AMALICKIAH--HIS APOSTASY AND TREASON--MORONI'S TITLE OF
LIBERTY--THE NEPHITES RESPOND TO HIS CALL--LEHONTI-HE IS
POISONED BY AMALICKIAH--THE KING OF THE LAMANITES TREACHEROUSLY
SLAIN--AMALICKIAH MARRIES THE QUEEN AND IS PROCLAIMED KING--A
DISASTROUS LAMANITE RAID.
(ALMA CHAP. 46 AND 50.)
Peace, however, was but short lived. Internal dissensions created
by the intrigues of apostates and royalists convulsed the Nephite
community. The rebels were led by a descendant of Zoram, the servant
of Laban, named Amalickiah, one of the most ambitious, cunning and
unscrupulous characters that ever disgraced the history of ancient
America. It was a perilous day for the Nephite nation when this subtle
creature bent all his brilliant energies to the fulfillment of his
ambitious dreams. True, he had been a member of Christ's holy church,
but now the love of God had given place to the hatred of his servants;
he was the citizen of a republic, but he aspired to overthrow its
liberties, and reign as king over his fellow-citizens. Indeed he had
cherished thoughts of still greater power, even to be monarch of
the entire continent; both Nephite and Lamanite should bow to his
undisputed sway. Such were his nightly dreams, and the continual
thoughts of his waking hours, and to this end he bent all the energies
of his mind, all the craft of his soul, all the cunning of his tongue,
all the weight of his influence. With promises rich as the gold of
Ophir and numerous as the snow-flakes in a winter's hurricane, he
beguiled his weaker fellows; men who, like him, loved power, hated the
truth, delighted in iniquity, but who had not the lofty ambition, the
unhallowed valor, and the deep designing cunning that distinguished
their leader. To his call the dissatisfied, the corrupt and the
apostate rallied.
Opposed to him stood Moroni, the dauntless leader of the armies of
the Nephites. Inspired by an unquenchable love for truth and liberty,
he sensed with every heart's pulsation that no man could fight for a
holier, more glorious cause than virtue and liberty. Thus inspired, he
tore a portion of his robe from it surrounding parts, and inscribing
thereon his battle cry, he lifted it high upon a pole. Then girding on
his armor, incasing his head with its fit covering, shielding his body
with its breastplates, placing the proper pieces round his thighs and
loins, he kneeled in humble, heartfelt prayer before Jehovah, presented
his "Title of Liberty" before him and asked his blessing, protection,
guidance and victorious aid in the coming struggle. Then he gathered
the hosts of the Nephites; from place to place he sped, waving in
the air the ensign on which all could read the burning words he had
inscribed: In memory of our God, our religion and freedom, and our
peace, our wives and our children.
[Illustration: MORONI RAISES THE "TITLE OF LIBERTY."]
Nor did he cry in vain; the patriot Nephites, the members of the church
of Christ, hastened with ready feet to the response. The streets of
Zarahemla were alive with the gathering hosts. Each warrior, to show
his devotion to the liberties with which God had endowed them, and
his fealty to the Great Giver, rent his robe, as the young general
had done, and thereby made covenant with God and his brethren to be
faithful and true, in life and in death, in the council chamber and on
the battle field, while an enemy remained to menace their liberties,
national or religious.
Nor was Zarahemla alone in the manifestation of her patriotic love.
Moroni's stirring appeal was spread far and wide throughout the lands
of the Nephites. Swift-footed, banner-bearing messengers hastened down
the Sidon's banks to the dwellers in the north, arousing the patriots
of each peaceful city to the peril of the hour. Onward they hurried
until Desolation echoed back to Bountiful the battle cry of liberty.
Others gave no rest to the soles of their feet until Mulek, and her
sister cities that lined the Caribbean Sea had flung from their tower
tops the hallowed banner. Through the narrow defiles and rocky canyons
that lay between the Andes' lofty peaks, other couriers pushed their
unwearied way into the western wilderness and hence to the Pacific's
strand, until every city held by Nephites had gathered her sons to the
defense of their rights and their liberties, their altars and their
fire-sides. Nor were Manti and the other cities of the south forgotten;
the faithful and the brave who lined the borders of the great southern
wilderness heard the rallying cry. From every city, every vale, the
converging hosts poured forth with sword and spear, with bow and
arrow, with slings and stones; while from the top of every tower and
citadel throughout the Nephites' land, the sacred standard fluttered
in the breeze. Men of strong arms and stout hearts were they, of faith
unfaltering, and courage undiminished.
No wonder, then, that when Amalickiah's emissaries brought the
evil-boding news of this great awakening to his unwilling ears that he
faltered in his purpose, that his followers lost heart, that retreat
was deemed the fittest show of wisdom, and discretion the better part
of valor. No wonder that when, by Moroni's vigilance, that retreat was
cut off, that the rebels succumbed and surrendered, that Amalickiah
fled for safety to the Lamanites, and that the "Title of Liberty"
continued to float uninterruptedly from the Atlantic to the Pacific
coast, as far as Nephi's children ruled or Nephite homes were found,
and that Moroni and his people rejoiced with intensified joy in their
liberties, now more than ever dear to them through the valorous efforts
they had put forth for their preservation.
When Amalickiah fled to the court of the king of the Lamanites he
evolved a plot worthy of a demon, which only ceased with life. He was
a Napoleon in ambition and diplomacy, and possibly also in military
skill. On the first favorable opportunity after reaching the Lamanite
court, he commenced to rekindle the fires of hatred toward his former
friends. At first he was unsuccessful, the recollection of their late
defeats was too fresh in the memory of the multitude. The king issued a
war proclamation, but it was disregarded. Much as his subjects feared
the imperial power, they dreaded a renewal of war more. Many gathered
to resist the royal mandate. The king, unused to such objections,
raised an army to quell the advocates of peace, and placed it under the
command of the now zealous Amalickiah.
The peace-men had chosen an officer named Lehonti for their king
and leader, and he had assembled his followers at a mountain called
Antipas. Thither Amalickiah marched, but with no intention of provoking
a conflict; he was working for the good feelings of the entire Lamanite
people. On his arrival he entered into a secret correspondence with
Lehonti, in which he agreed to surrender his forces on condition that
he should be appointed second in command of the united armies. The plan
succeeded. Amalickiah surrendered to Lehonti and assumed the second
position. Lehonti now stood in the way of his ambition; it was but a
little thing to remove him: he died by slow poison administered by
Amalickiah's command.
Amalickiah now assumed supreme command, and at the head of his forces
he marched towards the Lamanite capital. The king, supposing that the
approaching hosts had been raised to carry the war into Zarahemla, came
out of the royal city to greet and congratulate him. As the monarch
drew near he was traitorously slain by some of the creatures of the
subtle general, who at the same time raised the hue and cry that, the
king's own servants were the authors of the vile deed. Amalickiah
assumed all the airs of grief, affection and righteous indignation
that he thought would best suit his purpose. He next made apparently
desperate, but purposely ineffectual, efforts to capture those who were
charged with the crime, and so adroitly did he carry out his schemes,
that before long he wheedled himself into the affections of the queen,
whom he married, and he was recognised by the Lamanites as their king.
Thus far his ambition was realized, but it was far from satisfied;
ambition seldom is.
Amalickiah now cherished the stupendous design of subjugating the
Nephites and ruling singly and alone from ocean to ocean (B. C. 73).
To accomplish this iniquitous purpose, he dispatched emissaries in
all directions whose mission was to stir up the angry passions of the
populace against the Nephites. When this vile object was sufficiently
accomplished, and the deluded people had become clamorous for war, he
raised an immense army, armed and equipped with an excellence never
before known among the Lamanites. This force he placed under the
command of Zoramite officers, and ordered its advance into the western
possessions of the Nephites, where, amongst others, stood the cities
of Ammonihah, now rebuilt, and Noah.
The Nephites, during this time, had been watching Amalickiah's
movements and energetically preparing for war. When the Lamanites
reached Ammonihah they found it too strongly fortified to be taken
by assault; they therefore retired to Noah, originally a very weak
place, but now, through Moroni's foresight and energy, made stronger
than Ammonihah. The Zoramite officers well knew that to return home
without having attempted something would be most disastrous, and
therefore, though with little hope, made an assault upon Noah. This
step resulted in throwing away a thousand lives outside its walls,
while its well-protected defenders had but fifty men wounded. After
this disastrous attempt the Lamanites marched home. Great was the anger
of Amalickiah at the miscarriage of his scheme; he cursed God and swore
he would yet drink the blood of Moroni.
During the next year the Lamanites were driven out of the great eastern
wilderness, which was occupied by numerous Nephite colonies, who laid
the foundations of several new cities along the Atlantic coast. Moroni
also established a line of fortifications along the Nephites' southern
border, which stretched from one side of the continent to the other.