The Alma Family (A Book of Mormon Sketch) (16 February 1880)

We pass over the next few years of Alma’s life, during which period he was laboring with his usual zeal and devotion, to the latter portion of the seventeenth year of the judges (B.C. 75). It was then that Korihor, the anti-Christ, appeared. His pernicious doctrines savor much of certain classes of modern religious delusion, but his main arguments were directed against the advent and atonement of the Redeemer. From land to land he journeyed amongst the Nephites, spreading his false theories and notions. But as he claimed that as he taught so he believed, the law could not touch him, for it was strictly forbidden in the Nephite criminal code that any one should be punished on account of his belief; freedom of conscience was guaranteed to all. At last, not knowing what to do with him, as he was fomenting dissension and endangering the peace of the community, the local officers sent him to Alma and the chief judge, for them to decide in the matter. When brought before these officers, he continued, with great swelling words of blasphemy, to ridicule the holy principles of the Gospel, and to revile the servants of God, falsely accusing them, among other things, of glutting themselves out of the labors of the people. In Alma’s answer to this charge we have a pleasing insight into his private life. He said: “Thou knowest that we do not glut ourselves upon the labors of this people, for behold, I have labored even from the commencement of the reign of the judges until now, with mine own lands for my support, notwithstanding my many travels round about the land to declare the word of God unto my people; and notwithstanding the many labors I have performed in the Church, I have not so much as received even one senine for my labor; neither has any of my brethren, save it were in the judgment seat, and then we have received only according to law for our time.”

Korihor continued to withstand the prophet. He argued against the existence of the Father and the coming of His Only Begotten. Alma accused him of arguing against his convictions, but this he strenuously denied, and clamored for a sign to be given, as he pretended, that he might be convinced. Alma at length wearied by his impious importunities, told him that God, as a sign, would smite him dumb. This terrible warning, though it caused the pretender some uneasiness, only resulted in an attempt at prevarication on his part. He said: “I do not deny the existence of a God, but I do not believe there is a God; and I say also, that ye do not know that there is a God; and except ye show me a sign I will not believe.” Then Alma answered: “This will I give unto thee for a sign, that thou shalt be struck dumb according to my words; and I say that, in the name of God, ye shall be struck dumb, that ye shall no more have utterance.” Korihor received his sign; Alma’s words were fulfilled; the sign-seeker never more spoke on earth. When the hand of the Lord fell on him he recanted; by writing, as he could not speak, he confessed the power of God, and acknowledged that he had been led astray by Satan, who had come to him in the form of an angel of light. He begged that the curse might be removed, but Alma, well knowing the baseness of his heart, refused to intercede before Heaven in his behalf, lest when restored to speech he would again strive to mislead the people. And he was cast out from the face of society, a wanderer and a vagabond, begging from door to door for bread to sustain life. Whilst thus dragging out a miserable existence, he was run over and trodden to death in a city of the Zoramites. Thus died Korihor, and with him died his influence and his false teachings.

The Zoramites were a dangerous body of dissenters, whose heresy differed somewhat from that of Korihor, though they also taught that there should be no. Christ. They deluded themselves with the idea that they were the peculiar objects of Heaven’s favor, born to be saved, predestined to eternal glory, whilst the rest of the world were the rejected, the foreordained damned. This consolable creed, to the corrupt and crime-stained, was rapidly growing and gaining influence at the time of Korihor’s death, and became the next object of Alma’s ever watchful care. Accompanied by Amulek, Zeezrom. three of the sons of King Mosiah, and two of his own sons, he went over to the regions inhabited by these apostates. This mission was one of the most important of his life, and, like that to Ammonihah, was but partially successful. As soon as Alma discovered the gross iniquity of this people, and the peculiarities of their forms of worship, he held a council meeting with his fellow-missionaries, and, having prayed fervently to the Lord, “he clapped his hands upon all who were with him. And, behold, as he clapped his hands upon them, they were filled with the Holy Ghost. And after that, they did separate themselves one from another; taking no thought for themselves what they should eat, or what they should drink, or what they should put on.” And in all these things the Lord provided for them. The missionaries labored diligently; they visited the people in their homes; they preached in their synagogues; they proclaimed the truth in their streets ; but the pleasing errors of their false faith had so thoroughly taken possession of them that they rejected the truth, and persecuted and even attempted to slay some of Alma’s companions. However, this rejection was not universal: a number of the poorer and more humble Zoramites accepted the divine message, in consequence of which they were shortly after driven from then1 homes and out of their country by their more numerous, more influential, and also more corrupt fellowcitizens. To this mission we are indebted for some of the most powerful doctrinal discourses recorded in the Book of Mormon.

When Alma and his associates had done all the good that seemed to them practicable, they retired to the land of Jershon, where the Ammonites dwelt, whither the believing Zoramites followed when they were expatriated by their fellow-countrymen. In Jershon they were kindly received by its inhabitants and welcomed as brethren. Here Alma again administered to them. Having done this, he and most of his co-Iaborers returned to Zarahemla.

Alma was now growing old. Notwithstanding his increasing efforts and fervent prayers, the Nephites were again back-sliding into iniquity. To every Nephite city, and to every Nephite land he went or sent, to revive the Gospel fires in their vacillating souls; but many became offended because of the strictness of the Gospel’s laws, which forbade not only sin itself, but the very appearance of sin. As this feeling grew, Alma’s heart became exceedingly sorrowful— he mourned for the depravity of his people. Like many of the ancient patriarchs, when they felt that their mortal career was drawing to its close, he called his sons to him, and gave them his last charge and father’s blessing, to each as the spirit of instruction and prophecy inspired. To Heleman, his eldest, he transferred the custody of the sacred plates, with many words of warning and caution regarding them. With hearts strengthened and renewed by the inspiration of his fervent admonitions, his sons went forth among the people; nor could Alma himself rest whilst there was a soul to save or a wrong to make right. He also went forth once again, in the spirit of his exalted calling, and raised his voice in advocacy of the principles of life everlasting.

Another bloody war now commenced, one that, before its close, drew out the whole strength of both Nephite and Lamanite. The youthful, but brilliant and God-fearing Moroni, took charge of the armies of Nephi. He, not willing to trust his own powers, sent to Alma for his divine word to direct his movements. As was his wont, the high priest was favored with the revelation of Heaven’s will, which, being conveyed to Moroni, was in faith implicitly followed. We need not enter into the details of the terrible battle that ensued; victory crowned the inspired general’s efforts, and with the account of this battle the record of Alma closes.

It was in the nineteenth year of the judges (B.C. 73), that Alma took his beloved son, Heleman, and after having discovered, through divers questions, the strength and integrity of his faith, he prophesied to him of many important events in the distant future, especially with regard to the destruction of the Nephites. This prophecy he commanded him to record on the plates, but not to reveal to his contemporaries. Alma then blessed Heleman, also his other sons; indeed he blessed all who should stand firm in the truth of Christ from that time forth. Shortly after this he departed out of the land of Zarahemla, as if to go to the land of Melek, and was never heard of more. Of his death and burial no men were witnesses. Then the saying went abroad throughout the Church that the Lord had taken him, as he beforetime had taken Moses. This event occurred exactly one hundred years from the time of the elder Alma’s birth.

The prophecies of Alma are amongst the most numerous, important and interesting of any contained in the Book of Mormon. They relate chiefly to five things:

(1) 1. The coming of the Messiah.

(2) 2. The destruction of Ammonihah.

(3) 3. The ultimate extinction of the Nephites.

(4) 4. The future work and history of the Sacred Plates.

(5) 5. The conversion of the Lamanites.

By placing side by side the teachings and the prophecies of Alma, we can measurably understand how thoroughly the ancient Nephite Church was taught in the principles of the everlasting Gospel, and with what minuteness the events attending the advent and incarnation of the Savior had to them been revealed. The nature of His mission, and of the glorious work He was to accomplish whilst tabernacled in the flesh, was necessarily the primary and principal subject of these prophecies; but connected therewith were many details regarding His earthly life and surroundings. They foretold the place of His birth—the land of Jerusalem—the name of His mother—Mary—a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who should conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost; they showed forth that He should suffer affliction, pain and temptation; that He should take upon Him the infirmities of humanity, so that He might righteously judge the erring sons and daughters of mankind. Further, these prophecies proclaimed that He should be the first fruits of the resurrection, and turn the keys thereof to all the world. We extract the following from the prophecies of Alma:

“I know that Jesus Christ shall come; yea, the Son, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and mercy and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world; yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth in his name.

“I say unto you that the Spirit saith, Behold the glory of the King of all the earth, and also the King of heaven, shall very soon shine forth among all the children of men.

“Behold he shall be born of Mary at Jerusalem, which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, is precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.’’

“And he shall go forth suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith, He shall take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people.

“And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

“There is no resurrection, or I would say in other words that this mortal does not put on immortality, this corruption does not put on incorruption, until after the coming of Christ. Behold, he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead.

“Begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day according to their works.”

We next turn to Alma’s prophecies to the people of Ammonihah. He unequivocally told them what would befall them if they did not reform. No language could be plainer than his. For instance:

“He [God] has commanded you to repent, or he will utterly destroy you from off the face of the earth; yea, he will visit you in his anger, and in his fierce anger he will not turn away.”

And again:

“But behold, I say unto you that if ye persist in your wickedness, that your days shall not be prolonged in the land, for the Lamanites shall be sent upon you; and if ye repent not, they shall come in a time when ye know not of; and ye shall be visited with utter destruction; and it shall be according to the fierce anger of the Lord.”

How fully, how completely, how minutely these inspired words were fulfilled, we have already shown in this sketch.

With regard to the ultimate extinction of the Nephite race, Alma’s words are most plain; no prophecy was ever more definitely stated, no prophecy was ever more overwhelmingly brought to pass. His words are:

“Behold, I perceive that this very people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which is in me, in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief. Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea, famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall become extinct.

“Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief, and fall into the works of darkness, and lasciviousness, and all manner of iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin against so great light and knowledge; yea, I say unto you, that from that day, even the fourth generation shall not all pass away, before this great iniquity shall come.

“And when that great day cometh, "behold, the time very soon cometh that those who are now, or the seed of those who are now numbered among the people of Nephi, shall no more be numbered among the people of Nephi.

“But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great and dreadful day, shall be numbered among the Lamanites, and shall become like unto them, all, save it be a few, who shall be called the disciples of the Lord; and them shall the Lamanites pursue, even until they shall become extinct. And now, because of iniquity, this prophecy shall be fulfilled.”

And fulfilled it was, as every reader of the Book of Mormon knows, in all its terrible, heart-rending details, to the very letter. To trace its accomplishment would occupy too much space here; all who wish to, can read its horrors in the sacred record.

Amongst the words of caution and instruction given by Alma to his son Heleman, when he transferred to the latter the custody of the sacred plates, are to be found certain prophetic utterances in relation thereto. For the details we refer our readers to page 344 of the Book of Mormon (new edition), as without the context they would probably not be understood.

Alma, by the Holy Spirit of revelation, had joyous views given him of the future conversion of the Lamanites, as well as their continuation on the earth after the seed of Nephi had been swept from its face. He told the corrupt people of Ammonihah:

“For there are many promises which are extended to the Lamanites: for it is because of the traditions of their fathers that causes them to remain in their state of ignorance: therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them, and prolong their existence in the land

“And at some period of time they will be brought to believe in his word, and to know of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the Lord will be merciful unto all who call on his name."

We will conclude our remarks on the prophecies of Alma with the following extract:

“Thus saith the Lord God: Cursed shall be the land; yea, this land [America] unto every nation, kindred, tongue and people, unto destruction which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe, and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and blessing of the Lord upon the land, for the Lord will not look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.”

Three mighty races—the Ante-deluvian, the Jaredite, the Nephite—have already been destroyed for this cause; how soon may we look for the fourth? Are not the shadows of this coming event already darkening the land?

Before closing this imperfect sketch of Alma’s life and ministry, we draw attention to the manifestations of the power of God wrought through him, which, for the want of a better word, we, in our ignorance, call miracles:

The destruction of the prison at Ammonihah, (B.C. 82).

The healing of Zeezrom of a fever at Sidom, (B.C 82).

The cursing of Korihor with dumbness at Zarahemla, (B.C. 75).

The confirming of the Holy Ghost, by striking his hands on his fellow-missionaries, to the Zoramites, (B.C. 75).

• 1. Book of Mormon (new edition), page 249, 253, 260, 335, 351, 352.
• 2.          “           “           page 259.
• 3.           “           “           “           368.
• 4.          “           “           “           344, 345.
• 5.           “           “           “           259.