29 And now, because of
the steadiness of the church they began to be exceedingly rich, having
abundance of all things whatsoever they stood in need—an abundance of flocks
and herds, and fatlings of every kind, and also abundance of grain, and of
gold, and of silver, and of precious things, and abundance of silk and
fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth.
30 And thus, in their
prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that
were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been
nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were
liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female,
whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to
those who stood in need.
31 And thus they did
prosper and become far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their
church.
32 For those who did
not belong to their church did indulge themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry
or idleness, and in babblings, and in envyings and strife; wearing costly
apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting, lying,
thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering, and all manner of
wickedness; nevertheless, the law was put in force upon all those who did
transgress it, inasmuch as it was possible.
33 And it came to pass
that by thus exercising the law upon them, every man suffering according to
that which he had done, they became more still, and durst not commit any
wickedness if it were known; therefore, there was much peace among the people
of Nephi until the fifth year of the reign of the judges (Alma 1:29-33).
The people in the church were faithful through all the
challenges they faced. They began to become a rich people, having flocks,
herds, fatlings, grain, gold, silver, precious things, silk. fine linen, and “good
homely cloth.”
Critics of the Book of Mormon use the reference to “silk” as
evidence Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon.
This shows a lack of understanding about the Book of Mormon.
“If, by ‘silk,’ we are required to understand only the fiber
spun into a cocoon by the Asian moth Bombyx
mori, there may well have been none in the Nephite New World. However, many
cloths are known to have existed in the Americas, deriving from both plant and
animal sources, that are virtually indistinguishable from silk proper.
(Furthermore, few Americans-emphatically including the uneducated frontier farm
boy Joseph Smith-would have had even the slightest clue as to their precise
actual names. ‘Silk’ would be about as close as they could come.) As one
account of the question summarizes the available data, ‘Mesoamerica . . .
exhibits almost an embarrassment of riches for the “silk” … of Alma 1:29. All
but the most trivializing critics should be satisfied with the parallels.’”[1]
“While any economic system except consecration produces
inequalities, during periods of at-onement under the judges, inequality was
moderated by voluntary redistributions.”[2]
The people who were wealthy did not think themselves better
than those who weren’t wealthy. Mormon tells us, “they did not send away any
who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick,
or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches;
therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free,
both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no
respect to persons as to those who stood in need” (Alma 1:30).
Early in Nephite history, Jacob had to deal with those who
were prosperous thinking they were better than those who were poor.
“And now behold, my brethren, this is the word which I
declare unto you, that many of you have begun to search for gold, and for silver,
and for all manner of precious ores, in the which this land, which is a land of
promise unto you and to your seed, doth abound most plentifully.
“And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most
pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have
obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the
pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the
costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that
ye are better than they.
“And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you
in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you, and if ye
persist in these things his judgments must speedily come unto you.
“O that he would show you that he can pierce you, and with
one glance of his eye he can smite you to the dust!
“O that he would rid you from this iniquity and abomination.
And, O that ye would listen unto the word of his commands, and let not this
pride of your hearts destroy your souls!
“Think of your
brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your
substance, that they may be rich like unto you.
“But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of
God.
“And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain
riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to
clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and
administer relief to the sick and the afflicted” (Jacob 2:12-19).
They were not guilty of “respect of persons.” They took care
of all.
“And as many as would hear their words, unto them they did
impart the word of God, without any respect of persons, continually” (Alma
16:14).
The Lord made it clear to us we are not to be a respecter of
persons. “For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know
that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when
peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his
own dominion” (D&C 1:35).
The Book of Mormon contrasts the economic prosperity of
members of the Nephite church with that of those who did not belong to the
church.
“This contrast provides evidence of the economic advantages
of loving one another and the economic disadvantages of loving things. In one
era, members of the church “did prosper and become far more wealthy than those
who did not belong to their church” (Alma 1:31). The reason that those who were
not members of the church failed to prosper was their lack of at-one-ment.
Instead of serving one another they indulged in “idleness, and in babblings,
and in envyings and strife; wearing costly apparel; being lifted up in the
pride of their own eyes; persecuting, lying, thieving, robbing, committing
whoredoms, and murdering” (Alma 1:32). All of these evil tendencies had the
effect of creating a self-interested elite, thereby reducing opportunities to
specialize and trade, and increasing economic inequality.[3]
“Every person so baptized who receives the gift of the Holy
Ghost, which seals the ordinance, is under solemn covenant with the Lord to
obey his commandments. Caring for the poor is one of those commandments.
Surely, in Book of Mormon times, members of the Church had a sacred obligation
to care for the poor … Few, if any, of the Lord’s instructions are stated more
often, or given greater emphasis, than the commandment to care for the poor and
the needy. Our dispensation is no exception.”[4]
[1] Yet
More Abuse of B. H. Roberts, Daniel C. Peterson, Maxwell Institute website.
[2] “No
Poor Among Them,” Lindon J. Robison, Journal
of Book of Mormon Studies 14/1 (2005): 92.
[4] In
the Lord’s Own Way, President Russell M. Nelson, April 1986 General
Conference.
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