pleasing
unto the carnal mind; and I taught them, even until I had much success,
insomuch that I verily believed that they were true; and for this cause
I withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse upon
me.
30:54 Now when he had said this, he besought that Alma should pray unto
God, that the curse might be taken from him.
30:55 But Alma said unto him: If this curse should be taken from thee
thou wouldst again lead away the hearts of this people; therefore, it
shall be unto thee even as the Lord will.
30:56 And it came to pass that the curse was not taken off of Korihor;
but he was cast out, and went about from house to house begging for his
food.
30:57 Now the knowledge of what had happened unto Korihor was
immediately published throughout all the land; yea, the proclamation
was sent forth by the chief judge to all the people in the land,
declaring unto those who had believed in the words of Korihor that they
must speedily repent, lest the same judgments would come unto them.
30:58 And it came to pass that they were all convinced of the
wickedness of Korihor; therefore they were all converted again unto the
Lord; and this put an end to the iniquity after the manner of Korihor.
And Korihor did go about from house to house, begging food for his
support.
30:59 And it came to pass that as he went forth among the people, yea,
among a people who had separated themselves from the Nephites and
called themselves Zoramites, being led by a man whose name was
Zoram—and as he went forth amongst them, behold, he was run upon and
trodden down, even until he was dead.
30:60 And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the
Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at
the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell.