Lesser Lights of the Book of Mormon: Samuel, the Lamanite

LE5SER LIGHTS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON.

Samuel, The Lamanite.

It is surprising how little we know of some of earth’s greatest sons—greatest when "weighed in the scales of God's eternal justice. How much do we know of the histories of the great prophets Isaiah and Malachi? Who can tell aught of the private lives of the martyrs Stephen and Abinadi? Whence came Lachoneus, or whither went Gidgiddoni? So also is it with him whose name stands at the head of this paper; he appears suddenly in the foreground of ancient American history, bearing a weighty and solemn message—a messenger of God’s displeasure, he stands a Jonah to the Nephites. That message is faithfully delivered; then he disappears forever from our sight.

The condition of society in the days of Samuel was somewhat peculiar. The Nephites and Lamanites had, so far as righteousness is concerned, to a great extent exchanged places. The former were puffed up with worldly pride, were full of vain boastings, envyings. strifes, malice, persecutions, murders and all manner of iniquities. They cast out, they stoned, they slew the servants of God. whilst they encouraged, exalted and rewarded the false teachers who Mattered them in their vileness and snug in their ears the siren's song of “all is well.” They revelled in all the luxury that the fatness of the land brought forth: they were ostentations in the use of gold and silver and precious things: but their hearts never turned in thankfulness to the great Giver of all these bounties. The majority of the Lamanites. on the contrary, walked circumspectly before God, they were fall of faith and integrity, were zealous in the work of converting their fellows, and kept the commandments. statutes and judgments of the Lord according to the law of Moses.

Such was the condition of affairs when the Lamanite prophet Samuel appeared among the sin-stained citizens of Zarahemla, and for many days preached repentance in their midst. Their eyes were blind and their ears were deaf: sin filled their souls, and in their anger they cast him out. But the work of his mission was not yet accomplished. As he was preparing to return to his own country, a holy angel visited him and proclaimed the voice of the Lord: that voice was that he should turn back and prophesy to the people of Zarahemla the things that should come into his heart.

He returned to the city, but was refused admission at its gates. The iniquitous dwellers therein had no desire to have their peace disturbed by the voice of divine threatenings. But the prophet had the word of the Lord burning within him, and could not be restrained. He mounted the walls of the city, and from this con­spicuous vantage ground, with outstretched hands and loud voice, he proclaimed to the wicked the unwelcome tidings of their coming destruction. Many listened to his proclamation, some few were pricked in their hearts, repented of their evil deeds, and sought the prophet Nephi, that they might be baptized. Others were angry, they gathered up the stones in the roadway and hurled them at Samuel, they drew forth their bows and arrows and shot at him, but to no effect; the protecting power of the Holy Spirit was around him. and he could not be harmed.

When some beheld how wonderfully the prophet was preserved, it was a testimony to them that God was with him. and they also sought Nephi, confessing their sins. But the great body of the populace grew more enraged at the want of success that attended their murderous efforts. They called upon their captains to seize and bind him; they cried out. "He hath a devil, and it is by this power he is preserved, take the fellow, bind him. and away with him!” Following the wild, satanic cry of the multitude, the officers attempted to seize him, but he cast himself down and fled to his own country, where he began to preach and prophesy amongst his own people. These things occurred in the eighty-sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, or B.C. 6. And from that time the voice of Samuel was never heard among the children of Nephi, but in later years Jesus. Nephi, Mormon and others quoted his prophecies or referred to his testimony.

Nearly all the events, great and glorious, terrible and heart­rending, of which Samuel prophesied, were fulfilled before the inspired historians of the Book of Mormon sealed up its record. Prominent among these predictions were the signs that should occur at the advent of our Savior: the two days and a night of continued light, and the appearance of a new star in the heavens, that should mark His birth at Bethlehem, even to the exact year when these things should take place: also the convulsions, the storms, the earthquakes that should attend His crucifixion, and the resurrection of many of the saiuts that should follow His resurrection. Again, how in subseqent years the Nephites should grow in iniquity, how, because of their wickedness, their treasures, their tools, their swords, etc., should become slippery; how magic and its like should abound, and how, within four hundred years, the Nephite race should be destroyed. To the fulfilment of these prophecies Nephi, Mormon and Moroni bear record.

With regard to the final condition of his own race, Samuel utters a more pleasing cry, the dawning of the day of whose fulfilment we now dimly sec. He says, ‘"That in the latter times, the promises of the Lord have been extended to our brethren, the Lamanites; and notwithstanding the many afflictions which they shall have, and notwithstanding they shall be driven to and fro upon the face of the earth, and be hunted, and shall be smitten and scattered abroad, having no place for refuge, the Lord shall be merciful unto them; and this is according to the prophecy, that they shall be brought to the true knowledge, which is the know­ledge of their Redeemer, and their great and true Shepherd, and be numbered among his sheep'’ (Helaman 15:12. 13).

He closes his prophecy with these emphatic words. “Therefore, saith the Lord, I will not utterly destroy them; but I will cause that in the day of my wisdom, they shall return again unto me, saith the Lord.

‘‘And now behold, saith the Lord, concerning the people of the Nephites. if they will not repent and observe to do my will, I will utterly destroy them, saith the Lord, because of their unbelief, notwithstandig the many mighty works which I have done among them; and as surely as the Lord liveth shall these things be, saith the Lord” (Helaman 15:16, 17).

There is one portion of Samuel's testimony that we, who dwell in the fastnesses of these mountains, are continually reminded of. He declares that at the crucifixion of the Savior the solid rocks, both above and below the surface. shall be broken up, shall be rent in twain, and “shall ever alter be Found in seams and in cracks, and in broken fragments upon the face of the whole earth: yea. both above the earth and beneath." Is not such the case? is not the geology of this region an enigma, to scientists? Are not the strata of its upheaved mountains full of faults and breaks and walls, and unaccountable and unexpected changes? Are not the layers of rocks often found as though turned upside down, the older formations lying nearer to the surface, or upended or thrown about in incomprehensible confusion? Such is the des­cription we have often heard from those experienced in geological matters, and thus the "testimony of the rocks” is to-day, and has been for ages, an ever present and abiding witness to the truth of Samuel’s prophecy, and to the genuineness and divine inspira­tion of the Book of Mormon.—George Reynolds.