ZEEZROM SICK WITH FEVER--HIS MIRACULOUS RECOVERY--THE DESTRUCTION
OF AMMONIHAH--THE INVASION OF THE LAND OF NOAH--ZORAM, THE NEPHITE
COMMANDER, SEEKS THE MIND OF THE LORD--IT IS GIVEN--ITS RESULTS--THE
WAR ENDED--ALMA'S MINISTRATIONS.
(ALMA CHAP. 15 AND 16.)
While the fearful tragedy that we have just related was being enacted
in Ammonihah, Zeezrom--trembling, heart-sick and faint--wandered with the
others to Sidom. The horrors of the damned took hold of him, until his
body succumbed to the agony of his mind. He was scorched with a burning
fever, which continually increased until the glad tidings reached his
ears that Alma and Amulek were safe; for he had feared that through his
iniquities they had been slain. No sooner did they reach Sidom than
he sent for them, as his heart then began to take courage. They did
not hesitate, but at once proceeded to where he lay. When they entered
his presence, he stretched forth his hands and besought them to heal
him. Alma questioned him regarding his faith in Christ, and finding
that the good seed planted in his bosom had brought forth fruit, this
mighty high priest cried unto the Lord, O Lord our God, have mercy on
this man, and heal him according to his faith which is in Christ. When
Alma had said these words, Zeezrom leaped upon his feet and walked, to
the great astonishment of all who witnessed it. Alma then baptized the
repentant lawyer, who began from that time forth to preach the glorious
message of eternal salvation. His energy, wisdom, learning and talents
were now used towards the upbuilding of the kingdom of God, with as
much zeal as he had before labored for corruptible riches and worldly
fame; for Zeezrom was a whole-souled, courageous man, he did nothing
by halves--when he served the devil, he was a profitable servant; when
he turned to God, he did it with all his heart. From this time Zeezrom
became a preacher of righteousness, laboring under the direction of
Alma, and we next hear of him ministering with Amulek to the people in
the land of Melek.
Next year Ammonihah was destroyed. Less than four months had elapsed
since the two inspired followers of the Lamb had left it to its fate,
when the Lamanites fell upon it like a whirlwind in its suddenness, and
as an avalanche in its utter desolation. The dark skinned warriors of
Laman swept over these murderers of the saints like a tempest of fire,
leaving neither young nor old, babe nor grandsire, to repeat the story
of their woes. Not one of Ammonihah's boasting children was left to
defy heaven.
Nor was the city spared; it, also, was given to the destroyer, and its
palaces and temples, its homes and its workshops, were consumed by the
devouring fire. For one day the fierce flames consumed the walls and
towers of Ammonihah. Their light illumined the lurid sky, shone on
the distant mountain tops, and lit the neighboring valleys. Then an
uninhabitable desolation, stinking with the rotting carcasses of man
and beast, only remained to mark the place where Ammonihah once stood.
As the Desolation of Nehors, it was known and avoided by the Nephites
for many succeeding years.
Emboldened by this signal triumph, the Lamanites entered the borders of
the neighboring land of Noah. There they continued their depredations,
carrying off many Nephite captives into the wilderness. At this
juncture the Nephite general Zoram, with his two sons (Lehi and Aha),
rallied his forces, in the hope of intercepting the Lamanite armies in
their return to the land of Nephi, and of delivering the captives.
Before starting on their march Zoram determined to inquire of the Lord.
He and his sons knew that Alma was a prophet and revelator to the
nation. Wisely they went first to him and inquired if it was the Lord's
will that they should advance into the wilderness in search of their
captive brethren.
Alma laid the matter before the Lord. The Divine answer came: Behold
the Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the south wilderness, away
up beyond the borders of the land of Manti. And behold there shall ye
meet them, on the east of the river Sidon, and there the Lord will
deliver unto thee thy brethren who have been taken captive by the
Lamanites.
Obedient to these plain instructions, Zoram and his sons crossed over
the river Sidon with their armies, and marched southward beyond the
borders of the land of Manti, into that portion of the great southern
wilderness which lay east of the river Sidon. There they came upon the
enemy, as the word of the Lord had declared, and there they joined in
battle. The Lamanites were defeated, scattered and driven into the
wilderness, and the Nephite captives were delivered. Great was the joy
in the land of Zarahemla when it was found that not one Nephite had
been lost of all those taken prisoners; but every one, great and small,
had escaped the horrors of slavery in the hands of the Lamanites, and
they all returned in peace to possess their own lands. Here we have a
most happy result of seeking the word of the Lord and then faithfully
carrying out his instructions.
Again there was peace throughout the land, and the name of Zoram is no
more mentioned in the sacred record.
During this period of peace, Alma and his fellow-priesthood preached
God's holy word in the power and demonstration of the Spirit, and with
much success. Great prosperity came to the church throughout all the
lands of the Nephites. At this happy time there was no inequality among
them; the Lord poured out his Spirit on all the face of the land,
as Alma supposed to prepare the hearts of his people for the coming
of Christ. Like many others of the ancient prophets, he antedated
that glorious appearing. He little knew of the wars and contentions,
the apostasies and dissensions, the spiritual tribulation and
material commotion that would precede that blessed day. But with this
prospect full in view, he labored and rejoiced, preached, blessed and
prophesied, never tiring in his energies, and feeling sorrowful only
because of the hard-heartedness and spiritual blindness of some of the
people.
In one most glorious event, Alma had unspeakable joy. His youthful
companions, the sons of king Mosiah, returned from their fourteen
years' mission amongst the Lamanites, during which time, after sore
trials and great tribulation, they, by the grace of the Father, had
brought many thousands of that benighted race to a knowledge of the
principles of the everlasting gospel.
Alma was traveling south on one of his missionary journeys from the
land of Zarahemla to the land of Manti, when he met Ammon and his
brethren coming from the land of Nephi. On hearing the story of
the mission, he at once returned with them to Zarahemla. There the
condition of affairs amongst the Lamanites was rehearsed to the chief
judge, who laid the whole subject before the people, so that whatever
was done in relation to the Christian Lamanites might be done by common
consent. The Nephites decided to give the land of Jershon to these
people for an inheritance. With this cheering news Ammon, accompanied
by Alma, returned into the southern wilderness, to the place where his
people were awaiting the decision of the Nephites. There the Ammonites
were ministered to and comforted by Alma and others, after which they
resumed their march to the land set apart for their future abode.
There, however, we shall find, as we proceed with our story, they
remained but a few years.