Mosiah 18:17-22

17  And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward.  And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church.
18  And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
19  And he commanded them that they should teach nothing save it were the things which he had taught, and which had been spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets.

Mosiah 18:17-19 (Emphasis mine)

After the baptism of his followers, we learn that Alma(1) formally called his church the Church of Christ.  This name would continue among the Nephites and the Church.  At the time of Christ's visitation to the Nephites (some 90 years after Alma(1)), baptism continued.  Mormon than recorded that "21  And they who were baptized in the name of Jesus were called the church of Christ." 3 Nephi 26:21.

Why was the Church named after Christ?  We don't have a detailed explanation here, but we see this issue arising again during Christ's visitation.  Robert Millett discusses this issue in detail.

"There is something terribly significant about the name of Christ. I wish I knew all that was going on here. But do you notice the number of times in scripture it says, 'Do this in the name . . .'? Consider that among the earliest things communicated from heaven to earth was a message from an angel to Adam. What did he say? 'Thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore' (Moses 5:8). So, there is this emphasis on the name. You see the Savior trying to answer the question and saying, 'What is it you are to do? You are to do things in my name. So, if you are going to name this church, what are you going to name it?'

"... At this point we could stop and interrupt ourselves and say that all a church needs to be Christ's church is to have his name. But you and I know there is more to it than that, and he's not going to let us get off with just calling it after him. There is something else it must have. He says, 'But if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel' (3 Nephi 27:8). It must be built upon his gospel. 

"... If it is Christ's church, if it is named after him, and if it is built upon his gospel, it will evidence that it is the work of the Father ..." (Emphasis mine)

The Doctrine of the Risen Christ, Part 3, Robert L. Millet, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 27, 2011.

Alma(1) began organizing the Church.  He could do this because of his priesthood authority.  He had been ordained a priest by Noah; Noah had been ordained by his father Limhi.  So, Alma(1) received his authority through those who had authority.

Just a side note about Alma(1) organizing a church.  It appears that this is the first formally organized church among the Nephites.   Daniel Peterson writes: 

"... among the early Nephites, there was no church ... Only with Alma do we encounter a separate 'church' in the true sense of the Greek word ekklesía. (That term, it will be recalled, originally referred, in classical Greece, to an assembly of the citizens called out by a kind of crier. It is related to the verb ekkaléo, "to call forth." The notion of 'separation' is inherent, unavoidable, in it.)

I realize that I am working here on the basis of an argument from silence ... One way of testing it will be by the plausibility, or lack thereof, of my overall position, in which this particular argument has a specific place. But I must say that the lack of references to an early Nephite church—consistent over many pages and the space of many years, but only in a particular portion of the record—seems to me more likely to be indicative of something significant than is the occasional failure, in a book nowhere prone to give biographical details, to mention personal ordinations to the priesthood." (Emphasis mine) 

Authority in the Book of Mosiah, Daniel C. Peterson, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 27, 2011.

But what about King Noah?  Could he ordain priests?  Did he still have priesthood authority?  Remember, Noah was quite a wicked person.

This question can be asked today.  Let's look at a "What if..."  What if your great grandfather was ordained to the office of an Elder.  At the time your grandfather was baptized and confirmed, by your great grandfather, you grandfather was not following all the commandments as he should.  Your great grandfather ordains your grandfather to all priesthood offices, up to an elder.  He was still living a "colorful" life (being a good man at heart, he later repents and becomes an exemplary priesthood holder).

Your grandfather baptizes and confirms your father.  He later ordains him to all priesthood offices, including an elder.  He has always led an excellent life.

Yes, Alma(1) was ordained by one with authority (Noah), in spite of his wickedness.  Daniel Peterson writes: 

"... [Alma(1)] was ordained validly by Noah, who was ordained validly by his father ... The fact that Noah was not righteous and that Alma himself seems to have violated the laws of God during his early ministry has nothing to do with Alma's priesthood authority. Unless and until superior priesthood authority withdraws permission to exercise priestly functions, a legitimately ordained holder of the priesthood may continue to perform valid priesthood ordinances—however unrighteous he may personally be, however dead to spiritual promptings, and however unlikely it may be that he will ever actually exercise his priesthood ..." (Emphasis mine)

Authority in the Book of Mosiah, Daniel C. Peterson, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 27, 2011. 

This response "... [u]nless and until superior priesthood authority withdraws permission to exercise priestly functions, a legitimately ordained holder of the priesthood may continue to perform valid priesthood ordinances ..." explains why ordinances are valid as long as the priesthood holder still has the authority to perform the ordinances.  If this weren't true, things would be very confused, as the situation mentioned above shows.  No one would have any confidence in any ordinances that are performed.  

Alma(1) gives his church a formal organization.  He ordained one priest to serve fifty people.  They were given the charge to preach only the words of the "holy prophets."  (v19).

His charge to his priests continued.

20  Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.
21  And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.
22  And thus he commanded them to preach.  And thus they became the children of God.

Mosiah 18:20-22 (Emphasis mine)

The priests are to preach repentance a faith on the Lord.  These are the first two principles of the gospel.  Contention has no part among members of the church; they should be one and unified.  They  have one faith and one baptism.  As a unified people, they become the children of God. 

There are scriptures that warn about the consequences of contention. 

12  Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Proverbs 10:12 (Emphasis mine) 

10  Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

Proverbs 13:10 (Emphasis mine) 

18  A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Proverbs 15:18 (Emphasis mine)

6  A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

7  A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

8  The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Proverbs 18:6-8 (Emphasis mine) 

10  Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

Proverbs 22:10 (Emphasis mine) 

21  As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

Proverbs 26:21 (Emphasis mine) 

8  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

Romans 2:8-9 (Emphasis mine)

14  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

James 3:14-16 (Emphasis mine) 

 

Alma(1)'s leadership is essential while organizing the church.  L. Gary Lambert explains in more detail. 

 

"Alma's leadership included ordaining lay priests—one for every fifty members—whom he instructed to labor for their own support, and to limit their sermons to his teachings and the doctrine 'spoken by the mouth of the holy prophets . . . nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord' (Mosiah 18:19—20). Alma also required that there be faithful observance of the Sabbath, daily expressions of gratitude to God, and no contention, 'having their hearts knit together in unity and in love' (18:21—23). The priests assembled with and taught the people in a worship meeting at least once weekly (18:25). Through generous donations, everyone cared for one another 'according to that which he had' (18:27—28)" (Emphasis mine)

Alma(1), L. Gary Lambert, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 27, 2011.

Mosiah 18:1-6

 Chapter 18

Alma preaches in private—He sets forth the covenant of baptism and baptizes at the waters of Mormon—He organizes the Church of Christ and ordains priests—They support themselves and teach the people—Alma and his people flee from King Noah into the wilderness. About 147–145 B.C.

1  AND now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi—
2  Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people, which was to be brought to pass through the power, and sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and ascension into heaven.
3  And as many as would hear his word he did teach.  And he taught them privately, that it might not come to the knowledge of the king.  And many did believe his words.

Mosiah 18:1-3 (Emphasis mine)

Abinadi has died.  He taught the word of the Lord to the people, ignoring the consequences.  Mormon records that Abinadi failed at bringing the people to repentance and following the proper gospel.  There is only one recorded convert - Alma(1), the former priest of King Noah; but, oh what a convert he was.  As we will learn, through Alma(1)'s faithfulness, many people are brought to the truth.  The seed was planted and grew.  Alma would continue to plant seeds and they would grow; his converts would continue planting seeds and they would grow; and so.  

Who was Alma(1)?  What do we know of him?  L. Gary Lambert wrote about Alma.

"Alma(1) (c. 174—92 B.C.) was the first of two Almas in the Book of Mormon. He was a descendant of Nephi(1), son of Lehi, and was the young priest in the court of king Noah who attempted a peaceful release of the prophet Abinadi. For that action, Alma incurred royal vengeance, banishment, and threats upon his life. He had been impressed by Abinadi's accusations of immorality and abuses within the government and society and by his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Mosiah 17:2). Subsequently forced underground, Alma wrote out Abinadi's teachings, then shared them with others, attracting sufficient adherents—450—to organize a society of believers, or a church." (Emphasis mine)

Alma(1), L. Gary Lambert, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 20, 2011.

Hugh Nibley wrote about what he taught (see verse 2). 

"Now what happened? Alma fled from the servants of King Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and then went about privately among the people and began to teach ... And this is what he taught—the absolute basics of the gospel. These are the big questions, these are the essentials. Without them you have no gospel; with them, you have everything. The first is resurrection of the dead. Is there any more [after this life] (sic)? That's a terrible question, you see. Is this all there is? The answer is no, as we saw the last time. There's much more, and it's the resurrection of the dead. The second is that you're not only resurrected to make life possible but to make it endurable and enjoyable. I don't want to live forever, if I've got to suffer forever. No that's not it, but to make life desirable for eternal life—to make it possible and then to make it desirable. And that's the same thing. Redemption of the people. That is atonement, bringing them back to the presence of God, and that happens through power. Things are done through power. It's a physical, real thing that happens. The suffering and death of Christ and his resurrection and ascension—now that's the atonement. What he's preaching here is resurrection, redemption, atonement, buying back again, bringing together again where you were. Notice all these words that begin with re. That means again. A re-surrection means 'a rising up again.' That means you were in the flesh before. Of course we're here now, and then we will rise up again. But then after, it is the redemption. You are bought back again. You came down here, you suffered the Fall, you committed all these sins, etc. Then you're freed. Emptio is 'to buy something,' and redemption is 'to buy somebody back again who was with you before.' See, you were in the presence of the Lord before; now he's buying you back into his service again after you've been out of it for a while. You've been serving the devil. That's what he [Alma] (sic) preached." (Emphasis mine)

Lecture 36: Mosiah 16-18, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 20, 2011. 

As he secretly taught the words of Abinadi, his church began to grow. 

4  And it came to pass that as many as did believe him did go forth to a place which was called Mormon, having received its name from the king, being in the borders of the land having been infested, by times or at seasons, by wild beasts.
5  Now, there was in Mormon a fountain of pure water, and Alma resorted thither, there being near the water a thicket of small trees, where he did hide himself in the daytime from the searches of the king.
6  And it came to pass that as many as believed him went thither to hear his words.

Mosiah 18:4-6 (Emphasis mine)

Alma hid at a place that will be known as the Waters of Mormon.  It is hear the his followers come to hear his preaching. 

Hugh Nibley

"Alma's hideout at the waters of Mormon was in open country, as we have seen: 'a fountain of pure water, . . . a thicket of small trees, where he did hide himself in the daytime, and where he baptized 'in the forest that was near the waters' (Mosiah 18:5, 30). Streams in arid countries, as we all know, are usually bordered by extensive 'thickets of small trees,' like willows or mesquite, that provide excellent concealment." (Emphasis mine)

The Nature of Book of Mormon Society, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 20, 2011.

Gordon Thomasson discussed the etymology of the word Mormon.

"Names can have multiple meanings and functions. The Greek "pre-historic" word Mormo (which is to say it is a loan word into Greek, probably from some other Mediterranean culture) refers to the sound made by wild animals, a growl or a murmur, and is an example of onomatopoeia. If the place name Mormon has the same root as Mormo, it is quite appropriately used, based upon this etymology, to refer to the wilderness area where Alma's young Church began, a place characterized by the text as being 'infested, by times, or at seasons, by wild beasts' (Mosiah 18:4). The word Mormon almost immediately took on other associations, however, linked with the covenants entered into by the members of the new Church. It may also have good Egyptian meanings, including associations with wild animals and even with the concept of 'more good.' "(Emphasis mine)

What's in a Name? Book of Mormon Language, Names, and [Metonymic] Naming, Gordon C. Thomasson, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 20, 2011.