Around 245 AD, not only had the wickedness increased, but
they were in power. The majority of the Nephites fell into this category. They
had become like the Nephites at the time Nephi2 gave up the judgment
seat. “For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of
the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose
good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become
corrupted” (Helaman 5:2).
More churches appeared. They were built as monuments to the
unrighteous. The churches had the churches adorned with all types of precious
things.
By 260 AD, the secret combinations made their appearance. They
were based on the evil set forth by Gadianton. “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” (Helaman 6:26).
In the new world, secret combinations began with the
Jaredites.
“And it came to pass that Akish gathered in unto the house
of Jared all his kinsfolk, and said unto them: Will ye swear unto me that ye
will be faithful unto me in the thing which I shall desire of you?
“And it came to pass that they all sware unto him, by the
God of heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their
heads, that whoso should vary from the assistance which Akish desired should
lose his head; and whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish made known unto
them, the same should lose his life.
“And it came to pass that thus they did agree with Akish.
And Akish did administer unto them the oaths which were given by them of old
who also sought power, which had been handed down even from Cain, who was a
murderer from the beginning.
“And they were kept up by the power of the devil to
administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such
as sought power to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and
to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms.
“And it was the daughter of Jared who put it into his heart
to search up these things of old; and Jared put it into the heart of Akish;
wherefore, Akish administered it unto his kindred and friends, leading them
away by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he desired.
“And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination,
even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all,
in the sight of God” (Ether 8:13-18).
“And it came to pass that there arose a rebellion among the
people, because of that secret combination which was built up to get power and
gain; and there arose a mighty man among them in iniquity, and gave battle unto
Moron, in which he did overthrow the half of the kingdom; and he did maintain
the half of the kingdom for many years” (Ether 11:15).
At the beginning of the Nephite civilization, Jacob warned
the people about the dangers of secret combinations. “And our spirits must have
become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out
from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery,
like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who
transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children
of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of
darkness” (2 Nephi 9:9).
Towards the end of his life, Nephi warned the day would come
when “there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to
the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea,
the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the
neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever”
(2 Nephi 26:22).
“Wickedness expressed itself in the toleration and
encouragement of organized crime … In this way they blindly planted the seeds
of their own destruction (atē).”[1]
Because of their riches and pride, the Nephites had “become
vain like unto their brethren, the Lamanites” (4 Nephi 1:43).
“All along, forces moved from bad to worse. The saints
themselves ‘began to be proud in their hearts, because of their exceeding
riches, and become vain like unto their brethren’ (4 Nephi 1:43). Soon the
three disciples of the Savior remained as the last vestige of righteousness;
the voice of the people had chosen iniquity. Seeing the condition of the
people, the disciples ‘began to sorrow for the sins of the world,’ for ‘both
the people of Nephi and the Lamanites had become exceedingly wicked one like
unto another’ (4 Nephi 1:44—45).”[2]
[1] Hubris
and Atē: A Latter-day Warning from the Book of Mormon, Richard D. Draper,
Maxwell Institute website.
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