19 But it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the
church of God began to persecute those that did belong to the church of God,
and had taken upon them the name of Christ. 20 Yea, they
did persecute them, and afflict them with all manner of words, and this because
of their humility; because they were not proud in their own eyes, and
because they did impart the word of God, one with another, without money and
without price. 21 Now there was a strict law among the people of
the church, that there should not any man, belonging to the church, arise and
persecute those that did not belong to the church, and that there
should be no persecution among themselves. 22 Nevertheless, there
were many among them who began to be proud, and began to contend warmly with
their adversaries, even unto blows; yea, they would smite one another
with their fists. 23 Now this was in the second year of the reign of
Alma [About 90 B,C.] and it was a cause of much affliction to the
church; yea, it was the cause of much trial with the church.
Alma 1:19-23 (Emphasis mine)
Those who were not a member of the church began to persecute
those who “had taken upon them the name of Christ” (verse 19). They didn’t persecute them for their
religious beliefs; they were persecuted because they didn’t act as they
did. Members were humble. Members shared the gospel without pay. In fact, they helped those who were
poor. They followed the teachings Isaiah
when he wrote “every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that
hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without
money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and
your labour for that which satisfieth
not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat
ye that which is good, and let your
soul delight itself in fatness” (Isaiah 55:1-2).
The issue of priestcraft threatened Nephite society. Alma(2)
emphasized this point during the trial of Nehor. He warned that “were priestcraft to be
enforced among this people it would prove their entire destruction” (Alma
1:12). Gary Sturgess explained that “Nehor
and Amlici were challenging the very foundations of Nephite society (Alma
1:19). This was far deeper than an attack upon the church or the institution
of judgeship. The order of Nehor posed a direct threat to the tradition that
defined the Nephite identity and kept their society intact in the face
of external military and cultural encroachment. A book written at this time in
defense of the Nephite tradition should therefore give the doctrine of Christ a
prominent place.” [1]
(Emphasis mine)
Members were prohibited, by law, from persecuting those who
weren’t members of the church. This meant
that those who persecuted those who were not members of the church could be
brought before a judge and face legal sanctions for their actions.
Even with this prohibition, pride overtook members and they
began to contend with those who opposed the church. Things got so heated that they came blows.
How did this affect the church? Mormon explains:
24 For the hearts of many were hardened, and their
names were blotted out, that they were remembered no more among the
people of God. And also many withdrew
themselves from among them. 25 Now this
was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they
were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and
they bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them.
Alma 1:24-25 (Emphasis mine)
Many left the church “and their names were blotted out” (verse
24). The Lord told Moses that “[w]hosoever
hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book” (Exodus 32:33). As Alma(1) was forming the church, the Lord
told him “whosoever will not repent of his sins the same shall not be numbered
among my people; and this shall be observed from this time forward … And those
that would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity, the same were
not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were blotted out”
(Mosiah 26:32, 36).
After the names were “blotted out,” Mormon writes “they were
remembered no more among the people of God” (verse 24). Louis Midgley explains the concept of remembrance
in the Book of Mormon.
“The close links between thought and action can also be seen
in the way in which remembering in the Book of Mormon is tied to the heart of
man (see, for example, Alma 1:24; 10:30). It is also demonstrated in the giving
of names. To remember someone is to know or believe on his name. ‘I would
that ye should remember also, that this is the name that I said I should give
unto you that never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression;
therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted
out of your hearts. I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain
the name written always in your hearts’ (Mosiah 5:11-12). For man, remembering is to awake,
to hearken, to heed, to pray, and to obey by keeping the commandments and by
knowing, pondering, and being willing to take a name upon them.” [2]
(Emphasis mine)
26 And when the priests left their labor to impart the word
of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of
God. And when the priest had
imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again diligently unto
their labors; and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for
the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better
than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every
man according to his strength. 27 And they
did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the
poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear
costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely. 28 And thus
they did establish the affairs of the church; and thus they began to have
continual peace again, notwithstanding all their persecutions.
Alma 1:26-28 (Emphasis mine)
The church is facing challenges. So what happens? Priests left their jobs to “impart of the
word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word
of God” (verse 26). This effort was
successful. Equality was important. The priest did not esteem “himself above his hearers,
for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any
better than the learner; and thus they were all equal” (verse 26).
They also helped the poor, the need, and the sick. Riches no longer became important to
them. When “a certain ruler” came to the
Savior and asked about eternal life, He gave him a list of things he needed to
do. He told the Savior that he had done
all these things. The Savior responded
that “lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor,
and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me” (Luke 18:22). Riches were more important to him then
eternal life. He couldn’t give up his
money.
The people were to accumulate only the money they needed to
provide for their needs and to help the poor.
“[T]he religious views of the Nephites strongly discouraged the accumulation
of wealth or ‘getting gain.’ Leaders and prophets such as Nephi (see
2 Nephi 28), Jacob (see Jacob 2:11–22), Benjamin (see Mosiah 4:13–28),
Alma the Elder as well as his son, Alma the Younger (see Mosiah 18:24–29; Alma
1:26–33), Abinadi (see Mosiah 12:29), Samuel the Lamanite (see Helaman
13:28–39), and many others spoke out strongly against the hoarding of wealth.” [3]
We see throughout the Book of Mormon how wealth can have a
corrupting influence. “Nibley observes
that when ‘business boom[s],’ people are corrupted. ‘The prosperity in the time
of good king Mosiah produced a spoiled generation of smart-alecks’ and while
Alma's people later became ‘an ideal community (Alma 1:26–28) … the rest of
society’ went to an assortment of immoral and criminal activity.” [4]
Paul reminded the people that he worked with his own
hands. “I have coveted no man's silver,
or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered
unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all
things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the
words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to
receive” (Acts 20:33-35).
Mormon tells us they imparted their substance as best they
could to the poor. The church was
following the command of King Benjamin.
He told the people “for the sake of these things which I have spoken
unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day
to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of
your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding
the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their
relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants” (Mosiah 4:26).
The people no longer wore “costly apparel.” Even with the humble clothing they wore, “they
were neat and comely.”
Finally, they were to serve and give “every man according to
his strength” (verse 27). We are not
expected to do more than we can. King
Benjamin taught this to the people. He
told them to “see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is
not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be
diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be
done in order” (Mosiah 4:27).
[1] The
Book of Mosiah: Thoughts about Its Structure, Purposes, Themes, and Authorship,
Gary L. Sturgess, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 19,
2012.
[2] The
Ways of Remembrance, Louis Midgley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute,
accessed February 19, 2012.
[4] "Words
words words": Hugh Nibley on the Book of Mormon, Marilyn Arnold, Provo,
Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 19, 2012.
