ALMA RESIGNS THE CHIEF JUDGESHIP--NEPHIHAH CHOSEN--ALMA MINISTERS
IN ZARAHEMLA, GIDEON, MELEK AND AMMONIHAH--CONDITION OF THE LAST
NAMED CITY--IT REJECTS THE MESSAGE ALMA BEARS--AN ANGEL MEETS
HIM--AMULEK--THE LAWYER ZEEZROM--THE GREAT CONTROVERSY--ZEEZROM
CONVERTED AND CAST OUT--THE MARTYRDOM OF THE BELIEVERS--ALMA AND
AMULEK IN PRISON--THEIR DELIVERANCE.
(ALMA CHAP. 4 TO 14.)
The great losses sustained by the Nephites in this war, not of warriors
alone, but of women and children, together with the vast amount of
their property destroyed, had the effect of humbling them and softening
their way-ward hearts, so that many thousands, during the next few
years, were added to the church by baptism. But the recollection of
their former disasters was gradually worn away by time and prosperity.
Three years later we find great inequality in the church--some poor
and some rich, the more powerful abusing and oppressing their weaker
brethren. This course proved a great stumbling-block to those who
were not numbered with the church, as well as being the cause of much
sorrow and ill-feeling amongst its members. Finding that no man could
properly attend to the duties of his many offices, Alma determined to
resign the chief judgeship, and devote his entire time to his duties
as the earthly head of the church. Preparatory to this resignation, he
selected one of the leading elders, named Nephihah, to be his successor
as chief judge. This choice was confirmed by the people. (B. C. 83.)
Alma now gave his entire attention to the duties of his calling as a
preacher of righteousness. He commenced his labors in Zarahemla. Thence
he went to the city of Gideon. After ministering there for some time,
he returned for rest to his home in the capital city.
The next year (B. C. 82), Alma turned his face westward. He visited the
land of Melek, where his labors were crowned with abundant blessings.
Having satisfied himself with the good that he had accomplished, he
traveled three days' journey on the north of the land of Melek, to
a great and corrupt city called Ammonihah. There he found a godless
people, filled with the falsehoods of Nehor, who were committing all
manner of abominations without repentance, because they cherished the
flattering lie, as the foundation of their creed, that all men would
be saved. This city was in the hands of a corrupt clique of judges and
lawyers, who stirred up sedition, tumult and rioting, that they might
make money out of the suits that followed such disturbances. Further
than this, they were secretly plotting to overthrow the government, and
rob the people of their highly prized liberties. Among such a people
Alma labored in vain; none would listen, none would obey, none offered
him rest and food. Scorn and mockery were his reward; and he was spat
upon, maltreated and cast out of the city.
Weary in body and sick at heart because of the iniquity of the people,
after many fruitless efforts, fervent prayers and long fastings, Alma
sought some other people more worthy of salvation's priceless gifts. He
bent his way toward the city of Aaron; but as he journeyed, an angel
of the Lord (that same angel that beforetime had been the agent in his
conversion to God) stood before him and blessed him. He told him to
lift up his heart and rejoice, for because of his faithfulness he had
great cause to do so. The angel then directed Alma to return to the
sin-cursed city he had just left, and proclaim unto its citizens the
awful message that except they repented the Lord would destroy them.
Without delay the prophet obeyed the angel's words. By another road
he drew near the doomed city, which he entered by its south gate. As
he passed in he hungered, and asked a man whom he met, Will ye give
to an humble servant of God something to eat? With joy the man (and,
strange though it appear, he was a rich man) took him to his home and
fed, clothed and lodged him. Furthermore, Amulek, for such was his
name, told Alma that he also had received a visit from a holy angel
who had informed him of the high priest's coming, and directed him
to receive him into his house. Then Alma blessed Amulek and all his
household, and tarried with them and recruited his strength under the
generous hospitality which their home afforded. But his rest was not
to be a lengthened one; the people waxed stronger in sin; the cup of
their iniquity was nearly full. Go, came the word of the Lord, Go
forth, and take with thee my servant Amulek, and prophesy unto his
people, saying, Repent ye, for thus saith the Lord, Except ye repent,
I will visit this people in mine anger; yea, I will not turn my fierce
anger away. Filled with the Holy Ghost, these servants of God went
forth and valiantly delivered their terrible message. One of those
who most bitterly opposed Alma and Amulek was a lawyer named Zeezrom.
We find recorded at great length, in the Book of Mormon, the details
of the controversy that occurred between him and the two servants of
the Lord. As a result we have handed down to us some of the plainest
teachings regarding the atonement, the resurrection, the powers of the
priesthood, etc., that are had among mankind. No matter what Alma and
his companion said, Zeezrom could twist it from its proper meaning;
find blasphemy and heresy in the sublime truths of the gospel, and
extract treason from the simplest of God's laws. He questioned and
cross-questioned, he promised and threatened, he twisted and turned,
he abused and vilified, but all to no purpose, he was caught in his
own trap. His heaven-inspired opponents made manifest his thoughts and
intentions, they exposed his lying, they overthrew his sophistries
and, with a power more than human, they exhibited the blackness of his
heart. As they proceeded the power of God increased upon them, their
words grew yet more forcible until Zeezrom himself felt their power. As
his corruptions were laid bare he began to tremble, first with rage,
then with fear. Bad as he was, he was not the worst among his people,
and when once he realized the power he was combating, his heart began
to acknowledge its guilt.
With this feeling he commenced to inquire of Alma, not now in mockery,
but in solemn earnestness, with regard to the kingdom of God. The
answers he received were like a two-edged sword, piercing to his inmost
soul, bringing to him a terrible sense of his awful position before
God, and encompassing him about with the pains of hell. He realized
that he had been a leader in iniquity, that his lyings and deceivings
had greatly contributed to drag the people down to their existing
corruption, and that he was among those most responsible for their
hardness of heart.
In this frame of mind he made an effort to plead with the people; he
acknowledged his guilt, testified to the virtue and integrity of Alma
and Amulek and interceded in their behalf. But in vain. The degraded
populace reviled him, they mocked at him, they said he also was
possessed of a devil, and further, they spat on him; then they cast
stones at him, and ultimately, with some others, drove him out of their
city; while the two prophets, with many who believed in their holy
message, were thrown into prison, there to suffer all the indignities,
persecutions and annoyances that apostate hate could inflict. Nor was
this the worst; these reprobates took the wives and babes of those
believers whom they had driven away, with such as had accepted the
truth who still remained in the city, and, gathering them in a body
they mercilessly burned them to death in one great martyrs' fire. Into
the torturing flames they also cast the records that contained the holy
scriptures, as though they imagined, in their blind fury, that they
could thereby destroy the truths that were so odious to them.
In their devilish glee and savage exultation they carried the two
enchained prophets to the place of sacrifice, that they might harrow
up their souls with a view of the sufferings of the perishing women
and children. Amulek's brave and impetuous spirit could ill bear the
fearful scene. The groans, the cries and supplications of the tortured
innocents carried untold agony to his soul. He begged Alma to exercise
the power of God that was in them to save the martyrs. But the Holy
Spirit revealed to Alma that this sacrifice was by heaven's consent,
and he replied, The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch
forth mine hand, for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself in
glory; and he doth suffer that the people may do this thing, according
to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall
exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the
innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily
against them at the last day. Then Amulek said, Perhaps they will burn
us also. To which Alma responded, Be it according to the will of the
Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.
When the fire had burned low, and the precious fuel of human bodies and
sacred records was consumed, the chief judge of the city came to the
two prisoners as they stood bound, and mocked them. He smote them on
the cheek, and jeeringly asked them if they would preach again that his
people should be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone, seeing that
they had no power to save those who had been burned, neither had God
exercised his power in their behalf. But neither answered him a word.
Then he smote them again and remanded them to prison.
After they had been confined three days, they were visited by many
judges and lawyers, priests and teachers, after the order of Nehor,
who came to exult in the misery of their prisoners. They questioned
and badgered them, but neither would reply. They came again the next
day, and went through the same performance. They mocked at, smote and
spat upon the two disciples. They tantalized them with blasphemous
questions, such as the nature of their peculiar faith inspired. How
shall we look when we are damned? sneeringly asked these unbelievers in
damnation.
Patiently and silently all this was borne. Day after day was it
repeated. Harder and harder grew the hearts of the Ammonihahites
towards their prisoners. Fiercer and stronger grew their hatred. They
stripped Alma and Amulek, and, when naked, bound them with strong
ropes. They withheld food and drink from them, and in various ways
they tortured their bodies, and sought to aggravate and tantalize
them and harrow up their minds. On the 12th day of the tenth month
of the tenth year of the Judges (B. C. 82), the chief judge with his
followers again went to the prison. According to his usual custom he
smote the brethren, saying as he did so, If ye have the power of God,
deliver yourselves from these bonds, and then we will believe that the
Lord will destroy this people according to your words. This impious
challenge the crowd one by one repeated as they passed by the prophets,
and smote them in imitation of their leader. Thus each individual
assumed the responsibility of the defiance cast at the Almighty, and
virtually said, Our blood be upon our own heads.
The hour of God's power had now come--the challenge had been accepted.
The prophets, in the majesty of their calling, rose to their feet.
They were endowed with the strength of Jehovah. Like burnt thread the
cords that bound them were snapped asunder and they stood free and
unshackled before the terror-stricken crowd. To rush from the prison
was the first impulse of the God-defying followers of Nehor. In their
fear some fell to the earth, others, impelled by the crowd behind
stumbled and fell over the prostrate bodies, until they became one
confused mass, blocking each other's way; struggling, yelling, cursing,
pleading, fighting; frantically, but vainly, endeavoring to reach the
outer gate.
At this moment of supreme horror an earthquake rent the prison walls.
They trembled, then tottered, then fell on the struggling mass of
humanity below, burying in one vast, unconsecrated grave, rulers and
judges, lawyers and officers, priests and teachers. Not one was left
alive of all the impious mob who a few moments before defied heaven
and challenged Jehovah's might. But Alma and Amulek stood in the midst
of the ruins unhurt. Straightway they left this scene of desolation
and went into the city. When the citizens saw the two servants of God,
great fear fell upon them, and they fled, as a goat fleeth with her
young from two lions.
Alma and Amulek were then ordered to leave the city. This they did, and
went to the neighboring town of Sidom. There they found those who had
been cast out of Ammonihah, and in grief and sorrow they related the
story of the burning of the wives and children of the fugitives, and
also the history of their own miraculous deliverance.