The Alma Family (A Book of Mormon Sketch) (29 March 1880)

THE ALMA FAMILY.

(A Book of Mormon Sketch).

BY ELDER GEO. REYNOLDS.

[Continued from page 179.]

LEHI, THE SON OF HELEMAN THE YOUNGER.

Were we to attempt to sketch the life of Lehi, we should simply have to repeat the most striking features of that of his elder brother, Nephi. In their labors, journeyings, ministrations, etc., they seem to have always been together. Like Samuel of old, in their childhood they “began to grow up unto the Lord,” and in riper years they lived to His glory. In speaking of the exalted character of Nephi, the historian adds, “And behold, Lehi, his brother, was not a whit behind him as to things pertaining to righteousness.”

The date of Lehi’s birth is not recorded. In the year B.C. 44, the fact that Heleman had two sons, named Nephi and Lehi, is mentioned; but at that time they must have grown to manhood, as their public labors began shortly after. Lehi accompanied his brother on his extended labors throughout the lands of the Nephites; he was with him in prison amongst the Lamanites, at the time of the great manifestation of God’s power, and the conversion of the greater part of that people to the service of the true God; he went with Nephi to the northern continent, and labored there several years. Again we hear of them (B.C. 13) still laboring in the might of Jehovah and the powers of the priesthood for the salvation of the souls of men. After this we lose sight of Lehi, the date, the place, or circumstances of his death is not stated.

NEPHI, THE DISCIPLE.

Nephi, like his illustrious father, was the leading spirit of the age. Previous to the visit of the crucified Redeemer to the Nephites, he was their high priest and prophet. When the Messiah came to them, and chose twelve disciples to be special ministers of His name and glory, Nephi was the first that He called, and to him, on various occasions, the Savior immediately directed His conversation and instructions. It might not be out of place to call Nephi the Peter of the western world; his position in the Nephite Church was the counterpart of Peter’s in the one established on the eastern continent; he possessed Peter’s energy, faith, power and zeal, though we nowhere find it intimated that he was troubled with Peter’s weaknesses. Yet the Lord, who doeth all things well, called both men to the honorable positions they so nobly filled, and He, no doubt, made no mistake in the men He chose.

Shortly before the birth of our Savior, Nephi received the sacred plates with their appendages from his father, with strict instructions as to their care. From that time the elder Nephi was no more seen by mortals, and his son took his place as the representative of Jehovah to the inhabitants of the western world.

Six hundred years had now passed since Lehi and his companions left Jerusalem. The time had arrived, of which Samuel the Lamanite and other prophets had borne testimony, when the phenomena should appear to bear witness of the birth of the Son of God. As the time drew near, signs and miracles increased among the people; but the hardened in heart, who were ever on the watch to entrap those who believed in the words of the prophets, began to circulate the idea that the time had passed and the prophecies had failed. Not content with mocking and reviling those who were anxiously looking for the promised two days and a night when there should be no darkness, they went so far as to appoint a day when all who believed in the coming of the Savior should be slain, except the sign be first given. This gross wickedness caused Nephi great sorrow—his only recourse was to Heaven. Before God, in mighty prayer, he bowed in behalf of his imperilled people. All the day long he continued his earnest supplications. At last the word of the Anointed One came unto him, saying, “Lift up your head and be of good cheer, for behold the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.” As this word declared, so was it fulfilled, for at the going down of the sun it was as light as day, and so continued until the morning, when the sun again rose in its usual course. A new star had also appeared in the heavens. Then the faithful rejoiced, their hearts were full to overflowing, they knew that their Redeemer was born, and that the great plan of salvation had entered its most glorious phase—God, the great Jehovah, was tabernacled in the flesh; but the wicked quaked with awful dread, they realized the extent of their iniquity, they sensed that they were murderers in heart, for they had plotted to take the lives of the righteous, and in the terror that this overwhelming sense of their piteous condition wrought, they sank to the earth as though they were dead. Many now believed, who previously had scorned the divine messages the prophets bore; but others, inspired of Satan, as soon as they recovered from the fright which the appearance of the promised sign had produced, began to explain it away, and, by various lying rumors, endeavored to nullify the good that had been done in the hearts of many. Others again commenced to teach that it was no longer expedient to observe the law of Moses, drawing their conclusions from a false interpretation of the Scriptures. Notwithstanding these efforts of the Evil One, Nephi and others went forth amongst the people preaching, baptizing many, and bringing a short period of peace to the land.

For about thirty years we have no direct statement of the work done by Nephi as a minister of God’s word. That thirty years was a period marked with many vicissitudes in the national and spiritual history of the Nephites. For seventeen years from the time of the birth of our Savior they gradually increased in wickedness; war and desolations afflicted them until, in their extremity, they were brought to repentance But their repentance did not bring immediate deliverance from earthly troubles—the Gadianton robbers held the upper hand, and it was not until A.D. 21 that, by a signal victory, they freed themselves from their oppressions and invasions. Then followed a short period of peace and prosperity, with its usual train of consequences—riches, pride, inequality, oppression and varied iniquities, and year by year they grew worse, until A.D. 29. But even then they had not descended to their lowest; the next year we read of them unjustly and unlawfully condemning to death the prophets who were sent to them. They overthrew the laws, filled the country with sedition, and sought to establish a monarchy in the place of the republic. The royalists, however, did not effect their purpose, but they succeeded in breaking up the government. The people then split up and divided into numerous tribes, each governed by its peculiar laws and regulations, and having its own chief (A.D. 31).

At this time Nephi is again brought to our notice. He comes forth as a servant of the Most High God, administering the words of eternal life with such power and great authority, that none could disbelieve his testimony, for angels ministered to him daily. His cry was faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance and baptism for the remission of sins. Many were the mighty works he performed; he cast out devils and unclean spirits; he healed the sick and even raised the dead. But the wicked were actually angered at these manifestations of God’s goodness, and but few were converted. Still Nephi continued his labors, and by the end of three years he rejoiced in the re-establishment of the Church amongst the righteous, the organization of the priesthood and the development of the purposes of God. For all this, the greater portion of the people continued to delight in sin, the day of their destruction had come.