26 Now behold, those secret oaths and covenants did not
come forth unto Gadianton from the records which were delivered unto Helaman;
but behold, they were put into the heart of Gadianton by that same being who did
entice our first parents to partake of the forbidden fruit—27 Yea, that
same being who did plot with Cain, that if he would murder his brother Abel
it should not be known unto the world.
And he did plot with Cain and his followers from that time forth.
28 And also it is that same being who put it into the
hearts of the people to build a tower sufficiently high that they might get to
heaven. And it was that same
being who led on the people who came from that tower into this land; who spread
the works of darkness and abominations over all the face of the land, until he
dragged the people down to an entire destruction, and to an everlasting hell.
29
Yea, it is that same being who put it into the heart of Gadianton to still
carry on the work of darkness, and of secret murder; and he has brought it
forth from the beginning of man even down to this time.
Helaman 6:26 – 29 (Emphasis mine)
Mormon makes it clear who is not the source of these secret oaths and covenants. Helaman3 had nothing to do with
this information becoming available. He
faithfully followed his father’s command and kept this information from the
people.
The source of all this is the devil. He is responsible for spreading “the works of
darkness and abominations over all the face of the land” (v. 28), destroying
the Jaredites. He “put it into the heart
of Gadianton to still carry on the work of darkness, and of secret murder” (v.
29).
John L. Sorenson explains how this information may have been
passed down.
“The Nephite secret combination pattern is obviously very similar to
what had been present among the Jaredites. Was there a historical connection?
It is true that Alma instructed his son Helaman not to make known to their
people any contents of Ether's record that might give them operating procedures
for duplicating the secret groups (see Alma 37:27–29). A later writer says that
it was the devil who ‘put into the heart’ of Gadianton certain information of
that sort (see Helaman 6:26). Yet an efficient alternative explanation of how
the later secret groups came to look so much like those of the Jaredites is
direct transmission of the tradition through survivors of the Jaredites to the
people of Zarahemla and thus to Gadianton. This process probably would
have been unknown to Alma or other elite Nephite writers, who must have had
little to do directly with the mass of "Mulekite" folk. Support
for the idea comes from a statement by Giddianhi, one-time ‘governor’ of the
Gadianton organization. Their ways, he claimed, ‘are of ancient date and they
have been handed down unto us’ (3 Nephi 3:9).”[1]
(Emphasis mine)
30 And behold, it is he who is the author of all sin. And behold, he doth carry on his works of
darkness and secret murder, and doth hand down their plots, and their oaths,
and their covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation to
generation according as he can get hold upon the hearts of the children of men.
31
And now behold, he had got great hold upon the hearts of the Nephites; yea, insomuch
that they had become exceedingly wicked; yea, the more part of them had
turned out of the way of righteousness, and did trample under their feet the
commandments of God, and did turn unto their own ways, and did build up unto
themselves idols of their gold and their silver.
32 And it came to pass that all these iniquities did
come unto them in the space of not many years, insomuch that a more part of it
had come unto them in the sixty and seventh year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi. 33 And they did grow in
their iniquities in the sixty and eighth year also [24 B.C.], to the great
sorrow and lamentation of the righteous.
Helaman 6:30 – 33 (Emphasis mine)
We learn that Satan “is the author of all sin” (v. 30). Mormon wrote Moroni2, telling him “all
things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the
devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him
continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil
continually” (Moroni 7:12). His “works
of darkness and secret murder” were handed down from one generation to the
next.
The Nephites had become “exceedingly wicked.” They had turned their backs on the word of
God. They “did build up unto themselves idols” (v.
31). Instead of a false god, their idols
became their gold and silver.
The wickedness continued for many years, much “to the great
sorrow and lamentation of the righteous” (v. 33).
[1] When
Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There. John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah:
Maxwell Institute, accessed July 12, 2012.
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