24 And it came to pass that the twenty and second
year of the reign of the judges also ended in peace; yea, and also the twenty
and third year. 25 And it came
to pass that in the commencement of the twenty and fourth year of the reign of
the judges [68 B.C.], there would also have been peace among the
people of Nephi had it not been for a contention which took place among them
concerning the land of Lehi, and the land of Morianton, which joined
upon the borders of Lehi; both of which were on the borders by the seashore.
26 For behold, the people who possessed the land of
Morianton did claim a part of the land of Lehi; therefore there began
to be a warm contention between them, insomuch that the people of Morianton
took up arms against their brethren, and they were determined by the sword to
slay them. 27 But behold, the people who possessed the land of Lehi
fled to the camp of Moroni, and appealed unto him for assistance; for behold
they were not in the wrong.
Alma 50:24 – 27 (Emphasis mine)
There had been three years of peace in the land. What broke the peace was an internal
conflict.
The people of Morianton claimed a part of the land of Lehi. Not surprisingly, there was “a warm contention
between them.” The people of Morianton “took
up arms against their brethren and they were determined by the sword to slay
them.”
Instead of fleeing to the chief judge for assistance, the people
of Lehi turned to Moroni(1). Here we see
that Moroni(1)’s role was more than just a military leader.
“In Alma 50:25-36, for example, the people in the land of
Morianton claimed a part of the land of Lehi. Instead of turning to the chief
judge to resolve this land dispute, the people of Lehi took their case to Captain
Moroni. Apparently the case came under the military commander's jurisdiction
because the people of Morianton had taken up arms and were determined to slay
the people of Lehi with the sword. Apparently Moroni was the one who
judged that the people of Lehi were "not in the wrong" (Alma 50:27).”[1]
(Emphasis mine)
28 And it came to pass that when the people of
Morianton, who were led by a man whose name was Morianton, found that the
people of Lehi had fled to the camp of Moroni, they were exceedingly fearful
lest the army of Moroni should come upon them and destroy them. 29
Therefore, Morianton put it into their hearts that they should flee to the land
which was northward, which was covered with large bodies of water, and
take possession of the land which was northward.
30 And behold, they would have carried this plan
into effect, (which would have been a cause to have been lamented) but behold, Morianton
being a man of much passion, therefore he was angry with one of his maid
servants, and he fell upon her and beat her much. 31 And it came
to pass that she fled, and came over to the camp of Moroni, and
told Moroni all things concerning the matter, and also concerning their
intentions to flee into the land northward.
Alma 50:28 – 31 (Emphasis mine)
The people of Morianton were led by Morianton. He had to know that he was in wrong, because
he feared an attack by Moroni(1)’s army.
They decided to flee to “the land which was northward … and take possession
of the land.”
Then, Morianton made a huge mistake. He became angry with one of his female
servants and beat her. She fled from
Morianton and came to Moroni(1). She
told him “all things … concerning their intentions to fell into the land
northward.”
Morianton’s secret was secret no more. All because of his “passion” and stupidity.
32 Now behold, the people who were in the land
Bountiful, or rather Moroni, feared that they would hearken to the words of
Morianton and unite with his people, and thus he would obtain possession of those
parts of the land, which would lay a foundation for serious consequences among
the people of Nephi, yea, which consequences would lead to the overthrow of
their liberty. 33 Therefore Moroni sent an army, with their camp, to
head the people of Morianton, to stop their flight into the land northward.
34
And it came to pass that they did not head them until they had come
to the borders of the land Desolation; and there they did head them, by
the narrow pass which led by the sea into the land northward, yea, by the sea,
on the west and on the east.
Alma 50:32 – 34 (Emphasis mine)
Moroni(1) was concerned about the possibility of the people
in the land northward making an alliance with Morianton. John Sorenson writes, “I suspect that ‘the
people who were in the land Bountiful’ mentioned in Alma 50:32 as a loyalty
concern to Moroni1 were of the same origin, remotely, as the
people of Zarahemla. The text gives no hint of a Nephite colonization before
the time of the statement.”[2]
Lynn Wardle explains that Moroni(1) did not move against
Morianton until his actions presented a threat to Nephite peace.
“In these dangerous times, another group of people who
followed Morianton, after losing a territorial dispute with the people in
another city, decided to move en masse to the northern lands.
Again, Moroni's army stopped them forcibly, to prevent them from making an
alliance which could ‘lead to the overthrow of their liberty’ (Alma 50:32)…
“Moroni did not use force against Morianton until he attempted to lead
his dissenting people to another land which, under the circumstances of
the time, would have ‘serious consequences among the people of Nephi, yea which
. . . would lead to the overthrow of their liberty’ (Alma 50:32).”[3]
(Emphasis mine)
[1] Law
and War in the Book of Mormon, John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell
Institute, accessed April 16, 2012.
[2] Historical
Geography, John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute,
accessed April 16, 2012.
[3] Dissent:
Perspectives from the Book of Mormon, Lynn D. Wardle, Provo, Utah:
Maxwell Institute, accessed April 16, 2012.
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